Here I go travelling again, with my latest adventure taking me back to Austin next Wednesday for the first time in six years. With Austin though I am always guaranteed to find some great music, as well as plenty of fine food and ‘weirdness’, and I have a few shows in mind that I may attend. Consequently, this Report will not publish next week but will return on Wednesday, September 20!
Among the features in the Report, you can check out my pick of the week, along with one from the host of online radio’s “Top 40 Timeline”, “Big Daddy” Russ Horton, plus “Modern Hype” online radio host Hunter Wilbur’s “Bop of the Week”. “The Musicman” James Rogers from online radio’s “3D Variety Show” has his Classic Five pop hits which zero in on the year 1990. And at the bottom of this post, I republish my BILLCS Top 30 chart from this week in 2007!!
The BILLCS New Music Report is a work-in-progress and I welcome your suggestions so feel free to contact me at through my social media links right here.
REMINDER: Click the photo above the artist’s name and song title to hear the song or watch the video.
SPOTLIGHTING
JOHN DAHLBACK, DAVIS MALLORY, “Top of the World”
Like Davis Mallory’s sinfully catchy track which I wrote about last year, “James Bond”, his new collaboration with Swedish dance producer John Dahlbäck on “Top of the World” is a zinger out of left field. Davis provides another ear-catching, feel good vocal that positions the listener for an immersive three minutes. “Top of the World” is a much more produced effort with a propulsive and celebratory bass-synth-laden instrumental hook that’s guaranteed to stay stuck in your head. Once that momentum is set in “Top of the World”, the only direction is straight ahead and you’re guaranteed a really good time.
HARIZ, “X My Mind”
L.A. pop singer/songwriter HARIZ looks to be someone to keep your ears out for as he plans for a 2024 album release, if his fine and catchy song “X My Mind” is any indication. I happened to catch HARIZ (real name Justin Hariz – he also has a twin brother) open up in concert for JVKE in Toronto, and was quite taken by his confident, animated performance and amiable on-stage personality. It turns out that he’s a classically trained multi-instrumentalist and has won songwriting contests, so there is a lot of pedigree in HARIZ’s roots. He’s a solid vocalist and showed off some astute guitar skills too. So be sure to introduce yourself to HARIZ through “X My Mind” as I’m sure there is much more to come.
CONOR MAYNARD, “Storage” (Sam Feldt remix)
It’s hard in some ways to believe that it’s been 11 years since Brighton, England-born singer Conor Maynard arrived on the scene with songs like “Can’t Say No” and “Turn Around”, which led the way for six UK Top 10 hits. He’s never stopped releasing music since, including collaborations of late with Alok, Hardwell, HRVY, and even Shaggy, and has also performed on Broadway in England. “Storage” in its original version is a perfectly fine ballad about obsessive love overload from Conor’s recent album +11 Hours, his first since 2016. But Dutch superstar dance producer Sam Feldt has given it an unexpected huge life in a bouncy big room remix that pulls out every drop of emotion and leaves it in a puddle on the dance floor. The dance genre has always suited Conor’s often passionate R&B-flavours, and this remix of “Storage” could easily find a place on dance music radio stations.
HUNTER PLAKE, “Numb”
I noticed recently that Hunter Plake, who finished in the Top 5 of “The Voice” several seasons back, was back recording solo music after recording for a few years pre-pandemic with his brother Dakota as the duo Plake. With “Numb”, the Baton Rouge native has now steered into the direction of guitar-driven alt.rock and has come up with a sound not unlike post new wave rock of the 80’s, meshed with a familiar melodic style that I’d associate with 2000’s performers like Lifehouse or 3 Doors Down. “Numb” however contains the angst and frustration in its lyrics that remind me more of the 80’s alt.rock, culminating with its repeated message “I don’t want to be numb”. It shows another side of Hunter Plake that I didn’t hear on “The Voice” or his recordings with his brother, and he’s released several other songs so far in 2023. So now may be the time to get to know (or reacquaint yourself with) the music of Hunter Plake as he sets a new course to find the success that should have been waiting for him right after “The Voice”.
FEATURING
TYLER GARRETT, “Close to You”
L.A.-based electronic artist Tyler Garrett is back with a song that shows another side to his music called “Close to You”. It’s a warm and inviting electronic love song that shows off his voice from a different perspective than edgier recent tracks like “Automatic” and “Slowly Drowning”. The production is rich and layered with a potent groove but gives you time to come up for air. “Close to You” is for the romantic in us but is geared for electronic fans of trance and techno particularly. It’s a bit long in the middle but always keeps your attention.
WIN & WOO, BRIAN CORBETT, “Wonder” (club mix)
Chicago dance producers Win & Woo continue to grow with their choice of songs and collaborators, and “Wonder” is a prime example. This time they team with Irish folk/pop singer Brian Corbett, who brings the sound of an ages old soul with his storytelling style in this unique dance mix. It’s hardly the first time that folk/pop and electronic music have been fused, but often it’s not with the right song, and “Wonder” is the first song I’ve heard in a while to be successful at it. The weary-eyed hopefulness of “Wonder” takes a few listens but ultimately draws you in thanks also to Win & Woo’s flair for balance and melody in their craft.
