Montreal’s @Frameofficiel will turn heads with “Bad Decisions” featuring @Bijoudream

https://soundcloud.com/manifesto-music/frame-bad-decisions-feat-bijou

FRAME featuring BIJOU, “Bad Decisions”

The dance music world can seem so closely knit together when you find a song by Canadians released through an Italy-based label.  So chalk another one up for Manifesto with “Bad Decisions” by producer Frame featuring fellow Montrealer Bijou on vocals.  What starts off kind of like dreamy Billie Eilish-meets-Gwen Stefani with a lazy vibe somehow transforms into a darker, minimalist electronic song that is entirely captivating and something Lana Del Rey might appreciate.  You’re not entirely sure if the subject of the song is actually making bad decisions because she wants to, though she sings about not knowing why, making it an interesting and convincing puzzle.  “Bad Decisions” will keep those heads nodding and toes tapping in the wee hours at a club.  Make a good decision by getting your free download for now at the link above.

#BILLCSTop30 #513 – July 10/17

The chart has a new #1 and a high-flying debut to watch in the coming weeks!

The Top 10

  • “Attention” by Charlie Puth slides in at #1 as the title for his upcoming second album has been announced:  Voice Notes.  The song’s slick bassline and honest delivery made it a sure thing for the top of my chart.  Like many of you, I hadn’t known of Charlie Puth till I heard “See You Again”, but he’s a stadium concert headliner in the making 🙂  Catch him on tour opening for Pickering, Ontario native Shawn Mendes (below), who also arrives at #10 this week with “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”.

  • While Axel Mansoor had to give up the top spot held by “Wasted My Love” during June, he glides to #2 with its follow up, “Out Of My Head”.  Like “Wasted”, “Head” is a free download, as are many songs in the upper reaches of this chart 🙂
  • When you can sing a good, interesting story, it resonates and stays in your head.  Such is the case with “Silent Games” as sung by Hawaiian singer Zekt, and produced by Germany’s Lars Beck and Henri Purnell.  It soars 11-5.

https://soundcloud.com/selectedsounds/silent-games

  • Right behind “Silent Games” is Bobby Nourmand’s summer song “D U S T”, which climbs 10-6.  Bobby has new music coming very soon for Potion Records once again, so you will know where to read about it!
  • The third entry into the Top 10 is “Byte” by Dutchmen Martin Garrix and Brooks.  It’s a feisty instrumental that doesn’t let up and is accompanied by a flashy video.  “Byte” rises 12-9.

Movin’ On Up

  • Cosmos & Creature – Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore to you and me – appear to be on deck for their first Top 10 as a lead artist under this project name with the engaging “Bad Drug”, which sails 17-11.  The duo got to the Top 10 (#7) as a featured artist on Vicetone’s “Bright Side” last year.  We need to see C&C more on the east coast please!!
  • Sweden’s Anton Ewald is also heading for the Top 10 – where all of his charted songs have landed in the past, but as high as #2 – with “L.I.L.Y.”, or “like I love you”, promoted by a video that is all Anton.  The song’s obvious Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake influences are more inspiring rather than obvious borrowings.  “L.I.L.Y.” moves up 20-14.

  • Martin Garrix’s second entry shows the best of his pop side, and with Troye Sivan on vocals for “There For You” it’s taken to another level entirely.  It’s his best ‘pop’ single to date, aside of course from “Animals”, and charges up the chart 22-15.

  • “Astronauts” is one of the catchiest and most energetic songs of the year, EDM or otherwise.  It’s brought to you by a wide collaboration of three Danes and a Scot:  Boye & Sigvardt & MAGNÜS – the lone Scot – featuring vocalist Uhre.  It leaps 23-18.
  • The fastest riser on the chart is a classic house remix with an equally classic piece of storytelling to make it all gel.  I’m talking about former Same Difference member Sean Smith’s “Magic”, which in its Andy Sikorski remix, soars 28-20.

  • You can now check out the video to The Killers’ latest single “The Man”, which moves up 27-24.

Three New Entries

  • He’s back and stronger than ever, a fixture on the BILLCS Top 30 these past 7 years, Bright Light Bright Light.  Following his album Choreography, he’s just released his second EP as well in 2017, Tales Of The City, which is a huge warm musical hug for NYC and to anyone who feels they are simply not good enough for even themselves 🙂  And he’s given the city a new theme song, “New York Pretty”, with a vibrant video that makes the package a full circle.  BLx2 has already had 5 #1’s on this chart, will “New York Pretty” be his next one?  It arrives out of the gate at #16.

