Martin Solveig, "Rejection" (2005)

It's not too surprising to hear that the Sugababes have covered Animotion's "Obsession" for their forthcoming album. (Check out Greenpea-ness for their "Red Dress.") It seems right for them -- lyrically (although after a hilariously faboo line like "Push The Button"'s "My sexy ass has got him in a new dimension," the infamous "What do you want me to be/To make you sleep with me" bit will seem delightfully quaint by comparison), but also sonically. The 80s track has the big-slashing-guitar-put-to-dance-pop-use that is beginning to look more and more prescient, given its recent revival, or at least prominence, in everything from numerous Girls Aloud records (but especially "Wake Me Up") to Rinocerose's "Bitch."

This is another current track that has that kind of crunchy guitar riff, and therefore immediately sounds quite monstrous. Its debt to "Obsession" is especially strong, although maybe it's just the possession/rejection/obsession echo that's gotten me thinking that way. (I am the bitch of simple "-sion" rhymes.) Like the Rinocerose song, this track is by someone who's known more as a dance act. This probably says something either about (1) the way the lines between pop and dance continue to erode partly because they are both borrowing from a particular kind of rock, or, (2) if you think that such dance acts are borrowing from rock only through pop acts like Girls Aloud or Sugababes, the way dance music is nowadays following rather than leading.

If any case, "Rejection" sounds like it would be perfectly at home if done by one of those girl groups, and likely a bigger hit. (Hypothetical hit: this is from Martin Solveig's Hedonist album, and right now not a single.) And maybe a better one too: the rap in the middle ("Feel like such a geek/I sound corny," "Try to dance like Travolta") is pretty cringeworthy here, but might come across as charmingly goofy if a Mutya or a Cheryl had a stab at it. I'm giving this one points for trying, though, and for allowing me to say "a Mutya."