Dizzee Rascal - 'Bonkers'
Have you ever had the experience where, at the moment you first find out about a song which is yet to be released, you KNOW you are going to love it, just from the title? And in fact, rather than rushing to hear it at the first opportunity, you're happy to wait, because it's alway nice to have something to look forward to. That's what happened to me with this very song.
It wasn't exactly a shot in the dark, of course. Ever since Dizzee released 'Sirens' it's been obvious that his natural home is the top end of the singles chart - never mind the critical pats on the head and Mercury Prize nominations, never mind that other Dizzee tunes had been bigger hits, and he didn't really hit paydirt until 'Dance Wiv Me' - something happened after he made that video where he's chased by fox-hunters, which changed his status from 'top talent and spokeybloke for UK hip hop' to 'yikes! we've got ourselves a proper pop star here'.
(. Small world, innit?)
It doesn't hurt that he has started enlisting the help of producers with a bit of form in the hits department. Calvin Harris brought his best uptight disco moves to 'Dance Wiv Me' and now Armand Van Helden has unleashed a bassline which - if you'll forgive a gross moment - could very well void the bowels of an entire nightclubful of people after just one prolonged stab.
It's totally worth it though, even if 2009 ends up becoming the year of the clubber's nappy.
The highlights of such a preposterously amazing song are almost too numerous to list in this tiny space we call blog, but here's a few:
Highlight 1: "BONKBONKBONKBONKBONKBONKBONKBONK"
Highlight 2: Armand seems to have recorded his opening synth riff with one elbow on the portamento button the whole time, which makes the pre-bass-pocalypse section sound brilliantly drunk.
Highlight 3: "a heavy bassline is my kinda silence"
Highlight 4: The way he shouts "I let sanity give me the slip" so it sounds for all the world like "I let Sunny E give me the slip". Sunny E presumably being an even more artificial version of Sunny D.
Highlight 5: "BONKERS"
Highlight 6: SRSLY..."BONKBONKBONKBONKBONKBONKBONKBONK". That's brilliant.
Of course NOW the hunt is on for another startlingly brilliant musical thing to look forward to. Anyone got any tips?
Download: Out now
CD Released: March 18th
´óÏó´«Ã½ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
PS: Watch Dizzee force Swindon to go bonkers at Big Weekend...
"As much a sonic slap round the chops as 'Sirens' was, but disappointingly rides the same verse and chorus over and over again."
""Bonkers" is so well-suited to Dizzee Rascal's nervous mushmouth that it makes me grin every time he says it.."
"it could be another #1, it could be a flop."
Comment number 1.
At 11th May 2009, ten gear bat bike wrote:It is corking, but I wish he could've written more than one verse...
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Comment number 2.
At 11th May 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:I absolutely love this song, most people seem to. However, I think, much like Dance with me, Im gonna get sick of hearing it :(
Untill then, Im gonna enjoy it a lot!
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Comment number 3.
At 11th May 2009, spirit wrote:I first heard this song in February and knew that it would be absolutely massive !
On the Tinchy / Ndubz review blog on April 20th.. I predicted that this song would be a future number one !
Indeed this song is so powerful... that I have not heard a more nailed on number one for ages !
Dizzee.... your star is burning......... you are at the peak of your powers ...... keep up the good work !!
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Comment number 4.
At 11th May 2009, KristinaBrooker wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 5.
At 12th May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:wow first time yu gave a song 5 stars woo :D lool..xx
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Comment number 6.
At 12th May 2009, hackerjack wrote:Brilliant, but like #1 i'd say it's over far far too quickly.
Give me a 7 minute extended mix on the single, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!
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Comment number 7.
At 12th May 2009, fluffyfinches wrote:haha this is amazing! I love him and his voice! And I'm right with ya on the bOnKboNKbONKBOnk
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Comment number 8.
At 13th May 2009, flatknees wrote:was in a club the other night and this came on. when the big bass hit, the dancefloor pretty much became a battleground (in a crazy sense, not a fight sense, 'lulz').
-great track-
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Comment number 9.
At 14th May 2009, spirit wrote:"Now the hunt is on for the next brilliant musical thing to look forward to. Anyone got any tips ? "
Well the first tip is.... do not watch the Eurovision song contest ! lol
Fraser... have you heard of Susan Boyle ?... I hear she has a bright future ........
Seriously though.. I love new music and I think it's great to share great things.
Well obviously the Dizzee song " Bonkers " has had me excited for the last few months and I have been busy spreading the word.
The next song that really ,really excites me is "Juggernauts " by ENTER SHIKARI.
I have loved this band for years.. ever since hearing "sorry you're not a winner " when they were unsigned.
The album "Take to the skies " has some great moments.
However, their new producer Andy Gray has fine tuned their strengths and they are showing a real commercial edge.
Juggernauts is their finest moment and is going to be their biggest hit so far.
It's a huge song and very exciting !
I am so pleased Empire of the Sun's " we are the people " is now "a" listed at RADIO 1 . Both song and video are an absolute masterclass in songwriting and performance !
I also like "untouched " by the Veronicas which will be a hit.
Well Fraser that's enough from me.. tell us what you think of these... and is there any chance we can have an " excitement of new releases " part of chartblog so that we can all stay one step ahead and promote the...
" in new music we trust " idea.
I think it's a good idea... let us know
All the best
Spirit
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Comment number 10.
At 14th May 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Raindrops - Bassment Jaxx
I cant stop singing it.
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Comment number 11.
At 14th May 2009, spirit wrote:Oh, and the other huge, huge song which I could hear could be massive , back on April 24th is :
"Boom boom pow" by The black eyed peas.
What a comeback song !
" beats so big I'm steppin on leprechauns "
I love that line .
And the moment Fergie sings
"Will I Am ... drop the beat now "
And the beat comes in... absolutely superb. you just have to dance !
Dancing to this in a big club is amazing.. it's a great production on this track, and I like the fact that they have taken a risk and changed their sound.
Obviously it was number 1 in the USA and has the commercial legs to do the same here.
An exciting comeback.
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Comment number 12.
At 16th May 2009, spirit wrote:Any chance of an
Excitement over new releases !
part of chartblog ?
In new music we trust ?
It would be great !
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Comment number 13.
At 16th May 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:I'd hate to step on Zane's toes, Spirit. His blog has the Hottest Record feature, which does what ChartBlog could do, only better.
Leave it with me though, I'll see what we can cook up...
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Comment number 14.
At 20th May 2009, spirit wrote:Sounds good.
As RADIO 1 playlist lots of songs weeks before their download and physical release it would be fun , exciting and knowledge sharing for us to pass on to others which songs are exciting us.
It would hopefully give us all a sense of community , and also help us to know which artists are releasing crackin new songs which we can all get to know about before their release.
It would also keep us all one step ahead of all other similar sites as we would be discussing new songs and acts before a lot of other folks .
Lovin this site,
Spirit.
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Comment number 15.
At 24th May 2009, spirit wrote:Dizee - Bonkers
NUMBER 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Comment number 16.
At 24th May 2009, spirit wrote:Got so excited I missed out one of his z's.
Sorry Dizzee... enjoy the moment !
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Comment number 17.
At 25th May 2009, spirit wrote:Also we need to give a mention to the extremely talented Armand Van Helden.
With this co-credit on " BONKERS " he officially scores his second number one single.
The first being "You don't know me " back in February 99 !
Technically it is his third number one ,because he was the brains behind the remix of Tori Amos's number 1 "Professional Widow " back in 1997, although for contract reasons he never got a co-credit.
This guy is super, super talented !
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