“Hitchhike” has a distinct and powerfully uplifting sound that’s becoming a trademark for L.A. duo KOLAJ (Teesa Houston and Mike McGarity) after a series of releases, most notably their pairing with K-Pop star Eric Nam for the equally appealing “Into You”. “Hitchhike” will sweep you off your feet and onto the dance floor with Teesa’s soaring voice that will pour right through you. It owes as much musically to dance and electronica as it does pop and alternative rock, and is the kind of song people like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry should be writing or looking for to sustain themselves over the next few years. Fortunately, Gaga’s parent label Interscope has had the good taste to sign KOLAJ so this is a terrific start for that sweet deal, so maybe an opening gig is in their future, who knows?
Dutch production duo Droeloe are definitely out to let you hear the many reasons why they might be considered one of the most diverse and adventurous EDM acts on the bubble. From a futuristic remix of Charlie Puth & Selena Gomez’s “We Don’t Talk Anymore” through to the sonic delight of a strange instrumental that is “Shibuya”, we arrive at “Bon Voyage”, essentially another instrumental that at first doesn’t really seem to know where it begins. However it more than makes up for a humble start by adding in some memorable voice clips and showing off the same sense for varied melody that we heard in “Shibuya”, with many similar percussive rhythms and Asian influences. So we’ll be happy to take that trip around the world in an air balloon – with key stops at EDM venues 😛 – with Droeloe playing the soundtrack 🙂
Touring as the opener for Justin Bieber’s European tour seems to be a timely reason to drop a new tune after the success of many of their songs from their album 55, which is one of my personal favourites of this year. The Knocks arrive with “Heat” to ensure that your Autumn and Winter are nice and toasty. And it’s a touch different from the funky dance pop that you found in the 55 album, which continues to show growth for the duo of JPatt and BRoc. There’s are dashes of tropical vibes and R&B to enhance the melody which carries a seamless and far-reaching vocal by Sam Nelson Harris, another diverse singer who could likely really sing anything and make it sound fabulous. While “Heat” has radio-friendly pop sense, it still has some grittiness that you would find in most of The Knocks’ songs as well. “Heat” is a fine introduction to what The Knocks have for us next!
Combining production duo Instant Karma with a song by Jordan-born, Brooklyn-based singer King Deco is like someone was secretly honing the idea of an EDM variation of The Go Go’s 😛 So Instant Karma’s bass-laden remix of King Deco’s “Read My Lips” has this wonderfully fun aggressively flirty approach that makes it shine next to the numerous non-descript EDM tracks that often fail to show off a strong female vocal. Instant Karma have already done great wonders with songs by Chelsea Lankes and Flor which I’ve written about this year, and King Deco continues to make her recognizable voice an EDM presence after a number of diverse songs highlighted thus far by the punchy “Castaway”. Golden pairings like this should happen more often 🙂 You can download “Read My Lips” for free at the link above.
A year ago at this time I was all over DNCE’s “Cake By The Ocean”, which even with Joe Jonas’ star power fronting the record could have died a simple death on the pop charts had it not been such a grower of an earworm. In a mighty similar vein comes L.A.-based duo Papa Ya – nothing to do with papayas here unless they want to use it as their trademark 😛 – with “Sunny”. The song simply gets better as it goes along and as some of us move into colder months we relish being transported to gorgeous L.A. beaches. “Sunny” has a really dynamic hook, a playful tone, and a slick vocal to make it very much worth your while. Like with that DNCE song – now one of 2016’s biggest and most memorable hits – do not let this sleeper “Sunny” by Papa Ya go unnoticed. Start off by downloading it for free at the above link.
SKYLIFE featuring SUMMER RAYNE, “Why” (The Disco Fries remix)
They are busy guys, those Disco Fries guys, but they keep on rolling out some of the most ear-catching dance music of 2016. In the mix now, instead of an original, is their take on “Why” by Skylife featuring new singer Summer Rayne, which sends the song into a completely different direction than the original. Gone is the heavier pop influence that seemed particularly reliant on a lot of ‘la la la’s’ to carry the song. The Disco Fries keep that infectious element, but in moderation, as a luscious mix of synths and guitars wash through the melody and support the solid vocal that makes the original. And hey when did you hear a talkbox work in such a versatile mix? Check it all out at the link above.
California-based Aash Mehta has released some beautifully consistent songs this year that emphasize a lot of quality along with some highly appealing voices to make the songs memorable. After a bit of a break, Aash continues with the pop-tinged futuristic (but not too busy) sound of “Ignite”, which again is a gorgeous song lyrically about escaping the past for a true and powerful love. Aash employs New York vocalist Jean-Luc to great effect, taking time for “Ignite” to build using his soaring range to perk up your ears while leaving some parts imperfectly rough-around-the-edges which gives the song a grounded feel at times. All-in-all “Ignite” has so many positives that you should give it a listen above and then pick it up at your favourite digital store.
Young German producer JPB has a contender with the vibrantly emotional “For You”, the title song from his 3-song EP, which features a powerful vocal by British singer Luke Cusato. Picture if you will a playful first date where you’re trying to impress and the music in your head moves from punchy to rhythmic with some Caribbean flourishes. But ultimately the emotion overtakes you and you end up pouring your heart out, and that’s when it becomes less about you and more about your date… There’s an infectious pop vibe about “For You” that would make it sound great on the radio despite a lot of deep dives into future bass trickery which will keep clubs happy. Definitely one to watch! Give it a listen at the link above and download it for free.
