@missMollyMoore shines brightly in @Boehmofficial’s deep house “Swallow My Pride”

BOEHM featuring MOLLY MOORE, “Swallow My Pride”

Having constantly to accept what’s going on in a relationship and bite ones tongue when you should really speak up is the unlikely theme to Romanian producer/DJ Boehm’s latest “Swallow My Pride” for the Dim Mak imprint.  And it’s brought to the dance floor starring L.A.-based singer/songwriter Molly Moore, who you know as not only a soloist but also as one half of the Cosmos & Creature (the other half being her beau Brandyn Burnette) featured recently on club tracks by Vicetone and Lost Kings.  “Swallow My Pride” (written and sung by Molly) in another stripped down incarnation could have easily fit well in Molly’s own recent EP Shadow Of The Sun.  But here the music’s all about that innovative deep house flavour that Boehm has concocted, and it easily stands out from the usual club fare.  The release of “Swallow My Pride” also coincided with Boehm playing last week at Miami Music Week!   Pick it up on iTunes but you can also stream/download it from the Soundcloud link above.

#Toronto’s @DzekoandTorres meet @Hellbergmusic for arpeggio-filled delight “Care For Me”

https://soundcloud.com/dzekoandtorres/dzeko-torres-and-hellberg-care-for-me-radio-edit

DZEKO & TORRES AND HELLBERG, “Care For Me”

If you love arpeggios and high end as much as I do, then you will be swooning over “Care For Me”, a Canada-meets-Sweden collaboration of Julian Dzeko & Luis Torres and the red hot Hellberg!  It’s progressive house at its best, taking lots of cues from popular emotional EDM over the years by the likes of Hardwell, Swedish House Mafia and Avicii.  The affecting vocals and gentle melody get spiked up by a chorus and hook in a post-relationship song that just won’t let go of you.  “Care For Me” is a major contender out of the gate – the BILLCS Top 30 awaits! – and you can download it for free using the Soundcloud link above.

Young Aussie @JustAGentdj’s “Heavy As A Heartbreak” (f/ @Lanksmusic) gets a futuristic makeover by @XanGriffin

JUST A GENT featuring LANKS, “Heavy As A Heartbreak” (Xan Griffin remix)

Just A Gent is actually 19 year old Aussie DJ/producer Jacob Grant, and his rock-inflected EDM of “Heavy As A Heartbreak” (featuring fellow Aussie Lanks) is attracting some international notice after he acquired a following in his own country.  Among various remixes, Californian Xan Griffin’s shines by stripping away the rock flavour and accentuating the dubstep vibe of the original, taking it much further into the realm of a chilled out futuristic bass track.  In either version the song stands out as unique and not necessarily one that you can get into on the first listen.  But stick with it; like ARIZONA’s recent “Let Me Touch Your Fire”, there is much to be said for production by toning the core of the song down only to watch it explode at the hook.  Listen above and get “Heavy As A Heartbreak” for free using the download link.

#NYC duo @SofiTukker get funky with “Hey Lion”

SOFI TUKKER, “Hey Lion”

One of Sofi Tukker’s more memorable songs from their opening set for The Knocks on their most recent tour was “Hey Lion”.  Leaving the intriguing Portuguese lyrics in the dance craze-worthy EDM of “Drinkee” and “Matidora” for an English track this time, the duo (who are Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern) opts for some soothing, chant-like funk which immediately brings to mind the sneaky rhythm of 80’s classic “White Horse” by Laid Back.  Groove along to this one and roar on the dance floor 🙂  You can pick up “Hey Lion” on iTunes along with Sofi Tukker’s other recent songs.  A longer play release is in the works (and ongoing touring – this week they are at SXSW) as the pair are signed to The Knocks’ own imprint Heavy Roc.

Jamar Rogers (@jsquidward) reinterprets @therealSophieB’s “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” as a soulful anthem

JAMAR ROGERS, “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover”

Four years ago in Season 2 of “The Voice”, Jamar Rogers delivered A-list calibre performance after performance – particularly for me of Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” – which allowed him to finish in the Top 10.  Continuing on in his journey after being picked up by Tommy Boy Records last year, Jamar’s latest is a timely cover of Sophie B. Hawkins’ much revered 90’s hit “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover”.  Jamar grabs the strong soulful vibe of that song and reshapes it into an urgent soulful anthem.  For those not familiar with his other earlier songs, “Lover” is that much more different, a powerful plea with a great groove that will have you singing along and cheering all the way to the end.  Look for an album this Spring from talented Jamar.