  • While previous single “I Wonder” still hangs in at #28, Dutch duo The Him are back with another impressive single, the R&B-flavoured “Secrets”, featuring a glistening vocal by L.A. singer Cub Rayan.  It bows at #23.

  • After enticing us with thoughtful but sultry singles like “Guilty As Sin” and “My Religion” in 2015, Toronto’s Dan Talevski is back with the fun and light-hearted “Birthday Suit”.  Debuting at #25, we’ll have to see if the upcoming video is saucy or playful or a bit of both 🙂

View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

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

Planet Radio Canada is on hiatus and will return http://www.planetradio.ca 🙂

It’s @PenguinPrison x 3, with vocals for @Gramercysound on “Unbelievable Love” and remixes for @Arizona_music and @FreedomFrymusic

GRAMERCY featuring PENGUIN PRISON, “Unbelievable Love”

ARIZONA, “Electric Touch” (Penguin Prison remix)

FREEDOM FRY, “Junkie” (Penguin Prison remix)

I definitely enjoy my doses of new music by or featuring Penguin Prison in doses of three like this 🙂  New York’s Chris Glover is back with new music following his second album, 2015’s Lost In New York, featuring on vocals with fellow NYC denizen (but a Canadian in disguise , hehe) Gramercy on “Unbelievable Love” (above) for Spinnin’ Deep no less.  This is particularly fast-paced house that will sound great in clubs at the top of the evening.  And Gramercy, also known as Justin Davey, knows his craft well and who to work with – he’s produced songs by the likes of David Guetta, Jason Derulo and Nicki Minaj.  With fine songs like “Unbelievable Love”, Gramercy is one to watch!

Returning to more familiar territory that sends me back to Penguin Prison’s other remixes, like for Ghost Town’s “Too Young” a few years back, we have French/American duo Freedom Fry with “Junkie” (below).  The catchy song, from an EP of official Remixes, gets a big boost from PP’s funky touches which do all the right things to help make this one a singalong come chorus time.

Penguin Prison also tackles an official remix for on-the-bubble New Jersey group             A R I Z O N A on “Electric Touch” (also below).  With more of a regimental rhythm and lots of high end, PP’s remix captures the magic of instant love at first touch.  This one’s an easy grab for club DJ’s to catch on to Arizona’s growing appeal and Penguin Prison’s effortless way of making his interpretations work so well.

It’s Time to begin: “Set Me Free” is the summery introduction to @CarlosDNobrega’s upcoming “The Art Of Making Love”

CARLOS NÓBREGA, “Set Me Free”

He told us earlier in the decade that “Music Makes You Lose Control”, and now comes “Set Me Free”, by Portugal-born, Spain-based singer/actor Carlos Nóbrega, from his upcoming first of two albums, The Art Of Making Love, due on August 4.  Years in the making, “Set Me Free” is warm and inviting electro-dance/pop that promises to take you on an interesting adventure.  For Carlos is definitely a lover, not a fighter, it’s all about joy and beauty, and having fun together and letting go.  “Set Me Free” has rich production to accompany its beach-ready vibe and celebration of both personal connection and freedom.  It there might be too many effects on Carlos’ voice, they serve in conjunction to part of the song’s message, that love is one-of-a-kind, and never boring but heavily reliant on the spices of life!  There’s much more to come each week from Carlos, so keep both of your eyes on his You Tube channel, where you can also check out the introductory video to his intriguing projects below.

Here’s top-notch, powerful #Dubstep from San Diego’s @Convulsic with “Anesthetic”

CONVULSIC, “Anesthetic” (free DL)

San Diego’s Convulsic, aka Erik Hale, makes some of the most melodic dubstep around, which I discovered a few years ago with the positively contagious “Love Space” and “The Day You Left”.  Continuing in a similar vein, but even tighter with more blistering effects if that’s possible, he brings us his latest, “Anesthetic”, following up his previous EP Darkside.  And it all seems like a frantic life-or-death search for the title item!  It’s very dramatic and powerful, but it weaves through its 3:44 length at a brisk pace, so much that you will ask yourself at the end of the song ‘What just happened here, anyway?’.  Fans of heavier, busy EDM and of course particularly dubstep and trap will love Convulsic’s “Anesthetic”.  Check it out at the link above.  It is a free download 🙂 check under the “More” menu button to download it!

