March 2018 – Page 4 – BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

“Tough Love” is jazzy pop diversity at its best from @missMollyMoore

MOLLY MOORE, “Tough Love”

The lush sounds in “Tough Love” shouldn’t be overly surprising considering L.A. based singer/songwriter Molly Moore has dabbled in classics like “Come Fly With Me” on one of her EP’s and contributed to trumpeter Ryan Svendsen’s “Orange Tree Leaves” last year. “Tough Love”, her first offering of 2018, does go heavy on alt.jazz flavour amid synth flourishes and a crisp vocal that’s more akin to a rock recording. This is why Molly’s talents are so in-demand, through her other quite different work with beau Brandyn Burnette on his songs and their Cosmos & Creature project, as well as for others, including K-POP sensations EXO. “Tough Love” is not about throwing everything into a recording but the kitchen sink. It’s a consciously diverse offering that once again showcases Ryan Svendsen’s recognizable trumpet playing. Rest assured that it’s a complex and fine introduction to what will come next in 2018 for Molly Moore – as always I am completely engaged 🙂 Add “Tough Love” to your Tasty and Diverse pop playlist using the Spotify link above.

Fierce remixing with no compromise: @Vicetone takes on @The_Prodigy’s “Omen”

THE PRODIGY, “Omen” (Vicetone bootleg remix)

No kind of advance warning will prepare you for the big bounce of Vicetone’s bootleg remix of The Prodigy’s 2009 UK Top 5 hit “Omen”. The Dutch duo already dropped an excellent original in January with “Fix You”, but this updating of “Omen” is something that club DJ’s should be seriously considering for a powerhouse set. This remix is completely fierce and The Prodigy’s fans should be more than happy with it. Taking inspiration from the industrial electronics of the 80’s as well as The Prodigy’s mid 90’s heyday (think more of “Breathe” than “Firestarter”) combined with a new instrumental backdrop – those strings sounds are killer! – give Vicetone’s remix of “Omen” the potential for the song’s revival. It’s a totally wicked surprise that commands your attention. Vicetone should now be on your ‘watch list’ for anything that comes from them in 2018 🙂

#JunoAwards nominee @FelixCartal offers up sultry and edgy “Runaway” featuring @whoisREGN

FELIX CARTAL featuring REGN, “Runaway”

Vancouver’s Felix Cartal has his first release in 2018 following a spectacular 2017, which has resulted in two of Canada’s Juno Awards nominations, for Dance Single of the Year (his cover of New Radicals’ “Get What You Give”) and for Producer of the Year thanks to other glorious dance hits like “Drifting Away”. His new single “Runaway” should have no trouble following or matching the success of “Get What You Give”. It’s a sultry, saucy and edgy mid-tempo house tune enhanced immeasurably by a top notch vocal from L.A. singer REGN. Its protagonist lives ‘behind a façade’ and sings about a number of supposed pluses while being on her own, yet the final words ‘I’m a runaway, catch me’ prevail nonetheless. “Runaway” is strong on its own to make waves at radio, but some remixes might show off its versatility for clubs. Add it to your Hot and New Dance playlist using the Spotify link above.

Everybody needs love and to be loved: “God (Damnit)” by @CallMeKarizma is a touching tribute to you

CALL ME KARIZMA, “God (Damnit)”

The amount of social media outreach that Minnesota pop/hip hop artist Call Me Karizma does every day to young music fans is nothing short of incredible, and it goes hand-in-hand with the stories in his music. “God (Damnit)”, from his upcoming EP Gloomy Tapes, is about knowing that you’re good enough to be loved not only by yourself but by others too. To hell with body image, likes, followers, bullying, and anything else that can get in the way of making you feel less than who you are and should be. This time, ‘Riz has crafted a simple lyric video to focus on the key messages of the song. It’s a quickie at only 2:14, but it’s one of ‘Riz’s best to date. Check out the lyric video above and pick this one up at your favourite local digital store.

Prolific Colombian producer @Flapomusic gets remixed by @CRNKN for “Us” and remixes #Tundran’s “Every Wave”

https://soundcloud.com/flapo/us-crnkn-remix

https://soundcloud.com/flapo/tundran-every-wave-flapo-remix

FLAPO featuring JOSH RUBIN, “Us” (CRNKN remix) (free DL)

TUNDRAN, “Every Wave” (Flapo remix) (free DL)

Miami-based, Colombian producer Flapo has been on a roll lately, cranking out some quality tunes that perhaps are a bit more off the beaten path but worthy of your attention.

