Compelling “New Signs” introduces new German singer/songwriter @_ANIQO featuring @AnnieHardy

ANIQO featuring ANNIE HARDY, “New Signs”

Germany’s ANIQO arrives with a compelling single about starting over stronger after hard times called “New Signs”.  It takes cues from 80’s folk and rock, channeled perhaps through 90’s alt.rock singers like Sinéad O’Connor, Dolores O’Riardon, and Fiona Apple.  “New Signs” takes its time to tell its interesting story but ANIQO’s vocals, alongside those of stunning harmonies by Giant Drag’s Annie Hardy, are what sustain its 5:20 length.  The sparse instrumentation, featuring crisp piano, guitar, and percussion, provides an appropriate backdrop for its message of determination.  “New Signs” is the lead track from ANIQO’s upcoming album called Birth.  Give it a good solid listen at the link above.

#BILLCSTop30 #525 – December 25/17

In my last chart of 2017, there’s a new #1 by a performer who is now dominating the chart, as well as five debuts that will make heading into 2018 a lot brighter 🙂

The Top 10

  • It’s Miguel who takes over at #1 with “Pineapple Skies” (above) from the stellar War & Leisure album.  It’s Miguel’s second #1 following 2013’s “Adorn”.  He also rises 6-3 with his laid back collab with Travis Scott on “Sky Walker” (below) and gets one of the five debuts at #25 with the ever-so-Prince-worthy “Told You So” (also below).  2018 is going to be fabulous for Miguel, and I look forward to seeing his show in March!

https://soundcloud.com/shoffymusic/flags-feat-yuna

  • L.A.’s Shoffy has one of the best songs of the year with the pensive “Flags”, featuring Yuna, which holds at #2 from his enjoyable self-titled album.
  • Toronto’s Dzeko soars into the Top 5 from 16-5 with his brilliant retro-techno cover of Seal’s “Crazy” in a Tiësto Big Room mix.
  • YEBBA is a new talent to watch for in 2018.  As far as I know she’s still an unsigned commodity but that will not be for long 🙂  Her first single “Evergreen” (above) climbs 13-7 while her duet with Sam Smith on “No Peace” (below) from The Thrill Of It All moves 17-15.
  • The pairing of producer SAINT WKND and singer MAX for “Survive” is a killer combination as the song rises 11-8 in its fab PLS&TY remix.  It’s MAX’s 5th appearance in the Top 10 overall as either lead or featured vocalist.

  • Toronto’s dynamic duo Loud Luxury score their third consecutive Top 10 with “Body”, featuring a fantastic, earthy vocal by Brando.  It climbs 18-9.

Movin’ On Up

  • The fastest riser on the chart, not surprisingly, is the genuine dance pop of “Small Talk” by new trio Giiants, which soars 23-11.  I’m going to keep the mystery alive about Giiants for now and all will be revealed in 2018 as to who is behind this excellent project.  

  • Nora En Pure’s dance floor filler “Tears In Your Eyes” rises 19-13, one of the best emotional dance pop tunes around to make you swirl away to those rich synth sounds.
  • One of my favourite parts of “Right Now” by Toronto’s Ryan Shepherd featuring Dirty Hary is the punchy and layered beginning, which leaves you hooked for the rest of the song.  “Right Now” moves up 20-14.
  • It’s inspiring and set to a deliberate, almost funky pace, but California duo waitwhat have a winner with “Alive” climbing 26-17 and featuring a stunning vocal by Rielle.

4 More Debuts

  • It’s definitely a pattern – creative synth work and a passionate vocal – that drives “What We’re Made Of” by NYC producer Dave Edwards featuring London-based singer Mark Asari to debut at #19.  It’s one of the best and most fervent songs around heading into 2018, and has the potential to be another “This Is What It Feels Like” by Armin van Buuren.
  • It’s gentle and good-natured with a buoyant electronic melodic hook, so “You Found Me” by German production duo Saxity featuring NYC-based singer Victor Perry arrives at #21 as a free download.  It’s Saxity’s second entry following the #3 “Brothers” (and members Koni and Stan Sax have charted separately too), and Victor’s fourth appearance following #4 “Missing”, #7 “Rainbows”, and his #3 “Sail” with another German producer Levi.

  • L.A. based singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor is just finishing up a run on the chart with the #12 “Hit Rewind”, and for his fourth entry this year it’s “Talk To Me” at #22, whose video features a cute story with an ending that will leave you thinking.  Axel’s “Wasted My Love” and “Out Of My Head” will both figure prominently in my upcoming year end list 🙂
  • British singer Mika returns to the chart for the first time in almost exactly five years with the bubbly and all-inclusive message of “It’s My House” at #27, his 10th overall entry.  He’s the real deal as I’ve seen in concert and should never be underestimated even if his last album really did not win me over.  He’s been to #1 once on this chart, with “Rain” in 2010 from my favourite album by him, The Boy Who Knew Too Much.

