It’s been a while since French producer Mercer dropped new music, but he’s back and in charge with “Aretha”. This is a can’t miss house rave-up and a reverent tribute to the Queen of Soul. I could be wrong but it sounds like Mercer has chopped up a series of vocal bites from Miss Aretha – one of his samples may be 1987’s “Rock-a-Lott” because part of the song reminded me of another song where it was sampled, The 49ers’ 90’s hit “Touch Me”. These vocal bites contain few words, and his tight editing lets Aretha go loose in almost like a wordless Ella Fitzgerald way. He’s matched the vocals with a fierce house mix, and the results are one ultra-cool record that many DJ’s will play at festivals and events through the summer.
I enjoy watching Sweden’s Melodifestivalen contest as well as EuroVision, because they are non-stop entertainment, and North American producers just don’t seem to be able to do that and rather focus on celebrity and a lot of in-between banter instead. I’m a sucker for an underdog, and this year “Bluffin'” by Liamoo was it. 24 year old Liamoo is the 2016 Swedish Idol winner performing this sophisticated, streetwise song. Though it finished third, if marketed properly, it could be a big hit outside of Sweden. It’s got the appealing hook, memorable melody, and that captivating vibe which made for a very entertaining performance. “Bluffin'” lost out to a great winner – Cornelia Jakobs’ wonderful “Hold Me Closer” – but it’s a song that has a lot going on for you to enjoy.
Quickly following up “Oxygen” with Victor Perry (currently Top 20 on my personal chart) is German producers Saxity with “Drink You Up” featuring vocals by New Jersey-based songwriter NEEL. It’s an infectious, day-dreamy kind of song full of positive vibes, enhanced by the producers’ distinct guitar and sax work. And more often than not they find top notch talent to work with. NEEL has an attractive voice that lends a soulful Bruno Mars kind of familiarity to the song, which he also co-wrote with Saxity and the super-prolific Robbie Rosen. He’s also a multilingual (Punjabi, Hindi, Marathi and more) philanthropist who raises funds for underprivileged children. Be sure to add “Drink You Up” to your regular feelgood pop/dance playlist.
For whatever reasons, “Everytime” is German dance producer PYNGU’s first release since 2019. Fortunately, although earlier and better known under the name Kyco, he’s returned as if he hasn’t missed a step. “Everytime” is a solid, bass-synth laden production that deserves to turn heads. There’s also some nice pedigree in the mix – the song is co-written by Denmark’s Boye & Sigvardt, who topped my personal chart late last year with “Microdose”. While the female vocalist doesn’t get credit, she’s expressive and gives the song its edge in its tale of frustrating heartache. But it’s really PYNGU’s rich, uniform production that’s the star of the show, making “Everytime” an easy choice for both dance radio and club DJ’s.
Edith is a fresh new voice who hails from Romania but moved to London as a child. Her influences are 60’s and 70’s pop/rock which lend themselves well to “The Day We Met”. The song’s sparkling melody, cheery vocal, and strikingly tight backdrop – think Gwen Stefani’s “Great Escape” era – put a sheen on a sometimes wistful reflection to good and important past times which we can never revisit. The conclusion I get from this is that we have those memories to always take with us, and no one can ever take them away, even if accompanied by some heartbreak where the person they were about is no longer a part of your life. “The Day We Met” is a promising glimpse of Edith’s talent, which will be showcased later in the year on her debut album In This House We Celebrate Heartache.
Regular readers of this blog will know of my enthusiasm for any new music by Australia’s Beamish Brothers over the last four or five years. The guys – Jeremy and Ben – always make interesting, thoughtful, well-produced songs with inspired arrangements which often have unique soulful or funky backdrops.
But the big reveal happened recently on Instagram where the two officially launched their solo side projects, Jude York and benjamin. And it was led by announcing Jude York would be a contestant at last week’s “Australia Decides” EuroVision concert with his new single, while benjamin got publicity for his single in the bright lights of New York City’s Times Square. So let’s check out both singers’ new songs.
