Dance powerhouse: @Nervomusic with “The Other Boys” featuring @KylieMinogue, @JakeShears & @NileRodgers!

NERVO featuring KYLIE MINOGUE, JAKE SHEARS & NILE RODGERS, “The Other Boys”

Wowza!  Just when we are still digging so many recent collaboration in dance music, and along comes Kylie, Jake and Nile featured in Nervo’s new song “The Other Boys”.  It’s a highly propulsive dance powerhouse of a song too, with Nervo giving all of the featured performers great standout moments in the song.  Although the Aussie producer duo has just released its debut album Collateral, they are far from strangers to the music scene over the last 6 or 7 years, really getting a kickstart as co-writers of the Grammy-winning “When Love Takes Over” by David Guetta & Kelly Rowland, and having written and/or remixed songs for Kylie, Kesha, Beyonce, Avicii, and one of my favourites from a few years back, the #1 club smash “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Sweden’s Agnes Carlsson.  Not to mention that the gals have had their own #1 dance club hit, “Hold On” in 2013 too (included in Collateral)!  “The Other Boys” is not only riveting for the dance floor, it will also have you singing and swinging along too.  Not to be underestimated!

Sweeter than sweet! Canada’s @FrancescoYates is featured vocalist in “Sugar” by @Robin_Schulz

ROBIN SCHULZ featuring FRANCESCO YATES, “Sugar”

I’m gonna say it right now – “Sugar” could be one of 2015’s biggest hits if all of the pieces fall into place.  German producer Robin Schulz has concocted a bouncy, memorable pop/dance hit which should soon be heard everywhere, following up his massive success last year with UK #1’s “Prayer In C” with Lilly Wood & The Prick and of course the Grammy-nominated remix of “Waves” by Mr. Probz.  Mr. Schulz has great ears for selecting Toronto’s Francesco Yates for the vocal.  He gets to show off 19 year old Francesco’s versatile voice which transitions beautifully from lower register to Pharrell-styled falsetto as he tackles a borrowed few lines from Baby Bash & Frankie J’s “Suga Suga”.  And as a bonus, the video for “Sugar” is hilariously slapsticky, with a goofy cop driving a police car that seems to have a mind of its own.  It all adds up to SMASH.

And if ‘borrowing’ “Suga Suga” seems familiar to you from within these pages, one of my faves from 2013 was the Canadian deep house release “Lifted” by Kwik Fiks & Bongiovanni (below), who used a verse from the song as its centerpiece.  Give it a listen!

He’s everywhere!   Francesco Yates plays Panamania for FREE in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto as part of the Pan Am Games on Saturday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m.

https://soundcloud.com/kwikfiks/lifted

 

It’s finally time for a gorgeous new song by @ZacPoor, “The Way It Feels”

https://soundcloud.com/zacpoor/the-way-it-feels

ZAC POOR, “The Way It Feels”

I’ve had really good feelings about the music of singer/songwriter Zac Poor since I first heard and wrote about him around five years ago.  It looked like something was about to blow up in 2012 when he sang a cover of “Skyscraper” that totally floored me, and I wrote about him again at year’s end that year as one of the most promising new talents going into 2013.  Well it’s taken more time but new music from Zac, who relocated to Australia, is finally here.  And he’s kept a collaboration with the extremely talented producer/songwriter MdL for “The Way It Feels” from the upcoming EP The Crossroads Sessions.  Zac’s vocal is such a highlight in this song that you almost forget what a gorgeous and gentle song it is!  Zac has this ability to hover a full-sounding voice in this almost-whisper zone (which first appears after around the 40 second mark) which helps make “The Way It Feels” so unique and appealing.  His voice doesn’t soar like in “Skyscraper” but I’m sure he’s saving that for other songs.  For now, it’s time to (re)introduce yourself to Zac Poor.  If “The Way It Feels” is just the start a new beginning, I’ll be along for the rest of the ride!  Listen from his Soundcloud link above.

Listen to the fun and lazy vibe of “Roses” by @TheChainsmokers featuring @ROZESsounds

THE CHAINSMOKERS featuring ROZES, “Roses”

If you’re thinking that The Chainsmokers are going to just up and disappear after last year’s “#Selfie” came out of nowhere, then think again.  The much-sought after New York duo of Andrew and Alex – remixers for the likes of songs by Killers, Ellie Goulding, Neon Trees, Bastille, and Clean Bandit/Jess Glynne among others – give us a change of pace with the fun, lazy, summery EDM vibe of “Roses”, featuring vocals by Philadelphia singer Rozes.  Call it the lighter side of Lorde or Banks, “Roses” is slick and memorable to help keep your party grooving on a hot weekend.  More coming soon (along with remixes no doubt), so in the meantime pick up “Roses” on iTunes and watch for a Chainsmokers’ show near you!

