“When I’m With Me I’m Never Alone” brings about a striking return for L.A.-based singer/songwriter Bad W0lfy, known in her early career for some potent electronic dance music of its time and her collaboration with Simon Curtis in the duo Wrathschild, which was now five years ago. “When I’m With Me…” is a deliberate change of pace for W0lfy, who is dipping into the styles of the likes of Normani and Selena Gomez to harness a cool, R&B-flavoured sound. and “When I’m With Me…” will tap into your soul with its relateable theme of being your own best friend when you need it the most. So many young people agonize about the social aspects of their lives, and sometimes we all just need to switch off and allow ourselves to breathe and move on. It’s easier said than done, but thoughtful and insightful lyrics like W0lfy’s are refreshing and can help foster change for those who truly want it. Melodically, “When I’m With Me…” (produced once again for W0lfy by Ray Reich) moves swiftly, with surprising early 90’s new jack swing and house elements, matching W0lfy’s often lush vocal. “When I’m With Me I’m Never Alone” deserves all of the right attention for all of the right reasons that I’ve mentioned. It’s great to have Bad W0lfy back – let’s help keep her and look forward to more great new songs.
It’s been a few years since I’ve written about music by L.A.-based singer/songwriter Adam Exler. While “Language Of Love” may now be pidgeon-holed into the genre known as “Americana”, it is for me pure bluesy rock ‘n roll. The former tennis pro has the gritty, credible voice to go hand-in-hand with the arrangement, which focuses on some terrific guitar work, culminating in a seething hook that makes “Language Of Love” so memorable. While the brief interlude by J. Holla comes a little late and doesn’t always seem in place, perhaps making the song a little longer than it needed to be, it does grow on you after a few listens. But if crisp, bluesy guitar work matched with salt-of-the-earth lyrics is your thing – think off Nathaniel Radliff & The Night Sweats – then you’ll find yourself spinning “Language Of Love” on the regular.
“Gonna Be” is a well done new song featuring a familiar mix of acoustic guitar and other instrumentation along with the synths that fuel its house-lite rhythm. Two Can are brothers Myles and Oscar from Melbourne, Australia, who have probably made their brand known more as remixers (Viceroy, BØRNS) as well as festival/club regulars in Oz. They release original music infrequently but “Gonna Be” has a refreshing appeal thanks to the earnest voice of Dutch singer Martyn Ell, who reminds me a lot of Norway’s Jesper Jenset. “Gonna Be” is glistening ear candy that should not go unnoticed.
Don’t ask me what a song called “Puppy Llama” is all about, because your guess is as good as mine. The musical basis though is alternative electro pop/rock from L.A.-based duo Coast Modern. “Puppy Llama” will really have you scratching your head from its beginning, but fortunately the song does not let up, keeping you locked in and filled with numerous infectious moments for its strange ride. The playful vocals sometimes remind me of Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, and the overall effect sometimes is like a Beck song flipped sideways with a crooked smile. Make of it what you will, but Coast Modern is on to something that will make more heads turn with “Puppy Llama”.
They don’t release music too often, but when they do the song is usually a humdinger, and “Cali Girl” by L.A. duo Papa Ya is no exception. Like a few other performers from the hotter parts of the US, Papa Ya intentionally spreads the warmth through their music. “Cali Girl” shows off the band’s above average local gal who makes a guy lose “his head like vertigo”. There’s nothing new here thematically, but it’s all in great fun, and Nate and Alex know how to write an execute a song that is laden with hooks. So take a breather and relax, and “Cali Girl” will definitely help make your day that much brighter!
One month into Autumn and some change is afoot on the new chart. Besides three new entries, some songs make key moves, and there is a new song on top!
I am pleased to announce again that music from my chart and blog will be featured regularly on the new online radio station Radio GTA. You can hear their Big 20 on Wednesday evenings and listen for songs from the chart too 🙂 Scroll down the main page to listen to lots of variety from across the decades!
Australia’s Throttle gets his first #1 with the thoughtful and danceable, Billboard-charting “Dreamer”, ending 4 appearances (8 weeks) at the top for Kazaky’s “Push”. It’s from his new EP of varying styles in the dance music realm called Where U Are, and is meant to be played continuously from beginning to end for best effect. “Dreamer” is the lead off single and it’s the one that stands out the most for me. This is also the first #1 on my chart for the Canadian dance label Monstercat, and such a different one for them too!
UK indie singer/songwriter Lostchild climbs 5-2 with the OKJAMES remix of “Like Like”. It will be neck and neck with “Dreamer” for #1 in two weeks – I’m not even going to speculate on what might prevail! “Like Like” bests the #5 peak of last year’s “Blacklist”.
With eyes firmly planted on the Top 5, “Breaking Hearts” by Benedict Cork, another UK indie singer/songwriter you need to know, climbs 12-7. The singer has been opening on tour for EuroVision winner Duncan Laurence in his native Netherlands.
Also new to the Top 10 – kind of a no-brainer given the performers – is “Dreamland” by Pet Shop Boys and Years & Years, moving up 14-9. It’s Years & Years’ 7th Top 10 entry since 2015, following this year’s collaboration with Jax Jones on “Play” (#3).
