Express (Dina Carroll song)
"Express" is a song by British singer and songwriter Dina Carroll, released in May 1993 as the fifth single from her first album, So Close (1993). The song was a chart success in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 44 in June 1993.
"Express" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Dina Carroll | ||||
from the album So Close | ||||
Released | 3 May 1993[1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:38 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Nigel Lowis | |||
Dina Carroll singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Express" on YouTube |
Critical reception
Jon O'Brien from AllMusic noted the "jazz-funk" of the song.[2] Everett True from Melody Maker said, "'Express' kinda mixes in one of those cool jazz grooves so favoured by today's crop of happening young rappers with a female vocal which occasionally reminds me of The Lady, Aretha Franklin herself."[3] Pan-European magazine Music & Media remarked that Carroll "uses the Bowie trick of implementing a weird noise just beyond the irritation factor. Very Dina-mic dance stuff."[4] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it three out of five, writing that she "vamps it up on this pop/funk confection, one of the lesser tracks from her outstanding debut album So Close."[5]
In an 2015 retrospective review, Pop Rescue felt that the singer's vocals are "whispery, sometimes sultry".[6] Phil Shanklin of ReviewsRevues stated that it "is unlike anything else on the album. A funky track with a honking sax – Dina comes off like a one-woman En Vogue in this club stomper."[7] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update called it a "choppy jiggler".[8] Adam Higginbotham from Select described it as "solid, tastefully-cut soul bleeding subtly into brisk garage beats" and added that it is "careful funky".[9] Another editor, Rupert Howe, complimented the song's "aspiration towards funkiness".[10]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Express" (7-inch radio mix 'West End Remix') |
| 3:38 |
2. | "Express" (12-inch master) |
| 5:05 |
3. | "Special Kind of Love" (Brothers in Rhythm remix) | 7:27 | |
4. | "Ain't No Man" (West End remix) |
| 8:00 |
Personnel
- Design – Jeremy Pearce
- Mixing – CJ Mackintosh (tracks 1, 2, 4)
- Photography – Simon Fowler
- Production, original mix – Nigel Lowis (tracks 1, 2, 4)
Charts
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] | 44 |
Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 28 |
UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 12 |
UK Dance (Music Week)[14] | 3 |
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[15] | 5 |
References
- "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 1 May 1993. p. 23.
- O'Brien, Jon. "Dina Carroll – The Very Best of Dina Carroll". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- True, Everett (8 May 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 29. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 20. 15 May 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- Jones, Alan (8 May 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- "Review: "So Close" by Dina Carroll (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- Shanklin, Phil (2 May 2015). "100 Essential Albums- Number 86– So Close – Dina Carroll ( A&M 1993)". ReviewsRevues. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- Hamilton, James (8 May 1993). "Djdirectory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- Higginbotham, Adam (1 April 1993). "Reviews: New Albums". Select. p. 73. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- Howe, Rupert (1 February 1993). "Reviews: New Albums". Select. p. 69. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 23. 5 June 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Express". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 15 May 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 22 May 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 9 May 2023.