One to watch: “Take Me Apart” by @officialLZRD x @Spirixmusic featuring #Remmi

LZRD x SPIRIX featuring REMMI, “Take Me Apart”

Young producers/remixers LZRD and SPIRIX have collaborated on “Take Me Apart”, an original track that will start off your week by knocking your socks off!  I’m not sure how to categorize it – futuristic emotional trap?? – but it all works so well together.  There is a memorable (if somewhat infuriating) melodic hook that will just slay club audiences, and Remmi’s beautiful interpretation of the lyrics is the song’s anchor.  I’m expecting big things in dance/EDM circles for “Take Me Apart”.  I’m not familiar with LZRD’s work but SPIRIX is definitely on point and making many friends with his collaborations on official remixes of “So Bad” by Brandon Skeie and of course “Inside Out” by The Chainsmokers.  Make sure “Take Me Apart” goes to the top of your list of new songs for this week, so download it for free at the above link!

#BILLCSTop30 #485 – June 13, 2016

This is the ‘moving house’ edition of the BILLCS Top 30 😛  And there are four Canadian artists in the Top 10!

The Top 10

  • Connor Phillips’ “Lost”, in a complete makeover through the Young Bombs EDM remix, retains the top spot quite handily but we’ll see if that extends to the rest of June in two weeks…
  • With “Twenty-Something” already on deck as the next single from Super, Pet Shop Boys move up a notch to #3 with “The Pop Kids”. It’s their second biggest song in this chart’s history next to 2013’s #1 “Vocal”.

    “So Bad” by Brandon Skeie is one of those instantly likable songs that you’ll be singing all summer long. You might also be grooving to its amazing EDM remix courtesy of EDWYNN x TIKAL and Spirix. “So Bad” climbs to #4.

    Elephante’s “Closer” (featuring Bishøp) has had another official makeover, courtesy of remixer Aash Mehta, which makes it into a romantic end-of-evening song. It rises 8-6.

    It’s taken a while since I first heard it last Fall, but after its official release, Embody’s summery “Dreamin'” (featuring Camden Cox) is closing in on the Top 5, moving up 11-7.

    The fastest riser on the chart is a remix that transforms the original song into a mysterious, deep house track. Canadians Sterling Grove and Ellyn Woods have “Sound Of Home” in an intriguing Snøwmass remix, which vaults 16-8.

    Toronto’s Dan Talevski scores his third consecutive Top Tenner here with “Knock Me Off My Feet”, climbing 12-9.

    https://youtu.be/dNbQpjafJ_8

Movin’ On Up

  • Jenaux’s funky and fresh “Get It On” is wasting no time making short work of the chart, as it climbs 18-11. Do check out his recent remix of 3Lau’s “Is It Love” too!
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsHKyAkxqic

    re The Chainsmokers the EDM performers of 2016 already? When they’re not performing, at a party, or on a plane, they are recording. “Don’t Let Me Down” featuring Daya is already amazingly as equally big a hit as “Roses” and rises 17-12.

    It’s another fantastic week on this chart for British producers/remixers Kat Krazy. Their official remix of Tom Odell’s magnificent “Magnetised” jumps 21-15, while their original pairing with Texas singer Johnny Stimson “Run Run” soars 24-17.

    Sandwiched in-between Kat Krazy tunes is Christofi’s classic-house inspired “Don’t Need You” (featuring J-VEN) (19-16), which has already been followed up by “Higher”, which I wrote about recently.

    Rounding out the Top 20 could be Ariana Grande’s biggest song to date, “Into You”, which climbs 25-20.

    Four Debuts

  • It’s already been a #1 Billboard dance club hit, but “So Happy” by Tony Moran and Jason Walker will pervade dance club playlists throughout the summer.  It’s a beautiful song to which you can just let it all go and smile.  It bows at #23, and is Jason Walker’s second chart entry following 2014’s splendid high energy cover of Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It To My Heart” (#3).

