Cheers to friendship and original songs like “Brothers” by @Saxity featuring #Strøm

SAXITY featuring STRØM, “Brothers”

Cologne, Germany-based duo Saxity have been noted this year for a variety of cover versions – from “Closer” and “In The Name Of Love” to “Can’t Stop The Feeling” and “Renegades” – and remixes.  They also successfully flourish separately, as Koni and Stan Sax, and with Saxity they bring out a happy collaboration of EDM songs that infuses live instruments, particularly guitar and saxophone.  So when I got asked – you read that right – if I knew any songwriters that might be interesting for Saxity to work with, the first one to come to mind was the illustrious Charlie Mason, about whose songs I’ve written too many times to count.  And while working with someone whose song (“Rise Like A Phoenix”) won Eurovision in 2014 might have not been on their radar, the extended collaboration, which also brought in the equally amazing Daniel Volpe, has worked like a charm.  And I don’t use that adage lightly here, because “Brothers” is loaded with charm, an ode to friendship and good ol’ brotherly love, enhanced even one step further by the gritty but sincere vocal by Strøm.  So this is where the suggestion has led (cue big cheesy grin) 😀 “Brothers” has everything that pop and dance music fans will adore – an unintrusive deep house rhythm, guitar, saxophone, contemporary lyrics that sink in deep, and a melody that simply gleams.  “Brothers” will make you smile and/or dance as it should.  Saxity has a real winner – not to be missed.  Listen to it at the Spotify link above and download it from your favourite digital store.

“Devil” pushes the envelope for multi-talented @AntonEwald

ANTON, “Devil”

The sincere hard-working young singer, dancer and choreographer who won over many of us three years ago at Sweden’s Melodifestivalen with “Begging” returns simply as Anton with the 80’s-influenced R&B/ dance/pop of “Devil”.  And while the song is a few shades of naughty that we hadn’t seen yet in one of Anton’s previous songs, along with some significant Michael Jackson inspiration, the video for “Devil” (above, which includes a well-shot but brief dance segment) definitely pushes the envelope for younger fans but will intrigue older ones.  So is Anton’s character in the video the innocent thrust into a kinky world of play and lust, or is he the willing participant?  Well only his producer/director knows for sure, and that happens to be his beautiful fiancée Victoria Fajardo!  “Devil” is a risky experiment and I hope it will tease Anton’s audience enough until his next release.  

Chilled out romanticism: New Songs by @TheOddsin x @BronzeWhale “Best” and @Cloudchord (featuring Furious) “Forever For Now”

THE ODDS x BRONZE WHALE, “Best” (free DL)

CLOUDCHORD featuring FURIOUS, “Forever For Now”

I don’t usually dedicate posts to two songs or more as I did in the long past, but these two are both originals out of Austin, and so similar yet so different that you can dare to compare and enjoy each one!

New singer The Odds pairs up with producers/remixers Bronze Whale for “Best” from their EP Million.  The Odds has one of these deep down soulful, restrained voices that could break loose and bring down the house.  For the romantic “Best”, it’s more of the former as Bronze Whale unleashes some spectacularly laid out beats and rhythm so that it’s not too much of a chilled out affair.  “Best” is cool and collected and then dashing and entertaining as it needs to be.  It will definitely get under your skin and stay there!  It’s also a free download 🙂

Producer/remixer Cloudchord has one of his best releases of the year with “Forever For Now”, his most laid back song to date, which also features a soulful newcomer named Furious as the vocalist.  “Forever For Now” strikes you with the classic romantic simplicity of the lyrics, with a rich vocal by Furious that shows a lot of promise.  Kudos to Cloudchord for not letting this one stay too mellow, which might not allow the lyrics to sink in.  “Forever For Now” is perfect for lights down low and a slow dance or two, and to me has as much pop potential as it would for clubs.

Be sure to give both of these songs some of your time as two of the best toned-down pop/EDM songs for Autumn at the links above.

Hallowe’en stylin’: “Dead End Love” by @weareXYLO in a @TELYKast remix

XYLØ, “Dead End Love” (TELYKast remix) (free DL)

L.A. producers/remixers TELYKast meet L.A. sibling duo XYLØ for a song about the kind of romance that lives forever, whether you want it to or not, in “Dead End Love”.  It follows up TELYKast’s equally pensive remix of Rico & Miella’s “Worth Fighting For”.  A compelling story leads us into a perfect companion song for the upcoming Hallowe’en weekend.  “Dead End Love” takes its time to build slowly to feel you out, saving a key suspenseful drop for much later in a song than usual, with some excellent guitar work that may cause you to pull out your air guitar 😛  Because of its balanced and enjoyable song structure, “Dead End Love” more than sustains its 4+ minutes; there’s lots to hear and it can’t all be absorbed on one listen.  Alternately touching and just creepy enough for Hallowe’en, check out “Dead End Love” at the link above and download it for free.