In lieu of the online version, here’s the full chart:

03 01 03 PINEAPPLE SKIES Miguel
02 02 06 FLAGS Shoffy F/ Yuna
06 03 06 SKY WALKER Miguel F/ Travis Scott
01 04 08 NEED YOUR HEART Latchmere
16 05 03 CRAZY (TIESTO’S BIG ROOM MIX) Dzeko
09 06 04 EVERYBODY HURTS The Him F/ Ivy Adara
13 07 04 EVERGREEN YEBBA
11 08 05 SURVIVE (PLS&TY remix) SAINT WKND F/ MAX
18 09 03 BODY Loud Luxury F/ Brando
10 10 05 MONSTER Latchmere F/ Dylan
22 11 02 SMALL TALK Giiants
14 12 04 DO ME Frank Pierce F/ Miles B
19 13 03 TEARS IN YOUR EYES Nora En Pure
20 14 03 RIGHT NOW Ryan Shepherd F/ Dirty Hary
17 15 04 NO PEACE Sam Smith f/ YEBBA
04 16 07 WAKE UP FOR THE NIGHT Alyx Ander F/ Caroline Pennell
26 17 02 ALIVE Waitwhat F/ Rielle
07 18 07 DRIVEWAY Culpriit
New 19 01 WHAT WE’RE MADE OF Dave Edwards F/ Mark Asari
05 20 07 NO HANDS it’s different & Forever MC F/ blackbear & MAX
New 21 01 YOU FOUND ME Saxity F/ Victor Perry
New 22 01 TALK TO ME Axel Mansoor
15 23 06 FREE Carlos Nobrega f/ JVEL
08 24 10 PERFECT Mahalo F/ Cat Lewis
New 25 01 TOLD YOU SO Miguel
12 26 06 HIT REWIND Axel Mansoor & Louis Vivet
New 27 01 IT’S MY HOUSE Mika
21 28 10 NO LOVE IN BROOKLYN Nick Peters & Frank Pierce F/ Scott Vega
23 29 08 TOO GOOD AT GOODBYES Sam Smith
24 30 07 CAN’T RESIST Halogen F/ Adriana Gomez & Lub X Tpf

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 🙂

Infinite love awaits at the “End of the World” by @Shaanmusic featuring #AllanEshuijs

SHAAN featuring ALLAN ESHUIJS, “End Of The World”

We can party like it’s 2012 again with glorious arpeggios spearheading an uplifting message in “End Of The World” by Mumbai’s noted producer/DJ Shaan, featuring a powerful vocal by Dutch singer Allan Eshuijs.  Now only 22, Shaan returns after becoming India’s only producer/DJ to play the Tomorrowland festival a couple of years back,  and has been playing numerous other festivals in south Asia throughout December.  “End Of The World” couldn’t be any more triumphant.  It’s the perfect foil for Britney Spears’ “Till The World Ends” and should be played immediately after when the New Year tolls in a few days.   “End Of The World” is brought to you once again by Armada, and is already receiving support by The Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, and Tritonal but to name a few.  I know so many people miss the dance sounds of the first part of this decade, so let’s start a revival, right?  Don’t miss “End of the World” for your club sets and Spotify playlists at the link above.

Memorable “Polaroids and Dirty Dances” scores by @DJJuicyM & @HIDDNmusic_ featuring @weareKepler

JUICY M & HIDDN featuring KEPLER, “Polaroids and Dirty Dances”

“Polaroids and Dirty Dances” is the latest and immeasurably catchy dance song to come out of L.A. with the great collaboration of prominent producer/DJ Juicy M, fellow producer HIDDN, and singers/songwriters Kepler.  This song has so much going for it, from the dreamy vocals through to an infectious if familiar overall sound that make it a huge banger which wraps up under just three minutes.  Kyiv-born but US-based Juicy M (and new mom-to-be) has such a worldwide following for her mix shows that it’s no surprise to find “Polaroids and Dirty Dances” with over 800K views on You Tube already (below).  The song is a club DJ’s dream, so be sure to add it to your set and playlist using the Spotify link above.

 

Spooky and alluring: “Evil Presence” by @MichaelMasonsux featuring @SophiexMeiers

MICHAEL MASON featuring SOPHIE MEIERS, “Evil Presence”

It’s darkly whimsical and alluring, and “Evil Presence” by producer Michael Mason with singer Sophie Meiers may be more suited for Hallowe’en than the current holiday season, as its cover artwork might signal.  But its mysterious qualities are what will keep you coming back, full of a teasing kind of atmosphere thanks to another spot-on vocal by Sophie, who you also heard recently on Madnap’s sultry “Honey”.  “Evil Presence” is definitely a grower and could set the scene for great things in a set with the lights turned down really low, to draw club goers out on to the floor for their danse divine.  Michael Mason has a taut, unassuming winner with “Evil Presence”.  Check it out at the link above.

