It’s a very welcome return indeed for Scott, and triplets Dave, Bob and Clint Moffatt as they are back in the pop realm with “Secrets”. You’ll recall that the lads were the toast of Canada in their mid-teens, initially with country-pop that brought them success in the US, and then ultimately craving a more mature sound, busted out with some punchy rock with huge Canadian hit “Bang Bang Boom” and the Submodalities album, even hosting the Juno Awards one year. Perhaps it was all a bit too quick and soon before it all imploded, with the guys all following different musical paths over the next 15+ years. They have always had a huge fan base in Malaysia and southern Asia which has never let go of them. So fans are in for a treat with “Secrets”, a slice of radio-ready pop that shows the guys have always had their ears attuned to what’s contemporary. Certainly spreading their stylistic wings over the last many years had tightened their sound as a group. So it looks like being in your early 30’s and making a comeback can be very real beginning with the right song. Listen for “Secrets” on Canadian radio and I urge fans of simply solid pop/rock songs to check this out by watching the lyric video above.
Lest you think that pop/dance and EDM are the only genres to find their way outside of Sweden, then Simon Alexander’s “Won’t Be Found” is a convincing alternative. This is fine storytelling alt.rock that draws upon a myriad of classic influences which has a compelling vocal and memorable hooks that will draw you into the intriguing lyrics as they unfold. The song, from Simon’s EP of the same name, also features a well shot and thought out video that will keep you scratching your head until the end. “Won’t Be Found” is deserving of attention for rock fans looking for something decidedly different. Watch the video at the link above.
LAUV, “Paris In The Rain” (Inverness remix) (free DL)
It’s true! Singer/songwriter and our resident man in blue, Lauv, brings “I Like Me Better” and other fine songs to a sold out show on Valentine’s Day in Toronto at The Mod Club. And that’s perfect timing to revive interest in his follow up single “Paris In The Rain”, which may have been released prematurely in the wake of the phenomenal success of “I Like Me Better”. NYC-based producer Inverness – who brought us a jaunty original last Spring with “Working On You” – casts a melodic spell of synthesizers around what is originally more of an indie singer/songwriter tune than was “I Like Me Better”. Inverness’ remix is equally as charming and perhaps a tad more playful, and will sound positively refreshing in dance clubs. Download it for free at the link above and check out Lauv’s video for the original of “Paris In The Rain” below.
It’s a most welcome return indeed for Dutch duo Vicetone (aka Ruben and Victor), who brought us the top notch EP Aurora in 2016, with the highlight for me from it being “Bright Side”, featuring Cosmos & Creature’s first appearance in the dance music world. “Fix You” is equally as joyous and positive musically, but the vocal (uncredited, but shhh it’s American singer Kyd The Band) is soulful and committed and adds extra drive power to the song. Some of the best dance music in the world with pop potential like “Fix You” continues to come from The Netherlands, and Vicetone – who took time out to create a soundtrack remix album for the video game “League Of Legends” no less – are poised to maintain their status as world-class producers along with those who inspired them such as Eric Prydz and Swedish House Mafia. Add “Fix You” to your danceable love songs playlist at the Spotify link below.
MAXIM SCHUNK x RAVEN & KREYN featuring BISHØP, “My Name”
If you’re even thinking of reimagining a Destiny’s Child song like “Say My Name”, you best be on your toes and plan to make it Gigantic. And that’s exactly what the collaboration between Germany’s Maxim Schunk, French production duo Raven & Kreyn, and the return of US singer Bishøp (most memorably from Elephante’s 2016 winner “Closer”) has brought us! “My Name” just screams for club DJ’s to spring it at the most critical time during an evening set and watch a crowd go to town on the dance floor. The production is incredibly rich and makes the most of the song’s 3 minute length with drops in all of the places you would want them to be and a stylish vocal by Bishøp that never intends to compete against the Destiny’s Child original but instead makes you want to hear more from her. Cover versions and transformations don’t often work for me but “My Name” is sly, slick, and very wicked.
More and more the transparent walls between hip hop and hardcore dance music continue to disintegrate with songs like “Soldier” as prime examples by leaders of the electronic such as MMXVAC’s scrvp. and featuring Minneapolis’ own Rico Act. All of the grimy industrial-fueled trap and dubstep anchors “Soldier” musically while Rico Act’s hard hitting verses keep it moving with a telling hook like “I don’t Milly Rock / Boy I do the head bang”. “Soldier” is right in your face and out to stay stuck in your head too. Add it to your new, bold and powerful trap/dubstep playlist using the Spotify link above.
While still riding the deep house genre, NYC producer INSTRUM returns with something decidedly lighter than some of his past songs with “You & I”. It’s crisp and neat and everything that a pop/dance song oughta be with Ashley Wasser providing an alluring if familiar voice for some romance in the air. A simple melody and steady rhythm along with some finger-snapping do take a decent song a long way, and as I’ve written before, what sounds easy is often not so! If desired, I think some remixes could help take “You & I” further into some other directions that could enhance what the song offers. But it’s great to hear some less complex music from INSTRUM so we’ll see where he heads next. Check out “You & I” at the link above.
One definitely doesn’t associate producer/remixer Justin Caruso with the video game world or instrumental tracks. But his recent remix take on “Fortnite” is impressive for a number of reasons. There are a lot of classical-sounding elements here that provide a rich backdrop for the grittiness and the bangs and booms that Justin adds to make the song larger than life. Like many ‘themes’, “Fortnite” has a lot of softer moments that are worth waiting through to get to the drama and action. If video game makers heard this then I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Justin writing and producing music directly for a game very soon. “Fortnite” is highly creative and helps stretch the boundaries in which dance music producers sometimes get confined. Best of all, you can download it for free at the link above.