“Anything You Want” in a @SeanTurkmusic remix is more sexy #BedroomBass from @Hyddemusic & @Moonzzmusic

HYDDE & MOONZz “Anything You Want” (Sean Turk remix) (free DL)

“Anything You Want” is a perfectly decent alternately mid-tempo and chilled out song pairing up producer HYDDE with L.A. singer MOONZz that celebrates being in love (or lust) and giving it all up for that special one.  NYC producer/remixer Sean Turk follows up his remix of Stalking Gia’s “Second Nature” and zeros in on this, taking it under the covers, and the result is one hella sexy retake.  No wonder he’s labeling it as ‘bedroom bass’ – it’s all designed to get you hot and bothered in clubs and maybe you’ll have Sean to thank one day if you get lucky 😛  He knows a good song with lots of potential and is on a major roll where his creativity will continue to win over new fans.  Best of all, you can download it for free at the above link.

Go “Illegal” with a smile and brighten up your week courtesy of @theFareoh and @KatelynTarver

FAREOH featuring KATELYN TARVER, “Illegal”

“Illegal” is one bright tune with plenty of melodic bounce to help make your day into something better, because when you’re a little bit bad, well…. NYC Fareoh adds strings which give the song a celebratory vibe, while TV’s Katelyn Tarver – yes she of “Big Time Rush” fame – teases and encourages you along with a vocal totally suited for this song.  While you may initially think that “Illegal” sounds perhaps a little bit like too many other songs in the genre, stick with it because songs that make you feel so good don’t just come along any old day.  A release on the Ultra label should be convincing enough, so give it a listen at the link above.

Drop that house: “Be My Love” by @Mahalo_music featuring #CatLewis

MAHALO featuring CAT LEWIS, “Be My Love”

“Be My Love” is just about everything that a slicker-than-average house track can be.  House is such a versatile dance genre and L.A.’s Mahalo embraces it with wonderfully evocative 90s flavoured synths and piano, while Cat Lewis delivers one of those powerful top liners that makes other producers and DJ’s simply rave.  Neither are well-established yet but potent original songs like “Be My Love” are the tickets to send them on their way, this time courtesy of Swiss label No Definition.  “Be My Love” is a superb follow up to Mahalo’s recent late-nite-L.A. take on “La La Land” by Shaun Frank, DVBBS and Delaney Jane.  You’ll want to head over to Beatport to listen to and download “Be My Love” at the above link.  

Especially for guitar fans: “Home” by @Ugochill

UGOCHILL, “Home”

“Home” is the stuff that dreams are made of for rock guitar fans and guitarists alike, courtesy of The Netherlands-based veteran indie performer Ugochill (aka Alex Radojcic).  Reminiscent perhaps of Genesis transitioning from Peter Gabriel to Phil Collins years with guitar work that instantly brings to mind some of the most renown – Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck or Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Home” also features a deep haunting almost spoken-word vocal and a prominent bass that will plow right through you.  Its melody is so familiar yet distant at the same time, and the sound overall is crisp and contemporary.  But Ugochill’s distinctly brilliant guitar work is the star here.  Listen to “Home” on Spotify at the link above.

Guitar-toasted deep house courtesy of Belgium’s #Dyrigent “Stones” featuring #JulianEasily

DYRIGENT featuring JULIAN EASILY, “Stones”

The Tipsy label has a winner with young Belgian newcomer Dyrigent and “Stones”.  Like songs from his fellow Belge The Magician, songs like “Stones” are atypical of the EDM emanating from Europe.  Featuring a laid back vocal by Julian Easily that might remind some people of qualities of a young Neil Diamond (who ironically recorded a song of the same name!), “Stones” is a mid-Autumn guitar-toasted deep house escape back to the Summer and long drives down an endless highway near sundown.  Its forlorn, retrospective melody evokes a touch of sadness as life moves on.  But that having been said, it’s perfect for the dance floor – those who have opined about being sick of the tropical sub-genre need look no further to help change your mind.  Do check out “Stones” at the link above.

Gimme more of that funky stuff: @Jenauxmusic meets @BrynChristopher for “I Want Your Love”

JENAUX featuring BRYN CHRISTOPHER, “I Want Your Love”

NYC producer/DJ Jenaux continues the wild ride he’s been on throughout 2016 with his funk-laced EDM with “I Want Your Love”.  It’s his debut release for none other than the Ministry of Sound label, and is a collaboration with UK singer/songwriter Bryn Christopher (otherwise known these days as a member of EDM group I See Monstas).  It’s a straight-forward but powerful record, bridging Jenaux’s US funk sound with British soul/house.  Like with his last original release “Get It On”, he uses a fierce chopped up high pitched vocal to excellent, easily recognizable effect.  After his recent collaboration with Tritonal for “Broken” (featuring Adam Lambert) and remixes for Gramatik, The Chainsmokers and a number of other A-list EDM talent this year, Jenaux will continue on roller skates touring and releasing new songs as the rest of the world discovers his genuinely appealing, stand out take on dance music.  Check out “I Want Your Love” at the link above.