The music biz doesn’t really start to recover from the holiday season until the end of the second week of January. So aside from many talented independent performers keeping new music afloat for the last six weeks or so, it’s been another quiet week for releases.
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 draw from the great music from 1970. Plus you’ll find out what was #1 on the BILLCS Top 30 over the last 26 years!
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.
Reminder: Click on the photo to watch the video or listen to the song.
JUSTIN MYLO, KAREN HARDING, “Rescue Me”
“Rescue Me” is a taut new deep house track by Dutch producer Justin Mylo who teams up with British house music queen Karen Harding with a solid vocal and a fine song to add to each artist’s repertoire. Karen has been on a spate of top notch releases throughout the last year, including collaborations with Felix Cartal and Armand Van Helden, as well as releasing her debut album Take Me Somewhere, mixing in older releases with new songs like “Wrong Places” and “Deep Deep Water”. Much to my surprise, I got to see Justin open for Martin Garrix when I was in Las Vegas last year, and he certainly knows how to work the room with his set. I hadn’t heard much music from him over the years but most of you know him as one of Martin’s go-to buddies from their club hit together, “Bouncy Bob”. What also makes “Rescue Me” such a pleasure is the other songwriting pedigree in the mix – UK songwriter James Newman (brother of singer John) and Stephen Puth (brother of fellow singer Charlie). Both talents have their own list of successes, but I’ll be you didn’t know James co-wrote Calvin Harris’ “Blame” (sung by brother John), Rudimental’s “Waiting All Night”, Matoma’s “False Alarm”, and Louis Tomlinson’s “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart”! “Rescue Me”, released on Martin’s STMPD imprint, is slick and sleek ear-grabber.
MICKY MORE & ANDY TEE, KATHY BROWN, SHEREE HICKS, “Celebrate”
What a way to kick of the new year with the positive retro disco vibes of “Celebrate”. It’s brought to you by a passel of talent, led by veteran Italian dance music mirth-makers Micky More & Andy Tee, and American vocalists Kathy Brown and Sheree Hicks. All of these great folks have years and years of performing and creating music behind them, so with “Celebrate” there is no mistaking the quality, which just begs you to drop what you’re doing and groove to the music. If anything “Celebrate” is heavily influenced by the rhythms and guitar work of Nile Rodgers and CHIC circa their 1978-1980 glory days. Those are always welcome dance music sounds in my book, and “Celebrate” delivers all of the goods you need for your own private dance party.
VASSY, “Off Switch”
Australian dance music favourite VASSY is coming off a big North American dance radio hit with “Krazy”, which re-established her as a confident solo artist who continues to carve out an interesting path in dance/electronic music after more than 10 years of making club and festival smashes, largely with other artists. “Off Switch”, another original which she co-wrote, features a more subdued but playful vocal – in fact the entire track reminds me of seminal dance artist Kristine W’s eloquent and thoughtful dance music of the 90’s. You can’t go wrong with a classic house rhythm, and with producers Duke & Jones, VASSY has found yet another great fit in “Off Switch” to showcase her talents.
SAM DICKINSON, “Hot Stuff”
Last year, UK pop/soul vocalist Sam Dickinson returned after a three year absence with the punchy original bop “Falling”. Currently working on a fourth album, again mainly of original compositions, called F L E X, Sam has followed up “Falling” with a rare cover, of no less than Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff”. Sam previously did justice to his version of Mica Paris’ “Carefree” a few years back, but tackling a better known song is always risky. Fortunately, Sam’s vocal delivers the goods and will make fans of “Hot Stuff” quite proud. It’s a reverent but shorter version of the disco-rock classic, with an arrangement of higher register sharp synth sounds which throws the spotlight on Sam’s energetic and engrossing vocal. Though I would have liked to have heard more noticeable bass sounds to round out the mix (which could be achieved through a remix), to me Sam’s take on “Hot Stuff” is ideal for radio play. BBC 2 has been a big supporter of Sam’s music and has already given the song some love, so who’s next? There’s much more music to come from Sam Dickinson in 2024!
