LOST KINGS featuring COSMOS & CREATURE, “Marathon”
L.A. production duo return following a lot of interest with last year’s EP The Bad with the gentle and uplifting “Marathon” on Spinnin’ Records. Lost Kings really up their ante with “Marathon” in partnership with Cosmos & Creature, aka Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore, who also received wild notice for their collaboration with The Netherlands’ Vicetone on “Bright Side”, which I wrote about recently. “Marathon” is a mid-tempo pop/dance song that tells a great story in the unique ways of Brandyn and Molly. Life, love, friendship and more are all marathons that we’re in, and it’s better to be in them together. The perfect place to celebrate this is on the dance floor or at a party. Spin “Marathon” and watch your audience take notice. It’s from Lost Kings’ upcoming EP The Good. Watch the lyric video below.
One aspect of a great song that will always attract listeners is the ability to relate to something we all have in common. “Carry On” captures this so well and will immediately draw people to the dance floor as a result. It’s by some talented fellow Torontonians, production duo Pairanoid and singer Alexandria, whose low and high ranges and power are all used to full effect in “Carry On”, and you’ll want to hear more from all of them as a result. Next up for Pairanoid is a collaboration with Shaquille O’Neal! You can download and stream “Carry On” from all platforms. Always great to hear more local talent emerging in Toronto’s very active dance community 🙂 Watch the video below.
It’s already been about 4 weeks, and L.A.-based producer/DJ Bobby Nourmand is almost at 300,000 plays on Soundcloud with his debut original release on The Magician’s Potion imprint called “Smokin’ Joe”. You may recall I wrote about Bobby’s other-worldly-soundingfree download cover of The Beatles’ “Because”last summer. That song has 350,000 plays, so dance music lovers obviously agree that the music of Bobby Nourmand is not a one time only deal. “Smokin’ Joe” uses a similarly wonky percussion-and-keyboards driven rhythm as “Because” in this toe-tapper that draws as much from 1960’s early FM rock influences as it does early 1980’s post-punk era trappings (think David Bowie meets Peter Murphy/Bauhaus for the vocals). “Smokin’ Joe” is alternative dance at its finest as it stands far out from the crowd. Get it on iTunes.
In an interesting change of pace, an EDM song gradually turning into a left-of-centre pop hit gets an acoustic remake, courtesy of 22 year-old NYCer Marco Foster. Yup, this is the same Marco that I wrote about back in 2012 when he had just climbed aboard Flo Rida’s bus. And while he’s been keeping busy with Flo, timing is indeed everything: Marco’s take on Flume & Kai’s “Never Be Like You” immediately brings to mind “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber in both vibe and appeal. I suppose when the first song you think of is a huge worldwide #1 then that has to be a good thing. While the cover has gritty values in acoustic format, Marco’s voice has gotten smoother and soulful, too… the kind that heartbreakers are made of… more good things are coming, I think!
In what is one of the most unique pairings of 2016 so far, noted Dutch production duo Vicetone partners with American duo Cosmos & Creature – that’s Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore 😀 – for “Bright Side”, a new Spinnin’ Records release. Brandyn and Molly are no strangers to dance music. Molly wrote Dubvision’s 2014 hit “Hollow” and both have dabbled with some inventive remixes lately for his “Made Of Dreams” and her “Peace Of My Heart”. The arrangement in “Bright Side” focuses on elegant strings and high end to create the appropriate gleaming pop sound that compliments the positive lyrics and lighter house rhythms of the track. “Bright Side” was one of the first-ever written songs by Brandyn and Molly so it’s great to see it in the dance music realm. Those looking for something a little different and chipper to play in their club mix will appreciate “Bright Side”. Listen above and pick it up for freeright here.
Toronto’s River Tiber continues to release outstanding music that should pop big time in 2016. With an album coming in Spring in follow up to last year’s When The Time Is Right EP, and after much praise in a NOW Magazine article this past week, Tommy Paxton-Beesley teams up with Toronto R&B singer Daniel Caesar for “West”. This is sparse-sounding contagious ear candy that perhaps will ptompt Frank Ocean to release his next album earlier! Both voices sound amazing together – think James Blake meets The Weeknd – and “West” just begs for more new songs from River Tiber. For now pick up “West” on iTunes.
British remixer Kat Krazy returns after much-praised successes a while back with in-demand remixes for the likes of Coldplay (“Princess Of China”), Bastille (a classic one for “Pompeii”), and Natalia Kills (“Problem”). In advance of its release as the 8th single from UK duo Sigma’s album Life comes his remix of “Stay”. Those who adore the lush balladry of the original may be taken slightly aback by Kat Krazy’s approach, but dance clubs are going to love it as much as his previous work. It’s a darker but bouncy remix that will get your feet on to the dance floor with its dirty bass synth drop. Kat Krazy doesn’t lose any elements of the original, he just adds to them which makes for a successful and ear-catching remix. Give a listen to “Stay” at the link above..
Buzzing out of the gate with interest from the likes of Nicky Romero and ready to stimulate your late night house crowd is “Night Rolls” by Brooklyn NY producer/DJ Instrum. He’s been catching ears lately with diverse remixes like Monogem’s “Gone”. This time adding American singer Seth Somni to the mix with this original composition, and we have a slick late night house track with pop and R&B flourishes that is released on all platforms tomorrow on the Armada Deep imprint. Check it out at the link above.
