Nostalgia come forth, can we get any more ’00s nostalgia than Cascada releasing a dance version of a classic track? They’ve really outdone themselves with this version of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. We can’t believe Cascada hasn’t covered this track before, it would fit in nicely with their first and second albums, “Everytime We Touch” and “Perfect Day”, respectively. This acts as the follow-up to the Cascada Remix of the Jax Jones and Zoe Wees’ track “Never Be Lonely”.
Originally written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson (Ashford and Simpson) back in the ’60s, Cascada has transformed it into a Eurodance Hands Up track that has a clear ’70s-inspired sound with hints of disco. It has been produced by Christian Geller while Natalie Horler completely shines with her powerful voice.
Eagle-eyed Cascada fans will notice that Manuel Reuter (Manian) and Yann Peifer (Yanou) do not appear in the credits which Horler addressed on Instagram in comments and during a Live, revealing that they are still very much a three-piece dance group, just that they all aren’t able to collaborate together due to busy schedules however all Cascada releases are approved by all three members and that they are all still in touch with one another. We can’t help but hope this means that a Manian and Yanou remix of this song will appear on a Remix EP or as a bonus track on their upcoming fifth studio album, or even a Twoloud remix which is the successful dance project that Manian is a part of.
Absolutely shining in every way, Natalie Horler impresses with her flawless voice that is not just dramatic but also full of so much passion and heart. Clean and crisp, there’s no denying that this is one of the best Cascada songs from the past couple of years. Not only have they gone back to their roots by releasing a dance version of a classic track, but they’ve taken it one step further by making it both nostalgic and current. The production on this number is faultless and it’s pure Cascada sound, Christian Geller has done an incredible job and we’re sure Manian and Yanou are equally proud of how this turned out.
Taking the emotion from the Motown classic and adding her Eurodance soul, Horler is a dominating force vocally. The addicting beat allows her voice to shine from start to finish. This so easily could’ve turned out badly considering the Motown classic is consistently heard, on repeat, during adverts, commercials, and even on the radio. It has also been covered so many times with Diana Ross having a hit with it in 1970, that it gets to a point where we wish artists would leave classic tracks alone but Cascada’s care for the original while flipping it into a dance track has made us fall in love with the song all over again—on paper, this shouldn’t have worked and yet, it did, and it’s unbelievably brilliant.
Alongside the release of the single, Cascada also dropped an official music video, directed by Marcel Brell, which sees Natalie Horler perform with her usual magnetic energy in a disco-themed set. There are a variety of scenes with Horler bringing awesome fashion moments as she dons different outfits for each of the scenes—that mirror-ball-inspired disco tracksuit is something we all need!
The opening scene sees her surrounded by huge disco mirrorballs, and later she’s seen sitting on a swing. Other incredible scenes include amazing dancers with choreography, created by Ludwig Mond, and a disco mirror-ball-inspired Volkswagen Beetle.
Flashing lights and imagery can be found in the music video, while there are some standout moments throughout, mainly Natalie Horler actually participating in the choreography—something we have rarely seen to date in Cascada’s music videos with the exception of “Au Revoir”. The car also initially comes off as a prop as Horler is seen performing on the bonnet during one of the scenes, before later piling inside with her dancers as they rave out with the windows down, but then at the very end she honks the horn and drives away.
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, by Cascada, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Stars by Edel, a label of Edel Music & Entertainment. Cascada’s forthcoming fifth studio album “Studio 24” is expected to be released in October 2024, so we expect more new releases from them this year. We also hope to see a few tracks produced by Manian and Yanou, as while we’re excited to see Cascada back and Natalie Horler dominating with her superb voice, we need a couple of collaborations between the trio, or it won’t feel like a Cascada album—even if Manian and Yanou approve all the tracks—especially since Horler confirmed they’re still together as a trio.
