DJ Big&Small – Singles
DJ Big&Small – Singles Review
What the heck…I figured why not go in chronological order as I’m checking out these latest singles from DJ Big&Small…that’d be the way that everyone else out there technically got to listen to them, ain’t it?
Which puts the beginning of our tale here somewhere back in April of 2024, when DJ Big&Small decided to step on into the spotlight with the official release of “WavesX” online. Now…because our digital hero here is a DJ/Professional remixologist…I’d be foolish not to think that at least most of these songs would come from somewhere else out there yonder on the internet, and as I scanned my list of what was on DJ Big&Small’s list at Spotify and saw “Uptown Funk” coming up soon enough…like I said, it’s safe to say that what you’ll hear from this dude are recreations of existing material. Took me a couple seconds to figure out that “WavesX” was a new spin on a gigantic megahit from more than a decade ago, but that’s exactly what we’ve got here – this is a variation of Mr. Probz’s song called “Waves” from back in 2013. Make no mistake, you can hear where the work has been put in on this version by DJ Big&Small – it’d be practically unrecognizable for most listeners out there I’m sure, and only the crazier folks like myself that are suited up & ready to proudly dive down the rabbit hole are likely gonna know where “WavesX” originally came from. From the switch of genders to sing the lead, to the increased tempo and pace, to the obvious digitalization of this soulful song being adapted into an Electro tune, the differences are many, but each has plenty of room to exist within its own realm. As in, just because you loved “Waves” by Mr. Probz doesn’t mean you won’t love this version too & vice versa – they’re practically completely different in their DNA, and really only bonded by the loose threads of melody and lyrics between them. Ain’t a hair outta place on “WavesX” though – this debut single makes it crystal clear that DJ Big&Small stepped straight outta the gate with everything he needed to succeed skill-wise. The production is an easy A+ all-around, the sound is vibrant & alive, the choice of song to recreate in this genre was truly a fantastic selection…honestly, if there was something this DJ could have done better, I’m not hearing it.
Personally, I enjoy sonic adventures like these, because they usually end up exposing me to a whole variety of stuff I don’t normally tend to listen to, and then it’s like a two-for-one situation, because you get the DJ Big&Smalls version and the original track too if you’re not familiar with the songs, like I wasn’t in most of these cases. Like the second single for example – it comes from ALEXZANDER and a song called “Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind,” which does have a few clicks & plays out there on the internet, but it’s a way more niche song than something like “Waves” from Mr. Probz was, which is closing in on the 100 million mark after twelve years post-release. ALEXZANDER’s original is out there on multiple platforms of course, but the most you’ll find on a YouTube post is around 1K or so…so you get it, we’re really talking about apples and oranges when it comes to the popularity of the original songs that DJ Big&Small has chosen to remix & revitalize for ya. That being said, I think one of the BEST ways to use your talents as a DJ or as an artist/band reaching for a song to cover, is to find tracks that perhaps didn’t get the credit they deserved for how awesome they truly are. Or in the event that you know you can bring something new to it that wasn’t done in the original version – that’s always an effective approach to take as well, and it can really shine a light on what YOU can do, even if it wasn’t a song that you wrote. I like the bass-line/synth combination of what you’ll hear in ALEXZANDER’s original tune, but I genuinely felt like the more melodically intense pace that DJ Big&Small brought to his variation seemed to make more sense to my ears, and kinda got the best outta this song, in my opinion. I love the rubbery bounce it has…the neon sound it possesses…and I felt like out of the song currently in the online set-list from DJ Big&Small, “Out Of My Mind” ended up honoring the original in its inspiration more-so than the rest by preserving its composition a bit more faithfully, while still generating significant uniqueness too.
