Get lost on the dance floor with “Sensation” by @AntonioGiacca

ANTONIO GIACCA, “Sensation”

Italian producer/DJ by-way-of-the-U.S. Antonio Giacca landed on my chart earlier this year with the pop/dancetastic “Ignited”, which peaked at #6.  The prolific Antonio has certainly grabbed my attention with “Sensation”, which is essentially an instrumental with some soulful vocals which almost sound like they were from the 80’s Loleatta Holloway heyday.  It’s a unique, standout highly percussive-sounding track that’s accompanied by a real odd duck of a video that you’ll need to watch about three times before it makes sense, if that at all is the intention.  It reminds me in some ways of Martin Scorcese’s 80’s movie “After Hours” (one of my faves).  But I digress!  Regardless, dance club DJ’s will revel in this one and definitely anyone who’s interested in a truly modern sounding progressive house track will have a blast with it.  “Sensation” is available to buy on iTunes.

The funky side of @SmashSatellites arrives with “Us”

SMASHING SATELLITES, “Us”

While I’m still digging the anthemic, feel good “What It’s All About”, Canadian rock band Smashing Satellites have given us another taste of what’s to come in their full album Sonic Aluzion with “Us”.  And unless you happened to see them perform it in concert like I did, “Us” is going to come as a surprise after the intensely emotional “Waterfall” and alt.rock of “Hounds”.  “Us” is pretty much  a crunchy and funky pop/disco whirlwind – and who should know better than someone like me who lived through the era 😛 – which shows a band whose stylistic borders are not at all limited.  Sneer if you will, but memorable songs like “Us” grab audiences and make them react.  And lead singer Salvatore Costa’s vocal gets not only the groove on but rocks out at the same time.  You can pick up “Us” in advance of Sonic Aluzion’s release right now on iTunes.

Smile :) @Mike_tompkins gets acappella with @TheMuppets and goes 360 with “Lost In Paris”

MIKE TOMPKINS & THE MUPPETS, “Cool Kids”

MIKE TOMPKINS, “Lost In Paris”

If you’re heading into the weekend after a long busy week like me, then turn to sounds-master Mike Tompkins and be guaranteed some smiles.  

First up there’s his cover of Echosmith’s surprise hit from last year “Cool Kids” (ab0ve) with none other than The Muppets!  And who are always so uncool that they are cool but The Muppets!  Can’t wait for their new TV show this Fall.  Mike did a great job with combining all of the unique Muppets’ voices into a song that will make anyone from any age group feel good.

Then Mike takes us on a journey in a bar/cafe – a 360 degree journey – with “Lost In Paris” (below), a funky little number that will have you grooving while you’re spinning up, down and all around the room with many different Mikes along the way.  

For someone who’s always cool and down with new ideas and sounds, it’s my fellow Canadian, Mike 🙂

Wicked, baby: “Guilty As Sin” by Toronto’s @DanTalevski

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DAN TALEVSKI, “Guilty As Sin”

A few weeks ago, I happened to walk by Dan Talevski a few times at a party and had no idea who the 28 year old was, but he was certainly being introduced to a lot of industry folks.  But like me, the rest of Canada and hopefully the world should soon know all thanks to his new single and video “Guilty As Sin”, which has been picking up steam at radio.  For someone who began on You Tube in its early days, and then was almost spewed out of the business by the Hollywood hit-making machine that engulfs entire lives, Dan came back to national attention after opening for Backstreet Boys in concert.  But unlike that band’s safe and clean approach, “Guilty As Sin” (co-written by fellow Canadians RyanDan!) wastes no time in taking you to a dark, sensual, and sexy place as led by a soulful voice that sounds at times not unlike Olly Alexander from Years & Years (double bill when they come to town, please?).  The video is perfect for clubs, and as cleaned up for radio, “Guilty As Sin” is a key song to listen for this summer.  It’s now available on iTunes.

A Dancer on a mission: “Criminal Love” by @CarlManmusic

CARL MAN, “Criminal Love”

After travelling around the world for the better part of the year, I was anxious to hear what would be next for UK singer/dancer Carl Man.  For it was last year, that Carl’s voice graced two of my favourite 2014 songs:  “Music Gods” by German DJ/producer Davis Redfield and particularly the fairly obscure “Electrify The Night” by Houserockerz with Davis Redfield (refresh your memory below).

“Criminal Love” thank goodness is from the same lyrical genius (that is 2014 Eurovision winner Charlie Mason) as those songs, and Carl’s fine voice is once again in comfortable pop-leaning EDM territory.  The video has obvious “Beat It” inspiration and many fine dance moves; alas I think a few different scenarios proved to be a bit much and the results seem a bit choppy, though the story is consistent.  Nonetheless Carl’s on-camera presence draws you in, thanks to a fine song.  Watch and listen above.

