Launchpad: A dance pop playlist for the festival crowd

by: Andrew Spada Sep 4, 2017

Launchpad is a playlist series showcasing music we love, hand selected by our staff. The tracks come from both emerging and mainstream artists; it’s all about the quality and the unexpected. If you’d like your music featured in Launchpad, submit it for consideration here.

This week’s Launchpad is full of radio-friendly, vocal driven tracks that are perfect to set the mood for the weekend. We’ve seen the lines between Dance music and Pop music blurred more and more over the last few years, and this playlist highlights the variety that can still be generated from these production / vocal combos.

DA Launchpad Selects:

Even the artwork for Papa Ya’s “Outta Here ft. Con Bro Chill” will put a smile on your face. With graphics including a laundry list of things that everyone likes (palm trees, pineapples, booze, and pizza), this song is bound to put you in a good mood. There’s no denying that the chant-like vocals and whimsical melody are catchy. And with 1.1 million streams on Soundcloud, clearly others agree.

The key to a good dance track is a sweet vocal to kick things off. In “Burn” Elly Ray’s vocal shines atop Thomas Hayden and Mr. Saccardo’s bright soundscape. To set itself apart, however, this dance-pop gem sticks to a slightly heavier sound, utilizing synth horns and a deeper vocal key to maintain the groovy quality that makes the song remain danceable.

Tracklist:
Papa Ya – “Outta Here (feat. Con Bro Chill)”
HUKY – “Kids of the Sun”
Thomas Hayden x Mr. Saccardo – “Burn (feat. Elly Ray)”
Katelyn Tarver – “What Do We Know Now”
Mansionz – “Wicked (Loote Remix)”
Chloe Lilac – “Reckless”
Ryos – “Where We Are (feat. Karra)”
XLYØ – “BLK CLD (Markquis Remix)”
The Knocks – “Trouble (LIONE Remix)”
Aexcit – “What We Do”
Jason Parris – “Immortals (feat. Beekwilder)”