He’s back after a three year absence! L.A.-based singer/songwriter Simon Curtis has given his Robot Army the tender anthem they need with “FAIRYBOY”. It’s the third single (following “Ketamine” and “I’m Not Sorry”) from his forthcoming album, which will be his first in 11 years. “FAIRYBOY” takes its jumping off point perhaps from Simon’s earlier “Laser Guns Up”, except that with this song Simon directs his attention to a younger LGBTQ2S+ audience to reassure them that being different is completely okay. It also takes a cue from earlier releases as a touching song in a long quest for love, but this time with a more hopeful slant. Like his earlier songs, “FAIRYBOY” is bold in is intentions, to the point where its title is spelled out every time, the aural equivalent of being in neon (or maybe rainbow) lights. This is the kind of song Simon’s fans have been waiting for, and I think many new ones will love it too, and perhaps discover his previous album R∆ or even the underappreciated classic 8bit Heart (still available for free download atwww.simon-curtis.com) in the process.
You’ve got to hand it to Famba for staying true to his craft as an electronic dance producer. While he’s had considerable success with Canadian Top 40 pop hits (“Wish You Well”, “Swear To God”) and worldwide dance hits (“Storm”), the Halifax native but Toronto resident’s latest release called “Forever” is created with dance clubs and festivals in mind, now that they are all back in very well-attended business. “Forever” is powered by a fierce uncredited female vocal set to an irresistible trance-influenced deep house rhythm guaranteed to make you bounce. “Forever” should be a no-brainer for club DJ’s, as another catchy, driving dance track to keep the pace of the evening moving along.
“Memento” is a tightly-woven package of thoughts and rhythms as delivered by Sydney-based Singapore-born singer/songwriter St. Humain. It follows up his infectious single from earlier this year which I wrote about, “Sick Sad Love Song”. In this release, St. Humain encourages you to hang on to good memories as souvenirs of past relationships. While memories do fade, we often miss past lovers at times, and “Memento” helps us keep close to our hearts what we cherish the most. It’s got bold, Latin-influenced rhythms and continues to showcase St. Humain as an engaging, chameleon-like persona helping to positively represent the Asian community in pop music. “Memento” will entice you with its intrigue and openness all set to an intricate, well-crafted production.
During the past while, I’ve been impressed by my introduction to EMINZADA with the thought-provoking “Bloodline”, and I’m glad he has quickly followed it up with an even more striking release, “Sociopath”. The London-based Azerbaijani multi-talented artist, who is an active part of the disabled LGBTQ2S+ community, continues to inform us about provocative themes which are set to music and rhythms heavily inspired from his home country, touches that are almost completely foreign to audiences on the other side of the world. The song is about recognizing and conquering toxicity with others, and leading the life you want to lead. This time, the synths and bass are all amped up and EMINZADA creates another memorable and totally different experience that will resonate with anyone looking for something that’s unique to play on repeat.
I’ve been writing about Washington DC area singer/songwriter Steven Thad all year because he is an as-of-yet unheralded talent to watch in a low-fi kind of way. He continues to kick it up a notch with his charm on every release, with “Do You Remember” (above) the latest. While many of his songs make you smile or offer a unique slice-of-life perspective, “Do You Remember” gently but directly confronts a past lover with a reminder of the good times they had together, and that they will always be part of their memories together. As much as we want to erase the bad times, it is important to remember the good ones, and Steven wastes no time getting to the point with his easy-going and thoughtful vocal style and demeanor. “RNB” (below) is a much lighter-themed release, a straight-forward loving ode to that genre of music and how it makes us all feel good. Both songs appear on Steven’s new EP “Mr. R&B”, due for release on September 16.
With a big voice that can make heads turn quickly, you’ll be hearing a lot more of Boston-born, L.A.-based Lily Lane in the next year or so. Her single “Bad” is one of seven songs from her brand new EP Queen Of Hearts. Getting back to that voice, it’s rich, expressive and soulful, and Lily makes vocal runs sound easy to do, with strong reference to singers like Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato. With “Bad”, Lily hopes to connect women with their naughty side, in those moments where you throw caution to the wind and seize them as inspiring or even beautiful. Lily, who is also the brother of Tucker from the Grammy-nominated Sofi Tukker (much written about in these blog pages), is a fierce presence indeed, and has already received acclaim for performances in NYC and Boston as she transitions from model to pop star.
After releasing the intriguing and moody “Dark Ocean” earlier this year, L.A.-based dance producer MRKO is back, this time with a banger called “I Won’t Feel”. MRKO knows how to create an atmospheric release, even if this one gravitates more to the pop/dance genre. “I Won’t Feel” percolates along to a buoyant rhythm paired with pitched down soulful vocals, and though he makes you wait till around the 2 minute mark before the drop kicks in, the buildup getting there is totally worth the wait. “I Won’t Feel” in its last half becomes an exhilarating release that will help club DJ’s lift any set.
Following up his recent trance instrumental “Sanguine Energy”, NYC-based producer Greg Oakland returns with the complex “Convalescence”. This is a dreamy track layered with mixed emotions, one which fans of the trance genre would Shazam if they were in a club or at a festival. It’s best to check out the extended version above for full effect (edit is below), which allows the track to build and for the hook to kick in solidly, allowing the rest of the song to flow by quickly. I’m no expert at this genre so I don’t have many reference points as fans do. But for “Convalescence” to be picked up by no less than trance veterans Aly & Fila for release on the recent Future Sound Vol. 8 EP for their label Future Sounds of Egypt is pretty wild. Right now you can pick it up on Beatport for download.
