“I Own The Sky”, new from actress-singer @JaneBadler, gets a majestic dance-pop rework by @MattPopofficial

JANE BADLER, “I Own The Sky” (Matt Pop remix)

“I Own The Sky”, in its original version, is a deliberately-paced theatrical piece written for Jane Badler by the dynamic trio of Charlie Mason, John Matthews, and Richard Hymus, some of whom also contributed to a similarly dramatic original called “Yesterday’s Tomorrows” back in 2012 when the renown American but Australia-based actress decided to take her side singing career to new pop levels.  After some truly memorable pop records and videos (“Losing You” and the totally wacked out video for “Black Silk Stockings”, for example), Jane’s “I Own The Sky”, for Energise Records again like last year’s “Sunburn”, is refashioned by esteemed British producer Matt Pop into an engaging, celebratory dance pop anthem that is totally befitting the singer’s slightly wicked public persona.  Jane even takes it to video (above) to put on display, just by herself, everything that is majestic and inspiring about the song.  Need a lift and feel like you want to grab the world and shake it by its many heads when you feel things are wrong?  Then “I Own The Sky” is especially for you!!

UK producer @NotionDJ brings bass bounce to the floor with “Real” featuring Cecelia

NOTION and CECELIA, “Real”

Tiësto’s Musical Freedom label that shows how it’s breaking away from time to time from traditional house bangers. “Real” by British producer/DJ Notion is an uncharacteristic release for the label, a bass heavy track that still falls into the banger category with its infectious breaks and drops.  With an urgent soulful male vocal rooted in early 00’s British house through Cecelia, “Real” just doesn’t let up for its three minutes+, with its squeaky synth riffs that will resonate easily through big dance club speakers.  Notion definitely has a playful ear to make his sounds stand out without making some synth effects seem intrusive, and “Real” should continue to bring his name to the fore.

Meet Baltimore’s @BretSears with streetwise pop/hip hop of “Break The Rules”

BRET SEARS, “Break The Rules”

Baltimore’s Bret Sears is branching out from his dance/pop group project Casual Encounter, which I wrote about last December, to tackle fresh streetwise pop/hip hop with “Break The Rules”.  It’s definitely got a polished pop side but with some grittiness that could attract fans of  Justin Timberlake, Jesse McCartney, Logic, and G-Eazy.  While “Break The Rules” isn’t going challenge any boundaries, it’s got an undeniable hook which is when the vocal is at its strongest.  The melody has raw qualities about it that sound like throwbacks to 90’s NWA/Ice-T/2Pac releases which you generally won’t find in a pop-oriented record.  I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what’s next for Bret in this new undertaking.

“Moonlight” is a fanciful upbeat electro-ballad from Germany’s @itsLeviofficial and vocalist Victor Perry @perksofbeingvic

LEVI and VICTOR PERRY, “Moonlight”

I will always say that if the chemistry is there and you score with your first record together, then definitely make a second!  And so that’s what’s happened with German producer Levi and sweet ‘n soulful American vocalist Victor Perry, who first created the thoughtful, lilting “Sail” together last year, one of my favourite songs of 2017 which got to #3 on my personal chart.  The pair return with “Moonlight”, a different kind of electro-ballad that isn’t slow-paced as regular ballads usually are.  It’s got a playful, fanciful uptempo rhythm at times that seems to recall doo wop more than any other style of music, and is old school in the same vein of “Lost In Japan” by Shawn Mendes.  “Moonlight” is punctuated with great melody and another stellar vocal from Victor, who is a highlight to any release.  “Moonlight” isn’t a club banger but a lot of charm, rhythm, melody, and fine singing goes a long, long way (and maybe a Zedd remix is in order too 🙂 )!

Norway’s Dyrisk is back with acoustic-guitar driven electro of “Whispers”

DYRISK, “Whispers”

One thing’s certain with Norway’s Dyrisk – aka Vetle Gjøstøl Olsen – is to always expect something unconventional.  He scored big time in collaboration with UK producer Nik Ernst earlier this year with “Smile”, a #1 on my chart that is totally unlike anything you’ll hear this year – witty, smerking, in your face alt.rock,  and you can dance to it if you want to.  “Whispers” seems to take some cues from Radiohead and Beck and offers alt.electro with acoustic guitar folk flourishes in a commonly told tale where you can’t seem to do anything right in a relationship.  There are long pauses and drawn out melodies that totally work even if they’re against the normal grain.  Definitely even more of a change of pace for Tipsy Records, “Whispers” contains lots of soft electronic synth touches and a smoother Dyrisk vocal this time that offers up an earnest protagonist in the song.  Anything is possible in a Dyrisk song and I’m a firm believer that you will enjoy “Whispers”!

