Sweden’s rising duo @NOTD go all #Ninjawerks with “Start It Over”, with @CVBZmvzic and #ShyMartin

NOTD featuring CVBZ and SHY MARTIN, “Start It Over”

It’s so cool to see young and rising Swedish producers NOTD (Tobi and Sam) alongside greats like Alesso, Tiësto, Arty, 3LAU, Kaskade, Nero, and Dillon Francis on the new Ninjawerks Volume 1 compilation with “Start It Over” – and gotta like the boys animated Ninja-style in the artwork above too (real pic below)!  NOTD, who had a Billboard Top 10 dance club play chart entry with “I Wanna Know” with Bea Miller this past summer, brings along Oregon-based vocalist CVBZ, already written about several times in these blog pages, and fellow Swedish singer Shy Martin, who released her first EP this year.  “Start It Over” isn’t the usual kind of dance song you’d find associated with something like Ninjawerks, but clearly the high-profile man behind those projects is looking for a diverse mix, and NOTD delivers.  “Start It Over” is a catchy production that seamlessly blends two splendid and distinct vocals that likely otherwise wouldn’t be matched up, and the bold moves certainly work.  Expect even more big things in 2019 from NOTD.

NOTD

“All Into Nothing” is a thoughtful downtempo deep house change of pace for @R3HAB with vocals by @thisisMokita

R3HAB & MOKITA, “All Into Nothing”

Award-winning Dutch producer/DJ R3HAB has made many dance bangers over the years, making him one of the most popular electronic dance artists in the world in the process.  So it’s nice to hear more downtempo deep house from him in the form of “All Into Nothing”.  It’s a collaboration with Nashville’s Mokito, providing the warm vocals over a complex, sweeping production which makes it rise above so many other electronic dance ballads, making it very radio friendly.  R3HAB has had 17 Billboard Dance/Electronic chart entries since 2013, reaching the Top 30 7 of those times (including last year’s “Hold On Tight” with Conor Maynard from R3HAB’s album The Wave, his third #1 on the Dance Club Play chart).  “All Into Nothing” should definitely help him get there again!

R3HAB

L.A. duo @Sevenn bring it short, sweet ‘n sexy with “Lollipop”

SEVENN, “Lollipop”

US production duo Sevenn – Sean Brauer and Kevin Brauer – have a sugary holiday winner with “Lollipop”.  Taking many finessed cues from 90’s and 00’s classic house, “Lollipop” becomes less of a novelty track and more of a short, sweet ‘n sexy deep house bumper.  The uncredited female vocal gives it some sleek cheese to please, but the song is more about a tight groove that just doesn’t want to let up.  No wonder Armada has jumped on it – be sure listen for “Lollipop” during festival season.

sevenn

Portugal’s #MrGroove (aka @_luis_telo_) has a slick house track with “Time To Go”

MR. GROOVE, “Time To Go”

“Time To Go” is the kind of European house track that goes down like a shot of brandy – slick with a kick!  It’s brought to you by Portugal’s Luis Telo, who records under a variety of names, including Mr. Groove.  The song slams in all the right places, and has a taut uncredited female vocal that smoothly offsets the big beats to share the melodic chorus, which is repeated later in the song without the vocal.  “Time To Go” is a tidy, effortless-sounding dance song that audiences will relate to, and it’s greatly deserving of club DJs’ attention.

“Flying Away” is an outstanding new song with a powerful vocal by NYC-based singer/songwriter @RyanGibeau

RYAN GIBEAU, “Flying Away”

For those of us who enjoy songs of loves lost and left behind, accompanied by an amazing vocal and lovely arrangement, “Flying Away” by NYC-based singer/songwriter Ryan Gibeau is your new best friend.  The song actually starts off rather plainly with its first few verses, but then Ryan’s voice shifts into this warm, melt-worthy lower octave, and he draws you in like melting butter on toast.  His voice actually reminds me a lot of Burton Cummings, particularly in The Guess Who’s 1973 hit “Glamour Boy”, and not too many singers get away with a deep mellifluous shift and make it work – think Jeff Buckley or Rufus Wainwright.  The arrangement with electric guitar and strings really kicks the record up a few more notches.  The song itself was written while flying to another city after a breakup.  You can feel both the loss of love and the need to get away echoing seamlessly through the lyrics.  “Flying Away” comes from Ryan Gibeau’s new album Quiet Fall.  It’s one of the best new songs I’ve heard in months.  I’ll be diving into the full album soon.  

