#BILLCSTop30 #511 – June 12, 2017

The new chart is definitely shakin’ and stirred – many songs make big leaps while other favourites tumble.  Yet there somehow is still room enough for four debuts.

I’m not sure if this has ever happened before on my chart in its 19 year history, but the both new #1… and the fastest rising song on the chart… belong to one performer, who happens to be L.A. indie singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor.

The Top 10

  • The sweet-voiced pop/R&B singer who tells it like it is climbs to #1 with a song that draws you in from first listen, “Wasted My Love” (up top).  And not too far behind at #8 is his follow up, the lovely and resolute “Out Of My Head” (below), the fastest riser on the chart, soaring 21-8 in its second appearance.  They are both free downloads for now so pick them up while you have access to them 🙂  Axel is a talent who won’t go unnoticed!
  • Also making a huge move 15-3 is a number one contender, “Attention” by Charlie Puth, becoming his highest placing song on the chart thus far.  That R&B bassline seals the deal!

  • I still can’t get enough of Alesso’s “Falling”, which is up a notch 5-4.

  • The song that moves up 11-5 has a wonky kind of charm with its rhythm, matched up with a soulful vocal with a dash of grit, and a chorus that will get stuck in your head and stay there.  It’s by Philadelphia duo NiGHTS with “P A R T Y”.
  • L.A. based producer/remixer Spirix is getting comfortable again in my Top 10, following last year’s #5 “Take Me Apart” and a #1 remix of Brandon Skeie’s “So Bad”.  Paired with Floridians Xuitcasecity “Runaway” has a lot of charm and climbs 8-6.

  • L.A. pervades my Top 10 with Virginian transplant Eddy Faulkner obtaining his first Top Tenner here with “Cruel” moving 12-9.  Though his voice is front and centre, I love the rich backdrop of production that surrounds it.

Movin’ On Up

  • It’s hard to stop listening to a song that’s been out for a while but has a killer vocal and rhythm track.  That happens to be “Never Been Better” by young Dutchman Steve Void, which continues to rise, up 14-11.
  • One of the most downright intriguing songs of the year is “Silent Games” by German producers Lars Beck and Henri Purnell, with vocals from Honolulu native Zekt.  Remixer UOAK recently gives it a lush deep house flavour while retaining the song’s mystery.  Get it for free at the link below.  “Silent Games” rises 20-16.
  • Martin Garrix and his Dutch bro Brooks move up 24-19 with their hard-to-ignore instrumental “Byte”.  And joining it on the chart is “There For You”, with Martin’s other bro, one Troye Sivan, and it bows at #29.

  • The other two debuts from two weeks ago will be contenders in the coming weeks.  I honesty never thought Shawn Mendes would appear on my chart but he’s here with the Bryan Adams-ish “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” up 27-21, while right behind it is the Saxena house remix of “Darlin'” by Welcome To The Hotel featuring singer Brandon Serafino, climbing 28-22.

https://soundcloud.com/classyton/welcome-to-the-hotel-ft-brandon-serafino-darlin-saxena-remix

The Remaining Three Debuts

  • Despite Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore’s own many chart entries, their duo Cosmos & Creature lands on the chart with an original, the total winner “Bad Drug”, at #26.  CnC first appeared on the chart as featured in Vicetone’s “Bright Side” about a year ago.
  • Sweden’s Anton Ewald returns with just his first name but also with a very hot R&B-influenced song (and a flashy, all-Anton video), “L.I.L.Y.” (aka “Like I Love You”) at #27.  It’s his first appearance in about two years, and all of his songs that have appeared in this chart have reached the Top 10.  “L.I.L.Y.” looks like it could follow that trend 🙂

  • He’s played Spider-Man on Broadway, and both Dorian Gray and Rocky Horror’s Riff Raff on TV, but before all of that he was a NYC local with his brother in their band Carney.  Reeve Carney finally has his debut solo album out called Youth Is Wasted.  I got to see his set and meet the man a few weeks back, and “Truth” is a highlight from the set and the album, arriving at #28.

