Flo Rida – Now Playing (Rhino)

Non-stop party on a platter

Few artists had the kind of hot streak that Flo Rida had from his first single, “Low,” in 2007, all the way to 2015’s, “My House.”  Now Playing collects his best 10 tracks, and it’s a non-stop, good time.  

Side 1 starts the party with the aforementioned “My House” (one of two of his songs that have been streamed over 1 billion times!).  Things immediately shift for “Wild Ones, giving Sia a chance to use her soaring voice, before Flo lays down some of his rhymes.  “GDFR” cleverly uses the sax hook from War’s “Low Rider.”  

“Right Round,” which samples Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record),” and has guest vocals from Kesha, was another smash.  “I Don’t Like It, I Love It” is an interesting inclusion.  It’s the only song of the 10 that is not in the Top Ten of Flo Rida’s most-streamed tracks – it even missed the Top 40 on Billboard.  But, with smooth vocals from Robin Thicke, and a funky bassline from Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White, it’s still great.  

Side two kicks off with “Low,” (more commonly known as the “apple bottom jean song”). Honestly, this might be the greatest party song released in the last twenty years.  There ain’t no way anyone is sitting still when this one comes on.  “Whistle” features a tasty, repetitive acoustic guitar riff, and that somewhat annoying whistling (!).  That’s followed by one of the finest uses of  a sample ever in “Good Feeling,” which grab’s the opening of Etta James’ soul nugget “Something’s Gotta Hold of Me.”  Actually, if you dig a little deeper, that sample, and the melody are all lifted from “Levels” from Avicii, but Flo Rida and his team add acoustic guitar and EDM beats to elevate it to a party classic.  

“Club Can’t Handle Me” is a teaming with ace DJ, David Guetta and backup vocals from Carmen Key.  The album closes with yet another sample of a sample with “I Cry.”  This time, it grabs the main hook of “Cry (Just a Little)” from Bingo Players, who in turn sampled Brenda Russell’s “Piano in the Dark.”  Either way, the final product is yet another smash.

The album is pressed on crystal clear vinyl, so it looks great spinning on the turntable.  If you’re looking for a party soundtrack – one that you can just drop the needle on, and get back to your friends, Now Playing from Flo Rida is it.  —Tony Peters