Folk music is hardly what I would call a genre that I actively listen to a lot, but much of today’s pop music was founded on what we would now call the music of folk singers who long preceded the pop and rock era (say, before 1955). And when a voice is as commanding as that of British singer and guitarist Katey Brooks, then I want you to know about it! You may hear, as I did, potential influences from classic singers like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins or Stevie Nicks in “In Your Arms”. The song starts off so quietly as if to not really want to grab your attention. But once you start hearing the story, her voice becomes an expressive charmer – duly compared to Florence Welch for power – and there is no turning back. And then, a bit more than 3 minutes later, the song just stops tidily, leaving you to ponder. Even though she is British, Katey’s music reminds me of how the songs and poetry of Patti Smith somewhat symbiotically connected with the rock audience of the late 70’s. In today’s alt-pop and alt-rock, which includes folk music, you’ll find other talented women, and Katey Brooks can certainly compete with the best of them.
This is the 21st year of the BILLCS Top 30!! The new year kicks off with its first chart and a shorter chart blog format.
The Top 5 was excessively played over the holidays and stays exactly the same, with A-Trak and Todd Terry’s house music truth of “DJ’s Gotta Dance More” staying on top. There’s nothing to challenge it immediately so it will likely be up top two weeks from now as well.
Jessie Ware’s “Overtime” and Hellberg & Leona Lewis’ “Headlights” each reach new peaks of #6 and #7 respectively. L.A.’s Mahalo gets his 4th Top 10 entry paired with producer Le:Blanc for “In My Arms” (13-8). The other new entry is the fastest riser on the chart, “God Damnit” by Illenium featuring the song’s writer, Call Me Karizma on vocals. It climbs 15-9. The song gives Illenium concurrent songs in the Top 10 (at #4 with the PatrickReza remix of “Crawl Outta Love”), and it matches the peak of Karizma’s previous Top 10 entry “u suck” from 2016.
A lot of songs get caught with small moves in a tight area of the chart that will likely loosen up in two weeks. “Play”, the infectious new song by Jax Jones and Years & Years, moves up 20-15. As “This Feeling” peaks at #8, “Siren” by The Chainsmokers and Aazar climbs 23-18. Steve Void’s “Closure”, featuring a winning vocal by Andy Marsh, rises 24-19. The rest of last week’s debuts make smaller moves: “Flying Away” by NYC-based singer/songwriter Ryan Gibeau moves 25-22, and right behind it is the rollicking new song by The Him called “Look At Us Now”, up 26-23. Check out the duo’s even more recent release, “Unstoppable”, below. Molly Moore’s heartfelt “Be Here Now” rises 29-25.
Two debuts grace the chart by new performers. Australia’s Sam Bluer has a catchy and danceable winner with “Bite My Tongue” at #27, which has a Troye Sivan “My My My!” vibe about it (they just happen to be label mates too) and is an even better follow up to last year’s fine “Body High”. And there’s another Puth about to find his way onto your playlists. Younger brother Stephen has a grittier, sparse sound with, guitar-spiced 60’s flavoured production on “Sexual Vibe” at #28.
View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here! Click on the hyperlink on the song titles to hear the songs or watch the videos!
Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify: BILLCS Top 30 Songs
Maff Boothroyd is known in the UK as a club and event promoter, as well as a producer and DJ. And while his previous music has also found enough traction from some Asian audiences, it’s a diverse song like “Take Me Away” that could open doors in other major markets. It’s a riveting bass thumper that is set in motion from its first note, and doesn’t let up. No hidden agendas here, “Take Me Away” is a bona fide club jam that will add sizzle in the momentum of a deep house set. You can hear many familiar classic house influences particularly from the 90’s which give the arrangement a lot of welcome warmth. Don’t be surprised to hear “Take Me Away” creep into sets throughout festival season.
I’m thoroughly enjoying the evolution of L.A. producer PatrickReza’s alt.electro sound with his originals. While “Tip Toe” was a less than 2 minute taste, “The Wall” is much more fleshed out and personal. Heavy on the beats and electric guitar, the arrangement has a psychedelic quality which intensifies the emotion. And by the end, you’re certainly wondering where the protagonist is heading after being torn apart by a relationship. So no, this one isn’t really for the dance floor, but those interested in progressive rock-oriented electronic music with lots of retro vibes will certainly have a blast with it.
