“Written In The Sand” is salt of the earth stuff for your soul from @bvdKultmusic & @HeggadonWill

bvd KULT & WILL HEGGADON, “Written In The Sand”

It all started with an Ed Sheeran remix for mystery producer/remixer bvd Kult at the top of the year and after millions of views with other remixes, he quickly segued into making his own music.  “Written In The Sand” is a perfect deep house-lite compliment to these pop days of Sheeran featuring similar-voiced UK singer Will Heggadon.  It’s a salt of the earth mix of slice-of-life lyrics with a sincere vocal that also brings the softer side of Hozier to mind.  “Written In The Sand” lilts along to a halcyon tune that whirls by like the sea breeze that allows you to start fresh in the sand again.  Tipsy Records in conjunction once again with Epic Oslo have a sublime winner with “Written In The Sand”.

L.A. producer/DJ @EricSharp returns with the chilled out, thoughtful “Take Your Time” featuring @Zhaomusic

ERIC SHARP featuring ZHAO, “Take Your Time”

One of my favourite dance music songs that bridged late 2016 to early 2017 is the alluring, bass-laden “The Thirst” by Eric Sharp featuring vocalist Zhao.  And no sooner than I write about Zhao’s own solo release of “Lifetime” then a new song arrives by the pair called “Take Your Time”.  It’s quite a contrast to clubs-focused “The Thirst” – “Take Your Time” takes a realistic, thoughtful look at what’s going on in the world today, inspiring everyone to be open-minded and to listen to others instead of forming and getting locked into steadfast opinions.  It’s uncharacteristic subject matter for the genre but top notch dance music for clubs playing more alternative choices, featuring more of a chilled out style than one might expect.  The lovely, sparse arrangement and Zhao’s lilting vocal are perfect matches for each other and for the lyrics.  Lend your ears to the link above.

Manchester rockers @TheCovasettes are set to break out with “This Feeling” and acoustic “She Is”

THE COVASETTES, “This Feeling” and “She Is” (acoustic)

Inspired by fellow Manchester bands of the 90’s, although they don’t really sound like any one of them in particular (Happy Mondays? The Charlatans? nope!), quartet The Covasettes have the same kind of appeal going on as groups like Bastille with their new single “This Feeling”.  Lead singer and guitarist Chris Buxton has a recognizable, charismatic voice that dominates the song, but he wouldn’t be able to achieve that without the tight band of Matt Hewlett (guitar/vocals), Matt Buckley (drums) and Jamie McIntyre (bass/vocals).  Fans of Keane, Kaiser Chiefs, and The Script will also gravitate to radio-friendly appeal of “This Feeling”.  Showing off without electric instruments or drums in the video for “She Is” (below) brings it down to the grass roots for The Covasettes which would come across well as a break in a set in concert.  Give them both a solid listen and remember where you read about The Covasettes 🙂

Watch Dublin’s @EclipseIRE give a heartwarming choral performance of @OneRepublic’s “I Lived”

ECLIPSE STAGE SCHOOL, “I Lived”

It’s not something I would normally write about but the backstory and the focus of it is important.  Dublin’s Eclipse Stage School offers a heartwarming rendition of One Republic’s “I Lived”.  It’s performed choir-style – all you fans of Choir! Choir! Choir! will have an edge – and what’s particularly special is that it’s sung by teen and pre-teen girls who haven’t yet ‘lived’ in terms of the song lyrics.  But that could also be said too of the school’s creative director and choreographer Kenneth Giles, who I also wrote about a few years back when he recorded a pop song.  At age 26, Kenneth was diagnosed with skin cancer, and has now recovered – so as a teenager or at age 26, how does one characterize ‘living’?  Being so much older I could not fathom the possibility of someone so young and close to me being taken away and am thankful every day for my own kids age 24 and 17, one who just underwent her own (very successful and not cancer-related) surgery this week.  So “I Lived” takes on an extended meaning of celebrating life at no matter what age.  Head over to iTunes to purchase it and proceeds will benefit the Irish Cancer Society.

“Only Us” by NYC duo @Paperwhite is given a next-level remix from Canada’s @YoungBombs

PAPERWHITE, “Only Us” (Young Bombs remix)

Paperwhite is the brother-and-sister collaboration of Katie and Ben Marshall, with Katie on vocals, Ben producing, and both as co-writers.  Their pop song “Only Us” is a perfectly likeable slice of life that is even more uplifting in a remix by Martin and Tristan of Canadian production/remix duo Young Bombs.  One thing that sets Young Bombs apart from others in the dance genre is that they know how to pounce on a dynamic vocal and make it even more the centre of attraction.  Katie’s voice can suit any genre, and Young Bombs play with and reshape how her voice comes across, particularly in what is pretty much a big new chorus that will resonate well through huge club speakers.  This is all done without taking anything away from the original inspiring song.  Make sure you add it to your collection by purchasing the Young Bombs remix of Paperwhite’s “Only Us” at your favourite digital music store.

