Unlikely pairing of @MartinGarrix and @TroyeSivan is a total winner, “There For You”

MARTIN GARRIX & TROYE SIVAN, “There For You”

One thing’s for sure – we need more Troye Sivan music after the remarkable pop transformation that was his Blue Neighbourhood album, which should have yielded more pop and dance club hits than “Youth”.  Some things happen in strange ways, and the thought of a collaboration between Troye and Martin Garrix may not have been expected, until it actually debuted on stage at Coachella in April.  Martin can still dazzle his hardcore EDM fans with his originals and remixes, but it’s totally refreshing to hear “There For You” as his non-instrumental follow-up to collabs with Bebe Rexha and Dua Lipa.  It’s the most unique of all three, with Troye lending that earthy, sincere vocal quality that brought the songs vividly to life on Blue Neighbourhood.  I think you’ll be hearing this one on the radio sometime soon, and then hopefully with dance mixes for clubs to follow – I’d love to see this one at the top of the club charts.  

martingarrix_troyesivan

Hard to resist dynamic “Magic” by Same Difference’s @SeanSmithsolo in an @Andy_Sikorski remix

SEAN SMITH, “Magic” (Andy Sikorski remix)

After coming third in season four of the UK’s “X Factor”, Sean and Sarah Smith, the brother-and-sister duo called Same Difference, garnered a Top 20 hit and acquired quite a following for years in their country which didn’t extend much beyond its border.  And after a third album that was to contain production by the likes of Pharrell Williams didn’t materialize in 2014, the duo called it a day.  In the meantime, Sean has stepped out on his own, and with new songs like “Magic” (for Energise Records), he may yet get that international attention.  With a buff’n blond, sultry new look and a sexy new video (below), all of the right buttons are being pushed, and taking it one better is the sweeping dance remix (above) by Andy Sikorski which would fit into a club set anywhere.  Featuring a powerful and honest vocal, sometimes all it takes is the right song, and Sean Smith has the goods with “Magic”.

#EDM stylin’: Germany duo @Neptunica refashions soulful “Nighttime Baby” by Victor Perry @perksofbeingvic

NEPTUNICA featuring VICTOR PERRY, “Nighttime Baby”

“Nighttime Baby” in its original version is a sparkling soulful ballad that appears on Victor Perry’s fine EP from last year 4 A.M. Nostalgia.  It’s no wonder at all that such a well-written song has got attention of others, and German production duo Neptunica has refashioned it as a downtempo club ballad without taking anything away from the original, and included it on their EP Trapical Movement.  DJ’s can make a perfect segue out of a busy set to allow folks to get close on the dance floor and let Victor’s high notes tantalize their ears.  What’s special about this redux is that it’s not riddled with special effects.  Neptunica seem to go by the KISS principle and as a result the song could find a whole new set of fans.  Give it a listen at the Spotify link above, but also check out Victor’s inspiring live-off-the-floor performance of it from last year below.

#BILLCSTop30 #510 – May 29, 2017

 

The Top 10

https://soundcloud.com/aftrhrsrecords/somethingtosay

  • I’m enjoying my fellow Torontonians Loud Luxury & Ryan Shepherd’s “Something To Say” far too much for it to depart #1 after one appearance, so it stays ahead of a few others for another chart.
  • Looking to ascend to the top next week is the gorgeous “Wasted My Love” (above) by L.A.’s Axel Mansoor, vaulting 9 to 2.  Even better, Axel has one of four debuts with another beauty, “Out Of My Head” (below) arriving at #21.  Axel has one of the best new voices of the year and his songwriting is on point!
  • Also arriving in the Top 5 is Alesso’s huge club hit “Falling”, moving up 6 to 5.

  • It’s turning out to be a massive hit, and Zedd and Alessia Cara’s “Stay” continues to climb, up 7-6.

