There are few tracks more iconic in dance music than The Rhythm of the Night, (originally released in 1993 by Italian Eurodisco group Corona), and it could therefore be argued that Good Times Ahead – aka Miami-born producers Matt Toth and Julio Meija – are taking on an enormous task by releasing a Rhythm Of The Night Tech House / Club Remix in 2024. However, what their version actually does is put a fresh, modern twist on the original, and in doing so, shows that their past critical acclaim from the likes of Huffington Post and Pitchfork is seriously well-deserved.
The first minute or so of this new rendition actually sounds very different from the original track, with the duo utilizing a tribal rhythm and siren-like synthesizers to create a sufficient build-up before the main section of the track sets in. Now this is the clever part – instead of taking the Eurodance feel of Corona’s track and incorporating it into this new version, Good Times Ahead do something unexpected, taking a very tiny section of the main vocal hook (“This is the rhythm of the night”) and repeating it over the tribal House rhythm they established in the introduction. Add some additional melodic flourishes into the mix and you’ve got a track that puts a completely fresh spin on this classic song. What this also does is give the track a more open and uplifting feel; where the original evoked images of a neon-lit city at night, this Rhythm Of The Night 2024 Tech House / Club Remix flips this on its head, and instead evokes thoughts of a summer beach party or a similarly energetic, party-focused daytime scene.
All in all, Good Times Ahead – Rhythm Of The Night is a powerful and memorable rendition, perhaps not surpassing the original version in terms of distinctiveness (an almost impossible task, it could be argued) but certainly giving it a damned good try.
