“Can You Hear Me” is a sparkling electropop collaboration from The Netherlands’ @GianniMarino and #BoyProblems with Sweden’s ILY on vocals

GIANNI MARINO & BOY PROBLEMS and ILY, “Can You Hear Me”

No doubt about it, “Can You Hear Me” by veteran Dutch producer Gianni Marino is a sparkling end-of-summer feel good anthem about not neglecting that special person who is mad about you.  He’s created it in partnership with Boy Problems – the pseudonym of a well-known, platinum-selling producer who chooses to remain anonymous for this side-project.  And showcased in the mix is the wonderful voice of Sweden’s ILY, in a perfect fit for a Tipsy Records pop/dance release.  “Can You Hear Me” contains a bounty of high end synth sounds that compliment ILY’s vocal and make the song instantly memorable.  And you definitely can’t knock Gianni’s slick pairing with Boy Problems, whoever he may be, maybe we’ll find out one day…  

“Words” is delightful downtempo electro-house for Autumn from @SteveVoidmusic and @Beauzmusic with @BriTolani

STEVE VOID & BEAUZ and BRI TOLANI, “Words”

Dutch producer and all-round nice guy Steve Void has spent the last year successfully transforming his business career at age 21 by shaping and branding his Strange Fruits imprint.  After a number of initial releases, “Words”, in collaboration with American duo Beauz and the familiar gentle vocal style of Bri Tolani, hits home.  It’s a delightful downtempo electro-house song that seems to straddle both a happy and sad side to its story.  But let’s look on the bright side and play into the fascination and attraction that Bri’s recounting of the lyrics brings forward.  If Steve can offer up more very radio-friendly, melodic 3 minute songs like “Words” then his Strange Fruits legacy will continue to grow.  Watch the lyric video up top.

Listen to passionate, powerful “Mad At The World” by #Toronto’s Will Bowes @wilsonbowes

WILL BOWES, “Mad At The World”

Despite its title, “Mad At The World” is a passionate plea to find more love in us all, as written and sung by my fellow Torontonian Will Bowes.  If you recognize his name, it may be from his appearances on TV as a teen in “Naturally, Sadie” and “How To Be Indie”, followed by appearances in films like personal fave “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”, “Hunting Season”, and “House At The End Of The Street” opposite Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence.  But “Mad At The World” could light the fire for a pop music career for Will, written in response to two recent tragedies in Toronto resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries.  He certainly draws upon classic styles one would associate with Elton John or Billy Joel but that you can also find in recent releases by Harry Styles, James Arthur or Father John Misty.  Will’s gruffer, bluesy tones bathe in the emotion which makes “Mad At The World” a compelling, thoughtful release.

“brighter days” is inspiring, fun dance/pop from @SanHolobeats and UK singer @BipolarSunshine

SAN HOLO and BIPOLAR SUNSHINE, “brighter days”

After much touring last year and this year, the second coming of new San Holo music is upon us!  “brighter days” is the third advance preview of the Dutch DJ/producer’s  Album1 (he also sings of course!).  Recalling the vibe of the song that set everything in motion for San in 2016, “Light” (which got to #4 on my personal chart), “Brighter Days” is inspiring dance/pop that features an excellent vocal by UK singer Bipolar Sunshine, who you know best from DJ Snake’s “Middle” and who is an absolute treat to hear in concert (he opened for a show by The Knocks that I saw in 2017).  To bring it all together though there’s a lot of depth in the production by San.  There are lots of rich layers and glistening notes that keep the song very entertaining for its 4 minutes.  “brighter days” has much to offer and should be the song to segue into the release of Album1, due on September 21 from Bitbird.  

Get to know @Kantormusic with hard-hitting, melodic and futuristic “Bodies” with vocalist #Rochee

KANTOR and ROCHEE, “Bodies”

Many of you already know Philadelphia’s Greg Kantor as producer/DJ 5 And A Dime, who I’ve written about before in these blog pages.  He’s put 5 And A Dime into the past and kickstarted a project under his own last name which came to life a few weeks ago in a live performance in NYC.  The new song is “Bodies”, and it’s everything melodic and passionate about hard-hitting futuristic-sounding dance music that you can enjoy.  “Bodies” also features NYC Rochee in a very different setting from when we last heard him (Otto Botté’s spicy Latin-flavoured 2017 release “Rocola De Verano”).  Its complexities are heightened when you watch the live performance of it below.  With obvious inspiration from Dance Dance Revolution, Kantor has created live performance technology he called The Grid, which definitely brings a new dimension to a DJ/producer’s performance.  Check it out below and add “Bodies” to your Meet The Future dance playlist using the Spotify link above.