“Yerba” is one wild and crazy ride courtesy of Austin duo Far & Few as paired up with Warsaw’s LOA. Trap and dubstep can often get really messy and then it becomes this unappealing blurry amalgam of sounds and voices. The artists here rely on a frenetic start, and bring it up and down a few times along with some interesting melodic shifts. Cue creepy vocal and you have a song that’s meant as much for clubs as it is for inclusion in a video game full of monstrous creatures 😛 My only complaint is that it could have lost the linear last minute but club DJ’s will enjoy the rest. Download “Yerba” for free at the link above.
The only thing scary about this Hallowe’en edition of the BILLCS Top 30 is that songs 4 to 18 are all bulleted, which means that songs are patiently waiting their turns to rise faster up the chart. You should also know that the BILLCS Top 30 is strictly my list of favourites and the rankings are purely subjective. Even better, these 30 songs form part of a regular 60 to 70 song playlist on my iPod – yes I have lots of faves even if they aren’t on the chart!
The Top 10
The Top 3 are some of my favourite songs of 2016, all holding steady, with Gramatik and Leo Napier once again holding court at #1 with the Jenaux remix of “Native Son Prequel” from Gramatik’s album Epigram. But will it stay on top next week or relinquish it to another song?
I don’t know when I’ve ever had two songs from Norway in my Top 10, but the first of those is “High” by Jesper Jenset in a punchy Young Bombs remix. It climbs 8-4 – will it be enough to get the song to the top in two weeks?
Songs #5 and #6 have been bookends for weeks and they continue to climb – Tritonal & Jenaux’s “Broken”, featuring Adam Lambert (ab0ve), giving NYC producer/remixer two songs in the Top 5 🙂 and Norwegian #2 Matoma & Becky Hill’s “False Alarm” (below – the Steve Void remix), which is at last making inroads at US Dance Radio.
Zipping into the Top 10 13-7 with eyes towards the top is “Plans” by Elephante featuring Brandyn Burnette, neither of whom are strangers to the Top 10 this year. Elephante’s “Closer” peaked at #3, while Brandyn has visited four times solo and once featured as part of Cosmos & Creature (his side project with Molly Moore), but first time as a featured solo artist!
Toronto’s Chet Porter brings his show back to home territory on Tuesday November 8 opening up for Lemaitre at the Velvet Underground. His current single “Stay”, featuring Chelsea Cutler, continues to move up, 10-8 🙂
Also new to the Top 10 are two tremendous slices of EDM: “In My Head” by Steve James featuring RKCB (above) rises 11-9, while “In The Name Of Love” by Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha (below) leaps 14-10. It becomes Martin’s 4th Top Tenner following #1’s “Animals” and “Proxy” and #3 “Gold Skies”.
Movin’ On Up
It looks like Brandyn Burnette may land three times in the Top 10 in two weeks – which he has done before solo 🙂 – as “Closer” (from his EP State I’m In, above) glides 15-11 in a crunchy Sean Turk remix. He also features on Molly Moore’s hypnotic “Just A Dream” (below), which is the chart’s fastest riser, vaulting 20-13.
It’ll take a lot for me to get sick of Torontonian The Weeknd’s epic “Starboy”, featuring Daft Punk, which jumps 18-12.
Bright Light Bright Light and Scissor Sisters’ Ana Matronic climb 19-16 with “I Only Want To Please You” (above) from BLx2’s album Choreography. Not to be outdone, BLx2 follows it up with an EP of cover versions called Cinematography, featuring his rendition of Michael Sembello’s #1 song from the film “Flashdance”, “Maniac”, which you can hear below 🙂
Cole Plante looks to be headed for another Billboard Club Play #1 with “Teardrops” (featuring Bobi) as it approaches that chart’s Top 5. “Teardrops” swiftly moves up this chart 27-21 too!
The only appropriate Hallowe’en song on the chart is “Skeleton” by NYC’s Stefan Alexander, and I understand that a video is forthcoming 🙂 “Skeleton” climbs 28-22.
Three Debuts – Fun and Funky, Fun and Wacky, Fun and Dirty
L.A.-based producer/DJ Bobby Nourmand has outdone himself with a rework of one of his own songs. “D E E P In NY” takes his deep house instrumental “Deep” and adds fantastic fun and funky hip hop rhythm and rhyme courtesy of D.O.C. and Goodmorning. It’s a striking original all over again and bows on the chart at #25. Bobby has some fantastic news coming soon as well.
Halifax EDM artist Famba has a fun and wacky debut on this chart with “Right Here, Right Now” at #26. The extended version is a must hear for the track’s long, enjoyable patter – point of reference for me is Eric Burdon & War’s “Spill The Wine”, combined with 90’s house rhythms similar to classics like “Push The Feeling On” and “The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind)”. It totally sustains its 7 minute length so check it out above!
The second song with hip hop sharing space with EDM is Convex & Titus’ “Bad Kids”, which unto itself is a pretty cool track. But creative Chicago remixer Snøwmass takes it several steps further making it even more fun and dirty. “Bad Kids” arrives at #27.
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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
Listen for me with my Pick of the Week at 2:20/6:20/10:20 AM/PM EST onhttp://www.planetradio.ca most days Monday through Sunday, and my flashbacks to a Toronto Top 10 of yesteryear Tuesday at 9pm EST!
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