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Nicky Romero – Toulouse (2020 Edit)

August 29, 20205 min read


• Return of the Dutch act on Spinnin’ Records after eight years
• Contradictory decisions in the arrangement
• Hasteful approach


Every artist has their share of defining and significant moments, either it be a chord-striking performance or that one particular ground-breaking hit. And this sets a standard thereafter, which fans and critics look back often times. Dance Music is not bereft of such achievements, and for the adept Nicky Romero, the year of 2011 proved as his major breakthrough. “Toulouse”, as this endeared instrumental would be peculiarly titled, set-up a certain milestone in the booming Electro House scene, which oversaw commercialization in the early years of the previous decade. Fast forward to this year, the Dutch veteran surprisingly unveiled his modern take on the gem. The question remains: Is this the adaptation we were even remotely anticipating for?

This rework, theoretically, should be making the audience haywire. And why not? It is not everyday that our favorite artists decide to revamp their chef d’oeuvre. But there lies a clarification behind this. Many creators understand the underlying consequence of revising their legacy-making works, as ninety percent of times it turns out as underwhelming and a disappointment. This is often not the fault of the musician involved, as nostalgia is to be blamed. “Toulouse (2020 Edit)” feels like another generic release in the Friday list, and proves the basis to the fact that not all interpretations turn as Midas’ touch.

There are several reasons as to why this experimentation misses the mark. First and foremost is the contrasting nature of this said edit, which delivers itself as a hasty re-arrangement of sorts to be played out in the dance-floors as a filler between, say, more important IDs coming out in future. There is this unshakable Work-In-Progress tonality in this, all credits due to the abridged and conflicting segments at work together. Furthermore, the marketing seems hasty, even if coming from Spinnin’, there seemed almost zilch or less hype.

To truly modernize any antique work, the essence lies in holding onto the same vibe which made the track a success, while adroitly introducing the evolved signature sound the producer has developed. A suitable example of this would be from previous month, as the French icon Michael Calfan brought back his much-awaited “Last Call” in a similar fashion. Turning our attention back to today’s highlight, while the initial breakdown proudly boasts of the famous playful synth-riff, adorned with textbook plucky super-saw synths, the energy does kick off in the right direction. Listening first time, I didn’t hear much caveats foreboding about the section coming at me. With what seemed a decent riser transition, it advances towards a massive under-cooked portion, the drop. Utilizing the same antics of Groove House which can be heard in likes of “Champion Sound” (with Teamworx), the hook just deflates all the steam, and by that, I meant entirely. Whereas the original classic entrapped the listener with its heavy-acid stabbing bassline, this one rather opts for a simplistic percussion heavy blueprint and a simpler low-end. I could ensure for any layman, this could even surpass as a festival “mash-up”. The discordance is heavy among the two pieces of this production, only saved by the introductory moments where fans can relish the classic melody again.

Concluding, the only thought remaining in the aftermath of this release was that the potential was limitless. Older remixes from the likes of Tommy Trash and Chocolate Puma truly explored those lines, but this simply did not. The timing, the vibe and the placement felt odd and not executed properly. This being said, we wish the best for the recovery of the Dutch heavyweight from his recent sickness, and hopefully, his oncoming discography for the year.

You can listen to “Toulouse (2020 Edit)” here:

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