The music business typically winds down at this time of year for a few weeks, with charts being awash in holiday music. While on occasion a major artist drops a big record in December, the rest of the industry perks along with plenty of new releases to check out. This week there’s house music, progressive electronica, and indie rock among the reviews, while picks of the week comprise a rock ballad, a cover of a Canadian classic, and an acoustic folk track. So there’s lots of variety – open your ears and dive in!
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 featuring songs from the 1980’s. And in case you missed them on Monday, you’ll find out what are my #1 song and the Fastest Riser in the latest edition of the BILLCS Top 30.
The BILLCS New Music Report is always a work-in-progress and I welcome your suggestions so feel free to contact me at through my social media links right here.
SHOWTEK, SONNY WILSON, “Shine”
Veteran Dutch producers Showtek finish out 2023 with the slick house track, “Shine”, which reunites them with Dutch duo Sonny Wilson, from their album 360 Yellow. It’s same-named singer Sonny whose amiable, R&B-flavoured vocal gives “Shine” the positive, anthemic lift that it needs to stand out in a club or festival set. Showtek have two sides to their persona which work well – the fun, party-loving brothers who sometimes offer us a striking dance novelty, and then the more serious producers who know their craft that has been honed after than 20 years, ultimately breaking out around 2009 worldwide. Now Las Vegas draws, Showtek have accumulated a wide repertoire and “Shine” is another astute addition to it.
TODD TERRY, GENE CHANDLER, “What You Do”
The master of house himself, Todd Terry, continues to be extremely prolific, but still crafts songs that allow for instantaneous reaction, like “What You Do”. Featuring the classic R&B voice of the Duke of Earl himself, Chicago native Gene Chandler, it retools one of Gene’s minor releases, a 1965 track called “You Can’t Hurt Me No More”, bringing its essence to an entirely brand new audience for their dancing pleasure. “What You Do” is an imaginative, concise release that shows that few producers can match the 30+ years of skills and experience that Todd Terry continues to bring to the dance music scene.
KUNGS, SHADOW CHILD, “Changes”
“Changes” is a vibrant collaboration between French dance producer Kungs (who latterly reached #8 on the BILLCS Top 30 with Purple Disco Machine on “Substitution”) and British house producer Shadow Child. It’s their take on a classic 2002 house song of the same name by Sandy Rivera, which it samples, and rides heavily on a catchy synth hook that will give club goers a workout. “Changes” is for totally letting yourself go when you want to groove to some inspiring early 2000’s-flavoured house music.
MATOMA, J.P. COOPER, “Sound of Shadows”
With the release of his first album in five years, Love For A Beat, Norway’s Matoma has come off of one of the best years in music in his career, with fantastic songs like “Won’t Follow You Home” (with James Droll, a BILLCS Top 30 #1) and “The Power” (with an uncredited Clementine Douglas, which reached #3 on the BILLCS Top 30) included in the release. But he didn’t give away the store entirely, saving a few tracks for the album’s release, including the potent “Sound of Shadows”, reuniting him with singer/songwriter J.P. Cooper, who you also know from many European and dance music hits with people like Astrid S and Craig David, as well as his own solo Top 10 UK releases like “September Song” plus Jonas Blue’s #2 UK smash “Perfect Strangers”. J.P.’s gritty and soulful vocal is a perfect companion to the urgency of being alone in “Sound of Shadows”, and its chorus of “now you’re gone” will stay in your head for days. Matoma is now back in full dance music mode and the diverse selection in Love For A Beat works beautifully.
ANTAGONÏZER [AWAY and Crywolf], “Bow Down”
ANTAGONÏZER is a collaboration between two L.A.-based unique talents in the progressive electronic world, AWAY (Dan Alm) and Crywolf (Justin Taylor Phillips). Of the two, I’m only familiar with Crywolf, having seen him in concert years ago for an intense and memorable set, but the music of ANTAGONÏZER on their EP Omniviolence is best pitched to fans of artists like Nine Inch Nails, Front 242, NERO, and early DeadMau5. It’s not entirely my go-to style of music, but I appreciate the EP which is rich with variety and synthesizer wizardry, and “Bow Down” for me is the most memorable track with its foreboding, dark sound. ANTAGONÏZER is certainly a partnership worth repeating.
DENIZ KOYU, “Astral”
Deniz Koyu has been a mainstay on the European dance music scene for over a decade, playing every major festival there and collaborating with the likes of Alesso, Gryffin, Nicky Romero, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. His crazy-infectious, propulsive deep house track “Goin’ Down” (with Twoloud) got my attention back in 2015 and became a BILLCS Top 30 #1. As you might have gathered from its title, “Astral” is a spacy but highly danceable instrumental that one could visualize being played at a festival under the stars to magical effect. Just when you think “Astral” is coming to an end, it rebuilds 2/3 of the way through with one of those ‘you gotta wait for it’ breaks. “Astral” is great, imaginative, 90’s techno-inspired fun (I keep thinking of the Chemical Brothers’ early work) that will appeal to club goers as much as it will to progressive electronic listeners, and help spread his recent work to a wider international audience.
THE MOVING STILLS, “Westside”
Australia seems to be a current incubator for indie rock talent, and judging by the calibre of fresh music from Oz this year, it shouldn’t take long for it to spread to the rest of the world. The Moving Stills hail from the central area of New South Wales, a quartet which has released its first album called Wabi Sabi. The group aims for an authentic, friendly sound, and “Westside” is a perfect example of what they are achieving. It’s a song about being on the road, which is exactly where they are heading again in January and February, touring the east coast of Australia. Vocals and instrumentation are all on point, and if you’ve enjoyed the songs of other Aussie indie rock artists this year, then the music of The Moving Stills is just the ticket.
BLACK HERTZ, HOZHO, “Ego”
Brazilian electronic producer Black Hertz and Portuguese producer HOZHO have combined forces for their three song EP Psyche. It’s a largely progressive electronic instrumental effort that’s meant to be an immersive and personal experience into your own psyche, with songs titled “ID”, “Ego” and “Superego”. “Ego” impressive as the song builds from a vibrant instrumental, adding vocals and some nifty effects to create a track that will stick under your skin after it’s over. The rest of the EP isn’t as well-suited for the more casual listener and requires your full attention, but if progressive electronic music is your thing and you’re looking for something a little different to explore, then the full Psyche EP is for you.
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.
L.A.-based performer Cobi is back with the rock ballad “Where We Belong” from the EP Sugar Man
“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”.
Canadian superstar quartet The Trans-Canada Highwaymen interpret The DeFranco Family’s 1973 smash “Heartbeat – It’s A Lovebeat” from their album Explosive Hits Vol. 1.
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.
It’s Nashville trio The Arcadian Wild with “Dopamine” from their album Welcome
“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.
Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
Paul Young – Every Time You Go Away
Rod Stewart – That’s What Friends Are For
Joe Jackson – Steppin’ Out
Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
BILLCS Top 30 #1 SONG
Bright Light Bright Light obtains his 7th #1 with “Down To One”
BILLCS Top 30 FASTEST RISER
Benson Boone is back with another stellar ballad, “To Love Someone” (28-20)
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