“What We’re Made Of” is an inspiring hot new banger from @itsDaveEdwards featuring @MarkAsari

DAVE EDWARDS featuring MARK ASARI, “What We’re Made Of”

The year continues to close out with some real gems, and I’ve been waiting especially for this one after hearing an early version of it some time ago.  NYC producer/remixer Dave Edwards is now coasting the path of original music and what a triumphant start he has with “What We’re Made Of” for Tipsy Records.  It features the earthy and urgent tones of Ghanaian UK-based singer Mark Asari, and with some highly creative synth work make it sound like an almost-sequel to Armin van Buuren’s “This Is What It Feels Like”.  “What We’re Made Of” is an inspiring ode to determination and keeping up all those good fights that we know can suffer if we give up too easily.  It’s an immediate call to the dance floor that can be an easy high point of the evening for club DJ’s who built up to it.  Plus it is so pop and radio-friendly that listeners will wait to hear it again and again.  Dave Edwards has it in the bag with “What We’re Made Of” and you can support it by listening above, playlisting it, and picking it up at your favorite online digital store.

You’ve never liked “Hollywood” as dark and intense as brought to you by @iamDNMO featuring #Nevve

DNMO featuring NEVVE, “Hollywood”

At only 16, British producer DNMO has already been named by Soundcloud as one to watch for in 2018.  And if there’s a record to help crush that honour in only the best ways it’s his latest called “Hollywood” for Deadbeats Records.  It’s a dark, intense, grinding feat of electronica featuring the always resplendent vocals of Nevve, whose best recent work has been with the likes of Illenium and Elephante among others.  “Hollywood” goes by in such an instant at only 2:18 but it’s crammed with everything hard and loud that a lot of lovers of the genre enjoy.  Maybe some remixers should be enlisted for an extended version or two?  In any event, DNMO’s “Hollywood” is an enticing signpost of what’s fresh and defiantly futuristic.  Check it out at the link above.

L.A.-based singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor @iamaxelm creates another winner with “Talk To Me”

AXEL MANSOOR, “Talk To Me”

Ever since I heard “Wasted My Love” earlier this year, I’ve been anticipating whatever L.A.-based singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor might release next.  It went on to “Out Of My Head” – along with “Wasted”, two of my most favourite songs of the year – and more recently his collaboration with Louis Vivet on the retrospective “Hit Rewind”.  With “Talk To Me” Axel shows that like many fine songwriters, he looks for that moment in time or that crucial scenario to which so many people can relate.  Along with a really enjoyable video, “Talk To Me” is about unrequited love which now seems to be complicated by distance that comes through loud and clear through texting or Facetiming.  But, standing invitation notwithstanding, then what?  Axel has some of the sweetest vocal tones I’ve heard all year which draw you into every one of his songs.  Like “Wasted” and “Head”, “Talk To Me” offers a lot, including a charming, buoyant rhythm, and it goes a long way.  Watch out 2018!

Cozy and funky “Space For Us” comes from NYC’s @itsWingtip and UK vocalist @YOUNGR

WINGTIP featuring YOUNGR, “Space For Us”

Rising upstarts Wingtip and YOUNGR are off to instant collaborative success with “Space For Us”.  It’s a cozy, funky slice of mid-tempo dance music to keep you that much warmer this winter.  New Yorker Wingtip uses a classic melody structure and some ear-catching, uncomplicated-sounding effects to counter and enhance British singer YOUNGR’s inviting, versatile vocal (accent, what accent?).  The theme of everyone belonging and being welcome is starting to emerge readily in new music, whether its in a play for romance or about having a party.  Wingtip is getting some fabulous recognition – from the likes of Giorgio Moroder no less in the form of another recent collaboration.  But I definitely think this in-sync pairing of Wingtip and YOUNGR shouldn’t be a one-time deal.  Check out “Space For Us” at the Spotify link above.

Infatuation gets an emotional reading in “These Days” by @iamJamesCarter1 feat. #ZoeMaxwell

JAMES CARTER featuring ZOE MAXWELL, “These Days”

Young UK producer James Carter’s star continues to shine with the emotional electronic beats of “These Days” featuring singer Zoe Maxwell.  It follows James’ sultry “Lost Without You” but on a jazzier tip at times.  The song is about the singer’s infatuation with a guy who leaves her but keeps coming back, and she keeps letting him.  The melody plays on that same constant emotion which throbs when you’re in it.  However when you’re outside looking in, you want to shake some truth into the affected person.  Zoe’s vocals use songs like San Holo’s “Light” or Chet Porter’s “Stay” as jumping off points, but it’s the sum of all of its parts that really elevate “These Days”.  And the recent newsflash that James now has an official remix out for no less than Rihanna for her latest single “Consideration” makes the future look even brighter for songs like “These Days”.  Check it out at the link above.