If you like your deep house luscious and romantic at a percolating 126 bpm, then “Remember” is for you. It’s brought to us by rising British production duo DFUX (George and Joss) and features the rich and powerful tones of Georgia-based singer Pershard Owens. According to DFUX, the song started out as something totally different and more jazzy, and once they had Pershard’s voice for the record, almost everything changed and the song was essentially rewritten. Indeed, like commanding voices such as Gregory Foster on Disclosure’s “Holding On” or Mike Yung’s recent vocal for Martin Garrix on “Dreamer”, Pershard’s tones are what make the song most memorable, against a solid, swinging rhythm that will get you up out of your seat. DFUX have more projects in the work this year, so watch out for regular music from them!
With every release from talented Southern Californian producer Jay Bird, I hear measured growth in quality and production, which is helping to complete the framework more than with his releases from early last year. “The Reason” is a lovely, reflective and enlightening song which inspires you to act on those inexplicable moments in life that compel you to make change, even if just to find out to which things that change might lead. Jay enlisted the fine vocals of Danni Carra, whose tones alternately represent the gentle, thoughtful side of the story, as well as the exhilarating and exciting part. “The Reason” is a delightful package as a whole – sway to it on the dance floor, or find a secluded space outdoors somewhere just to stare at the stars or city lights (like the artwork above) and dream away.
I’ll end my 2018 blog posts with a gentle song that inauspiciously revives a ‘quiet storm’ R&B sound that is missing in today’s music market, in favour of songs being ‘chill’ just for the sake of it. “We’ll Be Okay” is brought to you by Germany’s ZEROBADDAYS – usually known as one half of the production duo Saxity or remixer Stan Sax – and NYC-based pop/soul singer/songwriter Victor Perry. Victor’s voice here is positively and convincingly angelic – you hang on his voice to wait to hear what he’ll sing about next – and ZEROBADDAYS’ sax melody throughout is delightfully sublime. “We’ll Be Okay” allows you to think about those times during a relationship when a simple pause is needed to reflect, and more often than not everything will be just fine in the end. “We’ll Be Okay” also signals the need for more similarly thoughtful and positive songs that can be reassuring and hopeful in a world that often takes an awful lot for granted. Well done, gents (and more, please)!
Last year Nicki French sang about how she would toss a guy out of a dance club and leave her “Teardrops On The Disco Floor”. This year it’s ready – steady – go away! The singer best known for her high energy 90’s cover smash of “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” takes matters into her own hands and empowers all of us to do the same in “On Your Marks, Get Set, Go Away”. Like “Teardrops”, “On Your Marks” is a dance floor delight, taking a huge lot of 80’s inspiration and translating it for today’s dance clubs. 30 years ago, a song like “On Your Marks” would be sung by Kylie Minogue and fit snugly into the Stock-Aitken-Waterman music factory of the day. While the song is fluid enough and does not let up, it is an homage to that era, and just for fun, a remixer or two (I’m humbly suggesting Matt Pop 😉 ) perhaps could take that idea and run with it even more… Otherwise, listeners and club goers, face those relationship demons and just make ’em go away!!
I’ll say it again – there was no shortage of fantastic dance music coming from France in 2018 and I expect it to continue in 2019. That will allow progressive-minded producers like Valy Mo to acquire an even bigger worldwide following if songs like “Dimension” can help take him there. Normally, using a relentless and linear vocal sample would drive me crackers, but there’s so much that’s huge that’s going on in “Dimension”. It slams hard and shakes you up well enough for just shy of three minutes and the vocal ends up being highly complimentary. “Dimension” is destined for worldwide club and festival play. The dance music world needs more bass bumpers like this one!
With “Simple”, less is more which allows the Dutch duo Fannypack – Tom Ferro and MC Buju – to focus on vocals and melody that truly work well, with a definite eye on the pop charts. The song builds beautifully, igniting its story with a knowing vocal, and developing the melody to offer its hook well before the minute mark. By then, you’re drawn into “Simple” for its duration. The arrangement is slight and bright, and the vocal conveys a straight-forward emotion that will make you think twice. “Simple” sounds like a winner to me and remixes might be beneficial for it to make inroads in dance clubs.
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