“Drop It” by L.A.’s @Wolfenchill is out to shake up the dance floor

WOLFE, “Drop It” (free DL)

Last year around this time I wrote a blog post about “Under The Covers” by L.A. producer Wolfe, which wove a provocative story around some wild beats and effects.  “Drop It” is the latest from Wolfe and he really switches up the rhythms and effects to shake up the dance floor for club DJ’s.  The song starts out with a bang and although the first minute or so seems a little static, “Drop It” quickly recovers.  Wolfe adds an unforeseen dose of hip hop vocals followed by a soulful female voice that slides in and out of the mix of huge beats, sudden quiet, and constant fun for the rest of the three+ minutes.  Best to try and slay a crowd around midnight with “Drop It”!  Download it for free, for now, at the link above.  

Meet Canada’s new fresh-voiced charmer @QuintonnCochran with “In Your Eyes”

QUINTON COCHRAN, “In Your Eyes”  

Fans of the CBC’s recent Searchlight Showcase will already know 17 year old Torontonian Quinton Cochran as a finalist in that competition.  But if you don’t like me, then we have a new fresh-voiced domestic talent to root for.  Immediate comparisons will go to Shawn Mendes and they aren’t unwarranted with a similar easy-going charm that goes a long way on its own.  Quinton may have an edge though with a voice that could likely sing any song put in front of him and make it work.  New single and lyric video “In Your Eyes” has Quinton singing in a higher, more powerful voice sometimes equally suited to someone like Shawn.  He’s also newly signed to Radar Love Records, which is run by Glass Tiger drummer Michael Hanson, which is a great previous Canadian music generation connection to have behind him.  Quinton Cochran is definitely one to watch starting NOW!

 

Get to know Norway’s @MagBechmann with sly and catchy “Bruises”

MAGNUS BECHMANN, “Bruises”

21 year old Magnus Bechmann from Norway has already been racking up praises in the UK from the likes of The Guardian and NME for his live shows and his previous EP Loners Get Lonely Too from earlier this year.  His follow up single “Bruises” is sly and witty and will stay between your ears with its diverse melody and irresistible hook.  And it’s set to lyrics about how a certain yellow light causes bruises to Magnus’ eyes – well not literally anyway.  It’s all about self-empowerment and taking risks, and yeah sometimes you do get bruises along the way.  The vocal, with an ever-so-slight accent, is playful in a knowing kind of way.  All of these characteristics should help “Bruises” bring Magnus Bechmann more fans from the rest of the globe.  And maybe a collaboration with fellow Norwegian Jesper Jenset is in order? 😉  Check it out at the link above.

magnusbechmann

Hard-driving “Crazy” by @Dzekomusic highlights @Tiesto’s Clublife Vol. 5 – China

DZEKO, “Crazy” (Tiësto’s Big Room mix)

I don’t usually zero in on a cover version among an album of originals as its highlight, but if you’re a DJ looking for that one song to crank up a set, then “Crazy” by Toronto’s Dzeko will do the trick.  It’s a more-than-worthy cover of Seal’s 1991 smash, more recently covered successfully as well by Alanis Morissette, and one of my favourite songs of the 90’s, which makes it even harder to convince.  But it gets Tiësto’s Big Room mix treatment and ends up being the focal point of his new gem of a party album Clublife Volume 5 – China, despite top notch new songs by Stargate & Aloe Blacc, Diplo and John Christian, VASSY, KSHMR & Talay Riley and SWACQ.  Give “Crazy” a whirl at the Spotify link above, and don’t hesitate to play Clublife Volume 5 to get a room full of dance music lovers groovin’.

Remixing the remixers: @TwoFriendsmusic remix @TheChainsmokers and get remixed by Poland’s @Clarxpl

THE CHAINSMOKERS, “Break Up Every Night” (Two Friends remix)

TWO FRIENDS featuring JAMES DELANEY, “Emily” (Clarx remix)

While the ever-good-natured L.A. producers/remixers Two Friends (Matt and Eli) keep busy touring, producing their own songs, and remixing those by others, one of the guys’ recent songs in turn has been remixed.

I wasn’t quite sure why “Honest” by The Chainsmokers became the follow-up single to “Something Just Like This”, but the much better “Break Up Every Night” appears to be next, pumped by a number of remixes.  Two Friends give it a fun and zingy remix that helps capture the exaggerated nature of the song, which is actually a co-write with more L.A. denizens, Captain Cuts.  Like with Two Friends’ previous takes on songs by The ‘Smokers, such as their bouncy remix of “Roses”, “Break Up Every Night” should help enliven your Friday or Saturday evening. 

Poland’s Clarx has done great justice to “Emily”, Two Friends’ release which I wrote about last Spring and featuring a playful vocal by James Delaney.  Clarx steered the pop-oriented “Emily” into more of a traditional house rhythm in their remix, which is magnified by some pretty big futuristic synths.   This helps make what is a very good song even better, which is exactly what a top notch remix should do.

Check out both remixes at the above links 🙂