BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

#BILLCSTop30 – September 5/16

It’s STILL summer folks and there’s plenty of great dance music driving us through till Fall in a few weeks 🙂

The Top 10

“Shy” by The Magician featuring Brayton Bowman stays on top for a second appearance, and if not for #2 it might have a longer reign at #1…

Despite all of the very good remixes and covers I’ve heard, I still love the original and “Closer” by The Chainsmokers and Halsey advances 7-2. The song now credits two members of The Fray as co-writers due to similarities between “Closer” and the group’s 2006 hit “Over My Head (Cable Car)”. That song was also a BILLCS Top 30 #1 back in the day… I really can only hear them slightly after it was brought to my attention, but better to settle now than years later. The Chainsmokers meanwhile are working on their album, but I don’t think we’ll see it till 2017.

Just crank ’em up in the car: “Her And Him” (ab0ve) by Mi Disguise x Rouse climbs 4-3; and below, Electric Bodega & Matt Beilis’ “Rest Of My Life” jumps 8-4; and the funky Jenaux remix of Gramatik & Leo Spence’s “Native Son Prequel” leaps 10-5.

One of the best deep house songs around for clubs is deserving of some extended remixes. It’s the all-too-brief “Balance” by The Him featuring Oktavian, which soars 15-8. This one is also pop radio-ready!

The fastest riser on the chart belongs to Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez with “We Don’t Talk Anymore”, which rockets 19-10. It’s also available in a fun new unofficial remix courtesy of L.A. producer The Wookie.

Movin’ On Up

Victor Perry’s gorgeous song about heartbreak “Rainbows” continues to climb 17-13. It’s from his EP 4 AM Nostalgia, and I still hear some remixes are coming 🙂

The Disco Fries’ rollicking “Born Ready”, featuring an intense vocal by Hope Murphy, moves up 18-14.

I still have money on this song breaking out even to radio, but definitely clubs and dance music radio should be all over “Broken” by Tritonal and Jenaux featuring Adam Lambert, which moves 23-18.

Moving 25-19 is a remix that is really a redux – transforming a beautiful ballad into a late night party anthem. Such is the case with Two Friends’ remix of “Lights Down Low” by MAX.

Right behind is what should be the North American breakout for Sweden’s Matoma featuring the UK’s Becky Hill on “False Alarm”, which climbs 26-20. It’s also now available in a super Steve Void remix 🙂

Debuts

Toronto’s Chet Porter really mixes it up with all of the subtleties and melodic changes in his new song “Stay”, featuring Chelsea Cutler on vocals. That makes it a song that stands out as a centrepiece in a set, and it arrives at #24.

Bebe Rexha’s vocal on “In The Name Of Love” grabs you with its intensity, and it helps make her pairing with 20 year old Martin Garrix something special. It bows at #25, and becomes Martin’s fourth chart entry here following two #1’s, “Animals” and “Proxy”, as well as the #3 collaboration “Gold Skies” with Sander van Doorn and DVBBS.

When Brandyn Burnette songs are on my chart, they multiply fast – so now it’s three, following #7 “Worship” and #15 “State I’m In”. Producer Sean Turk reimagined “Closer” in a crunchy EDM mix, and the result is even better than the original from the State I’m In EP. “Closer” debuts at #26 and the remix is a free download.

The fourth debut belongs to L.A. producer Steve James with “In My Head”, which features the slick ‘n soulful vocals of duo RKCB, who are also at #16 with the Joe Mason remix of “Elevated”. Besides those voices, there is a drop that slays every time and “In My Head” premieres at #28.

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

http://www.planetradio.ca is back! Listen for my Pick of the Week at 2:20/6:20/10:20 AM/PM EST most days Monday through Sunday, and my flashbacks to a Toronto Top 10 of yesteryear return this Tuesday evening at 9pm EST

@GainStagemusic adds a progressive, emotional spin to “Never Be Like You” as sung by @Linneyofficial

LINNEY, “Never Be Like You” (Gain Stage remix) (free DL)

It’s a song that’s endured in clubs and on dance music radio throughout 2016, so after so many covers and remixes it’s hard to wonder what someone can come up with next with another one of Flume & Kai’s “Never Be Like You”. St. Louis-based Gain Stage takes a pretty, believable, upper register vocal by L.A.’s Linney and surrounds it with progressive punch, leaving most of the mix in the high end too, but dropping it down effectively too at times. The beginning fools you and brings it right down only to rebuild, and by then you’re well into two minutes of the song, which is really quite refreshing. This helps the song sustain its 5+ minutes length, and sure, perhaps there may be some repetitive moments that could have been reduced. But overall Gain Stage have created a more emotional alternate take on this very popular song, which draws in listeners because it gets away from and tries to be nothing like the trap-flavoured mid-tempo original. You’ll be pleasantly surprised – check it out at the link above and download it for free.

Powerful “Hold” featuring @JessicaJarrell previews upcoming @iamtheElephante album – I Am The Elephante!

