Canada’s @Kiesza is back and dance music has got her again with “Phantom Of The Dancefloor” featuring @PhilippeSly

KIESZA featuring PHILIPPE SLY, “Phantom Of The Dancefloor”

Oh where to begin!  Leaving her previous record deal behind after her huge Juno Awards winning 2015 hit “Hideaway”, Kiesza returns with the delights of “Phantom Of The Dancefloor”, which is taken amusingly over-the-top in its showy video.  Using elements from the likes of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Bat Out Of Hell”, Kiesza and her team mesh it all up in a “Phantom Of The Opera” turned sideways and inside out – and that’s where the beautiful bass baritone of Canadian opera singer Philippe Sly come in.  And yeah, it’s all set to house rhythms, so “Phantom Of The Dancefloor” is a lot of campy fun to make you smile and dance, with Kiesza and Philippe sounding positively grand together.  I’m not going to give away anymore, so watch the video up top and be enthralled!

Deep house meets alt.soul ballad in “Gravity” by US/UK duo @Labrosemusic whose vocals are by Victor Perry @perksofbeingvic

LABROSE, “Gravity”

US/UK duo Labrose follow up last year’s debut EP Thinking Out Loud with a new song “Gravity”.  Labrose is American pop/soul singer Victor Perry – featured many times in these blog pages – and UK producer/musician Ficci.  The song sets the stage in its first minute with its complex heartache that is offset at times by surprising bassy deep house rhythms which take it in another very welcome direction.  Victor’s singing could not be more spot on, which always makes his songs a joy to hear.  The production does not bite off more than it can chew and ends up making a happy bridge between dance rhythms and alt.soul ballad.  Best of all I like “Gravity” because it takes risks while remaining extremely true to classic pop and soul.  I can’t wait to hear more from Labrose’s second upcoming project!  Add “Gravity” to your Love, Upside Down playlist using the Spotify link above.

“Burner” is a fun techno-house update from #GlassPetals – a new @FelixCartal / @JohnnyJover project

GLASS PETALS, “Burner”

Dance music has had many fine, successful side projects that evolve out of performer/producers’ careers – think Jack Ü (Diplo/Skrillex), the new LSD (Labrinth/Sia/Diplo) and Duck Sauce (A-Trak/Armand Van Helden) among several.  Now Canada’s Felix Cartal has teamed with fellow dance producer Johnny Jover as Glass Petals.  Their new song released by Spinnin’ Deep no less is “Burner”, essentially an instrumental featuring a lot of infectious, chanting ‘na na na na’s’ that make it memorable in the same way that Duck Sauce’s “Barbra Streisand” had all those ridiculous ‘ooh ooh ooh’s’.  The undercurrent rhythm wise seems to be a techno-house update which helps to make the song stand out in a set even more.  Give “Burner” a place on your Progressive Techno-House playlist using the Spotify link above, and watch out for more from Glass Petals.

Club veteran @SidneySamson crushes it with inspired “Soldier” in collaboration with @iamGwise

SIDNEY SAMSON and GWISE, “Soldier”

“Soldier” is an inspired, rollicking production which sounds like it almost wasn’t meant to be.  It apparently came about while Dutch veteran Sidney Samson was working on an entirely different project with fellow Dutch producer Gwise.  They must have had retro vibes flowing through their veins because “Soldier” is a total throwback to the late 90’s, early 2000’s techno-house and the best work by producers like Fatboy Slim and Fedde LeGrand among others.  It features an irresistible synth riff and familiar shout outs book-ended by slamming beats… and then, boom it’s over!  “Soldier” is a top notch, totally unexpected party spearheaded by a dance music heavyweight who should by all rights break through internationally with this one.  Once “Soldier” takes command it won’t let you go so be prepared to add it to your Fight For Your Right To Dance playlist using the Spotify link above.

“No Way” is decisive for the dance floor from Sweden’s @weare JRL

JRL, “No Way”

Back with another strong dance record following last Spring’s feast of emotions in “Break Your Fall” are Swedish production wizards JRL with “No Way” for Tipsy Records.  The convincing uncredited female vocal and the resolute story are way up front in this particular song.  The rhythm will certainly take over and send you whirling away, and the JRL lads do go hard with the synths to bring the song home.  JRL are always consistent quality -wise with their records and “No Way” should continue to bring them fans and club DJ believers.  Add “No Way” to your Deep House Party playlist using the Spotify link above.

