The next phase of @Axwell /\ @Ingrosso begins with @Garmiani_’s remix of “Dream Bigger”

AXWELL /\ INGROSSO, “Dream Bigger” (Garmiani remix) (Free DL)

It couldn’t be better timing with the duo of Axwell /\ Ingrosso announcing the start of new shows with their first one to be in New York City.  Fellow Swede Garmiani launches his remix of A/\I’s 2015 track “Dream Bigger”.  If you’ve waited for one progressive slamming EDM banger to come your way during this past month, you cannot go wrong with “Dream Bigger”.  Its ultra-positive anthem to be bigger/better/best is just the kick we needed especially for those of us in colder climates.  And in its melody and power you can hear a lot of what has inspired other EDM artists since A/\I became a duo in 2014.  Let Garmiani’s remix of “Dream Bigger” lead the charge and watch the dance floors ignite as A/\I stage their next phase.  Download “Dream Bigger” for free at the link above.

The Evolution of @DiegoGomesmusic begins with “Understand Me”

DIEGO GOMES, “Understand Me”

Long a fan himself of hip hop, dance music and big trap beats, Toronto’s Diego Gomes begins his evolution with a foray into dark, emotional hip hop with “Understand Me”.  The need to be wanted and taken seriously in the lyrics is put into stark contrast with a beat-heavy, bleak melody, which is given context by the video, where the singer met the wrong kind of gal, is stuck in awful place, and seemingly has no way out.  While this is hardly anything new – obviously influenced by the classic likes of Eminem and Akon, but probably some newer young turks as well – it’s well done enough to gain some respect from fans of this style of hip hop.  It will be a stretch for the singer’s long-time Canadian fan base of his pop songs, but stick with Diego as he evolves because he has much more to offer coming up this year.  Check out the video for “Understand Me” above.

L.A.’s @Christofimusic amps up @Elohimmusic’s “Hallucinating”

ELOHIM, “Hallucinating” (Christofi remix)

Over the past year I’ve throughly enjoyed Michael Christofi’s ventures into classic deep house particularly with songs like “Don’t Need You”.  On the remix tip, he’s opted for a bright, playful sound to amp up “Hallucinating” by fellow L.A. artist Elohim, who concurrently is the vocalist on the much-praised “Love Is Alive” by Louis The Child. Christofi puts a fun, breezy 1920’s Broadway flavour into “Hallucinating”, and keeps adding elements and pace changes to keep you hanging till the very last night.  This all spells very well for club DJ’s who sometimes just need to let the song take over and conquer the crowd.  Give a listen above and download it for free.

“Don’t Leave” by @Snakehipsuk and @MOmomoyouth in a fun @Throttle next level dance remix

SNAKEHIPS featuring MØ, “Don’t Leave” (Throttle remix)

The UK duo of Snakehips score a personal best with “Don’t Leave”, featuring an equally impressive vocal by MØ, which should soar to the top end of the pop charts soon following the UK Top 5 “All My Friends” (featuring Tinashe and Chance The Rapper) as well as their collaboration with Zayn on “Cruel”.  While the original is just gorgeous, Australia’s Throttle takes “Don’t Leave” to a fun, danceable place which complements the urgency of the vocal, transforming the ballad into a dance rave-up.  You simply cannot go wrong with this one if you are fans of both pop and dance music.  Listen above and pick up the remix at your favourite digital music store.

Bust it: “Move” by @SaintMotel gets a funk-fueled makeover by @Jenauxmusic

SAINT MOTEL, “Move” (Jenaux remix)

I’ve been following the progress of L.A. quartet Saint Motel since 2010 and more so after seeing a set in front of a small crowd back in about 2012 at the time of their indie album Voyeur.  Now with the revised Elektra label, Saint Motel have broken through the alternative scene and continue to attract the attention of the dance crowd that has known them since the Sam Sparro remix of “Dear Dictator”.  NYC’s Jenaux provides a funk-fueled, but not overpowering, official remix of “Move” that definitely has a club setting in mind at a high point in the evening when everyone should be on the floor moving.  There’s no reason why dance music radio or clubs can’t support this one and bravo for allowing Jenaux to work his magic with it.  Give it a listen above… you can dance if you want to!