  • “I Wonder” by The Him and vocalist LissA is a real earworm, climbing 8-7 – you’ll find yourself singing and humming and dancing to it for days 🙂

  • New to the Top 10 without much surprise is “Sign Of The Times” by Harry Styles, which continues to gain fans after all these weeks of release thus far, and rises 11-9.

Movin’ On Up

  • The infectious independent release “P A R T Y” by Philadelphia duo NiGHTS continues to soar, up 17-11, as a third single “B R E A T H” is released.
  • Charlie Puth follows up the Top 5 duet with Selena Gomez “We Don’t Talk Anymore” with his new bass-laden pop hit “Attention”, which is the fastest riser on the chart, rocketing 23-15.

  • UK producer Murky along with Polish singer Anuka climb 20-16 on this chart with a beautiful EDM ballad “Heavy Hearted”, which is available as a free download.

https://soundcloud.com/manifesto-music/murky-heavy-hearted-feat-anuka

  • Bobby Nourmand’s latest “D U S T”, which is also a free download, continues to look promising as it climbs 24-19.
  • Our final debut from last week is the intriguing “Silent Games” by German producers Lars Beck and Henri Purnell, and featuring vocalist Zekt, who hails from Honolulu.  It rises 26-20.

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

The Remaining Three Debuts

  • Martin Garrix returns to the chart for the first time since last year’s collaboration with Bebe Rexha “In The Name Of Love”, which got to #10.  This time it’s with fellow Dutchman Brooks on the rollicking instrumental “Byte” (and a very flashy video) which arrives at #24.

  • Shawn Mendes grew up about 20 minutes from where I currently live in Pickering, Ontario.  He has his first BILLCS Top 30 chart entry with “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” which bows at #27.  And it’s a danceable affair this time; so far the NOTR remix has been released, but others are coming!

  • Welcome To The Hotel’s independent single “Darlin'”, featuring vocalist Brandon Serafino, gets a boost from a saxxy Saxena remix, which arrives at #28 and is available to download for free.

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

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 🙂

Rock ‘n roll glory meets the emotion and pain of “Benny” by #Toronto’s @SmashSatellites

SMASHING SATELLITES, “Benny”

As it starts of with a delicate beginning followed by a deliberate drum beat, “Benny” by Smashing Satellites then launches into one of the most ferocious bars of music that the band has written.  Like with past efforts like “Waterfall” from 2015’s Sonic Aluzion, “Benny” is a personal, emotional song, but like none other we’ve heard from Salvatore Costa and his band mates.  “Benny” was written as Sal came to grips with his recent addiction to Benzo’s – and who would have known other than those close to him? – as is best explained by him on Smashing Satellites’ Facebook page this past week:

“Welcome to my nightmare. At 21 years old a began a scary love affair with Benzo’s that lasted over 8 years. Like most people, I started taking it to “even” myself out… to make the grueling tour schedule a little easier and to help put on a happy face for everyone while I was slowly dying on the inside a little more every day until there was nothing left of me but an empty smile. I wrote this song in the thick of my addiction right before I gained the strength within to decide to pull the plug and face the battle of quitting. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. It took over a year of recovery and therapy, most of which I was in physical agony… feeling like I was dying. I was one of the lucky ones though.”

It’s a cathartic, angry song with a perfect rock ‘n roll backdrop, and I’m so glad Sal, now the father of a very young daughter, chose to share it with fans as it could help others too.  Now onward to a new EP this summer called White Elephant, and hopefully some more concerts, where we can get out and support one of the warmest and caring individuals I know in the biz.  Listen at the link above and then pick up “Benny” at your favourite digital music store.

We can never get “Too Much” of Miami house music courtesy of @AdamFostermusic

ADAM FOSTER, “Too Much” (free DL)

Miami house music producer Adam Foster returns with another slice of reverent dance music with “Too Much” for Xtended Records.  Featuring a sassy and soulful vocal, “Too Much” takes its cues from early 80’s dance music just at the time that house music was starting to surface out of the major dance music centres of Chicago, New York, and Miami.  It’s got a positive vibe that is strictly meant for the dance floor.  Adam’s fellow DJ’s will eat this one up and I hope word gets out about “Too Much” before long.  It’s also great to see that Adam will be taking his house specialty to Europe this summer. You can get “Too Much” for free at the link above – it will slide into just about any dance playlist!

