After the success of “Hideaway” from about a year ago, Dutch producer WRLD returns to collaborate with Australia’s Savoi again for “Hang Up”. Like with some of his other creative songs, WRLD adds a lot of disco-influenced touches to “Hang Up” – think “The Hustle” with that flute melody. The song flows by and goes down easy thanks also to Savoi’s earnest vocal which will help definitely draw couples together on the dance floor. Be sure to add “Hang Up” to your Disco Inspiration playlist using the Spotify link above.
It’s always a pleasure to listen to the softer, romantic side of electronic dance pop with music by Chicago-based producer Aash Mehta. He returns with the familiar voice of Bri Tolani as collaborator with “Going Numb”. Bri was of course featured in Aash’s Stardust EP last year on “In Your Eyes” but her voice is well known in dance pop. With dance or electronic pop music, there aren’t many outright sad songs, usually in favour of uplifting, post-relationship tunes. Well life doesn’t always work that way and “Going Numb” tells a realistic and heartfelt story about those feelings right after a breakup, nicely conveyed by Bri amid Aash’s usual lush but gentle synths. “Going Numb” is solid electronic pop for your mind and heart.
“Anthem” by Toronto singer/songwriter Omar Jaber and 3Stripe – which is the new project for singer/songwriter/producer Adam Bertucci – is edgy, alt.rock which is bound to catch the ears of new music listeners if you hear it on the radio. It does indeed have all of those anthemic qualities, including a gritty, unique vocal by Omar that weaves a story that you’ll want to hear more to get to know all of the words. The tempo is taut, with a lot of potential room for fist pumping, and the overall sound is tight, as reliable as Adam’s past productions, including “In The Mood”, which he co-wrote with fellow Torontonian Veronica and went gold recently in Belgium. “Anthem” is definitely one for college and alternative radio stations to get to know better with a potential for a long playlist life. It also comes to you as part of Omar’s recent self-titled EP.
Trap Nation must know something about new act Kerbside that they haven’t yet revealed to us upon the release of their debut single “Too Far”. Right now, this is a mystery production – nothing available online that tells you more about who this might be – that wastes absolutely no time in going big for some huge, attention-getting drops. The urgent vocal by Eskayi is compelling and well-suited to the production. What “Too Far” needs is a longer version. It fades quickly around the 2:30 mark, just after it winds you up wanting another drop or two, so let’s hope for some remixes. Add “Too Far” to your New and Notable EDM playlist using the Spotify link above.
American producer King Arthur returns to the scene, after teasing us with some remixes of songs by The Killers and Bastille, with “Laidback”, for Casablanca no less. Rethinking his own kind of signature sound, which led to a debut album in 2016, King Arthur was drawn to the 90’s sounds of Daft Punk and Moby, which led to the arrival of “Laidback”. It’s an incredibly well crafted, playful song that will have dance club goers jostling on the floor, enjoying a false stop in the middle, while the best is still to come. So if you miss the classics in early EDM/techno but want the pronounced influence with bigger and deeper beats, then “Laidback” is just for you!
Enigmatic British producer bvdKULT is back with a bit of a change of pace in “Let You Go” for Tipsy and Epic Oslo. It’s a spirited, upbeat, tropical-tinged track full of good Spring vibes, with highly complimentary vocals by Belgian singer Olivia Trappeniers, or simply OT to you. And, along with OT, the mystery producer even reveals himself in the charming video below, which captures the essence of the song very well. No rocket science here – everything about “Let You Go” is solid and where it ought to be in order grab your ears and not let go. Remixes could help bring this one even more star power on the dance floor. Add “Let You Go” to your Spring Fling playlist using the Spotify link above.
Just when you thought future bass sounds were getting typecast with big house rhythms, and along comes “Movements” by New York producer Element to send things into a different direction. Featuring an expressive and versatile vocal by fellow NYCer Sydney Sahr, “Movements” gets all caught up in being dreamy and adoring, and I am totally into it. From the softer piano notes and the quiet pauses, through to the future bass influence which mirrors heartbeats accelerating, “Movements” is a winner that you’ll want to hear over and over again. And, gotta say I’m surprised, but you can get it for free for now at the link above.
Prolific Canadian singer/songwriter James Collins is back with a fun song with an intriguing backstory to it called “Deeper Into You”. It’s loaded with pop potential, which might be expected from someone who has co-written with Melissa Manchester, created a much played and loved wedding song in “Frozen In Time”, and even sang a quirky tribute to another Canadian singer (Bill Amesbury) with “Do You Mind If We Talk About Bill”, a Top 40 radio hit across Canada.
“Deeper Into You” initially came to life as a cult hit for porn star Johnny Hazzard (you can find it on You Tube) which spelled out loud and clear the word onanism (look it up, hehe). James is also an actor with an imposing presence who plays a villain named Oswald in an upcoming film, “You Don’t Know Dick”. And as you’ll see in the right hand pic of the You Tube link above, Oswald is very nicely dressed villain – usually a sign of some kind of… self-involvement.
So that throws a different spin into James’ own sultry version of “Deeper Into You”. It’s got 80’s Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys nailed in its arrangement and is tongue-in-cheek and slightly over the top in its well done vocal. Hell, a dance mix could even take it further, given that it’s a co-write with well-established Canadian dance producers/ songwriters the Boomtang Boys. In “You Don’t Know Dick”, Oswald apparently sings a verse or two from the song into a mirror at some point… can’t wait to see that scene, we may have a new wacky villain to root for!
Add “Deeper Into You” to your Songs About Self-Love playlist using the Spotify link below.
In recent years, Bobby Nourmand’s unique and sometimes otherworldly sound has found detours into reworks of well-known songs, instrumentals, hip hop-house, and British flavoured R&B-house. His new EP Subterranean, from his new imprint Deep In The Night (DITN), gives us deep house for the darkest of hours and minimal lighting to accentuate some very sexy vibes. The title song is the the more accessible the two songs within, with breathy uncredited female vocals and a whispering male voice riding some deliberate and constant dark house rhythms. “Estranged” is a creepy, relentless track, essentially an instrumental aside from some ominous, chanting deep male vocals – I don’t think I’d like to be in a dark club with only a handful of people if this song was playing, but it would sound great blasting out of huge speakers at a festival. Once again, Bobby Nourmand proves himself to be an original contender, taking risks at every turn. You can check out the extended and dub versions of “Subterranean” and the original longer cut of “Estranged”over at Beatport.
Chicago-based duo Win and Woo have lots of magic up their sleeves waiting to be unleashed if their latest songs are any indication. Following up the quirky and whimsical “Chasing Tail” is “Every Feeling”, more on the serious side but definitely with a lot of bright messages. Recruiting expressive L.A. vocalist Ian Gott to convey the story, “Every Feeling” is about finding the maturity to face all of the different feelings we can encounter, without bottling them up inside. It’s a really positive song for the younger audience, and has a sufficient anthemic bounce to go over well early on in the evening at a club. Win and Woo’s production has a lot of sparkle, with accent on some enjoyable percussive sounds. Add “Every Feeling” to your Brighter Side of Things playlist using the Spotify link above.
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