L.A. based producer @DennyWhite has a winner of a soulful voice in “Torn Up”

DENNY WHITE, “Torn Up”

He’s already been the voice of songs by the likes of Fedde LeGrand, Michael Brun & Rune DK, and Tiesto, so it seems only natural that Denny White should be the star of his own songs.  The L.A. singer/songwriter/producer definitely has a winner with “Torn Up”, which showcases the wide range in his soulful pop vocal with an emotional edge.  It’s a solid song that would otherwise find its way to the likes of people such as Nick Jonas or Jon Bellion in time, and you can hear influences perhaps from Maroon 5 and Coldplay in the mix.  While it stands on its own perfectly well, I’d be curious what a dance remix would sound like for “Torn Up”, given Denny’s house-worthy connections.  But “Torn Up” is definitely a great showcase for what pop audiences want to hear from a diverse singer like Denny White.  It’s available for your listening pleasure up top.

#BILLCSTop30 #530 – March 5, 2018

Spring is on its way and the new chart is pretty stuck on a number of songs.  So while there are three new entries, you can expect more changes in two weeks before I am Miami Music Week bound.

The Top 10

  • Troye Sivan’s “My My My!” secures a second appearance tightly ensconced at the top.  We did see the first official remix arrive, by the fantastic duo of Cash Cash, and it’s perhaps a little different from what you might expect, more chilled out than the original.  Check it out below.
  • If you want an uplifting song with a unique melodic hook, then listen no further than to “What We’re Made Of” by NYC’s Dave Edwards featuring Britain-based vocalist Mark Asari, climbing 5-4.

  • Mako gets his second Top 5 hit with “Breathe” moving up 7-5.  “Smoke-Filled Room” reached #3 two years ago.
  • Off to see Miguel next Monday, so fittingly “Told You So” moves up 10-6 from his stunning War & Leisure album.  Can’t wait to hear it all in live performance.  It was super that he got to sing the winning song on the Oscars from the animated film CoCo called “Remember Me”.

  • It’s such a different song for The Chainsmokers with on-point lyrics too.  “Sick Boy” bounds 14-9 making it Alex and Drew’s 6th trip into this Top 10 🙂
  • Mika moves up 12-10 for his first Top 10 entry since 2010 with the inspiring and inclusive “It’s My House”.

Movin’ On Up

  • Italian producer Big Fish has a brisk, fun and unassuming dance song with “Moves” featuring American vocalist, landing just shy of the Top 10 up 13-11.

  • Some K-POP continues to flourish on the chart as superstars BTS climb 18-15 with “DNA”.  
  • The fastest rising song on the chart belongs to UK singer/songwriter James Poole, who I am so glad to see back making original music after a bit of a hiatus, much different from when I first heard him in 2014-15.  And it’s even better because he’s found a goldmine with his positive message of “Perfectly Me”, and I’m happy to get behind the song 100%.  It soars 23-16.
  • It’s a quadruple threat:  Producers Robotaki and Manila Killa along with powerhouse vocalist Matthew John Kurz came up with the solid “I Want You”, then remixer Spirix amped up the emotion.  The remix climbs 22-17.  Check out Matthew’s new solo song “Dreams In LA”, below.
  • Bobby Nourmand’s new soulful dance hit “Prisoner”, featuring British singer Laurent John, should be well on its way in two weeks.  For now it rises 26-20.
  • Right behind “Prisoner” is Ekali and ZHU’s memorable “Blame”, climbing 27-21.  Check out NGHTMRE’s recent remix below.
  • Finally, Toronto trio Keys N Krates jumps 29-24 featuring Tory Lanez in the singalong “Music To My Ears”.