Everybody… polka! Check out @DJMirkoB’s bootleg remix of “Leval’s Polka”

DJ MIRKO B, “Leval’s Polka” (Bootleg remix)

There has been stranger dance music to come out of Europe, but DJ Mirko B from Italy has tweaked “Leval’s Polka” enough for you to have fun with it on the dance floor.  I’m not really sure why this particular song; my searches on the Internet seemed to reference Anime, so perhaps it’s known to gamers and Anime lovers.  The accompanying video of synchronized animated dancing babies is ultra-cute.  So with “Leval’s Polka” you can stop, let loose, and laugh and smile for just under three minutes.  Check it out at the link above.

“Higher” is new, dramatic and crunchy from @Lemaitremusic featuring Maty @Noyes

LEMAITRE featuring MATY NOYES, “Higher”

“Higher” is going to be one of those songs that club goers will be talking about and jamming to all summer long.  It’s a bit of a shift this time for Norwegian duo Lemaitre -who were more recently emphasizing a rock-inflected sound, particularly in concert last year with a full band and lots of guitars – to a dramatic, atmospheric sound thanks to the distinct vocal of dance music go-to Maty Noyes.  And aside from Maty’s glorious tones, the rhythm is crunchy future bass/trap that will have more than heads bobbing.  All in all, it’s an intoxicating mix that the most picky of dance/EDM fans will thoroughly enjoy, signalling signs of more terrific Lemaitre tunes on the way from their upcoming Chapter One album.

Chill ‘n sway: @SeanTurkmusic reworks “Out Of Love” by @TwoFriendsmusic & @CosmosnCreature bedroom bass-style

TWO FRIENDS featuring COSMOS & CREATURE, “Out Of Love” (Sean Turk remix) (free DL)

The title song from the recent EP of originals which I wrote about earlier this year by faves Two Friends and Cosmos & Creature – Molly Moore and Brandyn Burnette – receives the Sean Turk treatment bedroom bass-style.  You’ll recall that Sean also showed another side to Brandyn’s own “Closer” last year.  But bedroom bass-style for “Out of Love”  means he’s puts a laid back but sexy spin on the more urgent and anthemic original.  It’s never too chillaxed to move you entirely off the dance floor, in fact “Out Of Love” now inspires you to get closer to your partner than ever, sway and spin to the music, with release accomplished à la bedroom bass.  I guess what we need next is that EP of Sean’s remixes for the supreme Sean Turk experience.  Until then, partner or no partner, indulge in “Out of Love”, which you can pick up for free at the link above.

“We Can’t Stop What’s Coming” brings back the distinct voice of @TheThe’s Matt Johnson, from new documentary

THE THE , “We Can’t Stop What’s Coming”

Some of my favourite alternative rock and dance music of the 80’s was written and performed by London’s Matt Johnson, better known to you as the constant behind The The for more than 35 years.  I was also fortunate to see The The perform in Toronto in 1990 (and it seems maybe one other time).  The The returns as the subject of an upcoming documentary called “The Inertia Variations” with “We Can’t Stop What’s Coming”, in tribute to Matt’s late brother Andy.  It’s a captivating, gentle song about getting older and realizing there’s not much time left to accomplish what you want.  The The has often laid out controversial issues front and centre in its songs and videos, so one should expect nothing but honesty and realism here.  In the video you’ll even see flashbacks to early The The videos such as “This Is The Day” and “Infected”, and Johnny Marr returns to contribute guitar work to “We Can’t Stop What’s Coming” too.  I hope this new song is the start of more new music from The The after more than a decade’s absence.  Matt’s voice sounds older and resigned in this song but as warmly engaging as ever.