Dancy pop duo
D.H.T. surprised everyone when they landed their European hit "Listen to Your Heart" in Billboard's Top Ten pop singles. Euro-dance covers of pop tunes -- a 1992 one by
Roxette in this case -- don't make much of an impression outside of the clubs in America, save a couple campy singles from
Amber,
DJ Sammy, and the granddaddy of the all,
DJ Miko. The big difference between
D.H.T. and the above is that this Belgian team put less camp in their thumping and pumping pop anthems, and they construct better albums because of it.
Listen to Your Heart the album balances dance numbers and ballads, covers and original songs, and happy and sad about as well as any light-as-a-feather pop act can. While they may be light,
D.H.T. put such an elegant and slick sheen on their music it's forgivable for anyone who doesn't fit the definition of "jaded," plus their oddball choice of covers turns this seemingly shallow act into something more interesting. Their chamber music take on
Paul Davis' soft rock favorite "I Go Crazy" is warm and tasteful while their camp-free version of
Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" works much better than it should. How they found "I Can't Be Your Friend" -- a modest hit by country act
Rushlow -- is a head-scratcher, but that they turn
Sniff 'n' the Tears' "Driver's Seat" into a ponderous ballad instead of the floor-filling anthem they're obviously capable of is puzzling and the most misguided moment on the album. Exciting and fun original songs like the vacation getaway "Sun" make up for it, along with the neat, clean, perfect production and singer Edmee's exceptional voice.