RyanGibeau

“Strangers Do” is a sultry downtempo release from Norway’s @JonasAden

JONAS ADEN, “Strangers Do”

Refueled and re-energized after taking a break from the business to work on his production techniques with the likes of fellow Norwegian Alan Walker, Jonas Aden is back with “Strangers Do”, following up “I Dip You Dip”, which received high level DJ support across Europe.  Led by a sultry uncredited female vocal, “Strangers Do” is about letting yourself lose control to the charms of a stranger.  The video shows a young woman alone at various remote locations while the fires of past relationships burn in front of her.  For the dance clubs, “Strangers Do” is a downtempo strutter that will work well in the late evening.  Jonas’ production is totally on point but I think some supportive remixes would be beneficial.

JonasAden

Rise up: “Party Through The Pain” and dance it all away from Italy’s @GilSandersdj

GIL SANDERS, “Party Through The Pain”

Sometimes it may seem to hard, but eventually one does break through the pain of a breakup or loss, and music is the appropriate outlet!  Dapper Italian DJ/producer Gil Sanders, who began his fine work in the 00’s as a teenager, has your handle on it with “Party Through The Pain”.  It’s a spirited, anthemic house number that’s destined to give you a good time and lift you up, up, up!  Dance music often becomes great friends with melancholy and “Party Through The Pain” works exceptionally well.  Add it to your Feeling Great playlist using the Spotify link above.  

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SoCal’s Inspired & The Sleep @insprdandtheslp is back with positive grooves of “Stay”

INSPIRED AND THE SLEEP, “Stay”

SoCal indie duo Inspired And The Sleep (aka singer/songwriter/producer Max and multi-instrumentalist Bryce) get their groove on this time with “Stay”.  And why not – it’s about being deep in the throes of love, so there are nothing but positive vibes here.  Max’s gentle and knowing vocal sets the stage while the groove generates an easy going but funky rhythm to make it all work well.  Picture a late night drive down PCH as the warm winds blow from the deserted beaches while you’re with your special someone.  “Stay” is the ideal soundtrack for those kinds of moments.

Soul-tinged, intense new pop/dance from Copenhagen’s @FabianMazur “Settle”, with L.A. singer/songwriter @ZacPoor

FABIAN MAZUR and ZAC POOR, “Settle”

Copenhagen’s Fabian Mazur, very well known in Europe these past 8 years, opts for more pop/dance/soul flavours with “Settle”, a release for The Music Elk.  It’s an intense, deliberately-paced dance song featuring the welcome return of L.A. singer/songwriter Zac Poor, who I’ve written about several times in these pages.  Zac sings and co-wrote the song.  His vocal has a gritty, soulful quality here that usually doesn’t appear on European dance songs, thereby making it seem like something hailing from the UK when it’s not.  And I have definitely missed hearing his power and range!  In fact, “Settle” recalls the soulful dance of 90’s groups like Stereo MC’s but wrapped up with a lot of contemporary finesse.  Fabian definitely knows how to swing a few hooks, and the electronic elements of the song keep it brewing steadily.  “Settle” may not be instantly memorable by title but chances are you’ll be adding it to a playlist or three of your own.

Tough aftermath: “Closure” is a special release for @SteveVoidmusic with vocalist Andy Marsh

STEVE VOID and ANDY MARSH, “Closure”

“Closure” marks the 100th release for Dutch producer Steve Void’s Strange Fruits label.  And that’s a fast steady pace of 100 releases too which have definitely caught the eyes and ears of the dance music part of the music biz.  “Closure” quite honestly is one of Steve’s own best releases.  It’s a great song about how relationships end and some people need closure before they can move on, which often does not happen at all.  The production has a grooving synth bass line and Andy Marsh’s vocal convincingly puts you in that moment that you might not ever want to be in.  But “Closure” let’s you wrap it all up and dance away your own troubles in the process.