I require more old and/or unusual dance music for the gym
April 7, 2015 6:44 AM Subscribe
I have an excellent gym mix. Unfortunately, I've listened to it approximately one million times since the fall and it is slowly, inexorably ceasing to motivate me. Because I have unique, special, snowflakey music preferences and am out of touch, I need assistance in finding more music.
I've looked at past questions and in fact my current mix owes a lot to them, as does the fact that I can now do bodyweight squats to parallel with good form - thanks, metafilter!
Songs on my current mix that are perfect:
Pragha Khan Injected With A Poison
Lotus Hammerstrike
Junior Walker and the All-Stars Shotgun (but sadly not this version)
Spoek Mathambo Control
Communards Never Can Say Goodbye (I just want to say "Jimmy Somerville, you can say goodbye - I promise that there are other fish in the sea, especially for you")
I am also partial to Janelle Monae, Gang of Four and Etta James's Chess Records sessions.
Basically, I think I'm looking for garage, GLBTQ club hits of the eighties and nineties*, forgotten eighties favorites and mysterious, excellent contemporary things that I am not familiar with. (Almost everything I like that was, like, recorded in the last ten years is pretty downbeat.)
With minor exception (like the Pragha Khan or that one Pigbag track) a lot of "gym mix" stuff isn't what I'm looking for. Lyrics about success and power and achievement end up making me think of this 7 Seconds of Love track or Blairite Britain or both, and then I get distracted.
*You will be tempted to recommend Chrissy Murderbot's EDM mix, but it's not really what I'm looking for. I'm sure Chrissy is a lovely and talented person but our tastes diverge just enough that their mixes often don't really do it for me.
I've looked at past questions and in fact my current mix owes a lot to them, as does the fact that I can now do bodyweight squats to parallel with good form - thanks, metafilter!
Songs on my current mix that are perfect:
Pragha Khan Injected With A Poison
Lotus Hammerstrike
Junior Walker and the All-Stars Shotgun (but sadly not this version)
Spoek Mathambo Control
Communards Never Can Say Goodbye (I just want to say "Jimmy Somerville, you can say goodbye - I promise that there are other fish in the sea, especially for you")
I am also partial to Janelle Monae, Gang of Four and Etta James's Chess Records sessions.
Basically, I think I'm looking for garage, GLBTQ club hits of the eighties and nineties*, forgotten eighties favorites and mysterious, excellent contemporary things that I am not familiar with. (Almost everything I like that was, like, recorded in the last ten years is pretty downbeat.)
With minor exception (like the Pragha Khan or that one Pigbag track) a lot of "gym mix" stuff isn't what I'm looking for. Lyrics about success and power and achievement end up making me think of this 7 Seconds of Love track or Blairite Britain or both, and then I get distracted.
*You will be tempted to recommend Chrissy Murderbot's EDM mix, but it's not really what I'm looking for. I'm sure Chrissy is a lovely and talented person but our tastes diverge just enough that their mixes often don't really do it for me.
I will never forget the day an ex of mine discovered Aqua and delightedlty exclaimed how almost every single song on the album was perfect for the gym.
Undeniably more bubblegum than anything on your current list, but it's certainly upbeat.
posted by phunniemee at 7:47 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Undeniably more bubblegum than anything on your current list, but it's certainly upbeat.
posted by phunniemee at 7:47 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Maybe some more ‘Hi-NRG’ such as Male Stripper by Man 2 Man meets Man Parrish or Tonight it’s Party Time by Outta Control.
Or, more current, On The Regular or Call It Off by Shamir.
posted by misteraitch at 7:53 AM on April 7, 2015
Or, more current, On The Regular or Call It Off by Shamir.
posted by misteraitch at 7:53 AM on April 7, 2015
You may find UK Hard House to be a useful search term. Bouncy, high-energy, usually not much by way of lyrics (the Pragha Khan is UKHH). Communards suggest a lot of Pet Shop Boys.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:06 AM on April 7, 2015
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:06 AM on April 7, 2015
In the genre of mysterious and excellent contemporary things I really like much of the soundtrack from Enthiran, aka the bollywood robot movie of mefi's heart.
posted by poffin boffin at 8:14 AM on April 7, 2015
posted by poffin boffin at 8:14 AM on April 7, 2015
I wonder if you would like this, I find it drives and it makes me move :-)
Fantasma's Eye of the Sun EP (Mathombo and others)
posted by glasseyes at 8:39 AM on April 7, 2015
Fantasma's Eye of the Sun EP (Mathombo and others)
posted by glasseyes at 8:39 AM on April 7, 2015
I work out sometimes to the whole Junior Walker and the All Stars "Live!" record, as it is perfectly paced for a forty minute workout. If you like 60s soul, here's a whole bunch of it, mostly lesser-known, to choose from.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 8:42 AM on April 7, 2015
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 8:42 AM on April 7, 2015
LBTQ club hits of the eighties and nineties*
I think you should invest in Juan Maclean's DJ-Kicks mix; it will bring you joy. Amazon, Spotify, Bleep, Play.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:01 AM on April 7, 2015
I think you should invest in Juan Maclean's DJ-Kicks mix; it will bring you joy. Amazon, Spotify, Bleep, Play.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:01 AM on April 7, 2015
Bah, how did I miss:
It's Not Right But It's OK (Thunderpuss remix)
Amber - Sexual
Mel C - I Turn To You
Eiffel 65 - Blue
Madge - Ray of Light (amazing running song!)
