Jaunty “Anything Can Happen” is an upbeat winner from @TimLegendmusic and @MaikaMaile

TIM LEGEND and MAIKA, “Anything Can Happen”

18 year old South Carolina producer Tim Legend has a song you’ll want to hear over and over again with “Anything Can Happen”.  Featuring a convincing killer vocal by Florida’s Maika, “Anything Can Happen” is one of those fun songs that will just leap out of your speakers and shake you between your ears.  The production gets all anthemic when it needs to but mainly allows the song to unfold in the same way perhaps as “I Like Me Better” by Lauv.  “Anything Can Happen” has both a lot of restraint and energy, as well as an engaging chorus, all from another young and notable producer, and picked up for release by Ultra no less.  Check it out at the link above and then pick it up at your favourite digital music store.

Premiere: Fresh techno-inspired “Lifeline” is by new L.A.-based producer @PrizmMusic

https://soundcloud.com/prizmmusicofficial/lifeline

PRIZM, “Lifeline” (free DL)

“Lifeline” is an enjoyable balance of lilting pop and powerhouse techno-inspired future bass by new L.A.-based producer Prizm.  The melody and effects play on the affecting anonymous male vocal and the emotional resolve of the song, stretching it in a variety of appealing ways that will have dance music fans in a state of bliss. “Lifeline” is heavy without being too far out.  The drops and crunch all act as an envelope for a song inside that will make you want to sing.  And one of the best parts of “Lifeline” is that it easily sustains its over 4 minute length.  Prizm is definitely one to watch, with more to come very soon.  In the meantime, grab “Lifeline” for free (under “More”) at the link above while you can.

80’s-style Europop is revisited successfully by @AllanJay101 with “Almost In Heaven”

ALLAN JAY, “Almost In Heaven”

Scotland’s Allan Jay is a relative newcomer to the dance music scene, making himself known over the past few years through opening for acts like The Vengaboys and Blue in Europe and the UK.  He’s had a number of club successes including a cover of Paul Lekakis’ 80’s hit “Boom Boom Boom”.  So it’s no surprise that his latest original single for Energise, “Almost In Heaven”, is also a well-conceived throwback to 80’s Europop.  But both the lyrics and Allan’s vocal right from his first notes capture a lot of today’s sentiments about letting loose and having a blast on the dance floor with someone special, making it more of a stylistic tribute than an easy carbon copy.  It’s a pretty easy sell to international audiences, including fussy North American club goers, who should embrace it in the same way as songs by the likes of Cascada in recent years.  Add “Almost In Heaven” to your Whirling Europop playlist using the Spotify link above.

Sweden’s @weareBrohug throws it down dirty with “Sinner”

BROHUG, “Sinner”

Keeping their trademark brohouse style intact, Swedish bros Brohug are back with the heavy-hitting future bass of “Sinner”.  It’s an aggressive, dirty house track that recalls the style of 80’s progressive acts like Britain’s Cabaret Voltaire while also reveling in more contemporary rhythms similar to  American counterparts such as The Knocks.  With one of its refrains being “back the fuck up”, it’s hard not to visualize “Sinner” going down well with club DJ’s who will use the suggestive antics of the song to crank up their audiences.  Overall Brohug’s “Sinner” is in-your-face fun, and you can add it to your playlist of Dirty House Hits using the Spotify link above.

Germany’s @Saxity is back with their surprising take on “The Seed” by @TheRoots

SAXITY, “The Seed” (free DL)

German production duo Saxity return with a deep house rendition of The Roots’ powerful 2003 hit “The Seed”.  While it lacks the blistering guitar crunch of the original as well as Cody ChesnuTT’s streetwise vocal, Saxity make this cover slick and rhythmic that will surprise dance club goers as much as it did me when I first listened and realized that this was indeed a song I already knew quite well.  The guitar work is pushed back more in the mix and still works, while the uncredited male vocal also has a credible soulful edge that holds up against gritty lyrics.  “The Seed” is from Saxity’s upcoming project “Internationally Homemade”, and you can get it for now for free at the link above.