Your end of summer Europop rave-up is here: “So Much For That” by Quebec’s @JMiandMidiD

J-MI & MIDI-D, “So Much For That”

Following up their #3 Billboard Dance Club Play remix success on Rozalla’s “If You Say It Again” and their 2013 single “Hardcore (Is My Life)”, Sherbrooke, Quebec EDM producers J-Mi and Midi-D are back with your end of summer rave-up, “So Much For That”.  What’s different here for the duo (best friends, not a couple!), Jamie Thompson and Dave Phaneuf, is that the vocals here this time are by Jamie!  She aptly described it to me a few weeks back as Avril Lavigne meets The Vengaboys, which is what might happen when Canadian talent goes to Sweden and writes a song with the noted Michael Saxell (Bachman Turner, Jeff Beck, Keith Reid of Procol Harum, and many more).  Take a wistful and sincere vocal, such as in Avril’s”I’m With You”, and think of it as a mere lead-in to a blast of bouncy Swedish Europop.  Combine it with identifiable lyrics that encourage you to put your bad day/summer relationship behind you, and then just let go and party away!  “So Much For That” is a splendid change of pace for these self-proclaimed ‘galactic ravers’ who have also scored music for DanceDanceRevolution and other projects, combining their passion for music with gaming.  The energy here is pretty contagious from a genuine pair of music nerds who know their stuff.  The music video for “So Much For That” is fun and lovably awkward and will make you smile.  Give it a watch and pick up “So Much For That” on iTunes (featuring both an Extended and Karaoke version for your singing pleasure!).

jmiandmidid

A sparkling @TheRealEelEye remix makes “Dead Eyes” by @JaneBadler club ready!

JANE BADLER, “Dead Eyes” (Eel Eye club mix)

It started off as a haunting, deliberately paced song from Jane Badler’s recent album Opus.  The singer, who of course is also the internationally known TV and movie star, has once again joined forces with Ninthwave Records for the Eel Eye club mix of “Dead Eyes”.  The remix takes none of the mystery away from the original and manages to enhance it for not only your personal late night dance club party but an electric nightclub experience.  So club DJ’s should make room on the dancefloor for “Dead Eyes” and allow Jane’s vocals to captivate club goers (like last year’s “Losing You”) in a remix that really helps the song ignite.  Listen to the previews above and pick up the “Dead Eyes” EP (which also includes the album and demo versions) on iTunes.

A soulful new original from @NBCTheVoice contestant @Travis_Ewing, “Obsessed”

TRAVIS EWING, “Obsessed”

Many contestants from “The Voice” go on to be very successful whether locally or internationally, and one singer I had my eye on in the early part of last season’s competition was Lafayette, Louisiana’s very own Travis Ewing.  His blind audition (below and which you can buy on iTunes) was the powerful, turned down rendition of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” that got the attention of three judges and the opportunity for Travis to be on Pharrell Williams’ talented team, and then with Blake Shelton.  “Obsessed” is an acoustic version of a song that will sound much more fleshed out in a full production.  But it’s here to show why Travis’ voice requires your attention, as his silky vocal sails through the song with some fun patter near the end and a beautiful falsetto that’s right up there with Justin Timberlake.  Just remember too that Travis left the competition (prematurely, to me) after competing against Meghan Linsey, who ultimately went on to second place success.  “Obsessed” shows a sign of great things to come for Travis Ewing.  Watch the video above.

@JamesPoole_ pays tribute to Amy Winehouse with “Back To Black”

JAMES POOLE, “Back To Black”

To coincide with the documentary “Amy”, UK singer James Poole digs down deep into the talent of Amy Winehouse for a rendition of her “Back To Black”.  This song is a unique one, and it took me a number of listens before coming up with my opinion.  Vocally, it’s a pretty flawless and spot-on interpretation as James captures the essence of the forlorn and jealous sentiments of the song, which was a UK Top 10 hit and is probably better known now than ever.  James hardly changes a thing, including the lyrics, a smart choice knowing that it’s not a song you’d expect to hear covered by a guy, and where he makes it his own is at the 3 minute mark which is the bridge of the song – taut, understated, soulful.  Hearing “Back To Black” only makes you want to hear more James Poole.  A record is in the works, and he’s probably my most-written-up performer who has yet to have an official release.  And “Back To Black” gives long-time listeners confidence that when that record is ready, James Poole will indeed have worldwide attention – this is an amazing choice to cover in concert and wow the crowd.

#BILLCSTop30 #461 – July 13, 2015

The summer months start off with a very busy and active Top 10 and three new entries 🙂

The Top 10

  • #1 is showing no indication of leaving the top any time soon.  It’s Brandyn Burnette’s glorious “I Wanna Be (Free)”, a song that contains a lot more to it than meets a casual listening ear.  And the outstanding video is perfect representation of the song, which is from Brandyn’s upcoming EP Made Of Dreams.

