Listen to “Next to You” here

Dante (drummer of Swedish indie pop band, The Concretes) took his drums and Clarence Carter’s 1973 hit “Next to You,” and turned mellow into modern. The cover is still a story of love, heartbreak, and yearning. And who couldn’t relate? The transformation is a beautiful testament to the power of synth pads, the string-affected keyboard, and to a slapping beat. This guy’s got a lovin’ feeling that only an ice queen couldn’t feel. [Just make me a promise. You'll be a patient music mongrel and wait through the build up until 00:58.]

I look forward to more from Dante’s solo career and debut EP expected in September. I’m also waiting for the imminent arrival of a remix by some creative DJ/producer who sees the potential to sample the hell out of this one. It’s got a lot of feeling to work with. Happy listening.