If you’re in north-east England, Sam plays the Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle on Friday, March 15.
MR. SAGACIOUS, “Forever”
Meet Adebayo Oluwatobi Olamide, otherwise known as Mr. Sagacious (a name he acquired through friends in high school), a 24 year old relative newcomer to the music industry from Nigeria but based in London, England. He’s determined to do his own thing to produce the music he loves for all to hear, focusing right now on the Afrobeats genre, with intent on exploring other styles and genres along the way. “Forever” is a dreamy, sparkling introduction that will transport you to sunshiny days where you can just let go to its buoyant rhythm. With some influence from hip hop, Mr. Sagacious knows how to create music for his vocal style. “Forever” is fresh and vibrant and fans of the variety of styles in African music that span from Ladysmith Black Mambazo to Amadou & Mariam will thoroughly enjoy it.
RICKY REMEDY, PALMER REED, “Float Away”
“Float Away” is a rhythmic slice of R&B whose modest but captivating arrangement will help you drift away to wherever your imagination takes you. It’s brought to you by two Florida talents whose experiences separately speak volumes. Ricky Remedy is a Latin Grammy-nominated producer and remixer, who has worked with Travis Scott and French Montana, recorded collaborations with Diplo, Lil Jon, and John.k, and has remixes with millions of streams for songs by The Chainsmokers and Skrillex. Palmer Reed is a vocalist/songwriter on the rise who has opened in concert for Post Malone and worked recently with Adam Lambert, and released his first new music last year in several years. Together their talents really mesh in “Float Away”, a song that could set the tone for a beautiful evening or with which you could wind down into the wee hours.
BILL’S NEW MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK
My New Music Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs on several online radio stations around the world.
From Wales, it’s Ben Ellis with his pop bop “Guys That Look Like Me”
“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”.
From their album Wabi Sabi, it’s Australia’s The Moving Stills with “Westside”
HUNTER J. WILBUR’S BOP OF THE WEEK
Hunter J. Wilbur is the host of the online radio show “Modern Hype” which can be heard on several online stations including Energy 885.
Swedish electronic pop duo Bomberjak brings us “Never Go Back Again”
“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.
The Beatles – The Long And Winding Road
Simon & Garfunkel – Cecilia
The Moments – Love On A Two-Way Street
Freda Payne – Band Of Gold
Terry Jacks – I’m Gonna Capture You
26 YEARS OF BILLCS TOP 30 #1’s
Songs that rocked my personal chart at this time during the last 26 years.
2023 GOLDEN HOUR JVKE
2022 UNBREAKABLE TELYKast, Sam Gray
2021 GIVE IT BACK The Disco Fries, GIIANTS, Allison Park
2020 SHIVOHUM Tritonal, Henry Dark
2019 DJ’S GOTTA DANCE MORE A-Trak, Todd Terry
2018 PINEAPPLE SKIES Miguel
2017 BURN Pet Shop Boys
2016 NOTHING AT ALL Brandyn Burnette
2015 HEADPHONES (Matt Mancid Retro Crossover Mix) Color Theory
2014 AN OPEN HEART Bright Light Bright Light
2013 PARACHUTE Matthew Koma
2012 HOTTER THAN FIRE Eric Saade, Dev
2011 GOLDEN TRAIN Penguin Prison
2010 DELUSIONAL Simon Curtis
2009 SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT) Beyoncé
2008 HOW TO BUILD A TIME MACHINE Darren Hayes
2007 SET FIRE TO THE THIRD BAR Snow Patrol, Martha Wainwright
2006 DO WHAT U WANT jASeFOs, Claire van den Boom
2005 MY MY MY Armand van Helden
2004 MY TIME Dutch, Crystal Waters
2003 THE SOUND OF VIOLENCE Cassius, Steve Edwards
2002 BLACK BLACK HEART David Usher
2001 HANGING BY A MOMENT Lifehouse
2000 FADED soulDecision
1999 LOST ONES Lauryn Hill
1998 ANGEL Joée
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