  • I think “Shine” by Years & Years got shortchanged in the revamp of the UK singles charts being compiled on Fridays instead of Sundays, and it ended up debuting at #2.  Not to say that it might not get to #1 though!  It’s on its way there on my chart too, but will definitely have to wait for “I Wanna Be (Free)” to give it up first.  “Shine” rises 9-3.  The trio’s debut album Communion also finally saw release last Friday 🙂

  • “Can’t Deny My Love” by Brandon Flowers was just too good to have anything but a Top 5 ranking on my chart.  It advances 6-4 amid fierce competition.

  • It’s one of the most different but appealing dance songs around, even in its radio edit!  “Sensation” by producer/DJ Antonio Giacca moves up 8-5.

  • It’s always nice for bloggers to be recognized by rabid fans of certain performers.  I’m pleased to have the #Glamberts on board as “Ghost Town” climbs 10-6 for Adam Lambert, from his excellent album The Original High.  More to come from that album in terms of hits but let’s give “Ghost Town” its time!  Remixes are now available on iTunes!

  • It’s Top 10 hit number two here for Giorgio Moroder, this time with Sia, on “Deja Vu”, the title song from his very fine album, which also begs for more single releases.  “Deja Vu” rises 12-7.

  • The fastest riser on the chart is turning out to be one of the surprise earworms of 2015.  It’s the sinewy “Guilty As Sin” by Toronto’s Dan Talevski (video up top), which storms the Top 10, up 18-8!
  • The last but hardly least new Top 10 entry allows Eurovision 2015 to live on in the form of Serbia’s entry “Beauty Never Lies” by Bojana Stamenov, advancing 14-10.

Movin’ on Up

  • And right behind Bojana are two other songs that have had a bit of a long haul waiting in the ‘teens before moving up.  Lawson’s “Roads” climbs 15-11 as the band will be opening on a US tour in support of Australia’s Sheppard, while Canada’s Smashing Satellites continue to attract North American attention with their album Sonic Aluzion and the upbeat single “What It’s All About”, which moves 16-12.  The new lyric video is below.

  • Last week’s debuts waste no time making their presence known.  Dance smash in-the-making “East Side Bay” by L.A. producer/DJ – and here, singer! – Mi Disguise jumps 24-19; Fall Out Boy’s just plain fun “Uma Thurman” rises 26-21; and Eric Saade’s follow up single to “Sting”, “Girl From Sweden”, charges up 29-22.

Debuts

  • Looking to make a huge impression on this chart is “Kiss Me Quick” by The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes at #20.  Like Adam Lambert’s fans, Nathan’s fans have rallied around my original post about “Kiss Me Quick” and subsquent tweets.  Good to have his fans on board 🙂  This is an amazing start, unleashing the skinny soulful beast from the boy band trappings 🙂

  • Being an independent release should not stop Janet Jackson with even more success than her 2008 album Discipline, which yielded “Feedback” (a #4 on my chart).  This time we have sultry and classic R&B keepin’ you up all night with “No Sleeep” at #25.  It’s from Janet’s forthcoming album Unbreakable.  She’s on tour throughout the late Summer and early Fall, so check your local concert listings!  Watch the lyric video below.

  • The final chart debut belongs to “Summertime” by Trevor Guthrie at #27.  I wasn’t about to let this fine summer song slip away!  It’s Trevor’s first appearance on the chart since 2013’s massive and Grammy-nominated “This Is What It Feels Like” (#6, with Armin van Buuren).  Of course he appeared several times on the chart with his early 2000’s band soulDecision, the first three from debut album No One Does It Better, and the next four from funky/jazzy sophomore pop album Shady Satin Dress (partially produced by Nile Rodgers!):
    • “Faded”, #1, 2000
    • “Ooh It’s Kinda Crazy”, #7, 2000
    • “Gravity”, #8, 2000
    • “Cadillac Dress”, #4, 2004
    • “Don’t Dance Close to Me”, #5, 2005
    • “Kiss The Walls”, #20, 2005
    • “Hypnotize”, #12, 2005

The Full Chart

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 🙂

The soulful angst of “Take Out Of Me” by @MartinLukeBrown

MARTIN LUKE BROWN, “Take Out Of Me”

There I was, standing in SportChek, and this edgy falsetto is crying out from the speakers.  It’s one of those holy shit! moments when you find out that the song is by someone entirely new.  And that is British singer Martin Luke Brown whose “Take Out Of Me” will turn your head and make you go whoa all the same!  It’s from his debut four song EP recorded for Parlophone, which has been out for a few months now, so there is absolutely no reason why radio shouldn’t be playing this song everywhere. And yeah, whatta voice, conveying soulful angst like the best British soul singers do.  Let’s say Martin is the British counterpart to Mikky Ekko.  Pick it up on iTunes.