“The Future” is uplifting electronic R&B from @SanHolobeats featuring @JamesVMcMorrow

SAN HOLO featuring JAMES VINCENT McMORROW, “The Future”

After the massively successful reaction to last year’s earworm “Light”, The Netherlands’ San Holo continues with a different shade of positive vibes with “The Future”, his first major label release for Sony.  He scored Irish singer James Vincent McMorrow for the vocal after James previously ventured into dance music territory on Kygo’s “I’m In Love”.  James brings a similar understated elegance to “The Future” that drives the hopefulness of the lyrics home.  His sweet vocal is also in contrast to the always engaging melody that San Holo builds right through to the end with lots going on in the background, coming close to the blueprinted method previously used in “Light”.  “The Future” is one to watch and be sure to give it a solid listen above – remixers will look to have their way with this one too.

Bittersweet house tune “Rooms” gives @SteveVoidmusic 4 winners in a row

STEVE VOID, “Rooms”

It’s songs like “Rooms” that make you continue to want to hear more from an artist, and The Netherlands’ Steve Void offers that consistency while mixing it up stylistically with every release.  With powerhouse vocals fronting “Chemistry” and “Never Been Better”, and then a fun sidestep with “West L.A.”, Steve tones it down a bit with the pensive “Rooms”, a bittersweet breakup house tune with a wonderful uncredited vocal that comes into its own.  Despite kind of an uneventful beginning, “Rooms” really kicks in both lyrically and sonically, coaxing you to kick up your heels while you relate to the poignant lyrics.  “Rooms” certainly shows another side of what Steve Void can bring to you on a regular basis along with those club thumpers and remixes.  Check it out at the link above.

A Splendid cover of @Haddymusix’s “What Is Love” highlights @McEwenofficial’s debut EP “90’s Kid”

mcewen

McEWEN, “What Is Love” (free DL)

After all of the play that Haddaway’s “What Is Love” received on radio and in clubs in 1993-94, plus the over-the-top use of it in 1998’s “A Night At The Roxbury”, I never thought I could listen to the song again with a straight face.  Initially, yeah the expressive vocal in the original worked well with the Eurodisco that was popular at the time.  But nearly 25 years later, L.A.-based Adam Tyler, now recording under his last name of McEwen, manages to nail it and update it on his new EP 90’s Kid.  

I can’t think of a better person to do this, with Adam’s similar reverence for 90’s and onward songs to my own from the 70’s and 80’s – except he can sing and I can’t 😛  McEwen wrings out the drama of “What Is Love” in favour of focusing on the ponderous question at hand, and then continuing to elevate it into a contemporary club banger with production by our mutual friend The Wookie.  

Delve into 90’s Kid further and you’ll also be impressed by the mystery of “Your Clown”, originally recorded by Eiffel 65 (those “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” guys), and there are also renditions of George Michael’s “Too Funky”, “Missing” by Everything But The Girl (keeping the club vibe), Ace Of Base’s “Don’t Turn Around” (which I wrote about recently), and even the more obscure throwback “Supernova Girl” from the Disney Channel movie “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century”.  

You can download 90’s Kid for free from the McEwen Official website.  Listen to “What Is Love” and the entire EP below.

Get to know the earnest style of @PhilGoodsmusic with “I Miss You”

PHIL GOOD, “I Miss You”

L.A. singer/songwriter Phil Good makes it sound so easy with his earnest approach to a lyric and melody.  The Sean Turk remix of “Sleeping In” is already one of my favourites of 2017, and following “Growing Up” is “I Miss You”.  It’s another fine song under 3 minutes with an easy-going, sincere vocal, though I don’t think it will make you run back to your ex anytime soon 😉 but you can certainly reflect on all of the good times you had.  Phil’s songs can also traverse the pop and dance music genres easily so I’d like to hear what remixes might bring to “I Miss You”.  In the meantime, get to know this charming new favourite at the link above.

Create your own adventure with “Talisman” by @Egzodmusic

EGZOD, “Talisman”

A lot of songs in the trap, future bass, and dubstep sub-genres can sound like one big mess sometimes, but exceptions like “Talisman” by US-based Frenchman Egzod always make it worthwhile to keep listening.  “Talisman” is a bold, aggressive instrumental that sounds like it wants to transport you to an Egyptian or other African adventure of some kind.  It’s meant to be played loud, and the melody shifts seamlessly away from big future bassy sounds to others with more high end percussion and keyboards.  There’s a lot going on here so don’t expect it to sink in with one or two listens.  Egzod definitely knows his craft and while making a splash with an instrumental is always no mean feat, continuing to incorporate vocalists or other talents into the mix on other songs will definitely give his songs the right attention.