Austin’s @Renat_music puts some twists in a future bass remix of @DVBBS & @real_CMCS “Not Going Home”

DVBBS & CMC$ featuring GIA KOKA, “Not Going Home” (Renat remix)

“Not Going Home” is perhaps one of Canadian duo DVBBS’ more straight-forward pop-dance songs in collaboration with Dutchman CMC$ and with a sultry vocal by Gia Koka.  Austin’s Renat (formerly Neevo) puts a few twists and turns in his future bass remix, which takes it to another place and may add to some fun dancing after a few drinks if you try to stay on rhythm.  There’s an accent here also on high end, which is not so present in the original, and I think club DJ’s will have fun with this one, particularly towards the end of an evening.  Check it out at the link above.

Crisp, summery dance-pop from newcomer @itsLostBoy with “Poison”

LOST BOY, “Poison” (free DL)

New San Francisco-area-based singer Lost Boy (aka Dillon Deskin) has a summery dance-pop earworm with “Poison”.  This song is all about the vocal, and a crisp one like this doesn’t often grace us in a danceable track.  The song is about making choices and carrying on and has an anthemic quality that’s perfect for a beach party on a sunny day at the beach (companion song:  “Sunny” by Papa Ya).  If you like what Jesse McCartney, Conor Maynard, or Austin Mahone have done with their music when set to a tropical house rhythm, then “Poison” is also for you.  Download it for free at the link above.

Toxic: Toronto’s @Blajkofficial will leave you wanting much more with “Lethal”

blajk

BLAJK, “Lethal”

So I’m a music blogger from Toronto, and yet I have to find out about Toronto quartet Blajk from my well-respected American blogger and nice guy Jon Ali 😮  Nonetheless it’s never too late to find out about promising new talent.  Blajk released their EP Limited last summer.  “Lethal” is one of four songs and it’s a dark, chilled out song that will catch you by surprise, largely thanks to vocalist Jordan Radics’ highly identifiable deep tones, which remind me somewhat of fellow Canadian group The Tea Party’s Jeff Martin but with a more deep-down soulful root.  So “Lethal” definitely goes for the kill and be prepared for it to be in your head for days.  I look forward to hearing more about Blajk in my hometown 🙂  Check out the video for “Lethal” below and pick up the EP on iTunes.

“Sail” is glorious, effortless deep house from Germany’s @itsLeviofficial featuring Victor Perry @perksofbeingvic

LEVI featuring VICTOR PERRY, “Sail”

German producer Levi has enlisted the ever-amazing Georgia-based Victor Perry as vocalist on his latest single “Sail”.  And it’s simply glorious deep house that would fit like a glove on dance music radio.  Victor’s vocal is a delight and draws a lot of inspiration from his favourite 90’s vocalists but makes the song his own too, and that diverse voice seems to fit into any genre easily.  But the song would also be much less without its gorgeous melody and effortless production by Levi.  “Sail” is one of those inauspicious dance songs that will build its own groundswell based on everything that’s solid about it, so don’t say you haven’t been told!  Listen above and pick it up at your favourite digital music store.

“You” is captivating progressive soul from #Toronto-based singer/songwriter @itsJoelmusic

JOËL, “You”

Toronto-based singer/songwriter Joël Lemay is back, dabbling this time in acoustic progressive soul with “You”.  You’ll recall that when I wrote about Joël’s “You Fucked Up” last Spring, it received the most blog post views I had in a few years for one post, and the song subsequently reached #12 on the BILLCS Top 30.  “You” is very understated for Joël, after seeing his live show back in November, it seems like it draws on the potency of songs by R&B singers like D’Angelo and Maxwell, and also fits alongside recent songs by the likes of Brandyn Burnette.  Where the song ignites more is about 2/3 of the way through when some wild background vocals surface and bring out a different side to the song.  Be sure to stick with “You” all the way through at the link above to hear more of what the music of Joël is all about.