June 2017 – Page 3 – BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

Germany’s @itsLeviofficial and #HarryD sing the bass fantastic with “Wilderness” featuring #HannahYoung

LEVI & HARRY D featuring HANNAH YOUNG, “Wilderness”

It’s got kind of an obscure lyric to grasp on the first few listens, but “Wilderness” by Germany’s Levi and Harry D featuring singer Hannah Young will sink in for a number of reasons. Hannah’s vocal has got a unique flavour that might otherwise be found on a jazz recording, and it’s supported by a key focus on melody that’s driven by the bass instead of guitar or synths. So it gets a deep house groove using different tactics from producers who know how to mix it up. You already know Levi from these pages and my current chart, where his seamless collaboration with US vocalist Victor Perry, “Sail”, recently peaked at #3. “Wilderness” is a choice follow up that you shouldn’t miss at the link above.

“L.I.L.Y” by Sweden’s @antonewald is splashy, refreshingly sophisticated R&B/pop

ANTON, “L.I.L.Y.”

Ever since I saw singer/dancer/choreographer Anton Ewald (now billed with his first name) perform “Begging” on Sweden’s Melodifestivalen contest in 2013, I always have thought he has potential for stardom outside of the Nordic countries. His latest, “L.I.L.Y.” has all the signs to make a big noise if it can get some traction. The song itself, which pretty much reiterates a verse from Justin Timberlake’s 2002 hit “Like I Love You” (hence also the title) as part of its chorus, is catchy enough for radio to play it next to Justin Bieber, Drake, and Shawn Mendes. But what this song has that others do not is a sophisticated vocal performance. It deftly recalls Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” era, and splices its influence mixed with JT and 90’s Jamiroquai and a softer hip hop vibe. You can feel the work that went into this one. Paralleling this, its video is 120% Anton, a bright and splashy effort directed by Victoria Fajardo, an American who happens to be Anton’s fiancée and also directed Anton’s spicy “Devil” earlier this year. She makes him look fabulous, no doubt about that. While “Devil” may have been an experiment that pushed boundaries, “L.I.L.Y” reels it back but takes it to a different level while doing so. Watch and listen above – hear and see why 🙂

The groove gets cranked up for new @PartyPupils original “Patient”

PARTY PUPILS, “Patient”

Party Pupils bring us a punchy original called “Patient”, after dazzling us for the last 8 months or so with covers of songs by OutKast and Ginuwine, and remixes of others by D.R.A.M., T-Pain, Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha, and Jai Wolf. This is the outlet for MAX (Schneider) and his buddy Ryan to bring some heavier, hip hop flavoured dance music to the fore – I got a taste of it in April when I saw them perform OutKast’s “Ms Jackson” in concert. The groove and grittiness are all up front, and with MAX’s fiery vocal, Party Pupils is off to a great start with “Patient”. You get to have it all for now by downloading “Patient” for free at the link above.

Up in the air: @WinandWoo team up with @BryceFoxed for “Chicago

WIN AND WOO featuring BRYCE FOX, “Chicago”

The windy city’s own Nick Winholt and Austin Woo bring us one of their best original offerings yet with “Chicago”. A familiar, playful melody is set against the recognizable voice of Bryce Fox, who we got to know last year with his own “Burn Fast” (which Win & Woo also remixed). It’s obsession versus nature in Win and Woo’s hometown as the singer wants an affair that’s not meant to be, even if it was helped by the windy city itself, as the singer pleads till the song’s end. Alas big cities can’t always fulfill our dreams, even the crazy ones. Win and Woo have pop whimsy more in mind this time instead of an EDM club shaker, and it all works out well as a whole. Pick it up at your favourite digital store.

“Bad Drug” is a personal best for @CosmosnCreature – @missMollyMoore and @BrandynBurnette

COSMOS & CREATURE, “Bad Drug”

If they are showcasing their purest pop talents as duo Cosmos & Creature, then Molly Moore and Brandyn Burnette have created a personal best with the original “Bad Drug”, this time for the PMRD label. Unlike some of their deeper, more adventurous songs as individual performers, “Bad Drug” is pretty straight-forward with an unintrusive EDM backdrop which helps lead to a singalong before the song ends. So “Bad Drug” becomes one of those quintessential 3 minute pop songs that stick in your head long after it’s over and makes you want more. That Molly and Brandyn have C&C flourishing as a third side to a triangle of all of their talents, both with original music and being featured on other performers’ songs, is amazing unto itself. Check out “Bad Drug” above and pick it up at your favourite digital store.

Unlikely pairing of @MartinGarrix and @TroyeSivan is a total winner, “There For You”

MARTIN GARRIX & TROYE SIVAN, “There For You”

One thing’s for sure – we need more Troye Sivan music after the remarkable pop transformation that was his Blue Neighbourhood album, which should have yielded more pop and dance club hits than “Youth”. Some things happen in strange ways, and the thought of a collaboration between Troye and Martin Garrix may not have been expected, until it actually debuted on stage at Coachella in April. Martin can still dazzle his hardcore EDM fans with his originals and remixes, but it’s totally refreshing to hear “There For You” as his non-instrumental follow-up to collabs with Bebe Rexha and Dua Lipa. It’s the most unique of all three, with Troye lending that earthy, sincere vocal quality that brought the songs vividly to life on Blue Neighbourhood. I think you’ll be hearing this one on the radio sometime soon, and then hopefully with dance mixes for clubs to follow – I’d love to see this one at the top of the club charts.

martingarrix_troyesivan

Hard to resist dynamic “Magic” by Same Difference’s @SeanSmithsolo in an @Andy_Sikorski remix

SEAN SMITH, “Magic” (Andy Sikorski remix)

After coming third in season four of the UK’s “X Factor”, Sean and Sarah Smith, the brother-and-sister duo called Same Difference, garnered a Top 20 hit and acquired quite a following for years in their country which didn’t extend much beyond its border. And after a third album that was to contain production by the likes of Pharrell Williams didn’t materialize in 2014, the duo called it a day. In the meantime, Sean has stepped out on his own, and with new songs like “Magic” (for Energise Records), he may yet get that international attention. With a buff’n blond, sultry new look and a sexy new video (below), all of the right buttons are being pushed, and taking it one better is the sweeping dance remix (above) by Andy Sikorski which would fit into a club set anywhere. Featuring a powerful and honest vocal, sometimes all it takes is the right song, and Sean Smith has the goods with “Magic”.

#EDM stylin’: Germany duo @Neptunica refashions soulful “Nighttime Baby” by Victor Perry @perksofbeingvic

NEPTUNICA featuring VICTOR PERRY, “Nighttime Baby”

“Nighttime Baby” in its original version is a sparkling soulful ballad that appears on Victor Perry’s fine EP from last year 4 A.M. Nostalgia. It’s no wonder at all that such a well-written song has got attention of others, and German production duo Neptunica has refashioned it as a downtempo club ballad without taking anything away from the original, and included it on their EP Trapical Movement. DJ’s can make a perfect segue out of a busy set to allow folks to get close on the dance floor and let Victor’s high notes tantalize their ears. What’s special about this redux is that it’s not riddled with special effects. Neptunica seem to go by the KISS principle and as a result the song could find a whole new set of fans. Give it a listen at the Spotify link above, but also check out Victor’s inspiring live-off-the-floor performance of it from last year below.