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 🙂

Clean Slate: “I’ve Started Fuckin’ Someone Else” by @JamesPoole_ begins a mysterious chapter for the UK singer/songwriter

jamespoole4

JAMES POOLE, “I’ve Started Fuckin’ Someone Else”

Take flourishes of Mika from his first two albums and add a few parts of not-so-simple whimsy of Paul McCartney, but the rest is all UK pop singer/songwriter James Poole as he reveals his new chapter of music with his official debut single “I’ve Started Fuckin’ Someone Else”.  Sung mainly in a staccato kind of falsetto, this one bears repeated listens.  It sounds bitchy and straight-forward to start but there’s a telling message underneath to which anyone who’s experienced cheating can relate.  The production gradually becomes rich with a driven rhythm.  So who’s to know where James Poole is heading next?  “I’ve Started Fuckin’ Someone Else” is available for purchase on all digital platforms.  Listen below!

https://soundcloud.com/jamespoole/ive-started-fuckin-someone-else

The KIKI Kontinues: “SWERLK” pairs L.A.’s @MNDR with @ScissorSisters

MNDR x SCISSOR SISTERS, “SWERLK”

With its arrival during Pride month, you can bet that many folks who enjoy outrageous fun will have their “SWERLK” down pat by the end of June!  L.A.’s MNDR collaborates with none other than Scissor Sisters (long due for a new record) for what is essentially an unofficial follow up to the Sisters’ #1 dance club play song “Let’s Have A Kiki”.  As with that dance classic, “SWERLK” is more-than-plenty of fun that will keep you wickedly entertained for its 5 minutes.  It was also created in support of Contigo Fund for the 2016 Orlando Pulse Nightclub victims and you can find out how to help out more at http://www.SWERLK.com.  So dance clubs watch out, “SWERLK” is here to pump you up!

“Walking” continues a positive pop/rock sound for @SteveGrandmusic

stevegrand8

STEVE GRAND, “Walking”

Chicago’s Steve Grand returns with a retrospective lyric video on his last four years of success and growth with his new single “Walking”, from his upcoming untitled second album.  It’s essentially a continuation of good timey songs like “We Are The Night” from his debut album All-American Boy, most noted of course for its break-through title song from the summer of 2013.  Steve has in turn broken away from a country-flavoured sound in favour of universal, enjoyable pop/rock.  “Walking” doesn’t really offer anything new per se, but it’s the aftermath of a lot of soul-searching and personal realization for Steve during the last few years which has strengthened him as a person enough to bring us this song.  So put your troubles aside, let loose and enjoy this fine singer’s progress to the next phase of his career with “Walking”.

For the first 7 days, 100% of the net proceeds of “Walking” will go to Rainbow Railroad – a charity with the mission to “help Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans individuals find a safe-haven from state-sponsored violence, murder and persecution.” For more information – https://www.americanrainbowrailroad.org/please.

“Gestures” is deep ‘n dirty trap EDM from Texas’ @FarandFewmusic and @TaylorTmusic

https://soundcloud.com/pluggedrecords/far-few-x-taylor-thomas-gestures

FAR & FEW x TAYLOR THOMAS, “Gestures” (free DL)

If you like your dance music downright gritty and grimy then “Gestures” is for you.  It’s aggressive, dirty trap from Austin duo Far and Few and Dallas’ Taylor Thomas.  This is not the kind of trap that will annoy the hell out of you and make you want to shut it off after a minute.  “Gestures” has a sinewy and funky undercurrent that burbles and sputters until the next surprise in the mix wins you over.  Take earlier Nine Inch Nails and Ministry and douse it with contemporary European EDM and you have a mix worth diving into, so make your own gestures on the dance floor!  And it’s well worth the sample – download it for free at the link above.

 

A beautiful view: “Astronauts” by Boye & Sigvardt x MAGNÜS featuring UHRE

BOYE & SIGVARDT x MAGNÜS featuring UHRE, “Astronauts”

It’s one of the most ebullient and joyous songs of 2017, and “Astronauts” has landed!  All of the fine pieces that have been put together to make this song happen just work so well.  Like many other records these days, it’s an international collaboration with three Danes (producers Christian Boye and Christian Sigvardt, as well as versatile vocalist UHRE) working with a Scot (rising producer/remixer MAGNÜS), courtesy of Tipsy.  UHRE’s gentle and poised vocal is a major highlight, filling the song with vivid wonder as the ttightly-woven music underneath swirls and soars to a chorus to which it’s impossible to stay still.  After one listen “Astronauts” commands your attention and is guaranteed to stay with you for the summer months.  Listen and groove to it at the link above, and pick it up on all major platforms.