After having several years as an announcer as well as manager, program director and music director in college radio back in the day, I never expected to be back announcing on a regular basis. My New Music Pick of the Week has had a couple of go’s round, but is now played on 21 online radio stations. I co-host and assist in programming the two hour show The Big 20 every week, and it’s played on more than 10 online radio stations around the world, and also includes my pick of the week segment. And I host Your Weekend New Music Mix which airs throughout the day starting at Noon on Saturdays and Sundays on two online stations. All of this is made possible through the wonders of technology. And on occasion I do appear live, such as on the 3D Variety Show some Tuesday evenings. I owe many thanks to James Rogers, Russ Horton and Hunter Wilbur for believing in these shows and for spreading the good word about them so that people all over the world can hear them! I enjoy being your online radio guide to new music every week. Links to each station now appear on my blog site home page near the bottom.
Make sure you read about my frequently updated ONLINE RADIO AFFILIATES(see details after the post)!
Harry’s House won album of the year on the MTV Video Music Awards, and I’m still hopeful that “Daydreaming” will be released as a single, which would definitely perk up Top 40 radio. “Daydreaming” reigns at #1 for a third appearance. It’s anyone’s guess right now as to what might be #1 in two weeks.
Cozying up to “Daydreaming” is “Dusk” by Manila Killa and Lights, which inches up 3-2, trading places with Darin’s “Superstar”. “Dusk” is a personal best for Manila Killa, having surpassed the #3 peak of 2018’s “I Want You” (with Robotaki and Matthew John Kurz).
Francesco Yates is back in Canada, opening for Backstreet Boys on their tour. His fun rocker “Jimi” moves up 7-5, becoming his third consecutive Top 5 on this chart.
Strutting its stuff in the Top 10 is “Free Yourself” by Jessie Ware, which rises 10-6.
Petawane’s beautiful ode to classic soul songs called “Music” soars into the Top 10, climbing 15-8.
Frankmusik’s “Confusion Girl Completed” rises 14-9 and passes the #11 peak of the 2009 original of the song. It also becomes Frankmusik’s 13th Top 10 on this chart, and second this year following #2 “The Half Moon Came Up In The Sky”.
“Love That About You” becomes McEwen’s 11th Top 10 entry on this chart, and first since 2014, climbing 12-10. He previously racked up the previous Top 10 hits as recorded by Adam Tyler.
Canadian-German duo Lola Dutronic has been breezing up the chart with their end of summer blast called “Let’s All Dance (One Last Summer)”, which rises 19-14.
The Fastest Riser on the chart is still on top of the official UK singles chart after 8 weeks. It’s by Scottish producers LF System called “Afraid To Feel”, which climbs 27-19.
Greyson Chance’s song about determination and moving on, “Athena” (above), moves up 28-23, and last week he released his final single from his upcoming album Palladium called “Homerun Hitter”, which you can check out below.
The Highest Debut belongs to 24 year old Compton, California native and Grammy nominee Steve Lacy with “Bad Habit” at #24. This is definitely a worthy out-of-left-field hit that lives up to its hype. While not immediately memorable lyrically, its melody gets easily stuck in your head, and then the lyrics follow. It’s from Steve’s second album Gemini Rights.
Next at #26 is the quick but superbly fun “The Boss” by collaborating French dance producers Coopex and Charles B along with singer/songwriter Robbie Rosen. Robbie is also riding the chart up 23-20 with “Stained Glass” with producers Severman and Arshan Joel. It’s Robbie’s 10th chart entry in just under two years.
At #28, Italian dance producers Luca + Giam and American singer/songwriter Sam Merkin follow up their #3 “Hold Me Down” with the similarly infectious “Full Force”.
View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here! Click on the hyperlink on the song titles to hear the songs or watch the videos!
Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! You can also follow me on Spotify at the following link: BILLCS Top 30 Songs.
ONLINE RADIO AFFILIATES
You can hear me and many of my blog choices on this growing list of online radio stations and features!
Listen to The Big 20 from 10pm to Midnight EST on Wednesdays as “The Musicman” James Rogers and I bring you the latest in new songs. The show also repeats on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. EST and Sunday mornings at 2:00 AM EST.
On Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 6pm EST I bring you “Your Weekend New Music Mix” six hours of commercial-free music from the 2000’s including many song choices from this blog.
“Your Weekend Music Mix” has a second home on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 8pm to Midnight EST! It’s a different mix from Radio GTA’s show, and like that one it is also commercial free. “The Big 20” also airs on this station at 6pm EST Saturdays.
I’m featured Tuesdays between 7 and 7:30 pm EST with my New Music Pick of the Week which debuts every week on “The 3D Variety Show” with “The Musicman” James Rogers, and I also join occasionally for looks at music from our past through some live segments. A repeat of “The 3D Variety Show” airs on Wednesdays at 7pm EST on Radio GTA. NOTE: “The 3D Variety Show” is currently on hiatus, returning on Tuesday September 6!
Modern Hype
This is a weekly show hosted by Hunter Wilbur that airs on several online stations but is anchored at Mix88.ca on Sundays beginning at 8pm EST.
For other details about the shows, such as dates and times of broadcasts, go to the bottom right side of my blog site home page!
Following up his first solo release in two years “Punching Bag” (just wrapping up a run on my personal chart, where it peaked at #5), Victor Perry returns with one of his best and most romantic songs, the upbeat “One More Minute”. The story behind the song is pretty straight-forward – about making the most of an opportunity or perhaps a key moment in a relationship where you want that moment to go on and on. Victor conjures up some delightful imagery set to an engaging vocal, which recalls some bright soul/pop singles of the 70’s. Your ears will be glued to every word in “One More Minute”, where lyrical substance wins when it’s sung against intuitive production that makes the most of every part of the song. It won’t take long before you’re wrapped up in “One More Minute” with the song on repeat.
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