Deep House meets Dancehall meets Future Bass in “Plang” by Germany’s @Donkongmusic with @KaNextLevel

DONKONG and KA NEXT LEVEL, “Plang”

Yes, the headline is true – “Plang” is all about the rhythm, with elements of deep house and future bass finding a happy marriage with dancehall, courtesy of forward thinking German producers Donkong and vocalist/lyricist Ka Next Level (who in the song give an alias as “Yung Coconut”).  The results are enjoyably different and highly original, and everything gels to keep you going full tilt right to the end.  “Plang” will ring those bells in dance clubs, and will corral dancers to strut their stuff.  Gotta hand it to Ka Next Level for helping to take this song way beyond ordinary dancehall with a voice that at times will remind you of Shaggy and mini-stories within that will keep you entertained.  Add “Plang” to your Dance & Shout playlist using the Spotify link above.

#BILLCSTop30 #542 – August 20/18

My last chart of August is a transitional one, since I’ve had 10 songs debut in the last month.  So plenty of songs continue to head up the chart, to compete with favourites that I’ve been savouring for a bit longer.  In other words, you’ll find mainly small chart moves, aside from a couple that are breaking through and becoming successors to my current big favourites.  But there are still four more debuts!!

The Top 10

  • Continuing to play festival and club after festival and club, the very in-demand Dutch duo The Him hold with a fierce grip on #1 with “Broken Love”, featuring the enormously talented Parson James.  

  • James Bay’s Electric Light is one of my favourite pop albums of 2018 because it took risks to try a lot of different styles within the genre on one album.  The result was with no one single that the industry could fawn over, but the 80’s new wave-influenced “Pink Lemonade” is also one of my favourite songs of 2018 and advances a bit belatedly to #2!

  • More new Rüfüs Du Sol means that their album is finally coming!  Check out “Underwater” below, while “No Place” (above) climbs 5-3.

  • The contagious party feel of “Get Down” by French producer RetroVision has caused it to zip through the Top 10 this week, soaring 9 to 5 🙂

  • “I’m In Love With You” by Tony Moran and Jason Walker reached the summit of the Billboard Dance Club Play chart this week in their third #1 pairing, and it also becomes their third Top 10 in this chart, rising 12-9.
  • L.A.’s Bobby Nourmand has one of the most interesting repertoires as a dance producer.  This week he has three songs in the Top 10, thanks to the double whammy former #1 EP of “Subterranean” and “Estranged” at #4.  “The Sun” (above), featuring Blonde’s Adam Engle, rises a notch to #10 to become Bobby’s 3rd Top 10 entry this year and 5th overall!  Bobby has also prepared a progressive remix for”Sparrows” by New Mystics (below), a new release on his DITN label below.

Movin’ On Up

  • Benny Benassi and Sofi Tukker plough through the competition and set their sights on the top of the chart with “Everybody Needs A Kiss”.  It’s the fastest riser this week, climbing 19-11.

  • The fastest riser from the last chart continues to build momentum for the Top 10.  And that’s “Casually” by Alyx Ander and Redondo featuring Maria Z, which advances 14-12.
  • Evan and Corey, aka Philadelphia duo NiGHTS, are not holding back with their releases!  Not only does “Eyes” (above) move up 22-19, but they’ve since released both “Tequila” and “Stranger”, both below.

 

  • Two of the most inspiring songs on the chart should take off in two weeks.  Martin Garrix and Bonn’s “High On Life” (below) is one of those songs that makes you think about all of the good times, and it rises 23-20.  Right behind it is Arty’s heartwarming instrumental tribute to Avicii, appropriately called “Tim” (also below), moving up 25-21.

4 Debuts

  • Guy James Robin, aka UK producer Jonas Blue and immensely popular in Europe, may finally have his calling card in North America with the jubilant “Rise” at #26.  Great to see US ‘Net sensations Jack & Jack carrying the song away with their spot-on vocals, it’s been a while since they’ve appeared in these blog pages!  It’s Jonas’ second appearance on this chart following 2016’s cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” (#3).