  • Rain Man’s “Bring Back The Summer” (featuring Oly) has been around since last Fall, but numerous remixers were asked to do their thing, and now the song is everywhere in different shapes and forms.  My preference thus far is for INSTRUM’s futuristic take on the song, which arrives at #24.
  • Just as his remix of SNBRN’s “Beat The Sunrise” departs the chart after peaking at #5, the Steve Void edit of London-based German-born Nik Ernst’s “Stronger” debuts at #25.  It’s classic British deep house that breezes by and is available at the link below for free!
  • The final debut features the unexpected appearance of singer/actor Jesse McCartney on an EDM track that has loads of pop potential.  It’s brought to us by Built For Titan and is called “Dangerous”.  The video seems to be part of a multi-episode martial arts short film.  It bows at #26 and is Jesse’s 7th entry and first since 2009!

Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailed web edition of my chart. Go on, have a look and listen/watch :)

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 Monday through Sunday (that’s 42 times in a week!), and my flashbacks to a Toronto Top 10 of yesteryear on Tuesday evening at 9pm EST:)

Uplifting deep house by @Megaphonixmusic “Open Your Mind” is perfect for Pride celebrations

MEGAPHONIX, “Open Your Mind”

Hot off the presses and available on most platforms today is an original by 20 year-old Chicago producer/remixer Megaphonix called “Open Your Mind”.  It’s an upbeat, uplifting lighter deep house track with some tropical flavouring that goes down quite easily, a change for Megaphonix who has tended to dabble more in progressive house.  Because of its anthemic qualities, it’s a perfect arrival for the various Pride celebrations around the world both musically and lyrically.  Megaphonix is well known to the likes of Martin Garrix and Hardwell and I can hear “Open Your Mind” being added to their mix sets as well as others.  Check it out above and purchase it on iTunes.

Rise up: @Christofimusic’s “Higher” (featuring @Malia_Katherine)

https://soundcloud.com/lesolmusique/christofi-higher-feat-malia

CHRISTOFI featuring MALIA, “Higher”

L.A.’s Michael Christofi is back with another winner of a totally different bent with “Higher”.  You’ll recall his funky classic house pairing with J-VEN called “Don’t Need You”, which is currently gracing the BILLCS Top 30.  “Higher” is all about energetic house music of the early 90’s – good reference points might be “Show Me Love” by Robin S. for its rhythm or “Finally” by CeCe Peniston for its exuberance – featuring an engaged soul-tinged vocal by singer Malia.  “Higher” really sparkles and will keep you moving up, up, up and away…  Get it for free at the link above.

@Saxity swings with their take on @JTimberlake’s “Can’t Stop The Feeling” (featuring @NBCTheVoice’s @AngieKeilhauer)

SAXITY featuring ANGIE KEILHAUER, “Can’t Stop The Feeling”

Let it be said that the Saxity interpretation of Justin Timberlake’s recent #1 “Can’t Stop The Feeling” is ear-catching for many reasons than what you’d think.  Coming off a significant mention in Billboard magazine last week, the German duo have given this movie song a deep house makeover with countryfied vocals courtesy of The Voice Season 10 contestant Angie Keilhauer that puts a new spin on what Avicii accomplished a few years back with the massive “Wake Me Up!”.  Blending in wonderful instrumentation and trademark sax like the band name says, “Can’t Stop The Feeling” now swings in a charmingly unexpected direction that will beckon fans of the song to the dance floor.  This is the kind of game-changer that Saxity is out to achieve with their unique takes on recent songs.  Get it for free at the above link.

