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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ben Davidson is someone who can sing just about any pop song and bestow a crisp, shiny quality on the song that is a tribute to his effortless style. The Scottish singer, also known for his Broadway roles in the UK, is back with “Learning To Let You Go”. Like recent predecessor singles “The Chain” and “Fallin’ In”, which will also be featured on his upcoming album, “Learning To Let You Go” tells a familiar story that is part of most people’s lives. Ben’s crystalline performance makes it all fresh, and the production throws back to a simpler time when pop music was less about dazzle and effects and more focused on a relatable story, melody and rhythm. “Learning To Let You Go” is solid and appealing, and I’ll look forward to hearing more new music from Ben in the coming year! Add “Learning To Let You Go” to your Thoughtful Pop playlist using the Spotify link above.
A lot of hard and fast favourites continue to hold court at the top of the chart, where there is actually more movement than in recent weeks. There is so much great music out there with lots of competition, so the nature of my new arrivals on the chart seems that they have to earn their rise up the chart, whereas over the years many songs have debuted in the Top 10 or even at #1. With 9 debuts over the last month, that left room for only one smashing premiere on this chart.
The Top 10
“Broken Love” is definitely one of my Songs of 2018 as recorded by The Him and Parson James. It sits atop for a 4th appearance (8th week), which we haven’t seen since Miguel’s “Pineapple Skies” did the same thing at the end of last year. The Him are relentlessly touring and are recording some of the best music of their career so far.
Climbing to second place is “No Place” by Australia’s Rüfüs Du Sol, from their forthcoming third album called Solace. Will it get to #1 in two weeks?
The no holds barred fun of “Get Down” by RetroVision sends the song climbing 5-3, after all without fun what would dance music be? Will it get to #1 in two weeks?
Continuing to make great leaps is “Everybody Needs A Kiss” by Benny Benassi and Sofi Tukker, up 11-4. It’s the highest placing song for Benny to date, and matches the #4 peak for Sofi Tukker’s “Baby I’m A Queen” a few months back. Will it get to #1 in two weeks?
I’m always thrilled to see a grass roots indie reach the Top 5 and UK singer/songwriter Lostchild climbs 8-5 with his melodic and catchy “Blacklist”. Lend an ear to this one folks, more to come from Lostchild!
“I’m In Love With You” by Tony Moran and Jason Walker continues its climb, rising 9-6 this week. The pair even did some performing for some lucky ducks in Jersey City, NJ last week! Time to take your repertoire on the road, guys!
The other new entry to the Top 10 climbs 12-8 and that’s “Casually” by Alyx Ander and Redondo featuring Maria Z.
Movin’ On Up
The fastest riser on the chart belongs to Russian producer Arty with his sensational instrumental tribute to Avicii, “Tim”, which vaults 21-11. It’s a record that mixes fun arpeggios with an emotional melody, and will indeed stand the test of time.
Philadelphia duo N i G H T S looks to be headed for their second Top 10 hit here with the melt-worthy “Eyes”, which soars 19-13.
NYC-based Sean Squires, aka Squired, has been doing some remixing when not working on originals. His debut “Peace Out” (above) rises 17-15 but also check out his remix of Talk Time’s “Year Of Self” below.
I’m thoroughly enjoying Years & Years’ second album Palo Santo, and look forward to seeing the trio in concert again in October. Their perky album track “All For You” should by all rights be a single release, and it continues to move up the chart, rising 22-18.
Call Me Karizma just played a really successful club date in his hometown of Minneapolis, and then at Red Rocks, none other than Illenium dropped one of his songs in his set! There are other things brewing in ‘Riz’s camp, but “Life Of The Party” continues to win fans and climbs 24-20. Check out the new video above.
Out of the four debuts two weeks ago, the song that makes the most of upward movement on the new chart is “One Last Time” by Poland’s Gromee featuring Norwegian singer Jesper Jenset in a Shawn Mendes-ish vocal. It moves up 29-23.
Debuting…
It’s a highly memorable song that you will find yourself humming to no end. “Verona” by Australia’s Peter Wilson and the UK’s Sean Smith arrives on the chart at #24. It’s from Peter’s forthcoming album The Passion And The Flame. It also marks Sean’s second appearance on the chart, reaching #7 last year with the Andy Sikorski remix of “Magic”. I highly recommend seeking out the Matt Pop extended version of “Verona”.
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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
Ever experimenting and challenging boundaries within the pop music realm, NYC indie alt.pop/dance singer Reigen follows up this year’s “Rollin'”, “Smoke Drink Party”, and his winning cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams”, with “Ride”. It seems simple in the video – two teen guys hanging out on a quiet night after midnight when they’re out for bike rides on deserted streets for everyday escapist fun. But of course as life constantly throws complicated curves to us, friendship for one is obviously turning to more of an attraction, leading the other to ponder at the end, and you can sense the exhilaration. Reigen’s singing is bold and impressive, working with a complex and busy but uplifting arrangement that works well with the lyrics. While the song sings about a ‘ride or die’ relationship that for some of us ends up being forevermore with the best of friends, for others it takes another path. Watch the video at the link above.
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