 

A diverse change pairs @Ghastly with @MatthewKoma for anthemic “We Might Fall”

GHASTLY x MATTHEW KOMA, “We Might Fall”

L.A.’s house/dubstep producer Ghastly pairs with the ever-amazing Matthew Koma with a song that straddles pop and dance genres, “We Might Fall”, which also goes hard ‘n heavy when it feels just right.  It’s one beautiful, anthemic, futuristic deep house song that showcases what this perhaps unlikely duo can create with the right song.  For it’s all about zeroing in on the melody, the vocal and the message and less about being overpowered dazzling production with tons of effects – Ghastly has everything working harmoniously.  Matthew’s voice really shines here, somewhat reminiscent of his earlier work such as with Alesso.  “We Might Fall” is a song also to be played in concert just to see all of those cell phone flashlights glow.  Be sure to listen at the link above.

Germany’s @itsLeviofficial and #HarryD sing the bass fantastic with “Wilderness” featuring #HannahYoung

LEVI & HARRY D featuring HANNAH YOUNG, “Wilderness”

It’s got kind of an obscure lyric to grasp on the first few listens, but “Wilderness” by Germany’s Levi and Harry D featuring singer Hannah Young will sink in for a number of reasons.  Hannah’s vocal has got a unique flavour that might otherwise be found on a jazz recording, and it’s supported by a key focus on melody that’s driven by the bass instead of guitar or synths.  So it gets a deep house groove using different tactics from producers who know how to mix it up.  You already know Levi from these pages and my current chart, where his seamless collaboration with US vocalist Victor Perry, “Sail”, recently peaked at #3.  “Wilderness” is a choice follow up that you shouldn’t miss at the link above.

“L.I.L.Y” by Sweden’s @antonewald is splashy, refreshingly sophisticated R&B/pop

ANTON, “L.I.L.Y.”

Ever since I saw singer/dancer/choreographer Anton Ewald (now billed with his first name) perform “Begging” on Sweden’s Melodifestivalen contest in 2013, I always have thought he has potential for stardom outside of the Nordic countries.  His latest, “L.I.L.Y.” has all the signs to make a big noise if it can get some traction.  The song itself, which pretty much reiterates a verse from Justin Timberlake’s 2002 hit “Like I Love You” (hence also the title) as part of its chorus, is catchy enough for radio to play it next to Justin Bieber, Drake, and Shawn Mendes.  But what this song has that others do not is a sophisticated vocal performance.  It deftly recalls Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” era, and splices its influence mixed with JT and 90’s Jamiroquai and a softer hip hop vibe.  You can feel the work that went into this one.  Paralleling this, its video is 120% Anton, a bright and splashy effort directed by Victoria Fajardo, an American who happens to be Anton’s fiancée and also directed Anton’s spicy “Devil” earlier this year.  She makes him look fabulous, no doubt about that.  While “Devil” may have been an experiment that pushed boundaries, “L.I.L.Y” reels it back but takes it to a different level while doing so.  Watch and listen above – hear and see why 🙂

The groove gets cranked up for new @PartyPupils original “Patient”

PARTY PUPILS, “Patient”

Party Pupils bring us a punchy original called “Patient”, after dazzling us for the last 8 months or so with covers of songs by OutKast and Ginuwine, and remixes of others by D.R.A.M., T-Pain, Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha, and Jai Wolf.  This is the outlet for MAX (Schneider) and his buddy Ryan to bring some heavier, hip hop flavoured dance music to the fore – I got a taste of it in April when I saw them perform OutKast’s “Ms Jackson” in concert.  The groove and grittiness are all up front, and with MAX’s fiery vocal, Party Pupils is off to a great start with “Patient”. You get to have it all for now by downloading “Patient” for free at the link above.