ANDREAS LIBEROS, “Surrender”
British singer/songwriter Andreas Liberos follows up his release from earlier this year “Bonfire” with “Surrender”, another song that exudes all kinds of immediate positive vibes. This one is set to a danceable backdrop with some Caribbean or African inspiration that accentuates the positive even more. “Surrender” becomes a joyous ode to finding that time when you just need to let everything go, for your own benefit, and Andreas once again provides a soulful, cheery R&B-influenced vocal that drives the song’s message home.
DLG., “Kung Fu”
“Kung Fu” is a mellow, moody offering from L.A.-based electronic artist DLG. (aka Dave de la Garza). The song is as much inspired musically by Justin Bieber and Drake as it might be by Rüfüs Du Sol or Odesza. It treads a happy middle-ground to tell a story about obsessive love, with DLG.’s vocal sung-spoke as you might find with other alternative electronic artists (Shoffy comes to mind). It’s his first release since the Spring and electronic music fans will enjoy inserting “Kung Fu” into their playlists for a change of pace and flavour.
BILL’S NEW MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK
My New Music Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs more than 30 times/week on online radio stations around the world.
Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello and UK producers WH0 with “What You Need”
“BIG DADDY” RUSS HORTON’S PICK OF THE WEEK
“Big Daddy” Russ Horton is the host of the “Top 40 Timeline” radio program and owner of online stations Radio GTA, Halton Hills Radio Online, & FM108.ca. You can hear my Retro Pick of the Week every week on the “Top 40 Timeline”.
L.A.-based singer/songwriter David Kushner has a worldwide hit with “Daylight”
HUNTER J. WILBUR’S BOP OF THE WEEK
Hunter J. Wilbur is the host of the online radio shows “Modern Hype” and “Addictive Energy” which can be heard on several online stations including Classic Hits Canada.
British producer and songwriter Scott The Pisces and singer Ashley Alisha bring you “Euphoric”
“THE MUSICMAN” JAMES ROGERS’ CLASSIC FIVE
“The Musicman” James Rogers is the owner and host of The 3D Variety Show heard Tuesdays on Planet Radio Canada. The Classic Five is “pop music 101” of the post-Beatles era – classics you need to know! Each title is linked to a Spotify stream of the song.
Alannah Myles – Black Velvet
Janet Jackson – Escapade
New Kids On The Block – Step By Step
Taylor Dayne – Love Will Lead You Back
James Ingram – I Don’t Have The Heart
BILLCS Top 30 FLASHBACK CHART – 2007
Leading the list is my favourite Amy Winehouse song, with Timbaland and Darren Hayes with multiple songs, Tiesto collaborating with BT, and the highest debut from the Cast of ‘Hairspray’!
06 01 TEARS DRY ON THEIR OWN Amy Winehouse
02 02 THE WAY I ARE Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. & Sebastian
01 03 STEP INTO THE LIGHT Darren Hayes
16 04 THE FEAR YOU WON’T FALL Joshua Radin
13 05 MAKE ME BETTER Fabolous featuring Ne-Yo
09 06 SHAKE TRAMP Marianas Trench
03 07 DESTINATION CALABRIA Alex Gaudino featuring Crystal Waters
10 08 UGLY IS BEAUTIFUL David Usher
17 09 STRONGER Kanye West featuring Daft Punk
12 10 ON THE VERGE OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL Darren Hayes
11 11 RELAX (TAKE IT EASY) Mika
04 12 TULSA Rufus Wainwright
05 13 YESTERDAY MAN Roz Bell
24 14 APOLOGIZE Timbaland featuring One Republic
22 15 WAKE UP CALL Maroon 5
07 16 LEAVING FOR PARIS NO. 2 Rufus Wainwright
27 17 LAST TIME George
08 18 BREAK MY FALL Tiesto featuring BT
26 19 LOVE IS GONE David Guetta featuring Chris Willis
25 20 I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE DJ Chenelle featuring Baby Cham
21 21 WHINE UP Kat DeLuna featuring Elephant Man
14 22 INSATIABLE Elise Estrada
New 23 YOU CAN’T STOP THE BEAT Cast Of ‘Hairspray’
19 24 WAIT FOR YOU Elliott Yamin
New 25 BREAKAWAY (Chris Fraser main mix) Inaya Day
New 26 LE DISKO Shiny Toy Guns
18 27 NEVER AGAIN Kelly Clarkson
New 28 DON’T WANNA DbClifford
20 29 DO YOU KNOW (THE PING PONG SONG) Enrique Iglesias
28 30 YOU’LL ASK FOR ME Tyler Hilton
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 
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