- Two of nü-disco's heavy hitters together on one track with a B-side by DFA's newest hit act. It all sounds a bit like PR, I know, but Aeroplane collaborating with Kathy Diamond is indeed a wet dream for many and the two don't disappoint on their debut single. It helps that neither really need to radically alter their style. Aeroplane produce what has now become their signature style: a thick, live bass underpins a wordless chorus and complementary synth lines that get epic just as often as they mark time. Chic guitars just happen to drop by during the chorus.
But if Aeroplane's backing would sound perfectly serviceable as an instrumental, Diamond takes it to another, er, plane entirely. Words rarely matter in disco and that's the case here as well—longing, regret and dancing are all covered in equal measure. But if the lyrics don't do much more than signify, Diamond's voice is a rarity these days—a gentle diva, capable of hitting any note you'd care to have her hit, without needing to embellish with the dreaded melisma.
Hercules & Love Affair, who have been remixing quite a bit lately, turn up on the flip for a restrained rework of the original. Unlike their trope-heavy Chaz Jankel remix, however, the H&LA approach works wonders when taken in concert with Aeroplane's over-the-top disco-isms. Hearing Diamond sing over the minimal backing reminds of an early '90s dub, a beautiful ghost in the pop machine. Excellent work all around.
TracklistA Whispers
B Whispers (Hercules & Love Affair Mix)