  • As “Lonely” by Matoma and MAX departs the chart after reaching #10, a new and somewhat unexpected duet replaces it!  This time it’s with new buddy Enrique Iglesias with the insanely catchy “I Don’t Dance (Without You)”, which also features seasoning from the islands courtesy of vocalist Konshens.  This one deserves a lot more attention than it’s getting, especially with Enrique giving one of his best vocals in years.  It bows at #27 – it’s Enrique’s 9th appearance on this chart and first since 2011.

  • New and independent and very worthy of your ears and dancing feet is “The Pain I Feel” by UK singer Marlon Percy and the UK/France production duo LoFrames.  It’s a nice mix of soul, blues and house music, with stellar production, and arrives at #28.

  • I think he may be the first Polish artist to appear in this chart, but veteran producer Gromee has a winner with “One Last Time”, featuring an appealing Shawn Mendes-like vocal by Norway’s Jesper Jenset, who got to #3 two years ago on the chart with “High” in a Young Bombs remix.  “One Last Time” enters at #29.  It’s also a good sonic companion to Jonas Blue’s “Rise” above 🙂

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

Check out and ‘like’ the BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

It’s so easy to get lost in their “Verona”: Peter Wilson and Sean Smith’s compelling duet @pete80s @SeanSmithsolo

PETER WILSON & SEAN SMITH, “Verona” and its Remixes EP

“Verona” has a such a beautiful melody at first listen that you simply must play it a few times for the rest of the song to sink in.  Once you’re hooked, it’s so easy to get lost in the “Verona” as sung in the duet of the unlikely vocal pairing of Australia’s Peter Wilson and England’s Sean Smith.  Some of you will know Peter from his fine work with John von Ahlen’s Parralox, and others will recognize ex-Same Difference’s Sean Smith from these blog pages last year when he tantalized us with “Magic” in an Andy Sikorski remix.  The voices don’t really sound like they should be together but they offset each so well other that you don’t want to wait until whichever of them sings next!  And when they sing together, it’s a perfect sonic fit.  “Verona” of course is the setting in Italy for Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”.  Here, the song is a story of a love that is losing its vibrancy only perhaps to be rekindled by the end.  With its musical influences sunk in German europop of the 80’s, “Verona” has this massive and unexpected appeal all around.  And there are even a variety of remixes to choose from, but I will tap Matt Pop’s extended version for adding a triumphant flavour to “Verona”.  Check out the original below (from Peter’s forthcoming album The Passion & The Flame) and pick up the Remixes EP on iTunes.

Summer’s hardly over when you’re “Swimming With Sharks”, by NYC’s @itsDaveEdwards and @FlyByMidnight_

DAVE EDWARDS & FLY BY MIDNIGHT, “Swimming With Sharks”

Late last year, NYC producer Dave Edwards released the danceable delight that became one of my favourites of 2018, the euphoric “What We’re Made Of”.  After offering up sturdy remixes for the likes of The Knocks and ROZES, he’s back with another original, “Swimming With Sharks”, this time in collaboration with fellow New Yorkers, the vocal duo Fly By Midnight (Justin and Slavo).  The pristine melody and summery groove are all well intact in this song about falling in with the wrong kind of folks, only to request aid in getting out of those relationships (a personal Sharknado, if you will haha).  The vocals are just the harmonic sheen that the song needs, while the rhythm will easily have you shaken and stirred.  “Swimming With Sharks” is an obvious, recognizable add for club DJ’s.  Add “Swimming With Sharks” to your Mid-Summer Fun playlist using the Spotify link above.

No wallowing in sorrow in “Forgiveness” by new SanFran duo Cassette Tapes @cassettewav

CASSETTE TAPES, “Forgiveness”

“Forgiveness” by Cassette Tapes can be called more of a celebration of looking for forgiveness for something for all the right reasons rather than pining away and wallowing in sorrow.  I could be wrong, but this doesn’t sound like the aftermath of an end of a relationship.  As such the new San Francisco duo of Jackson and Parker have taken some cues from fellow sterling Californian duos like RKCB and Opia, adding a delightful soulful edge to their indie pop.  I’m not sure who sings but the vocal could not be more spot-on, and it’s what attracts you to the story, which is over quickly in a matter of two and a half minutes.  “Forgiveness” is a great introduction to Cassette Tapes and only wants to make you hear more from them.