DJ Dirty South, known for his many mixes of different dance/electronic hits, has recently released his first full-length album, “Speed of Life.” Born Dragan Roganovic, South had a talent for music that was noticed around the young, ripe age of 13.
The album starts out with a song called “Gods.” This track has a powerful intro leading into a classic buildup of what sounds like drums and many electronic beats (it’s like something you would hear in the background of a car commercial). “Gods” uses a lot of repetition of the same reoccurring beat while unexplained words come into the song around the three-minute mark.
“Until the End” is definitely a standout single on this album. At first listen, the song sounds like a ‘90s alternative song with many guitar-strumming techniques. Joe Gil sings on this track with extremely refreshing lyrics filled with life lessons to absorb (“So give me your faith/give me your fears/I’ll be your eyes/I’ll be your ears”). The chorus has a classic dance beat to it with Gil’s voice smoothly carrying the song over a mere four minutes. The verses in “Until the End” have a slower vibe to them, but are led by a steady electronic beat. Last but not least, the song ends with a beautiful piano medley.
Most of the songs on the album sound quite similar. The tracks that don’t have lyrics in them make it hard for me to grasp the major theme of the song. This album has a few hits but most of them are generic, dance-y electronic tunes, e.g. “Champions,” “Sunset” and “Speed of Life.” I did enjoy the track “Reset,” which reminded me of a Swedish House Mafia song due to the similar dance buildup and the need to immediately start fist-pumping.
One of my other favorites off this album is “Your Heart,” once again featuring Joe Gil. The track, which seems reminiscent of a U2 hit, brings hearty emotion and a beat you can’t help but bop your head to. It leaves you with beautifully refined lyrics such as “Your heart/is all you are tonight/the key that’ll make you hide/will make you see the light.”
Overall, the album is not an impressive one. Had Dirty South added more vocals to his songs, they would have become more unique and different from one another. This DJ definitely has a lot of potential and I’m sure his talent will improve with time.
Tracks to download: “Until the End,” “Your Heart,” “Reset” and “Something Like You”
Tracks to avoid: “Champions,” “Sunset,” and “Speed of Life”