Three Debuts

  • One of the most unexpected, clever pleasures of the year is the alt.electronic vibe of “Smile” by Norway’s Dyrisk featuring British producer Nik Ernst.  It recalls to me some of the best music made by the likes of Massive Attack in the 90’s, and this update is out of the ordinary but very cutting edge.  Watch for this one in the coming weeks.  It bows at a high #22.  Nik Ernst himself previously appeared on the chart in the summer of 2016 with “Stronger” (#13) in its Steve Void edit.
  • It just reached #1 on Billboard’s Club Play chart, and “All Falls Down” by another Norwegian, Alan Walker, featuring both Miley’s sis Noah Cyrus and UK vocalist Digital Farm Animals on vocals arrives at #26.  It’s hard to believe Alan’s most famous hit “Faded” got to #3 on the chart just a little less than two years ago.
  • Another returnee to the chart is Toronto’s Francesco Yates, who to me is a superstar talent in the making.  Smashing it domestically with “Better To Be Loved” (#6) and “Sugar” (with Robin Schulz, #11) internationally just under three years ago, his latest song is the Spanish-flavoured “Come Over”, which bows at #27.

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 new BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

 

 

Meet mystery newcomer @Vincent_Pine with engaging indie alt.rock of “Perfectly Familiar”

https://soundcloud.com/vincent_pine/perfectly-familiar

VINCENT PINE, “Perfectly Familiar”

I’m going to let Australia-based singer/songwriter Vincent Pine be an enigma for now to let the highly engaging “Perfectly Familiar” stand on its own.  It’s rich-sounding, straight-forward, guitar-oriented indie alt.rock with a striking and convincing vocal that might appeal to those who enjoy performers like James Bay, The 1975, or Jake Bugg, but also seems to draw unintentionally on late 80’s sounds familiar to fans of bands like Stone Roses, The Railway Children, or House Of Love.  It’s an interesting side project for the performer, who is also becoming known under another name as a splendid electronic dance producer.  “Perfectly Familiar” goes down really easy, as you will find by listening to it at the link above.

“Tough Love” is jazzy pop diversity at its best from @missMollyMoore

MOLLY MOORE, “Tough Love”

The lush sounds in “Tough Love” shouldn’t be overly surprising considering L.A. based singer/songwriter Molly Moore has dabbled in classics like “Come Fly With Me” on one of her EP’s and contributed to trumpeter Ryan Svendsen’s “Orange Tree Leaves” last year.  “Tough Love”, her first offering of 2018, does go heavy on alt.jazz flavour amid synth flourishes and a crisp vocal that’s more akin to a rock recording.  This is why Molly’s talents are so in-demand, through her other quite different work with beau Brandyn Burnette on his songs and their Cosmos & Creature project, as well as for others, including K-POP sensations EXO.  “Tough Love” is not about throwing everything into a recording but the kitchen sink.  It’s a consciously diverse offering that once again showcases Ryan Svendsen’s recognizable trumpet playing.  Rest assured that it’s a complex and fine introduction to what will come next in 2018 for Molly Moore – as always I am completely engaged 🙂 Add “Tough Love” to your Tasty and Diverse pop playlist using the Spotify link above.

Fierce remixing with no compromise: @Vicetone takes on @The_Prodigy’s “Omen”

THE PRODIGY, “Omen” (Vicetone bootleg remix)

No kind of advance warning will prepare you for the big bounce of Vicetone’s bootleg remix of The Prodigy’s 2009 UK Top 5 hit “Omen”.  The Dutch duo already dropped an excellent original in January with “Fix You”, but this updating of “Omen” is something that club DJ’s should be seriously considering for a powerhouse set.  This remix is completely fierce and The Prodigy’s fans should be more than happy with it.  Taking inspiration from the industrial electronics of the 80’s as well as The Prodigy’s mid 90’s heyday (think more of “Breathe” than “Firestarter”) combined with a new instrumental backdrop – those strings sounds are killer! – give Vicetone’s remix of “Omen” the potential for the song’s revival.  It’s a totally wicked surprise that commands your attention.  Vicetone should now be on your ‘watch list’ for anything that comes from them in 2018 🙂

#JunoAwards nominee @FelixCartal offers up sultry and edgy “Runaway” featuring @whoisREGN

FELIX CARTAL featuring REGN, “Runaway”

Vancouver’s Felix Cartal has his first release in 2018 following a spectacular 2017, which has resulted in two of Canada’s Juno Awards nominations, for Dance Single of the Year (his cover of New Radicals’ “Get What You Give”) and for Producer of the Year thanks to other glorious dance hits like “Drifting Away”.  His new single “Runaway” should have no trouble following or matching the success of “Get What You Give”.  It’s a sultry, saucy and edgy mid-tempo house tune enhanced immeasurably by a top notch vocal from L.A. singer REGN.  Its protagonist lives ‘behind a façade’ and sings about a number of supposed pluses while being on her own, yet the final words ‘I’m a runaway, catch me’ prevail nonetheless.  “Runaway” is strong on its own to make waves at radio, but some remixes might show off its versatility for clubs.  Add it to your Hot and New Dance playlist using the Spotify link above.