ELEPHANTE featuring JESSICA JARRELL, “Hold”

What a year this has turned out to be for L.A.-based Elephante (aka Tim Wu), capped recently by playing the Billboard Hot 100 festival! It’s made a timely lead-in for his upcoming album I Am The Elephante! which features this third preview called “Hold”, featuring noted L.A. singer Jessica Jarrell. A convincing, sharp vocal ignites “Hold” as one of ‘Phante’s more aggressive songs both musically and thematically. He glues you to your seat (or the dance floor, as the case may be) with a busy and relentless mix that isn’t over-the-top. Given that the song’s about holding on to love for dear life, you’d want to be right there hanging with them both too! A reference point might be his recent and hard-hitting remix of Stephen’s “Crossfire”. Nonetheless, “Hold” bodes well for the rest of the new songs on the album. Elephante is one of the new EDM kings who are about to take over the Fall with their new records. You can pick up “Hold” now on all digital platforms and pre-order I Am The Elephante! 🙂

Now U see her: @missMollyMoore’s dynamic “Just A Dream” featuring @BrandynBurnette

MOLLY MOORE featuring BRANDYN BURNETTE, “Just A Dream”

“Just A Dream” is one wired, surreal, emotional journey for L.A. based singer Molly Moore, offering up a third preview of her upcoming EP Now U See Me. It’s riveting, dynamic alternative rock with EDM flourishes where the singer grapples with wanting to escape into dreamland. It’s hard to top a performance like “Blood. Sweat. Tears” from her debut EP Shadow Of The Sun, but “Just A Dream” comes darned close. Brandyn Burnette’s lower register harmony vocals not only fill out the song but anchor it as well, and the production by our dynamic and ultra-prolific duo of Molly and Brandyn is full and unrelenting. “Just A Dream” is passionate and unique alternative rock and there’s more to come on Now U See Me.

@YoungBombs crush it with remix of Norwegian singer (@jjenset) Jesper Jenset’s “High”

JESPER JENSET, “High” (Young Bombs remix)

Canadian producer/remix duo Young Bombs never fail to generate beyond-the-box remixes, otherwise they wouldn’t also be remixing tunes by the likes of Selena Gomez, Troye Sivan, and Alessia Cara. Their latest, “High” by 19 year old Norwegian singer Jesper Jenset, should help that song acquire more international appeal. Young Bombs take the song higher and wilder than one might imagine. It’s a pretty simple song about being high on love, but in their hands there are colours, bright lights, and some playful effects which riddle the song with more panache than overproduction. The singer has a great boy-next-door voice and “High” has loads of potential. Give it a listen at the link above.

British Columbia’s @Conromusic delivers the bounce with “I Wanna Know”

CONRO, “I Wanna Know”

“I Wanna Know” is a pretty straight-forward dance/pop song about trying to find out where a relationship is going. Canadian Conor Patton, aka Conro, delivers it mid-tempo future bass style with a hook that you wait for and a melody that drives the song home in short order. I really enjoy how the bass undercurrent kicks it up and that the vocal effects become part of the melody rather than razzle dazzle. Sometimes just getting to the point does the trick and Conro adds EDM stylin’ to make it all work together. Give it a listen at the link above.

@LoFrames adds to the sophistication of “Symmetry Of Two Hearts” by @BrightLightx2

BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT, “Symmetry Of Two Hearts” (LoFrames remix)

It is VERY cool after writing about the music of Bright Light Bright Light (Rod Thomas) since 2010 that we now have next-level official remixes on deck of his songs from his third album Choreography. LoFrames – production duo of Brit James Yuill and Frenchman Franck Russo – excise Elton John’s vocals from their remix of BLx2’s touching “Symmetry Of Two Hearts”, but the song retains its sheer elegance and receives a rich house beat and arrangement to beckon club goers to the dance floor. And fans have already done that with BLx2’s “All In The Name”, which recently got to #25 on Billboard’s Club Play chart 🙂 This remix of “Symmetry” is very direct in its approach, and sounds like something Rod would do himself, which I’m sure makes the singer very proud indeed. Listen to it at the link above and buy it on iTunes.

@WookieOfficial throws synth sparks into his Festival remix of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” by @CharliePuth & @SelenaGomez

CHARLIE PUTH featuring SELENA GOMEZ, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (The Wookie’s Festival Mix)

“We Don’t Talk Anymore” by Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez happens to be one of my favourite pop songs out there right now, with two voices that are perfect for the song, and I’ve already dove into DROELOE’s crunchy official remix big time. L.A. producer/remixer The Wookie has created a special unofficial one that’s deserving of attention. Picture a couple’s reconciliation under the flashing dance floor lights, if you will, where words are not important for about three minutes. The Wookie adds unexpected futuristic frenetic tempo, zing, zest, and sparkle into his effortless-sounding Festival mix which really sheds an entirely different light onto the song. You already know that I’ve enjoyed his arpeggio-laden remix of Ariana Grande’s “Into You”. The Festival mix of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” has so much more going on than that one that you may find yourself, like the dance floor couple I’ve mentioned above, lost for words in the club. Download it for free at the link above.

Nothing but high energy fun: “All The Way” by @Hellbergmusic

HELLBERG, “All The Way”

Sometimes a record just wants to make you dance, and that is mission accomplished. Such is the case with Hellberg’s new one “All The Way”, out now on all digital platforms. It’s a bright, bouncy progressive/futuristic instrumental full of high end and with a big beat that will jump out of those big club speakers at you. Resistance is futile… while the published link gives a 1:11 preview, it’s really enough to sell you on “All The Way”. Guaranteed to fit into and pick up any DJ set 🙂 Hellberg’s got another winner in anticipation of more new projects to come…

Listen to @Teisonmusic’s slick and dark “Floating Away” featuring @StevynTauteoli

TEISON featuring STEVYN, “Floating Away” (free DL)

Changing it up quite a bit after the sunny lighter pop flavours of his last release with Henri Purcell, “Your Loving”, Dutch teen Teison returns with “Floating Away”. It’s a dark, mysterious nighttime track into which you’ll be easily lured by Stevyn Tauteoli’s deep down soulful voice and some effective isolated electric guitar work which serves as the musical hook for the song. “Floating Away” is smart and compelling but with a rich enough deep house groove to keep you on the dance floor. Teison, like a number of other young producer/remixers (Joe Mason, Just A Gent, Spirix), has got his ears in the right places and makes sophisticated music normally reserved for those beyond his years. Get this one while you can for free at the link above.