Sophisto-pop: “Blind” (@Laibert_it remix) by @JakeSimsMusic

JAKE SIMS, “Blind” (Laibert remix)

A relative newcomer, young UK singer Jake Sims has one of those silky voices that oozes personality.  But when he throws some grit into the mix, it’s reminiscent of the way Adam Lambert grabs you when he comes down from his high notes.  I like “Blind” just fine in its original softer format (below), but Italian producer Laibert has turned it into a spiffy danceable mix of emotional sophisto-pop that will sit comfortably alongside songs by Bright Light Bright Light and Matthew Koma on your playlists.  Here’s hoping Jake can take his songs to the next level internationally!

https://soundcloud.com/jakesimsofficial/blind

They Call It Aciiiid! @KwikFiks with “Never Here”

https://soundcloud.com/kwikfiks/never-here

KWIK FIKS, “Never Here”

Montreal/Toronto DJ/producer Kwik Fiks (he of last year’s “Lifted” collaboration with Bongiovanni) is back but with a versatile throwback to the late 80’s and early 90’s.  “Never Here” combines elements of classic house and acid house with a pop sound that made the song “Show Me Love” by Robin S a long-lived classic.  But somehow it still wants me to start humming The Chemical Brothers’ “Get Yourself High” too.  This is fun, unpredictable stuff that will keep your body going into the wee hours.  Bonus:  It’s a free download at the above link 🙂

BILLCS Top 30 #426 – March 10/14

As with the last chart, there are 5 new entries, and I suspect this will be the trend for the next few charts too, as many are sticking around to the maximum 10 appearances (20 weeks) before they drop off (“What’s Going On” by Monsieur Adi featuring A*M*E first charted for 4 appearances prior to its release, then re-entered, and is now in its 10th consecutive appearance).  So the wheels on the chart are going round and round…

The Top 10

  • Sam Smith fever is slowly finding its way to North America.  So “Money On My Mind” continues at the top of my chart, while his featured vocal in “Latch” by Disclosure is the highest debut at #16.  That song peaked at #11 in the UK at the end of 2012.  There’s a brilliant acoustic version of  “Latch” on Sam’s equally stunning EP Nirvana (live version below).

  • Challenging for the top is the first of three appearances for Matthew Koma in the Top 10, this time on “Cannonball (Earthquake)” by Showtek & Justin Prime, which climbs 5-2.  Watch the new sci-fi adventure themed video below, sort of reminiscent of “Mad Max”.

  • “Collide” by Jake Miller shows it has staying power, and rises 6-5, while Audra Mae’s deep-down-in-your-soul vocal carries Avicii’s “Addicted To You” 10-7.
  • “Happy” by Pharrell is number one in most countries, climbing 11-9, as his new album G I R L is released to positive reviews.  It’s Pharrell’s fourth appearance in the Top 10, the other three times as featured artists on Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful” (#6, 2003), “Wanna Love U Girl” by Robin Thicke (#4, 2005), and Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (also #4, 2013).
  • The rest of the songs moving up in the Top 10 do have Matthew Koma in kommon 😉  Zedd’s “Find You’ (also featuring Miriam Bryant) is the fastest riser on the chart (19-8), becoming Zedd’s third top tenner following “Spectrum” and “Clarity”, while his collaboration with Robbert Hardwell jumps 14-10.  That makes it 7/7 Top 10’s for Matthew, following #1’s “Spectrum”, “Parachute”, and “1998”, plus “One Night” (#10).  Enjoy the exclusive Sky Felix remix of “Find You” below.

Songs on the Rise

  • Disclosure is #16 on the new chart as the boys were on the last one with Mary J. Blige on their rework of “F For You”, which climbs 16-12.
  • John Newman continues to find new North American fans with his soulful voice, which to me sometimes recalls Paul Young.  “Love Me Again” moves up 17-13.
  • The online reaction to Adam Tyler’s “Electric Valentine”, which the singer dropped on V-Day, has been just splendid, and it’s still available as a free download for you to enjoy.  It looks to be one of Adam’s biggest hits on my chart, rocketing 22-14.

  • Riding right behind as the release of his EP City Lights approaches is Nick Hagelin with the playful “Finest Clothes In Town”, up 23-15.