“Poolside Vibe” by Pretty Sister and MarcLo keeps us thinking of July and August as it moves up 16-12.
I want to see a club DJ take Anden’s “Flicker” up on what’s intended to happen in the magnetic, progressive dance song – a glittering light show after the pause after “baby all of the lights are turned…. off”. “Flicker”, featuring vocals by the brothers Cuppernull who comprise Anden, climbs 19-13.
“Here U R” is a striking deep house track by Win & Woo featuring vocals by co-writer Sara Skinner, and it rises 17-14.
Led by a pristine vocal by Heather Janssen, “Who’s Gonna Love U” by Canadian producer Ryan Shepherd makes a significant move up the chart, soaring 22-15.
After the #7 success of “Sign Of The Times” two years ago, Harry Styles shifts gears for a short, sweet pop song with one of his best vocals in “Lights Up”. It’s the Fastest Riser on the chart, rocketing 25-16.
Also busting a big move is “Family Affair” by The Disco Fries, which advances 23-17. It’s a fun and peppy retooling of the Mary J. Blige classic, which got to #4 on this chart back in 2001.
Making the highest debut is the glorious and unexpected collaboration of Galantis, Dolly Parton and Mr. Probz on one of the most uplifting songs of the year called “Faith”. It bows at #25 and is the first chart appearance for all involved. After establishing themselves on the dance music scene for the best part of this decade, the Grammy-nominated Swedish production duo Galantis joins other veterans – Don Diablo, Cedric Gervais, Lost Frequencies, Timmy Trumpet, Sultan + Shepard, Kygo – also debuting on the chart this year. And Dolly Parton has flirted with dance music before – her pop hit “Baby I’m Burnin'” was also a big club hit in 1979. She’s also not the oldest person to appear on the chart – that feat belongs to Giorgio Moroder who was 74 when he charted in 2015 with the trio of “Right Here Right Now”, “Deja Vu” and “Wildstar”.
Returning to the chart for the first time since 2016 is Brandon Colbein, formerly known as Brandon Skeie, with the heart-felt ballad “Mad”. Brandon’s “So Bad” reached the top of the chart so “Mad” has its work cut out!
Sam Fender is an intriguing new British rocker who will appeal to those who enjoy singer/songwriters like James Bay and groups like Keane. “Will We Talk”, from his album Hypersonic Missiles, arrives at #29.
View the full BILLCS Top 30right here! Click on the hyperlink on the song titles to hear the songs or watch the videos!
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Dutch producer Steve Void is having a great year not only with music from his Strange Fruits label, but also with his own releases. Continuing the trend is “Without You”, a fine song that could have had a perfectly happy life as a sullen ballad. But Steve had other things in mind and brought in charming new Oregon-based singer AUSTN, who gives the song a lot of why-is-this-happening-only-to-me personality and dimension. Sure it’s still a sad song, but it’s also given a lift by a few bars of melodic house, which allows the relationship in the song to achieve full closure (cue another Steve Void song…). Anyway, “Without You” to me has pop and dance music radio potential in the many ways by which it draws in a listener who will ultimately be quite satisfied in the end.
There is plenty of room for more progressive house sounds next to people like Illenium, ZHU, Dabin, Ekali and Said The Sky, and “Wasted Time” by Winnipeg’s Vincent and Sydney’s Naderi. It’s an inspired collaboration, with pristine production. Once upon a time, Vincent was known as XVII, and since then has remixed the likes of Bazzi and Alessia Cara, while steadily releasing original songs over the past few years. And you’ll remember that Naderi not only has numerous A-list remixes under his belt, but worked on the Grammy-winning Skin album by his countrymate Flume. The song sometimes stays in one place too long with emphasis on an ear-ringing, echoey vocal. But it more than makes the most of its 2:36 when it shifts gears and heads into some infectious dubstep territory. “Wasted Time” is quite an earful for the progressive-oriented and will throw down well in the midst of a heavier set of songs.
After a couple of well-received dance hits a few weeks back, including the Billboard-charting “A Higher High”, Southern California-based singer Nathalie Archangel returns with a diverse new alterna-pop album The Prettier Things, which is led by the powerful, dramatic song of the same name. “The Prettier Things” offers a lot of surprises, without going full throttle over the top. Nathalie’s playful Stevie Nicks-meets-Cyndi Lauper voice takes full advantage of Charlie Mason’s tease-me, dare-me lyrics amid production that flirts with the 80’s while maintaining a firm theatrical edge. In the album, you’ll also find the disco mix of “A Higher High” and other tasty but wry selections like previous single “Unleashed” and “Queen Of Hearts”.
After taking an extended break, Ralf Popescu is back not only solo as Popeska, but branched out in a duo called Vedado, whose debut single called “Messing Around” I wrote about not long ago. But solo-wise, Popeska keeps his dance/pop a touch on the progressive side with “Got It All”. It’s one of those songs out of which the golden light just pours bountifully, and therefore one that will keep dance club goers glued to the music and the dance floor. It’s extremely straight-forward with a pitched-up vocal that will grow on you. “Got It All” maybe could have been about 30 seconds shorter, but the other part of me now wants an amped up extended remix. Anyway, with songs like “Got It All”, Popeska isn’t going anywhere except to build on his repertoire… so his story continues!
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