Chicago’s @bringurKnapsack scores with familiar angst of “Teenage Cloud Anthem” with @itsUnderscores

KNAPSACK and UNDERSCORES, “Teenage Cloud Anthem”

“Teenage Cloud Anthem” is full of relatable words for those listeners who need a release from their anxieties and pressures, courtesy of Chicago’s knapsack and San Francisco’s underscores.  While the words and some of the vocals will fall into the same camp as music by Gnash or Call Me Karizma, the music in “Teenage Cloud Anthem” is pretty potent progressive electronics, much along the lines of what is coming out of Europe by the likes of DROELOE, Taska Black, or San Holo.  So the song treads the lines between two relatively different genres and should easily draw fans from both.  “Teenage Cloud Anthem” is one of those likable alt.pop songs that reaches out to those who need it, upon whom it will likely have a more profound emotional effect.  

Boom! Big room is back with the bounce of “Loving You” by Italy’s @djPromiseLand

PROMISE LAND, “Loving You”

Veteran Italian production duo Promise Land aren’t as well known in the rest of the world as they are in Europe, despite their noted remix of Swedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child” back in the day.  With influences spanning the best of the best of the last two decades, Nazario and Fabio bring us “Loving You”, which highlights a retrotastic big room sound that fuses that anthemic style with an emotional melody.  “Loving You” is geared to be a highlight of not only a high energy club evening but a festival set too.  Promise Land have a lot more coming your way soon and “Loving You” creates an engaging foundation.  Add “Loving You” to your Big Room Is Back playlist using the Spotify link above.

Dance producer @AntonioGiacca returns with reworked retro vibes of “Every Way”

https://soundcloud.com/antoniogiacca/everyway

ANTONIO GIACCA, “Every Way”

L.A.-based, Italy-born dance producer Antonio Giacca made two of my favourite dance tunes of 2015/16 with “Ignited” and the wickedly catchy “Sensation”.  He returns in full effect with some slamming house with “Every Way”.  Pop music fans will immediately recognize that “Every Way” is a rework essentially of the early Motown hit “He Was Really Saying Somethin'”, a minor 60’s release by The Velvelettes.  It’s better known in Europe and the UK in a 1982 cover by Bananarama that was their second UK Top 5 chart hit.  But “Every Way” sounds like it samples a slightly pitched-down vocal from the original and makes it brim with funky house energy that will be very inviting for club DJ’s anywhere.  

Nashville-based R&B singer @itsEstef channels 90’s flavours with “Come Around”

ESTEF, “Come Around”

With so many singers wanting to be their best Rihanna and Beyoncé and not strive beyond, it’s refreshing to hear more chill sounds coming from others that veer more in the direction of Kehlani or Jhane Aiko.  So make room for Nashville-based, L.A. born soul singer Estef with “Come Around”.  This is a song that also draws from the past with lots of quintessential 90’s/early ’00’s flavours that recall songs by Brandy or Aaliyah (“Rock The Boat” comes to immediately mind) at times.  “Come Around” should resonate with listeners who also enjoy lyrics that don’t shy away from being a little blunt at times, initially wrapped in the frustrations of come-and-go relationships but finally recognizing one that has potential by song’s end.

“Voice Mails” aims for a unique, special experience from new electronic producer @Kookysmusic

https://soundcloud.com/kookysmusic/voice-mails

KOOKY, “Voice Mails” (limited free DL)

It may take a few listens before you buy into “Voice Mails” by new mystery electronic producer Kooky, but once you do, you will be captivated.  Essentially, it’s a mid-tempo electronic instrumental bookended by voice mail messages of two lovers whose relationship is on the wane.  What the messages say and the thoughts they provoke may vary from person to person, but it’s a fascinating concept.  Put it along side of Baz Luhrmann’s “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” or MKJ’s “Time” or Paul Hardcastle’s “19” which have also generated a variety emotional responses.  “Voice Mails” deliberately doesn’t tell a complete story, almost prompting a possible sequel, or maybe some remixes for the dance floor with additional voice mail messages that might tie it tighter together.  Despite his name, Kooky has definitely offered us a unique listening experience that makes you listen all the way through, so now’s your time to react!  For now you can get it for free using the link beside the song title above.