Your new catch phrase? “Oom Zigga” brings the beach party courtesy of @itsPapaYa with @_MalcolmAnthony

PAPA YA featuring MALCOLM ANTHONY, “Oom Zigga” (free DL)

If you find traces of sand on your floor despite not being anywhere near a beach, then it may be the result of listening to LA-based duo Papa Ya with “Oom Zigga”, featuring New Jersey hip hop performer Malcolm Anthony.  It’s the follow up to the toe-tapper “Sunny”, and where “Sunny” got you dreaming about the beach, “Oom Zigga” takes you to the party along with some rhythmic chanting that you might find more in a campfire song from yesteryear.  But like “Sunny”, “Oom Zigga” is straight up fun that you don’t want to think about too much, otherwise you’ll simply prevent the title phrase from getting stuck in your head.  The beach boy pop/hip hop blend goes down easy, and you can get your own copy of “Oom Zigga” for free at the Soundcloud link above.

Papa Ya is touring with MAX in some of his upcoming US shows so watch out for them!

Chicago’s Pete Cho @petechosen makes an auspicious debut with “Howlin'”

PETE CHO, “Howlin'”

It was a rather pleasing and unexpected surprise to get to enjoy “Howlin'” by Pete Cho recently.  Pete is a Korean BBQ restauranteur from Chicago turned pop/dance artist who also writes and produces his own music.  And if you’re going to do it then you may as well go big and bold with help from the likes of Dino Zisis (Lady Gaga’s “Applause”).  “Howlin'” sounds great and of course has just arrived in time for Hallowe’en.  That means there’s a spooky video with a few twists, and Pete had his hand in writing it too.  “Howlin'” has a solid overall sound with a lot of punch in its beats that generates appropriate suspense without overkill.  The uncredited singer has a good voice too which adds to the atmosphere.  Check out the video above – you’ll want to hear “Howlin'” again and play it for your friends 🙂

“Flags” by @Shoffymusic (feat. #Yuna) is a low-key start to a fabulous debut album

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

SHOFFY featuring YUNA, “Flags” (free DL)

Shoffy’s debut album may be one of the best and most understated dance music records to arrive this year, all in a very good way.  I really need to dig deeper into it to write more about it, but I’ll start with the unity-themed lead off single “Flags”, featuring R&B singer Yuna, available for free at the link above.  The singer I’m going to compare L.A.’s Shoffy to is Troye Sivan, not because of similar voices or styles, but for someone who has found his sound, which Troye did on last year’s huge Blue Neighbourhood.  Like other recent finds like Lauv and Kid Froopy, Shoffy has a natural, likeable voice that flows beautifully with his music as well as his singing collaborator.  The overall sound is a low-key electronic delight, one that will stay with you through subsequent listens.  Not all dance music has to result in big bangers, and Shoffy in the two years has been part of some interesting releases by others until he made the Billboard dance/electronic chart last year with “Takes My Body Higher” .  Check out “Flags” for now and I hope to feature more of Shoffy’s songs from his album soon!  

Shoffy’s upcoming east-west US tour starts in NYC on October 11 at the Mercury Lounge.

L.A.-based @Lash_music has silky tropical vibes with “I’m Gonna Be There”

LASH, “I’m Gonna Be There”

Lash was once a duo but it’s all Kelvin Beato now as he reveals his new single “I’m Gonna Be There” for Enhanced.  It’s quite a lovely story of commitment through ups and downs, skewing more of a pop side than what you might find in clubs.  And what’s most attractive about “I’m Gonna Be There” is the gentle, silky tropical vibes that can only come from someone who grew up with it all around him – Kelvin is native to the Dominican Republic.  “I’m Gonna Be There” is familiar but fresh and holds a lot of promise as a breakout for someone like Kelvin who grew up with adversity at his doorstep and is now flourishing through some pretty cool music.

Come out fighting: @itsKasum returns with “Burned Bridges”

https://soundcloud.com/kasum/burnedbridges

KASUM, “Burned Bridges” (free DL)

If you’re going to take a bit of a break to finish off school and then come back even stronger, then you can use “Burned Bridges” by NYC’s Kasum as a great example.  Not only has Kasum (aka Brandon Weiss) offered the song as a free download for you, but it takes a bit of a nostalgic turn both vocally and melodically into Blink-182/Sum 41 territory, while staying rooted in dance music.  So it’s electronic pop with a punkish side, but the attitude is all about fighting to leave what’s buried behind you in life and getting on with things for the better.  Reminisce about those “Burned Bridges” with Kasum but expect to be bopping along and smiling in the end 🙂

 

“High Tide” is gentle and inspiring folk/pop EP from Toronto’s @JustinNozuka

justinnozuka10

JUSTIN NOZUKA, High Tide (EP)