More sheer unbridled fun with @MattandKim “Let’s Run Away”

MATT AND KIM, “Let’s Run Away”

Brooklyn denizens Matt and Kim will always keep me coming back to their songs and their shows because we are as much a part of it all as they are.  “Let’s Run Away” is from their recently dropped 4 song 10 minute long EP We Were The Weirdos, and in the video above they take full advantage of a device called a Centriphone (think of a selfie stick camera gone wild) for three-plus minutes of crazy fun.  I can just picture the silly string instead of balloons at their next shows…  Can’t tell you anything else, just watch and enjoy 🙂

Hey it’s new music from @ElevenPastOne called “Wrong Way Home”

ELEVEN PAST ONE, “Wrong Way Home”

The talented quartet from just east of Toronto surprised us last week with “Wrong Way Home”, a gritty funk-edged taste of what’s to come after the domestic success of their 2014 album The World Is Ours.  With Daniel Richter’s slick and ever-listenable voice leading the way, I’m hoping these guys will breakout into the rest of North America.  I’ve seen them a number of times in concert and they are the real deal in solid musicianship.  “Wrong Way Home” may be a little darker than some of their other songs but continues to show that there’s more to Eleven Past One than just the catchy pop song you hear on the radio.  Can’t wait to hear more.

Join the adventure with @PistolsandPints in “The Last Chance” (featuring @DaveyNate and @PrivateRy)

PISTOLS & PINTS featuring DAVEY NATE & PRYVT RYN, “The Last Chance”

I’m fortunate to hear a lot of evolution happening in the wings with EDM with a move towards including live instrumentation alternating with washes of synths.  “The Last Chance” is a 90’s rock inspired track that marries the essence of Red Hot Chili Peppers to the adventurous EDM sound of a rising dance act like Mako.  Pistols & Pints is actually L.A.’s Alex Gabrielian’s space for a collaborative, well-thought out sound that will make you hear something different on each listen.  Davey Nate’s voice totally suits the song and Pryvt Ryn’s guitar work shines throughout.  But it’s the uplifting vibe of the song – and it’s so very much L.A. – that will win you over, and it’s no wonder that it’s being featured in the upcoming surf film “7 Miles of Paradise”.  So don’t just catch the wave, ride it!  Listen to “The Last Chance” above and pick it up on iTunes.

@officialMaxR shifts with a progressive throttle on @NERVOmusic’s “Did We Forget” featuring @AmbaShepherd

https://soundcloud.com/maxrmusic/did-we-forget-feat-amba-shepherdmaxr-remix

NERVO featuring AMBA SHEPHERD, “Did We Forget” (MaxR remix)

For his next feat, after revisiting Manse’s “Freeze Time” with a  timely potent and energetic remix, MaxR dives into a song from NERVO’s Collateral album called “Did We Forget”, which happens to feature the beautiful vocals of Amba Shepherd, who has sang with just about every major name in the EDM world in recent years.  The collaboration is a wildly successful blend of progressive house and tribal rhythms in the original.  MaxR again goes for the throat with a full throttle progressive remix that replaces the tribal beats in favour of a bouncing and driving rhythm that glides alongside the “we re-found love” theme of the song.  You can download MaxR’s remix of “Did We Forget” for free at the link above.

Even more feels in @theJohnLock remix of @missMollyMoore’s “Blood. Sweat. Tears.”

MOLLY MOORE, “Blood. Sweat. Tears.” (John Lock remix)

It was instant love-at-first-listen with “Blood. Sweat. Tears.” by Molly Moore back when I heard her Shadow Of The Sun EP, my favourite song by her to date that would sit comfortably in a playlist next to the likes of songs by Jessie Ware.  It also found its way recently to #8 on my own BILLCS Top 30.  It’s the fourth song from the EP to receive an EDM snapshot, following “Natural Disaster”, “Peace Of My Heart”, and “Come Fly”.  I was curious about its result, but L.A.’s John Lock has managed to uncover other feels in the song.  Initially more of a retrospective lament when you can’t commit to a relationship, this progressive remix manages to bring out the confusion and struggle that you face inside your head quite appropriately.  So indeed your head will spin to the multitude of new swirling sounds amid slightly tightened-up verses and vocals that uncover anxiety substituting for the original’s balladry.  It goes without saying, the John Lock remix of Molly Moore’s “Blood. Sweat. Tears.” is highly recommended, and you can buy it on iTunes.