Even though to some it may have seemed like vocal house had saw its rise to public prominence with the well-documented rise of groups like Disclosure and Rudimental in the U.S. The truth is, of course, a bit more complex: Disclosure may be big enough to headline Coachella, but they’re not yet able to breakout on American radio–they may never. That may also mean nothing for their “popularity,” a somewhat murky metric to measure by sales and airplay, since they’re a massive live draw.
All of the above is to say that house and its various offshoots seem to be at a potential tipping point: The right song, the right combination of producer and singer, the right cultural moment, or the right face (no Disclosure-related pun intended) could shift the balance, even if only so briefly as happened with Baauer’s “Harlem Shake.” Even in that instance, we’re still feeling the reverberations though, as trap has become temporarily de rigeur as a part of the pop arsenal.
Calgary native Kiesza’s “Hideaway” likely errs too far on the side of traditional vocal house to become a true crossover hit, but the potential for something larger lies in its insistence on a big chorus, the singer’s soaring vocals (graced with a slight rasp that gives them a nice touch of grit), and a familiar production palette. It’s an enjoyable listen for fans of pop-leaning house whether it blows up or not.