Sing, sing, sing, yeah “Sing It All Back” from @Jeronimomusic with @JabranDeMoore

JERONIMO and JABRAN DEMOORE, “Sing It All Back”

Over the last few years, I’ve written a few pages about the diverse talents of Dutch singer Jeronimo, who topped my personal chart near this time in 2012 with the jaunty “One Kiss”.  He can move seamlessly from a touching ballad to a teen-oriented duet cover of Enrique Iglesias’ “Bailando” to a novelty song in Dutch like “Denk Denk Denk”.  This time he teams up with fellow Nederlander singer/MC Jabran DeMoore for “Sing It All Back”, which manages to capture all fine elements of a pop song before it shifts into arpeggio-laden EDM mode.  “Sing It All Back” catches you by surprise with its energy and good nature.  But if I were a club DJ I’d want a few remixes to bring out the Tiesto/Zedd flavour.  “Sing It All Back” is available worldwide on iTunes.  Watch the lyric video above (there are also several live performance videos on You Tube from Jeronimo’s concerts in his homeland).

It’ll get inside your head: The video for @CobiMike’s “Walking Through The Fire”

COBI MIKE, “Walking Through The Fire” (video)

It was about exactly a month ago that I brought to your attention “Walking Through The Fire” from ex-Gentlemen Hall vocalist Cobi Mike (full name – not surprisingly – Jacob Michael).  It’s resurfaced again in these pages because of its recent compelling video whose intent is to get inside your head and make you find yourself when you need yourself the most.  I’ll get this out of the way right from the beginning:  the singer is naked in a desert throughout the video.  For those of you who haven’t stopped breathing, or perhaps need to recompose yourselves before proceeding, you’ll find that the video is a very well-directed, smart story.  Here, the protagonist almost gets drowned by an ex-love, almost gets beaten-to-death by a former rival, and then has to think his way through difficult times as if he’s winning an important game.  Then what’s in the box… is to be continued (and I’m not giving away the ending by saying that).  “Walking Through The Fire” has grown on me greatly over the last month, so do yourself a favour and pick it up on iTunes.  

A Deserving #Eurovision2015 winner: “Heroes” by @MansZelmerlow

MANS ZELMERLOW, “Heroes”

The votes came in loud and clear last night as “Heroes” by Sweden’s 28 year old Måns Zelmerlöw overwhelmingly won the Eurovision 2015 prize.  Also Sweden’s Melodifestivalen winner, “Heroes” features a thoughtful, compelling vocal from the singer that in performance is supported by a unique animated sequence that lends beautifully to the lyrics.  I’m not sure if North American audiences will find the song too off-the-beaten-path, but I’m sure it will also be all over European charts after peaking at #2 in Sweden.  Watch both the original video and the Eurovision final performance above.  “Heroes” will be included on Måns’ upcoming album Perfectly Damaged (artwork below), due June 5.  Also, read what I had to say about Måns back at the end of 2009 when I identified him as a performer to watch 🙂 https://billcsistunedon.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/10in2010/

manszelmerlow2

 

@EricSaademusic continues to pave a new path with “Girl From Sweden”

ERIC SAADE, “Girl From Sweden”

I was curious to find out what would arrive next from Swedish star Eric Saade after the rollicking Melodifestivalen entry “Sting” (currently #5 on my chart).  That song is more pop/rock oriented and in your face than other tunes from the talented singer.  So it’s fitting that he turns to indulge in a song directed to his own country.  “Girl From Sweden” is a catchy piece of hip hop-influenced business that will be a real crowd-pleaser, and I want his record company to resist the temptation to include a featured artist in a remix, let Eric own this one himself!  I will definitely direct fans of Maroon 5 to this one.  And the video is one of Eric’s best as the singer abandons bike, jacket, and shoes out in the countryside in favour of a skateboard and boating activities – oh and there’s lots of dancing with pretty girls in the middle of nowhere.  Along with “Sting”, “Girl From Sweden” is one of the best showcases in a while for Eric Saade.  You can pick it up on iTunes.

@MissMollyMoore delivers the slick and dark “Don’t Believe It”

https://soundcloud.com/molly_moore/dont-believe-it

MOLLY MOORE, “Don’t Believe It”

Like her talented guy (and co-songwriter here) Brandyn Burnette, L.A. based singer Molly Moore is a hot commodity itching to break out, and the slick, dark “Don’t Believe It” could help pave the way.  Like Lorde and Banks, Molly’s main feat in recording edgier songs than other women singers is to be utterly convincing.  And that she is, supported by an arrangement that flows and taut production by co-songwriter Steve Dresser.  I’ve written up some other comparisons of older singers to Molly, but this time she recalls none other than Carly Simon at times.

And just in time for “Don’t Believe It” to strike online comes a remix of Molly’s earlier “Natural Disaster” by Win and Woo, which is available as a free download right here.  It might seem a bit odd to put a Caribbean kind of flavour to such a stark song, but the light EDM wash definitely gives the song a new vibe and it’s well worth checking out.