Chilly Gonzales - You Can Dance

The one thing you can be sure to expect with Gonzales is you never know what to expect. To say he’s a musical chameleon is somewhat of an understatement, and each new release is like the proverbial box of chocolates – you truly never know what you’re gonna get. Intensely confident and passionate about his art, DIY recently found out just how seriously he takes his art and his ambitions for the future.

New single ‘You Can Dance’ finds him in playful made, conjuring the ghost of a Saturday night down the disco circa 1973. Opening with a weirdly distorted voice over synths, it soon gives way to a dancefloor funk fest, complete with a slap bass riff straight from Kool & The Gang and tinkling piano segments. Some audience sound effects and canned applause lend the whole thing a Soul Train vibe, to the point where you realise the rather simplistic and repetitive lyrics don’t matter as most people will be too busy strutting their stuff to notice.

In anyone else’s hands, this could’ve ended up a bit cheesy, but instead it highlights Gonzales’ production chops, and immaculate taste in cherry picking all the best bits from the past and none of the worst, before mixing it all up into a cocktail that is distinctively Chilly. Love it or loathe it, resistance is futile as this’ll have them dancing ‘round their handbags from New York to Rotheram – I bet you’re tapping your feet in anticipation already.