I’m humbled by the amount of new visitors I’ve had recently to this blog and Twitter. The BILLCS Top 30 is my personal chart of favourites which started out online in 1998 as the monthly Tuned-On! Top 10 and quickly grew into a bi-weekly Top 30 on a web page hosted by Geocities (remember them?). Its focus over the years has shifted depending on what styles of music I’ve been drawn to the most. It largely focuses on singles but album tracks are included. Songs can only appear on the chart for 10 appearances (20 weeks) which keeps the new songs flowing. In 2003, music was becoming much more globally in sync and I allowed songs to appear on the chart providing they were released … somewhere. In 2009, a free download hit #1 for the first time. A song must be ‘released’ (for pay or for free) in order to qualify to appear on the chart – a You Tube or Soundcloud post that is not consumable does not qualify. Official remixes may chart instead of the original if that’s the version I prefer.
With that update provided, on to the new chart 🙂
The Top 10
The ongoing revival of Simon Curtis “8bit Heart” continues to grow as the cover to his upcoming book “Boy Robot” (cover above) was premiered by Just Jared Jr. The book would not be forthcoming without Simon’s original 2010 mixtape (still available for free athttp://www.simon-curtis.com) which has recently been re-recorded as Super 8bit Heart and now available everywhere for purchase. “8bit Heart” is still so much of a personal favourite, and continues at #1 for a second appearance in its delightful redux version. The new version of “Super Psycho Love” joins “8bit Heart” in the Top 10, rising 16-10.
MAX (Schneider) holds at #2 with “Wrong”. Do check out the infectious remix recently unleashed online by RyanEXOE featuring Taylor Bennett, above.
Before my next chart, the album 55 by The Knocks will finally be on release and should be the soundtrack to the first part of 2016, given that I heard most of the songs at their Toronto concert in January. “Kiss The Sky”, featuring a fantastic vocal by Wyclef Jean, climbs 7-4 and is definitely eyeing #1.
Coincidentally, The Knocks are back-to-back with their own label signees, Sofi Tukker. The NYC duo holds steady at #5 with the irresistible “Drinkee”. Yeah it’s all in Portuguese, but no matter!
This chart marks the mini-invasion of the Top 10 by songs by the latest boy wunderkind, Troye Sivan. The glorious “Talk Me Down” advances 12-7 while the heart-wringer “Wild” climbs 14-9 (both above). And Troye’s “Fools” (below, rounding out the Blue Neighbourhood trilogy of videos) is the fastest riser, movin’ on up a few notches below 26-17. This only means one thing: If you haven’t heard Troye’s Blue Neighbourhood, you are missing out. Troye is playing a sold out show at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto next week.
More Songs Movin’ On Up
Brandyn Burnette’s hip hop flavoured “Down” from his Made Of Dreams EP rises 15-12. He and his gal Molly Moore (sitting pretty at #8 with “Blood. Sweat. Tears.”) have joined forces as Cosmos & Creature and will appear as the featured voices in an upcoming song by dance music performer Vicetone called “Brightside”! Watch for it!
Elephante’s original “Age Of Innocence” (featuring Trouze and Damon Sharpe) is one pumped up slice of emotional EDM with a melody that stays with you for days. It moves up 18-15.
Like “Hello”, it looks like Adele’s “When We Were Young” is about to dominate the dance charts in its remixed version. But the still stunning original from the 25 album climbs 21-16.
Calvo’s “Vicious Girl” continues to be embraced by DJs throughout the world thanks to a memorable keyboard melody and an odd vocal that works quite well. It jumps 27-20 and is well on its way. It’s also a co-write by the talented Daniel Volpe (who as a performer is none other than Zorro Blakk).
It may be their best song yet. Canadian bros DVBBS feature a Torontonian singer Dante Leon on “Angel”, which bows at #23. DVBBS have previously charted with MOTi with “This Is Dirty” (#9) and with Sander van Doorn and Martin Garrix on “Gold Skies” (#3).
A bit of summer is upon us courtesy of the driving beat of the Cloudchord remix of “Loud Places”, an alternative hit last year for Jamie xx featuring Romy, from Jamie’s Grammy-nominated album In Colour. This tropical anthemic remix stands on its own and arrives at #24.
Sweden will simply have to share its current #1 with us. That song is “Faded” by Norwegian producer/DJ Alan Walker, which originally started as an instrumental called “Fade”. It premieres at #25.
And at #27 is “u suck” by Minnesota rapper/producer Call Me Karizma (aka Morgan Parriott). Its clever featured chorus from the song “Why Don’t You Do Right” is sung by UK vocalist Bev Lee Harling. “u suck” is a wonderful slice of what sounds like ‘new era rap’.
Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailedweb 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
Although it will not air this week, you can usually hear me online onhttp://www.planetradio.caevery Monday at 9:00 pm EST counting down a Toronto Top 10 chart from yesteryear, and then again every Thursday in a rebroadcast at 7:00 a.m. EST on WROCKhttp://www.wlor.net!
After a rollercoaster of successful remixes of songs by The Chainsmokers, Tori Kelly and others, Los Angeles production/remix duo Two Friends (Matt and Eli) strike out on their own with their original “Forever”. It’s a simmering EDM mix carried by a zinger of a soulful house piano melody that chimes in perfect harmony with the sometimes gritty vocal by ktpearl. Friends and lovers will sway the most to all of the positive energy created by the song. I’m not quite sure what secrets are bottled up by Matt and Eli in Two Friends’ music but don’t be surprised if we see national club action with “Forever”. And… I want to see which remixers tackle these remixers’ original tune 😛 “Forever” is available now on all platforms via the Armada Trice imprint!
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