  • Semi-Precious Weapons have a full album coming to you sometime soon, but in the meantime, from their EP Aviation is “Drink”, rising 26-19.
  • U2’s new album has been deferred to 2015, despite the Oscar-nominated success of “Ordinary Love” and the charity donations behind “Invisible”, which moves 25-21.  I suppose it makes sense that a tour will promote the album and looks like one may not be announced till year end.
  • If you’re in the New Haven, Connecticut area, watch out for club dates from Sean O’Reilly, whose melodic delight “Ready For You Now” jumps 27-22.

The Rest of the Newcomers

  • A lot of dance/EDM is booming in my Top 10, and San Diego-based Convulsic’s imaginative “Love Space” will tweak your ears and move your booty, arriving on the chart at 23.   Official video is on its way.

  • I’m a tad late on “Talk Dirty” by Jason Derulo and 2 Chainz, but in keeping with the playful and bawdy spirit of  “Blurred Lines”, the song scores a place on the chart this week at 24.  It’s Jason’s first appearance in these parts since 2010’s “In My Head” (#7).

  • The honest storytelling and performance are the key to the vast enjoyment you will receive from Steve Grand’s “Back To California”.  The singer moves a touch away from the country music leaning of his first two singles for something more in classic pop.  It premieres at #26 in advance of his crowd-funded All American Boy – The Album, due in May.

  • In keeping with “Talk Dirty”, I might as well go for the gusto with the return of dance diva Lonnie Gordon with “Horny” at #29.  Looks like there will be all kinds of naughty fun this Spring!  And remixes are on their way!

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.

01 01 MONEY ON MY MIND Sam Smith
05 02 CANNONBALL (EARTHQUAKE) Showtek & Justin Prime featuring Matthew Koma
03 03 MOTEL POOL Travis Garland
04 04 TAKE COVER Neverest
06 05 COLLIDE Jake Miller
02 06 ANIMALS Martin Garrix
10 07 ADDICTED TO YOU Avicii featuring Audra Mae
19 08 FIND YOU Zedd featuring Matthew Koma & Miriam Bryant
11 09 HAPPY Pharrell Williams
14 10 DARE YOU Hardwell featuring Matthew Koma
12 11 INTO THE BLUE Kylie Minogue
16 12 F FOR YOU Disclosure featuring Mary J. Blige
17 13 LOVE ME AGAIN John Newman
22 14 ELECTRIC VALENTINE Adam Tyler
23 15 FINEST CLOTHES IN TOWN Nick Hagelin
New 16 LATCH Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
07 17 IN YOUR CARE Bright Light Bright Light
09 18 MANiCURE Lady Gaga
26 19 DRINK Semi-Precious Weapons
13 20 AN OPEN HEART Bright Light Bright Light
25 21 INVISIBLE U2
27 22 READY FOR YOU NOW Sean O’Reilly
New 23 LOVE SPACE Convulsic
New 24 TALK DIRTY Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
15 25 GOLD Eurielle
New 26 BACK TO CALIFORNIA Steve Grand
18 27 TALKING TO THE WALLS Své
20 28 BREATHE ME Carlos Nóbrega
New 29 HORNY Lonnie Gordon
24 30 WHAT’S GOING ON Monsieur Adi featuring A*M*E

Melodifestivalen 2014 Surprise Winner: “Undo” by @Sanna_Nielsen

SANNA NIELSEN, “Undo”

Could this be a year of big Eurovision ballads?  Sanna Nielsen’s gorgeous and touching “Undo” was the surprise winner in Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2014 last night.  There was a lot of buzz particularly about Alcazar’s entry “Blame It On The Disco” and to a lesser extent “Natural” by Anton Ewald.  But the audience favoured “Undo” and so we will see how it fares against the rest of the European contingent at Eurovision.

@MattDusk Croons Songs Nominated for 2014 @TheJunoAwards

MATT DUSK & THE MAX RIVER BAND, “Juno Awards Medley”

Juno nominee himself Matt Dusk continues to show is versatility by taking on a medley of songs that by all rights should not go together.  But with Matt’s slick voice and sound, it’s all good.  So give us songs by Drake, Serena Ryder, David Myles, Robin Thicke and Mr. Dusk himself and it’s quite an earful.  The Juno Awards – Canada’s Grammys – take place on March 30 from Winnipeg featuring co-hosts Classified, Serena Ryder, and Johnny Reid.  http://www.junoawards.ca

Can’t Get Enough of @MartinGarrix? Download “Proxy” For Free!