Although they haven’t yet released many songs, L.A. duo Papa Ya seems to have the category of New Beach Party Music all to themselves if they want it! They get lit, in more ways than one, with their latest single “Tumbleweed”, which follows up “Sunny” and last year’s “Oom Zigga”. It’s another song anyone young or older can relate to, sung by the guy next door who’s just out to have a good time and you’re welcome to join him whether or not you choose to participate in his habit of choice. And if you’re going to have an instrumental hook blasting out of the car on a blue, sunny day then it might as well be those far-reaching synthetic horns. So just let go, dance, and relax for a while and get to know “Tumbleweed” through its free download link up top.
As we enter the second month of year, new favourites keep on coming fast and furious, there is simply no shortage of great pop and dance music out there outside of commercial charts and major labels. Songs from major labels make 7 out of my Top 30, with 4 more distribution/licensing deals. There is always room for new and innovative music regardless 🙂
The Top 10
It’s such a phenomenal performance, and I expect Miguel to be right in there at Grammy time next year for his fine War and Leisure album, which contains “Pineapple Skies” (above), holding at the top for a fourth appearance (that’s eight weeks)! Meanwhile, though “Sky Walker” has dropped from its peak of #3, there’s still “Told You So” (below) too, advancing 17-12.
The fastest riser on the chart, and almost 100% sure of #1 in two weeks, is Troye Sivan’s fun and unapologetic “My My My!”, which soars 16 to 2. I can’t believe how much Troye has transformed into a superstar performer from his You Tube days.
Toronto’s Loud Luxury advances 5 to 3 with “Body”, featuring vocalist Brando, which now has a video (below), and is picking up on national radio airplay in Canada!
Right behind is NYC-based American singer YEBBA, whose great singing on “Evergreen” goes a long way, moving up 6 to 4.
Rounding out the Top 5 is L.A.-based production trio Giiants, who have a new single coming out this month, to follow up “Small Talk”, which climbs 7 to 5. Giiants is a bit of a collective, using different vocalists, usually anonymously (such as with “Small Talk”), sometimes by the guys in Giiants too. More to come on this mysterious project!
NYC producer Dave Edwards has a strong and inspiring winner with “What We’re Made Of” climbing into the Top 10, up 13 to 8, featuring UK-based vocalist Mark Asari’s soulful vocal.
Also new to the Top 10 is Toronto’s Ryan Shepherd, featuring Dirty Hary, with the dirty and gritty “Right Now”. Ryan shared a #1 last year with Loud Luxury in their cover of Craig David’s “Fill Me In”.
Movin’ On Up
“You Found Me” by Saxity featuring Victor Perry, climbs 14-11, and is a great hybrid of lyrical pop refueled by saxophone-led house rhythms. Get it as a free download while you can!
Alex Seaver, aka Mako, always puts on a high energy, crowd-pleasing performance as I witness in Toronto last week. He also has some interesting, slightly heavier new music coming out, including one that’s a songwriting collaboration you won’t want to miss. Mako’s latest single “Breathe” climbs 19-13 and is available on the Ultra Dance 19 compilation!
The mix of tropical and Eurohouse dance music styles is a big winner for me with “Moves” by Italy’s Big Fish featuring Xuitcasecity’s Mike Gomes on vocals. “Moves” rises 21 to 17.
If you watched the Grammy Awards, you inadvertently heard Toronto’s River Tiber! Yes, his song with Grammy nominee and Torontonian Daniel Caesar, “West”, which I wrote about almost two years ago, is noticeably sampled in fellow Grammy nominee SZA’s “Broken Clocks”, which she performed live (below). River Tiber’s latest single “Patience” moves up 20 to 18 (above).
NYC singer Reigen’s simply blissful cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams” climbs 26 to 21. So much deserved attention is currently being given to The Cranberries’ back catalogue. This interpretation, recorded before (and not associated with) Dolores O’Riordan’s passing and for the wedding of Reigen’s friends, should also definitely be heard by the band’s fans.
“Just A Kid” by L.A. producers Two Friends featuring singer Kevin Writer is downright contagious, reminiscent in ways of early Blink-182, but much more of an anthem to which anyone can relate. It climbs 27 to 22.
New to the Chart
When The Chainsmokers said they were coming back with something totally different, they were not bluffing! “Sick Boy”, which arrives at #25, is a bold lyrical statement mixed with slick dance rhythms that seem to be as heavily influenced by hip hop as EDM. While it’s not another “Closer” or “Paris”, “Sick Boy” is wildly original and a fine introduction to Alex and Drew’s next chapter.
Something weird and wacky out of Italy, courtesy of Balming Digital Recordings, is “Multiply”, by Italian producer IDEO but featuring an entertaining vocal by American hip hop artist J.Paulished. It’s like 5 songs rolled into one… and a lot of fun. “Multiply” debuts at #26.
L.A.-based producer Spirix is back on the chart, this time with his moving remix of Robotaki and Manila Killa’s “I Want You” at #27 (a Canadian-American collaboration too). It features an amazing vocal by Florida-based Matthew John Kurz, who himself got to #6 back in 2011 with his cover of David Guetta & Sia’s “Titanium”, which he makes his own by not trying to emulate Sia’s multi-octave vocalizing. The Spirix remix of “I Want You” is a free download!
The last debut belongs to UK singer James Poole, who has made an important and enjoyable song about positive body image and loving yourself for who you are. “Perfectly Me” is a great companion song to Mika’s “It’s My House” (up at #16) and arrives at #28.
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