@iamJakeBarker gets his dance groove on with “Bump”

JAKE BARKER, “Bump”

Jake Barker’s recent choices of new material and cover songs are proof in the pudding of the diversity he showed as an underdog favourite who conquered his stage fright on Season 6 of “The Voice”.  “Bump” is one of those new originals, and for the first time it throws Jake into dance music territory, to which his voice is amazingly suited.  Somewhat ironically, the last post I wrote about Jake was about his cover of Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna”, and “Bump” also treads into Usher dance music territory similar to great songs like “More”.  More power to Jake to continue and lay everything out for listeners to hear and find what might resonate for his upcoming full album of Trip.  Watch the video above.

 

France’s @Klingandemusic tugs on our hearts and feet with “Losing U” (featuring @Daylightdj)

KLINGANDE featuring DAYLIGHT, “Losing U”

There is plenty to be said for setting the stage and creating the right atmosphere in a song.  France’s Klingande (aka Cedric Steinmyller) does that oh so right with his latest emotional deep house release “Losing U”, featuring LA’s Daylight, and following up the totally different 2015 European smash “Jubel”.  “Losing U” will be incredibly effective towards the end of a late evening in the club when you just don’t wanna go home, especially after meeting someone.  The strings in the song really get under your skin, making “Losing U” one for both the heart and the feet.  It could easily follow the ongoing success of Alan Walker’s “Faded”, so you can expect to hear Klingande’s “Losing U” very soon in your favourite club and on dance music radio.

Entertaining Beasties-inspired rap from NYC’s The Village Sound (@tvsoundmusic) with “Circles”

THE VILLAGE SOUND, “Circles”

NYC group The Village Sound – focusing on the Brothers Gorman, particularly vocalist Dan – provide a great introduction to what they’re all about in “Circles”.  There is so much familiar in this particular rap and hip hop style – particularly Beastie Boys, but Eminem, Linkin Park, and Korn all come to mind as well – tough and on-point, but fun and eminently listenable as well.  “Circles” is all about people listening to the voices of only a select few, when others have something potentially important to say.  So the Gormans definitely get their digs in while injecting ribald humour into the proceedings as well.  Dan makes a convincing, and commanding case in the video which would translate well on to the stage, and the camera clearly loves him 🙂  While rap is not always a style that’s in my regular wheelhouse of tunes, The Village Sound know their craft and their audience – do check out the well-shot video below.

Sweden’s @Hellbergmusic does the Big Apple right remixing @TheChainsmokers’ “New York City”

THE CHAINSMOKERS, “New York City” (Hellberg remix)

As those who know me well, I heart NYC (and missed visiting it last year for the first time since 2009)!!  It’s so hard to get the crazy flavour of The Big Apple into a three minute song, but Sweden’s Hellberg is on a roll with his nightlife-inspired remix of The Chainsmokers’ “New York City”, the original of which can be found on their Bouquet EP.  The big city can take you in a spit you out just as easily, and Hellberg’s remix transfers the setting to a dizzying rave where the pulse of NYC is at its fastest.  The Chainsmokers are currently leading the way in EDM – you can find them on a plane, in a club, or on a beach hard at it – so it’s great to to allow others to provide takes on their most popular songs.  I think Hellberg’s remix of “New York City” will find favour in clubs internationally and have a good sense that New Yorkers will cheer loudly on the dance floor.  Pick it up as a free download at the link above.

#Canadian dance master @FelixCartal reimagines Rihanna’s sad “Never Ending” as wistful #EDM ode

RIHANNA, “Never Ending” (Felix Cartal remix)

I’m not so crazy about what I’ve been hearing from Rihanna’s Anti album thus far, but when someone like Vancouver’s Felix Cartal chooses to re-imagine one of the songs, then that’s cause enough for a look-see.  The 2013 Juno Award-nominee is not even 30 but has been producing great dance music for almost 10 years with a focus on often using vocalists who are not a part of the dance music scene.  With remix successes for the likes of Zedd and Dragonette, “Never Ending” should help to raise Felix’s profile even further.  What is a sad ballad in its original form is reshaped into a wistful melodic ode for a reflective drive down the west coast.  It’s such a cool remix that deserves notice – no word from Rihanna’s team but give it a listen and stream/download it using the Soundcloud link above.  Club patrons will also immediately turn their ears for this one!