• Absentia of Wobbling lead
• Piano House works smoothly with the vocal
• A natural sequel
The fact that Don boldly decided to rework an all-time future house classic from him is very admirable, further considering that “Cutting Shapes” is in my top three from the Dutch star. When I discovered its release, I felt extremely excited (and curious) about how the HEXAGON music owner decided to tribute to one of his most viral hits.
Just FYI, “Cutting Shapes” uses a sample from the famous record “Dancin” by Aaron Smith, with a wobbling and bouncy bass typical of Don Diablo‘s earlier releases. One of the most recognized tracks on HEXAGON, it was published in 2016 after the said DJ was “getting numerous requests to release the record”. And it ended up receiving some well-deserved acclaim too, having 100+ million streams till this date.
“Still Cutting Shapes” is more of a gift, a homage to the fans who have stuck to his music since that era, and in a sweet way keeps the same vibe, adding a few tweaks here and there to augment an already perfect idea. I was afraid to listen to a “Toulouse 2020” type flop or a “Spaceman RND Rework“, with new sounds clashing with the original…Given that Don Diablo didn’t deviate from his sound entirely over the years, this version sounds more like a VIP retouch rather than a complete overhaul.
The piano comes off as a more natural successor to the wobbling lead, the bassline a tad more polished and more oriented towards Piano House. There are small variations to the notes that turn everything funky and upbeat. Even the core breakdown alters the lead, although with something that follows the sweeter vibe of the composition. While I missed the original’s wobbling synths, this is further in sync with the “Dancin'” vocal, and therefore the outcome sounds absolutely genuine. Only the vocal distortions in a few moments sounded forced, but apart from that I can’t complain. And I would recommend watching the two music videos side by side, as they have full of references.
Even as a simple “thank you” release, “Still Cutting Shapes” is a vibrant offering and one of my favorite Piano House tunes from 2023. Nostalgia hits hard here!
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