Progressive dance duo @SayLessmusic return with blistering trap of “Rapture”

SAYLESS, “Rapture” (free DL)

When you think Nashville, you often think of country and pop music more than other genres.  It’s a diverse place musically, so finding a creative progressive dance duo from that city may not be entirely unexpected.  I wrote about the duo SayLess last year, and their follow up song is “Rapture”.  Taking cues from acts such as Say My Name, VVL, Lit Lords, and Bailo, “Rapture” straddles melodic and accessible pop dance music with a heavily creative and dirty side, featuring a blistering drop and impressive instrumentation that should make it stand out within the trap sub-genre.  The song structure is appealing, and not a turn goes by without SayLess keeping you wondering what’s coming next.  I don’t know a lot about trap as a sub-genre, but I do know when songs will ring bells with their intended audience.  “Rapture” will have hard core trap fans sold, and should also draw in dance music fans looking for something a touch different and well done.  Get to know SayLess by downloading “Rapture” for free at the link above.

“Run” by @BrandynBurnette contains that hopeful message that everyone needs

BRANDYN BURNETTE, “Run”

If the rest of the songs on Brandyn Burnette’s upcoming debut album Emanate are anything like “Run”, or even better than it, we are all in for one of the tastiest treats of 2018 that has been a long time coming.  While these blog pages are a pretty good document for Brandyn’s progressing career since 2014, nothing will go down better than to hear his story (to date, anyway) in music. 

“Run” is the start of a series of autobiographical songs which form Emanate.  It’s also about what led to creating Emanate – in this case, grabbing the opportunity to become an independent musical entity unto himself after his record deal with Warner didn’t work out, and abandoning a NYU scholarship that wasn’t leading in the right direction for him.  Surrounding himself with amazing people, including his intuitive love and co-writer Molly Moore, breaking down genre walls with Cosmos & Creature too, leading to dance club play all over the world by many famous producers/DJ’s, and of course remaining his talented progressive soulful rocker himself, Brandyn makes songs that are tangible, hopeful, and affecting, to share with you.

“Run” has a knowing confident vocal, a great arrangement and instrumentation (yes, more Ryan Svendsen trumpet!).  Seize that moment and make possibility into reality.  Watch the video above for any more convincing that might be needed.

“Rockstar” is @CallMeKarizma’s engaging and on-point wake-up call about fame

CALL ME KARIZMA, “Rockstar”

Fame is one nasty bitch that can sneak up on you and bite you in the ass, as would relate the weary, self-imprisoned protagonist albeit a little too late in Call Me Karizma’s “Rockstar” (and, no, nothing to do with Post Malone).  I saw ‘Riz perform this song last Fall and knew that it would be one of his most special releases, which he’s been keeping under wraps obviously for that reason, teasing us with tweets over the last few months, and it’s finally here!  The Minnesota rapper has been regularly and generously offering new songs, but “Rockstar” is one straight-up, on-point message that needs to be heard by more than just his many fans.  There’s even some crunchy rock ‘n roll guitar work to enhance the proceedings which are anchored by ‘Riz’s vivid vocal.  Add “Rockstar” to your Fame Or Infamy playlist using the Spotify link above.

Can emotional and physical bruises “Heal”? It’s asked through song by Michael Medrano (@Michaelantny) and @SteveGrandmusic

MICHAEL MEDRANO & STEVE GRAND, “Heal”

It might be a difficult song to get through if you’ve just had a break up of some sort, but “Heal” is a beautiful ode to the confusing feelings resulting from a particularly tumultuous relationship.  It’s from L.A. newcomer Michael Medrano who includes Chicago’s Steve Grand to help sing the story.  Each’s voices play off each other so well that you’re not sure if they are part of the same relationship or incorporating their own story within the song.  And with the electronic backdrop, it’s a splendidly diverse musical setting for Steve, who nearly 5 years ago released “All American Boy” to another kind of audience, and has since moved away from that sound to more classic pop and rock, with a new album coming soon.  “Heal” is an intensely beautiful song despite the harsh source of its setting.  Add it to your Sad But Hopeful Songs playlist using the Spotify link above.

The hypnotic rhythm of “Just A Taste” by @therealShiShi, @Baermusic and @WestheWriter will carry you away

SHISHI, BAER and WES WRITER, “Just A Taste”

There’s a lot going on to like in the latest single from NYC producer ShiShi called “Just A Taste”.  It has a harmonic way of moving from being drenched in synths, through brief percussive xylophonic breaks, and, to say the least, to lots and lots of flute (picture that belly dancing like in the song’s artwork)!  The song starts off like it’s taking us on a trip through the Caribbean and ends up embracing deep house rhythms.  Carrying it all through are the enticing vocal stylings of BAER and soulful hip hop from Wes Writer.  While it may not always work, there is too much inside of “Just A Taste” that’s present for your enjoyment!  Clubs will find lots of elements within “Just A Taste” for their clientele to embrace.