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.  

Australia-based @Latchmeresound shines with summery “You”

https://soundcloud.com/latchmeresound/you

LATCHMERE, “You”

UK-born, Australia-based producer Latchmere continues to showcase the diverse mix of dance music he can offer with “You”.  While essentially an instrumental with vocal effects, “You” has an summery classic house vibe with some slight hip hop flavour to create a big bounce that makes you feel good when it all meshes together.  It’s pretty straight-forward and immediately likeable 🙂 Be sure to show “You” and Latchmere’s other songs some love by starting with the link up above for a free download.

“New York Pretty” is simply one of @BrightLightx2’s best, effortless-sounding songs

BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT, “New York Pretty”

Being a huge fan of Bright Light Bright Light – singer/songwriter/producer Rod Thomas – since 2010’s “A New Word To Say”, and having seen the singer in concert in NYC in 2013, Bright Light Bright Light has made one of his very best songs yet with “New York Pretty”.  Since he came to reside in NYC part-time for the last number of years, I’ve always been drawn to Rod’s enthusiasm for the city, which parallels my own when I visit.  So this Wales-born singer has created a new, contemporary theme song for NYC for those inspired (as Rod has revealed) by the likes of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Kylie Minogue, and the Bette Midler/Lily Tomlin movie “Big Business” – and for you and me, likely any similar personal blend of joyous entertaining eccentricities. In the video, Rod takes us on his own tour through some of the best views of NYC outside of a Woody Allen movie.  “New York Pretty” is endearing, emotional, and sure to put a smile on your face and a kick in your heels.  It’s from Rod’s upcoming third 2017 EP “Tales Of The City”, which you can pre-order on iTunes.

More new music is a personal release for @MatthewKoma with “Suitcase”

MATTHEW KOMA, “Suitcase”

Matthew Koma’s latest songs have been cathartic, personal experiences perhaps like none other that he’s written.  So the broken relationship that’s stuck inside your head is the topic for the thoughtful “Suitcase”, which was written years ago but never released.  It’s his 5th single since last Fall, and so many of us can completely relate. A song like this can’t work unless the vocal is ultra-convincing and honest, and Matthew definitely gives his all.  In contrast to his recent ear-raising collaboration with Ghastly, “We Might Fall”, “Suitcase” is a ballad rather than a dance floor filler.  Thank goodness for recent support from Sony/RCA – it’s hard to go wrong with what Matthew Koma is frequently bringing us to hear and embrace in 2017.

A Slinky sexy groove drives “Show Me” by Toronto’s @LoudLuxury and @NikkisWives

LOUD LUXURY featuring NIKKI’S WIVES, “Show Me”

“Show Me” is one of those bass-driven disco-influenced songs that will yank people out onto the dance floor mid-evening in a club.  It’s brought to you by fast-rising Toronto duo Loud Luxury – coming off of one of the best records of 2017, “Something to Say”, with Ryan Shepherd – and fellow Canadians Nikki’s Wives.  It’s all about getting a sexy party going in your feet and butt.  And the video is worth a look for a starring role for porn star Ron Jeremy.  And when you invite Ron to a party, well you know the women will be drawn to him wherever he goes… it’s just like that, but the guys in the video hadn’t figured on that (we last saw Mr. Jeremy guesting in the video for Armin van Buuren and Trevor Guthrie’s massive 2013 hit “This Is What It Feels Like”).  So all in all “Show Me” is a real attention-getter for a lot of valid reasons 🙂