MARTIN GARRIX, “Proxy” 

As a thank you from Martin for the fans, the talented Dutch DJ/producer dropped “Proxy” for free download last week.  And like “Animals” and “Helicoptor” it’s a hot, catchy, and very distinct song that could be the theme music to something, when it’s not busy making audiences react and go crazy on the dance floor.  What I like about Martin’s music is that it’s full of high quality, and easily measures up to his better known counterparts like Tiesto and Zedd.  Listen to the preview up top then save it using the Soundcloud download link below.  Ah to be 17 and travelling the world… thanks Martin!!

Solid Pop/Rock from @MattWebbMT “Right Direction” EP

mattwebb2

MATT WEBB, Right Direction (EP)

Though it was released last month, I held off writing about Matt Webb’s sophomore EP Right Direction until his very successful solo concert last night at Adelaide Hall in Toronto.  Right Direction is just one of those records that’s so loaded with solid pop/rock singing, songwriting, production, and instrumentation, that no one song stood out for me in my first several listens.  After last night’s show, I’m more partial to “Heartbreakers” (featuring friend and producer Kevvy of Fake Shark Real Zombie), and iTunes-only tracks “Lucky Numbers” and particularly “Hang Tight”.  For those who don’t know, Matt is Marianas Trench’s guitarist, so you won’t find as much edge here but Right Direction is heavy on melody.  It’s a little too unassuming at times though, very reminiscent of 80’s Bryan Adams (nothing wrong with that – “Hang Tight” recalls “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started”), and I think one of the songs I mentioned could do better at radio than the title song.  But definitely solid music to get you through to the next MT record, and given the response last night there will likely be more Matt Webb shows coming around again before that.  Watch the video for “Right Direction” below.

Acapella ++: “Dark Horse/Jaguar” by @MikeTompkins

MIKE TOMPKINS, “Dark Horse/Jaguar”

23 year old London, Ontario area native Mike Tompkins first went viral with his acapella medley of “Teenage Dream” and “Just The Way You Are”, which landed him on TV on “Ellen” and “The Today Show”.  Canadians have seen him recently in commercial for Bell Canada with his version of Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough”.  Mike’s latest project is “Dark Horse/Jaguar”, accompanied by a fascinating video which shows off his many vocal talents.  Even though it doesn’t sound like it, all of the sounds in the song are Mike (other than of course the vocals by his pal Dumbfoundead), as he explains at the end of the video.  His talent is startling and one-of-a-kind which should earn him more fans with the timely release of “Dark Horse/Jaguar” and takes acapella music to a completely different level.  He has many singles for sale on iTunes, including this one, as well as videos for you to peruse on You Tube.  Mike’s also started a campaign that you can participate in on Patreon to raise funds for future videos like “Dark Horse/Jaguar”.

“She Looks So Perfect” Brings Us More than 5 Seconds Of Summer @5SOS

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER, “She Looks So Perfect”

Yes, it’s going to go down as “the underwear video”.  But aside from that “She Looks So Perfect” by Aussie quartet 5 Seconds Of Summer is a joyous and anthemic slice of power pop that should help melt the snow away on these still cold shores before their four song EP (below) is officially released on April 1.  Strong production, harmonies, arrangement and a powerful hook should mean some chart action for these lads, who don’t sound like flashes in the pan to me.  So check out the fun video and let the underwear parties begin 😛

5secondsofsummer

Ready To Emerge: “It’s Time” by Nathalie Archangel @narchangel

NATHALIE ARCHANGEL, “It’s Time”

Her voice recalls what might happen if Stevie Nicks melded with Marianne Faithfull.  She’s put out three albums, her last being Raven (containing the lovely “Next To Me”), which came out last year and was her first in over 20 years.  Not too much is known about Nathalie Archangel but “It’s Time” hits all the right notes in more ways than you can imagine (and no I don’t mean Imagine Dragons 😉 ).  It’s subtle and taut and emotional, drawing you in with a hypnotic vocal performance.  Ricardo Autobahn’s ace production gilds all of the fine moments together seamlessly.  And it’s another fine tune from the Hymas-Matthews-Mason (that’s HMM) songbook.  “It’s Time” is a diamond in the rough and I hope that more will find out about Nathalie Archangel well in advance of her fourth full release.