JUDE YORK, “I Won’t Need To Dream”
“I Won’t Need To Dream” is a gorgeous ballad, inspired intentionally or not by 1930’s musicals, that is decidedly unlike the songs you’ve heard from The Beamish Brothers. But it represents tremendous growth for Jude (aka Jeremy) as you will see in the live clip from “Australia Decides” above. While he won’t be representing Australia at EuroVision, you just know that many music fans are going to remember this song and performance, which oozed so much charm, sung in a beautiful key with some resplendent high notes at the end. No wonder Darren Hayes (who was one of the evening’s judges) was impressed!
benjamin, “Tunnel Vision”
Just as you will recognize Jude/Jeremy’s precision and high notes from Beamish Brothers songs, you’ll recognize benjamin’s inviting earthier tones in a fitting soulful and jazzy alt.pop setting in his single “Tunnel Vision”. This is a confident and more logical follow up to Beamish Brothers singles like “Dollar At The Heart” and “Anxious”, with an undeniable groove and hook that runs through the song. “Tunnel Vision” would sound great early on in the evening in a club, where it would be a unique mood-setter, and I’d also pitch it to college and alternative radio stations looking for a snappy song to brighten up their playlists.
Ashwyn is a talented singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer who ditched a rising career as electronic dance producer Astra for more creative pursuits while still a teen. He’s released a series of very different singles over the course of the last year, including the warm and compelling “Sell My Soul”. Surprisingly, he’s returned to more of a pop/dance release with “Feelings of Yesterday”, but this is not your cookie-cutter overproduced dance music that clutters up the radio these days. He’s made a fine decision to create a memorable, beautifully sung song that’s actually meant to convey the feelings of isolation and loneliness as many people have felt during the pandemic. The song has such a great rhythm, perfect for a long drive along a beach coast or late at night when the sky is full of stars, that Ashwyn stops singing and lets it take over halfway, which allows your mind to wander and your feet to do their thing on a club dance floor should you be so inclined. “Feelings of Yesterday” is a distinct new emotional dance track that takes risks while being perfectly accessible. It’s from Ashwyn’s forthcoming EP of the same name.
If you want a song that will totally change your mood, then “Middle of June” by Manchester singer/songwriter Jessica Luise is just the tonic for you. It’s a dreamy, vibrant, optimistic song about falling in love. I enjoy particularly how Jessica has chosen a time of year, somewhere in the world, where the song takes place. In much of the world, June is a warm, sunny month and of course a favourite for weddings. Without even looking at the press materials, I found that Jessica sounded immediately similar to Harriet Wheeler of British group The Sundays, best known for the early 90’s hit “Here’s Where The Story Ends”. But “Middle Of June” will definitely help Jessica Luise carve out her own path with a trail of positive vibes right behind.
A rising talent to continue to keep an ear out for is Manchester, England’s Scott Magnus. I’ve introduced you to him through his earnest and compelling songs, the rousing “The Phoenix”, and “Break My Heart”. His latest release is “Don’t Take Away My Purpose”, and what you hear is what you get – this is straight up honest and heartfelt pop/rock guitar-led music which Scott wears proudly on his sleeve. His distinct voice can easily rattle you with emotion as he expressively sings his truth. Scott also juggles singing with modeling and acting, advocating for people with disabilities, and facing daily challenges as a person with ADHD, Autism and Dyspraxia himself, which makes this successful multi-tasking all the more amazing. “Don’t Take Away My Purpose” simply does not disappoint. The video for the song drops next week, and in the meantime you can check out the teaser short below.
In the not-so-long-ago, the enigmatic L.A.-based producer PatrickReza put his unique touches on other people’s work through remixes for most of the major dance labels, and then released some solo songs that got lost in the pop/dance spectrum. A few years ago he found his groove in the progressive electronic/dubstep genre, and has returned with the taut and dark “Tears” from his 3-song EP “Blood, Sweat, Tears”, featuring a song with each of those words. “Tears” to me is by far the most intriguing, with haunting imagery that recalls 90’s Massive Attack that would be interesting to see put into visual form. The deliberate but focused production keeps you hanging on whatever comes next both musically and lyrically, making “Tears” the kind of song that would instill a hush over a noisy crowd when played in a club or in concert. “Tears” isn’t for everyone but open-minded listeners with a bent for unpredictable electronic production will love it.
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