“Your Love” is big-sounding deep house with retro flavours from NYC’s @MishaKmusic

MISHA K, “Your Love”

Continuing to be a regular name to watch on the club and festival circuits is NYC’s Misha K.  Like a growing number of producer/DJ’s these days, Misha K is also a trained musician on piano, born into a family of Russian classical musicians.  So a steady ear-catching melody is a given, but what drives “Your Love” home is its simple chorus of only a few, but big-sounding, synth notes.  Surrounding it all is an uncredited soulful vocal that seems to be borne out of early 2000’s British or Chicago house music.  Misha K is already a known protégé with the best of them – lately Hardwell and especially Galantis – so “Your Love” is definitely a big attention-getter for clubs.

“The End” by breakout trio @DMAsmusic gets a dark deep house remix by fellow Aussie @YvngJalapeno

THE DMA’s, “The End” (Yvng Jalapeño remix) (free DL)

Australian trio is definitely on the breakout, currently selling out UK tour dates in support of their album For Now.  Their song “The End” is given a dark, deep house remix from fellow Aussie Yvng Jalapeño, which puts the song somewhere between Twenty-One Pilots and The Presets.  Disco beats trade places with big synths at times, which are in compelling contrast to a pleading, sometimes effectively isolated vocal about to face the inevitable.  But Yvng Jalapeño has a strong flair for what will work in a club setting, and his remix of “The End” can definitely fill a late night room with pulsating, intense sounds that capture the bleak tone of the song so well.  You can get Yvng Jalapeño’s remix of “The End” for free using the Soundcloud link above.

L.A. producer @PatrickReza nicely captures the @Illeniummusic vibe in remix of “Crawl Outta Love”

ILLENIUM and ANNIKA WELLS, “Crawl Outta Love” (PatrickReza remix) (free DL)

I like it when remixes enhance the original song more than when they switch it up and make it into something else, which sometimes is a hit-or-miss surprise.  So when L.A.’s PatrickReza got the green light from Illenium himself to tackle “Crawl Outta Love”, he did it with reverence and restraint.  “Crawl Outta Love” is one of many people’s favourite songs from the much-admired Illenium album Awake.  Patrick focuses on augmenting the melody and complementing the vocal throughout.  But wait for the crunchy breakdown which he leaves till the last minute of the song, keeping both the original vibe of the song and adding a bit more dirty, playful flavour for clubs.  Ultimately both Patrick’s and Illenium’s fans should be more than happy with this tasty remix!  Download it for free at the link above.

“Don’t Stop” is fun electro-house from the welcome collaboration of #Toronto’s @Dzekomusic and Brazil’s @Liulive

DZEKO & LIU, “Don’t Stop”

As with recent club bangers like Madison Mars’ “Back The Funk”, sometimes you have to just suspend your brain for a while and let the fun, if sometimes nonsensical or goofy elements of a dance song take over.  As such, “Don’t Stop” by Toronto’s Dzeko (fresh off the worldwide success of “Jackie Chan”) in collaboration with Sao Paolo, Brazil’s Liu crunches along electro-house style in a herky-jerky manner, sputtering the only words ‘don’t stop’ throughout.  But these lads have got their groove game on fire, making “Don’t Stop” a certain mid-evening favourite for DJ’s when their dance floor is jammed.  I’m hoping Dzeko and Liu have more fun to offer up again together in the near future.

Rising producer @Trivectamusic dishes out welcome trance flavours in potent dubstep of “Axis”

TRIVECTA, “Axis”

Florida-based producer Trivecta has been garnering attention this year for his varied exploration of dubstep outside of its now-conventional boundaries.  His latest single “Axis” is a prime example of this, incorporating very welcome trance flavours while keeping the breakdowns creative and the beats huge.  I could picture “Axis” in the soundtrack to a video game, as well as the heads bobbing to it at festivals.  “Axis” is made to be big and aggressive and loud and proud, and will continue to afford Trivecta the growing attention in club and festival circles.