It’s so hard to believe that Justin Nozuka’s first album Holly was released 10 years ago this Fall, and the thoughtful and emotion-wrenching lead single “After Tonight” became one of my go-to songs for not only the next year but forever more, it has endured so very well.  Flash forward and we’re now at the start of a fourth album release for Justin.  He’s chosen to release it in EP parts instead of all at once, so the first three-song offering is called “High Tide”.  It’s a gracious blend of folk and pop and rock like no one else is making.  Inspired greatly by love and nature, you can feel the gentle power particularly in “No Place In Mind”, which reminds me a lot of songs from Justin’s 2010 album You I Wind Land & Sea.  Opener “All I Need” is satisfying and slicker pop, and could be a nice slice of ear candy for pop/adult/alternative radio.  “Hourglass” takes some kind early advice from parents to reflect on and use as empowering self-realization.  High Tide is a true pleasure to hear, with a lot to say crammed into the thoughts of three songs.  You can check out the entire EP at the Spotify link below, but be sure to pick it up at your favourite digital store too.

“Ride The Wave” is positive pop power from @CosmosnCreature

COSMOS & CREATURE, “Ride The Wave”

Following up their more-than-terrific second single as Cosmos & Creature as lead artist, “Bad Drug”, the ever-busy Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore continue with “Ride The Wave”.  It is indeed positive pop power to get you moving to make the most of your day by seizing it and not sit back to wait for things to happen.  For the most part, success, even if it’s on ones own terms, comes with drive, and you have to choose the right times to let things come to you.  It’s a fine balancing act but “Ride The Wave” instigates the art of making things happen for yourself starting with you.  The song has a great arrangement, musically and vocally, and it’s hard to think of what Brandyn and Molly cannot do.  Check out “Ride The Wave” above and purchase it online at your favourite music store.

Summer redux: “Hit Rewind” by Axel Mansoor @iamAxelM & @LouisVivet

AXEL MANSOOR & LOUIS VIVET, “Hit Rewind”

It’s here, your official end-of-summer song!  One of my favourite new singer-songwriters  is L.A.’s Axel Mansoor, whose two recent free downloads of “Wasted My Love” and “Out Of My Head” have graced the top and near-top of my personal chart respectively, making them two of the best new songs you can hear this year.  Paired with fellow L.A. denizen and producer Louis Vivet, the groovesome twosome come up with some smokin’ hot pop with “Hit Rewind”.  I had yet to hear Axel in an uptempo setting and this one is a treat, with a chorus that is such an 80’s-inspired blast it needs to be played quite loud. But that doesn’t mean that the song doesn’t have some downtime saved for Axel’s sweeter voice before that chorus kicks in again.  “Hit Rewind” is the kind of potent pop that causes big ears to listen up.  Show it some big love at the Spotify link above.

Italy’s @Flyboy_official rides the big wave that is @Krewella with his remix of “Team”

KREWELLA, “Team” (Flyboy remix) (free DL)

Italian producer Flyboy – not even yet 20 – definitely has a great ear for leaving his imprint on a song, even if it happens to be the ever-reliable Illinois duo Krewella with his remix of “Team”.  This one will leave you spinning with all kinds of whirling synths and effects to perfectly match the fresh attitude of the lyrics and vocals calling out the haters.  But Flyboy knows his limits and how to place catchy synth riffs without them driving you crazy.  Flyboy is getting a lot of notice of late, through Spotify and Sirius XM, particularly in France, where some of his music has been picked up by none other than the prestigious Parlophone label through Warners.  This remix of “Team” is only near the beginning so there’s still lots of time to watch Flyboy soar 🙂  Download “Team” for free at the link above.

Toronto’s @InMyComa returns as a quartet with a cool video for rocker “Beautiful Mind”

IN MY COMA, “Beautiful Mind”

Even in the music world, six years between your first two records is a long time, but when you can engage fans like Toronto-based band In My Coma did supporting their debut album Magnets & Miracles, then you turn them into keepers who stick with you for when your new music is ready.  Now at last we have the new single “Beautiful Mind”, with a more refined, polished sound that also continues to allow In My Coma to rock out like they have done in the past as they continue to acquire wider appeal for their songs.  

The original trio of vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Jasper James, bassist LauraDoll, and drummer Mike Paterson was expanded not long ago to include keyboardist Linz Clark, and In My Coma has really gelled as a quartet in concert, opening for the likes of classic Canadian rockers Moist, the diverse USS, and most recently longtime rockers Nazareth.  

To make a big splash, the band has a striking video for “Beautiful Mind”, with ink-and-paper-like images of the band members performing with a series of often comical characters, including the John Oliver-inspired #JustAddZebras, in this case a dancing one.

The music of In My Coma appeals to fans of rock music transcending the 80’s new wave of Duran Duran, and 90’s grunge of Pearl Jam, to the likes of today’s Cage The Elephant.  The co-founder of Moist, Mark Makoway, has produced the band’s upcoming second album Next Life, due on October 6.  

I’m looking forward to the ongoing evolution of In My Coma – some of the finest taltned folks in the biz who are already getting early support from the likes of long-time radio host and Canadian music historian Alan Cross.  Give the video a good solid watch up top!