I’ll admit, I was interested in “Uptown Funk” before I even pushed play, but probably not for the reasons you’d assume. As I went to switch tracks, I thought to myself, “How on earth could it be possible to do anything with this song that wouldn’t still make me completely bored of “Uptown Funk? Could anything be THAT different that it could somehow make the world’s most overplayed song seem new again?” As it turns out, the answer is actually YES – I’m more than happy to report that THIS fresh spin on the song that everyone around the planet knows by heart whether they’d like to or not, does in fact, sound like it’s a completely unique take on Bruno’s massive megahit. And thank GOD for that y’all! I’m never gonna be the guy that would tell you that the original “Uptown Funk” didn’t deserve to become as enormous as it became – it’s bulletproof songwriting with a performance that was able to rival that – but let’s be real here…me, you, and everyone you know has probably heard enough of it for ten lifetimes. So to hear what DJ Big&Small has done with it here, and not feel like I’m just trying to suffer my way through the song I’ve heard so many millions of times before, is really quite an achievement. I’d go as far as to say that, if anything I’m hearing really speaks to the strengths of skills and insightful talent this DJ brings to the game, it’s the fact that again, most people wouldn’t recognize this as the “Uptown Funk” that we’re all so unbearably familiar with. I ended up really liking that DJ Big&Small took this on to be truthful with ya…it’s seriously fearless when you think about it…he could have gone with any other song out there, but instead he chose to take one of the world’s most recognizable songs and then chose to NOT rely on keeping the majority of what makes it so recognizable. That’s not just balls y’all – that’s a pair of freakin’ boulders down in the boxer shorts…and I don’t think anyone could help but be impressed by the results you’ll hear in this take on “Uptown Funk.” Everything about this works brilliantly – I love the extra jazzy nature you’ll hear in this Electro jam…like…the saxophone sound just completely steals the show for all the right reasons, and the competition is mighty stiff given the fact that the vocals sound like such a seamless fit as well. Layout…structure…beat…all the stuff that counts is right where you’d wanna find it – DJ Big&Small definitely has the right instincts and talent combined to make an impact on everyone out there tuning in, and knows exactly how to go about retaining your full attention.
Where I think these singles get the most interesting, at least in terms of critiquing them and wondering what the court of public opinion will go on to say, is the most recent single released, called “Celtia.” In terms of quality, believe me when I tell ya, DJ Big&Small clearly knows what the heck he’s doing, so there are no issues to be found when it comes to the overall quality of his work and the production techniques he employs – all that stuff checks out and the dude delivers top-shelf substance & style combined into one, every time. What I’m talking about is how “Celtia” is arguably more of a niche vibe than the other three tracks we’ve experienced so far, which usually tends to make something more of a polarizing cut as a result. What has me completely curious about the way people will react to it, is the fact that it’s put together SO DAMN WELL, that I feel like DJ Big&Small has likely managed to pull off something extremely remarkable, which is to make something that would normally appeal to a narrower slice of the potential audience out there, universally accessible instead. Trust me when I tell ya folks, you can only ever accomplish something like that by being really, really damn good at what you do – and “Celtia” might very well prove that DJ Big&Small is on the next level that’ll set him apart from the rest of what’s out there in the Electro realm. To say I was impressed with what I heard in “Celtia” would be a massive understatement! I was pretty much blown away…and this is coming from a guy that is fairly resistant when it comes to anything with a Celtic tint to it…it’s usually just not my sound – but when I heard the freakin’ monumentally EPIC composition that DJ Big&Small constructed for “Celtia,” I basically had NO OTHER CHOICE but to be onboard. I’ll put it to ya this way…if you can somehow resist what he’s put together for this latest single, you’re truly made of much stronger stuff than I will ever be.
What I can tell you for certain is this – it’s impossible to resist something that practically has its own gravitational pull y’all…and that’s the level of awesomeness we’re talking about with what you’ll hear on “Celtia.” I think it’s equally as fascinating to listen to as it is entertaining, and it’s as intricate as it is fluid. “Celtia” reveals the stunning professionalism and undeniable talents of DJ Big&Small like none of these other singles do, and they have ALL been excellent, for the record. You regular readers at this site of ours know that I’ve built my whole reputation on being honest with ya, and I’ve got no reason to just start lying to you now – DJ Big&Small really IS as good as I’ve been tellin’ ya he is, or frankly, even better. Track after track, all signs point to this dude being a significant force in the Electro circuit for years and years to come, with a future ahead that is so ridiculously bright, that it’d make the sun look pale by comparison. If I had something to say…some advice I could give DJ Big&Small about doing something any better than he already has, you know I’d be willing to say it, loud & proud, with my whole damn chest. The reality is, there’s nothing that needs to be adjusted here…nothing that needs any further tweaking in any direction. Whether it’s sound selection, song choice, technique, or the production, DJ Big&Small has got everything locked down TIGHT as tight can be. If you’re looking for something that’ll take your party to the next level and beyond…this is what you wanna put on to impress the people on your dance-floor. DJ Big&Small has authentically made Electro-based music EXCITING again with these initial four cuts, and all signs point to the man continuing to excel to the top of the charts from here.
Find more music by DJ Big&Small at Apple Music here: https://music.apple.com/au/artist/dj-big-small/1732894066
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