Maybe crossing into the 00s there. But huge queer dance party hits..
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:27 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's Not Right But It's OK (Thunderpuss remix)
Amber - Sexual
Mel C - I Turn To You
Eiffel 65 - Blue
Madge - Ray of Light (amazing running song!)
Maybe crossing into the 00s there. But huge queer dance party hits..
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:27 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
much of the soundtrack from Enthiran, aka the bollywood robot movie of mefi's heart.
YESSSSSSSSS. This is the entirety of my current workout mix.
Also the soundtrack from Singham if you can find it.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:01 AM on April 7, 2015
YESSSSSSSSS. This is the entirety of my current workout mix.
Also the soundtrack from Singham if you can find it.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:01 AM on April 7, 2015
(disclaimer: i am really bad at this, and every mixtape i have ever made for people has wound up on the bottom of the ocean.)
I feel like Kele's first solo efforts outside of Bloc Party (The Boxer, The Hunter), have a certain energy that fits with your description...twenty years ago I can totally imagine remixes of his stuff having been played at the queer clubs I hid in the corners of. Certainly not motivational-poster energy, but fast and motivating nonetheless. (Suggestions: "What Did I Do?", his cover of "Goodbye Horses," "Rise.")
Lately I have been on my little bike pedaling very quickly to You Only Love Her Coz She's Dead (esp. "Sunday Best," "Leap of Desire," "Superheroes"), and I think there's a line that could be drawn from Pragha Khan (by way of remixes of Voodoo-U, most specifically "Crablouse") to them, although maybe only in the sense of "here is a very heavily distorted woman screaming at us; let us dance to it."
We had a recent thread on Kate Tempest, so she's not really mysterious, but I have to say "Circles" definitely found a place in my exercisin' playlist, especially good for working out frustrations and dismay.
posted by mittens at 10:04 AM on April 7, 2015
I feel like Kele's first solo efforts outside of Bloc Party (The Boxer, The Hunter), have a certain energy that fits with your description...twenty years ago I can totally imagine remixes of his stuff having been played at the queer clubs I hid in the corners of. Certainly not motivational-poster energy, but fast and motivating nonetheless. (Suggestions: "What Did I Do?", his cover of "Goodbye Horses," "Rise.")
Lately I have been on my little bike pedaling very quickly to You Only Love Her Coz She's Dead (esp. "Sunday Best," "Leap of Desire," "Superheroes"), and I think there's a line that could be drawn from Pragha Khan (by way of remixes of Voodoo-U, most specifically "Crablouse") to them, although maybe only in the sense of "here is a very heavily distorted woman screaming at us; let us dance to it."
We had a recent thread on Kate Tempest, so she's not really mysterious, but I have to say "Circles" definitely found a place in my exercisin' playlist, especially good for working out frustrations and dismay.
posted by mittens at 10:04 AM on April 7, 2015
Coming out of hiding - Pamela Stanley
Tease me - Junie Morrisson
Swept Away - Diana Ross
Dance on your knees - Hall and Oates
posted by hz37 at 11:16 AM on April 7, 2015
Tease me - Junie Morrisson
Swept Away - Diana Ross
Dance on your knees - Hall and Oates
posted by hz37 at 11:16 AM on April 7, 2015
Old RuPaul hits are my FAVOURITE thing to work out to. oh man I am so excited for you to hear them!!
Work that body
Snapshot
posted by andreapandrea at 11:53 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Work that body
Snapshot
posted by andreapandrea at 11:53 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Heres the wonky pop / dance things that bring me joy at the gym:
Robyn - Body Talk is lots of fun and attitude.
Dragonette - Bodyparts - pop pop pop
Donkey Boy - Silver Moon - Norwegian pop pop pop
Crystal Fighters - bouncy, joyful stuff.
Infected Mushroom - apparently this genre is called Israeli Goa Trance, something about it makes it marvelous for the gym - I have trouble getting off the treadmill when Heavyweight comes around.
I suspect you might enjoy Kissy Sellout.
posted by Ness at 6:52 AM on April 10, 2015
Robyn - Body Talk is lots of fun and attitude.
Dragonette - Bodyparts - pop pop pop
Donkey Boy - Silver Moon - Norwegian pop pop pop
Crystal Fighters - bouncy, joyful stuff.
Infected Mushroom - apparently this genre is called Israeli Goa Trance, something about it makes it marvelous for the gym - I have trouble getting off the treadmill when Heavyweight comes around.
I suspect you might enjoy Kissy Sellout.
posted by Ness at 6:52 AM on April 10, 2015
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posted by barnone at 6:53 AM on April 7, 2015