His latest original, “Us”, featuring singer Josh Rubin, has been remixed by L.A. producer CRNKN. It’s a downbeat, mellow song to be sure, but CRNKN takes it in some layered up-and-down deep house directions without losing the intent of the original. Those who like creative remixes will enjoy this one.

Flapo himself has remixed singer Tundran’s “Every Wave” as well. It’s an even quieter, more atmospheric song in which you can get lost while having a solo walk on a cloudy day at the beach watching the waves come in. Its focus is on Tundran’s lyric-less crooning which helps make this remix memorable.

Best of all, both songs are available for free for now at the links above. Enjoy!

#Toronto’s @Aphrosemusic has a wicked set of pipes to be heard in bluesy “Move On”

APHROSE, “Move On”

It’s not often that I get to write about talent that is literally in my neighbourhood, which in Toronto is the former city of Scarborough. Following folks like The Weeknd and Francesco Yates, Aphrose has arrived, ready for you to be compelled by her powerful and soulful voice in “Move On”. There are many parts to this young woman’s voice but most strikingly you will want to say Amy Winehouse, Pink, Adele, Fiona Apple, Alicia Keys, and a few others, just to start. Aphrose (aka Joanna Mohammed) has the command and restraint in her blend of blues, R&B, rock and pop to keep your attention in “Move On”. This is a great start and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from Aphrose during the rest of 2018. Check out the unique video for “Move On” above. Perhaps you’ll make out more of its intent than I did but it’s an interesting introduction for Aphrose.

Romance is in the air as @Apekofficial spins “Upside Down” featuring @CarlyPaigemusic

APEK featuring CARLY PAIGE, “Upside Down”

It’s been a while since we heard from L.A.-based producer Apek (aka Joshua Gilbert), but he’s back in perhaps a less familiar setting – romantic electropop – with “Upside Down” for Musical Freedom. Phoenix’s Carly Paige has just the kind of versatile voice to get across both the crazy and deeply in love sides to the song. “Upside Down” therefore is very dance radio friendly although some remixes could bring it over to the clubbing side of things. Don’t dismiss this one as electropop-lite. Combined with the vocal, the sweet-and-soft washes of synths hang up a fine melody and “Upside Down” will promptly get stuck in your head. Add it to your New Romance playlist using the Spotify link above.

Chicago’s @Snowmassmusic fires up progressive dubstep instrumentals “Breaking” and “Duffle Bag”

https://soundcloud.com/snowmassmusic/breaking-1

https://soundcloud.com/snowmassmusic/duffle-bag-1

SNØWMASS, “Breaking” and “Duffle Bag” (free DL’s)

Keeping us guessing as to what else is under that black hat with the red ribbon and snowman get up, Chicago’s Snøwmass creates a fiery original musical storm with two progressive dubstep instrumentals, “Breaking” and “Duffle Bag”. They follow up the potent electronic epic “Crossfire” which I wrote about just before the top of the year. “Duffle Bag” is a party cranker where you’ll just want to get silly and loose as Snøwmass keeps the rhythm and synths in high gear. “Breaking” is perhaps more adventurous and seems to be owing more to 80’s electronic forces like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jean-Michel Jarre, or even Mike Oldfield as it weaves a more melodic and cinematic soundscape. The music of Snøwmass is of the highest calibre and is well worth following to see where he takes us next. After years of infectious remixes, it is definitely his time for more original songs to have their due. Download “Duffle Bag” and “Breaking” for free at the links up top.

Austin’s @Cloudchord helps @unofficialTHEY transform a 90’s pop classic into “Dante’s Creek”

https://soundcloud.com/cloudchord/they

THEY., “Dante’s Creek” (Cloudchord remix) (free DL)

Fresh off of an insanely catchy redux of Charli XCX’s “Boys”, R&B/electronic duo THEY. bring us “Dante’s Creek” in a remix by Austin’s Cloudchord. So given that THEY. are the duo of Dante and Drew, you have to circle back to the song title and then spin the song which is of course immediately identifiable in its first verse: Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want To Wait”, the theme song to 90’s hit TV show “Dawson’s Creek”! But THEY. have woven it into a progressive soul setting, which is amplified and expanded upon by Cloudchord in his creative and rhythmic remix. Sax sounds come and go amid the synths while the song retains the immediacy of living life to its fullest as in the original. Fans of other soulful duos like RKCB and Opia will particularly enjoy this. Note that it’s Cloudchord’s last remix for a while. Given the wild promise of last year’s (as it should be) jazzy guitar-drenched Imprint album, it’s definitely time for more originals. You can get “Dante’s Creek” in its Cloudchord remix for free at the link above.