My favorite superhero satire is 1999’s Mystery Men primarily for one reason; the villain, Tony Pompadour. Tony Pompadour, better known as Tony P., was the right-hand man for super villain Casanova Frankenstein. But most importantly, Tony P. was the disco king of the crime underworld. The first-time watching audiences see him, he’s dancing in the disco room of Casanova's mansion to the Bee Gees with full 70’s attire. Sometime later in this initial scene he has an upsetting conversation with Casanova which makes him deliver the iconic line: “Disco is NOT DEAD. Disco is LIFE!” And if there could be a song that both proves this sentiment while embodying the zeal of disco, it would be Alex Zind’s “Close To Me”.
“Close To Me” is an exciting Dance-Pop single about the presence of one person sending us into a continual state of euphoria. The single makes closet disco lovers like me optimistic for the reemergence of Nudisco. Nudisco is a dance music genre with a heavy interest in the 70’s disco era that features a splash of 80’s synthesizers and 90’s electronica. “Close To Me” opens with funky strings and our vocalist entering this mindset of elation. The introduction of the synthesizers immediately follows to demonstrate both the speed at which this state kicks in and the height of the excitement that’s being experienced. It’s like pure adrenaline is being mainlined from Zind’s production. If one person can induce this type of feeling, it’s no wonder why you’d want to be in close proximity to them at all times. The vocalist even remarks at several points throughout the song, “Feeling high when I’m low / I’m even more when you’re close to me”. The song’s bridge comes halfway through the song to include a catchy horn section that I’ve been replaying in my head since hearing it. After this our vocalist tells us how “heartbroken” they are when this person isn’t around. But they won’t dwell on that right now because this person is here, and all is well. Ultimately, “Close To Me” is an infectiously entertaining single that makes me wish there were more dance clubs where I lived.
Alex Zind is a composer, pianist, producer, and remixer from Frankfurt, Germany. Zind began studying and playing classical piano at six years old. Not long after picking up the talent, he’d find himself performing in concerts throughout Europe. Outside of his time as a classical pianist, Zind was invited to add music and special effects to numerous Hollywood productions in the 1990’s. In 1993, the artist alongside his brother founded the record label, ZZ Music Records. After the birth of his two daughters, the artist took a hiatus from the early 2000’s to the latter half of the 2010’s. Now back in action, Zind remasters chart-toppers of the 90’s into dancefloor singles for listening audiences. His music continually shifts between Deep House, Pop, and Indie – always keeping listeners eager for the latest surprise dance-hit. If you’ve enjoyed Alex Zind’s throwback to disco as much as I have, show him some virtual love in the form of streams, likes, and follows.
Written by Giavanna Gradaille
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