Everybody needs love and to be loved: “God (Damnit)” by @CallMeKarizma is a touching tribute to you

CALL ME KARIZMA, “God (Damnit)”

The amount of social media outreach that Minnesota pop/hip hop artist Call Me Karizma does every day to young music fans is nothing short of incredible, and it goes hand-in-hand with the stories in his music.  “God (Damnit)”, from his upcoming EP Gloomy Tapes, is about knowing that you’re good enough to be loved not only by yourself but by others too.  To hell with body image, likes, followers, bullying, and anything else that can get in the way of making you feel less than who you are and should be.  This time, ‘Riz has crafted a simple lyric video to focus on the key messages of the song.  It’s a quickie at only 2:14, but it’s one of ‘Riz’s best to date.  Check out the lyric video above and pick this one up at your favourite local digital store.

Prolific Colombian producer @Flapomusic gets remixed by @CRNKN for “Us” and remixes #Tundran’s “Every Wave”

https://soundcloud.com/flapo/us-crnkn-remix

https://soundcloud.com/flapo/tundran-every-wave-flapo-remix

FLAPO featuring JOSH RUBIN, “Us” (CRNKN remix) (free DL)

TUNDRAN, “Every Wave” (Flapo remix) (free DL)

Miami-based, Colombian producer Flapo has been on a roll lately, cranking out some quality tunes that perhaps are a bit more off the beaten path but worthy of your attention.

His latest original, “Us”, featuring singer Josh Rubin, has been remixed by L.A. producer CRNKN.  It’s a downbeat, mellow song to be sure, but CRNKN takes it in some layered up-and-down deep house directions without losing the intent of the original.  Those who like creative remixes will enjoy this one.

Flapo himself has remixed singer Tundran’s “Every Wave” as well.  It’s an even quieter, more atmospheric song in which you can get lost while having a solo walk on a cloudy day at the beach watching the waves come in.  Its focus is on Tundran’s lyric-less crooning which helps make this remix memorable.

Best of all, both songs are available for free for now at the links above.  Enjoy!

#Toronto’s @Aphrosemusic has a wicked set of pipes to be heard in bluesy “Move On”

APHROSE, “Move On”

It’s not often that I get to write about talent that is literally in my neighbourhood, which in Toronto is the former city of Scarborough.  Following folks like The Weeknd and Francesco Yates,  Aphrose has arrived, ready for you to be compelled by her powerful and soulful voice in “Move On”.  There are many parts to this young woman’s voice but most strikingly you will want to say Amy Winehouse, Pink, Adele, Fiona Apple, Alicia Keys, and a few others, just to start.  Aphrose (aka Joanna Mohammed) has the command and restraint in her blend of blues, R&B, rock and pop to keep your attention in “Move On”.  This is a great start and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from Aphrose during the rest of 2018.  Check out the unique video for “Move On” above.  Perhaps you’ll make out more of its intent than I did but it’s an interesting introduction for Aphrose.

Romance is in the air as @Apekofficial spins “Upside Down” featuring @CarlyPaigemusic

APEK featuring CARLY PAIGE, “Upside Down”

It’s been a while since we heard from L.A.-based producer Apek (aka Joshua Gilbert), but he’s back in perhaps a less familiar setting – romantic electropop – with “Upside Down” for Musical Freedom.  Phoenix’s Carly Paige has just the kind of versatile voice to get across both the crazy and deeply in love sides to the song.  “Upside Down” therefore is very dance radio friendly although some remixes could bring it over to the clubbing side of things.  Don’t dismiss this one as electropop-lite.  Combined with the vocal, the sweet-and-soft washes of synths hang up a fine melody and “Upside Down” will promptly get stuck in your head.  Add it to your New Romance playlist using the Spotify link above.