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

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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.

Up in the air: @WinandWoo team up with @BryceFoxed for “Chicago

WIN AND WOO featuring BRYCE FOX, “Chicago”

The windy city’s own Nick Winholt and Austin Woo bring us one of their best original offerings yet with “Chicago”.  A familiar, playful melody is set against the recognizable voice of Bryce Fox, who we got to know last year with his own “Burn Fast” (which Win & Woo also remixed).  It’s obsession versus nature in Win and Woo’s hometown as the singer wants an affair that’s not meant to be, even if it was helped by the windy city itself, as the singer pleads till the song’s end.  Alas big cities can’t always fulfill our dreams, even the crazy ones.  Win and Woo have pop whimsy more in mind this time instead of an EDM club shaker, and it all works out well as a whole.  Pick it up at your favourite digital store.

“Bad Drug” is a personal best for @CosmosnCreature – @missMollyMoore and @BrandynBurnette

COSMOS & CREATURE, “Bad Drug”

If they are showcasing their purest pop talents as duo Cosmos & Creature, then Molly Moore and Brandyn Burnette have created a personal best with the original “Bad Drug”, this time for the PMRD label.  Unlike some of their deeper, more adventurous songs as individual performers, “Bad Drug” is pretty straight-forward with an unintrusive EDM backdrop which helps lead to a singalong before the song ends.  So “Bad Drug” becomes one of those quintessential 3 minute pop songs that stick in your head long after it’s over and makes you want more.  That Molly and Brandyn have C&C flourishing as a third side to a triangle of all of their talents, both with original music and being featured on other performers’ songs, is amazing unto itself.  Check out “Bad Drug” above and pick it up at your favourite digital store.