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It should be laughable really. The amount of highly hyped, trumpet-blowing producers and DJs holding back on their best productions ready for their grand unleashing in March. Arguably the annual showcase for new sounds, hard though that may be in a digital age, Miami WMC does do more than dictate the global release calendar, but that's a huge part of it with studio and label schedules geared up for this week from December onwards.

Ironic then really that the biggest track of all, the one that was heard at pretty much every party all week, that ended up on an MTV special and the one that stayed in my head repeatedly and relentlessly for the whole of the 13 hour journey, and most of the week after that, was actually out last November.

As Simon Dunmore put it "it was only a matter of time before (Dennis) produced a record of enormous potential." The last few years have seen Dennis Ferrer effortlessly slip between vocal house and underground techno, as at home with the label Defected as he is in the club Berghain in a way few of his ilk can. "Hey Hey" is really the epitome of that crossover style. The tribal baseline with its heavy acid undertones is deep enough to satisfy the tech heads, whilst Ferrer's treatment of the raspy female vocal has given her just the right amount of edge and cynicism to beg for a singalong.

The more 'underground' jocks might be ready to give this catchy hook a dissing when in the calmness of their own homes or studios, and maybe that's why it's been a bit of a slow burner. But stick a crowd in front of them on a sunny day by a pool in Miami, and just watch them go at it hell for leather with the fader.

Day after day, night after night, from Tong to Tenaglia via Luciano and Guetta alike, whether poolside, or Ice Palace, a thousand choruses of 'Hey Hey' resounded across South Beach at regular intervals. Remixes aren't even necessary, although the Riva Starr virtual 'bootleg' version will no doubt gain some extra summer mileage, Moroder willing.

Personally I'd much rather see a Grammy awarded to Ferrer for this, than the Kelly Rowland nonsense that Guetta was responsible for last year. If tracks really do need a vocal to get some major recognition, then at least let that vocal be decent. All together now..."Hey hey!"

www.dennisferrer.net | www.myspace.com/dennisferrer | www.objektivity.com