It would be one thing if these tracks stood on their own but they rarely do.
Here’s a good rule of thumb – if you took that familiar and oh so catchy Depeche mode vocal out of the track – would you still buy it?
If the answer’s no then don’t buy it. Demand more from your producer than merely riding a famous vocal over generic beats, and support those producers making truly original music.
I didn’t get into electronic music because it sounded like pop music, I got into it because it didn’t sound like pop music!
And don’t get me wrong, I like pop music. And lots of other kinds of music. But for dancing, underground house and techno have a lock on my heart. Just because pop music has embraced electronica in the last decade doesn’t mean we have to pander to mainstream music in our dj sets. Play me something new please!