Get down to Canadian dance producers Boogie Hill Faders @boogie_hill with “The Spot”

BOOGIE HILL FADERS, “The Spot”

Veteran Canadian producers Boogie Hill Faders are off on a 70’s disco tip with their latest single “The Spot”, which is from their forthcoming debut album The Formula.  They also operate separately as Nitro and Big D and they seem to come from the same place musically as fellow Canadians A-Trak and Chromeo.  “The Spot” is a tight production, guaranteed to make you groove, and if it samples a song or two of the past then it’s well-disguised.  Otherwise its feel-good rhythm is totally infectious, and, as clubs come back to life, “The Spot” is one to spin in a set to help get the crowd moving.

British rockers @Marlow_band carve out their own niche with “Blame It”

MARLOW, “Blame It”

“Blame It” is an engaging, high energy new indie alt.rock track by British quintet Marlow.  You’ll definitely hear comparisons to The Strokes or Noel Gallagher’s Flying Birds, in what is very tidy and powerful rock with an edge.  Vocalist Freddie has a world-weary side to his voice, and the anxiousness behind the vocal is what fuels ‘Blame it”.  Marlow hail from South Essex and don’t seem to fit the typecast of other rockers today, which is what makes “Blame It” stand firmly on its own and leap out at you from your speakers.

Canadian dance producer @RyShepherdmusic has your end of summer dance anthem with “All The Way Down” with Black Gatsby @BLKGATZ

RYAN SHEPHERD and BLACK GATSBY, “All The Way Down”

Who better to offer up a smashing end of summer dance anthem with a lot of house-meets-disco flourishes than Canadian producer Ryan Shepherd?  He does so in tandem with L.A.-based pop/R&B singer/songwriter Black Gatsby, who has recorded with Zed’s Dead and Chris Lake among others.  “All The Way Down” follows up Ryan’s recent success with “Hello Sunday”, a grower which was given new life through online Sunday performances by Ryan during the pandemic.  “All The Way Down” is about being your best ‘you’ and celebrating that in style.  It’s an obvious dance floor filler that will have fists pumping and people cheering on as we begin to take back our lives for some much needed fun times.

Ryan plays a “Hello Sunday Day Party” at Toronto’s Love Child Social House from 4 to 9 pm on Sunday August 29

UK-born singer/songwriter @TommyNewport is back with soulful and topical “Vanilla & Light”

TOMMY NEWPORT, “Vanilla & Light”

I first brought UK-born, Kansas-based singer and actor Tommy Newport to your attention this summer with his hip-hop flavoured track “Stargazer”, which features Grammy-nominated duo EARTHGANG.  “Vanilla & Light” takes a sidestep into 70’s soul with a melody and song structure that would not seem out of place next to music by R&B greats like Luther Ingram or Major Harris, and follows a reintroduction of this style to today’s audience by Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak through the recent “Leave The Door Open”. With an earnest falsetto intact, Tommy melds this backdrop with indie pop trappings and lyrics that spotlight individuals who struggle day-to-day with internalized thoughts, overthinking that they can never be good enough. So many young people with mental health challenges will be able to relate to “Vanilla & Light” and its unique presentation.  Tommy Newport is certainly one to watch in 2021/22. Check out the video, which he wrote and edited, above.

Meet Manchester alt.pop singer/songwriter @ScottMagnus9 with guitar-driven anthem “The Phoenix”

SCOTT MAGNUS, “The Phoenix”

From first listen, “The Phoenix” by new Manchester alt.pop singer/songwriter Scott Magnus will certainly grab you with its straight-forward melody and honest vibe. Repeated listens though allow you to probe the lyrics deeper when you learn that Scott is not only an advocate for people with disabilities, but has ADHD, Autism and Dyspraxia himself.  So while “The Phoenix” rising from ashes is a common image, Scott – who plays guitar and is also an actor, model and comedian – presents it as a signpost for his ongoing battle and for those who experience it with him, so that collectively that battle can eventually be overcome.  And he presents it so well, with a terrific vocal that highlights (instead of hides) his beautiful accent. “The Phoenix” comes from Scott Magnus’ upcoming debut EP Comeback Stronger, and I’ll certainly be looking forward to hearing more from him.

German producers @VaniceandBoujee return with rock-flavoured dance track “Closer” with vocalist Thomas Rodenbach

PAUL VANICE & DAN BOUJEE and THOMAS RODENBACH, “Closer”

“Closer” is the new fast-paced and uplifting dance single by German producers Paul Vanice & Dan Boujee, who return after a bit of an absence with a rock-tinged track that complements some edgy vocalizing by fellow German singer Thomas Rodenbach.  Though the song itself lyrically doesn’t offer anything new, “Closer” offers tight production that creates a driving melody that plays to the outdoor party life in summertime. Its rock flavours are welcome throwbacks to me to the 1982/83 new wave of A Flock Of Seagulls and Duran Duran, which you don’t hear too often in today’s dance music.  

Veteran dance Dutch producer takes us back with only kool vibes with “BTTF”

RUSSO, “BTTF”

Dutch producer Russo has been making music for many years and has been supported by just about every major DJ and producer.  With “BTTF” he transports us “back to the funk” of the 70’s with some kool Curtis Mayfield-types of vibes and then transports us through to the 80’s, where funk-meets-house and creates a happy union that will continue to last. The production in “BTTF” is slick and dance floor ready, and should be an easy sell to club DJ’s around the world.

“Sanctuary” is dynamic radio-friendly electronic dance from Dutch producer @Howenofficial and NYC singer/songwriter @RobbieRosenlive

HOWEN x ROBBIE ROSEN, “Sanctuary”

“Sanctuary” is on its way to becoming one of my favourite songs of 2021 for a variety of reasons. The pairing of relatively new 20 year old Dutch producer Howen and “American Idol” Top 16 finalist Robbie Rosen is fantastic and is representative of how a great record can be put together remotely these days. Making it even better, is the song itself.  While Robbie continues to crank out great music just about every week, this is one of his older songs but has been well worth the wait!  Its warm, welcoming, and caring lyrics and totally committed, passionate vocal make it rise up above its competition. Topping it off is the gentle melody which Howen works into a glorious house mix that includes many defining moments.  All in all, “Sanctuary” is one song you don’t want to miss.

Electronic dance producer @iamtheElephante is back with the rock flavours of “Holy Ghosts”

ELEPHANTE, “Holy Ghosts”

I’ve written about the music of Southern California-based producer Elephante many times in the last several years, and watched an evolution from a talented remixer and producer, into a vocalist and musician who continues to carve out his own lane.  While he hasn’t released much music over the last two years, we have been fortunate to see Elephante (aka Tim Wu) perform in a number of online concerts this past year or so, where he continues to show his confidence as a DJ/producer who is also now a singer and guitarist. “Holy Ghosts” follows up singles “High Water”, “Diamond Days” (on which he introduced his voice), and “Chameleon” (with Mako) right where they left off, with alternative rock flavours and melodies that have moved away from the bigger synth sounds of earlier releases. While the synths are cleverly restrained, the live instrument elements add a more personal richness to “Holy Ghosts”, which is about someone trying to escape his past phantoms/demons while seeking comfort and love from a special someone. I expect these singles are leading up to a third full album, which will undoubtedly be quite a different Elephante experience from his past releases.

Germany’s @thisisTheFatRat and Canadian singer/songwriter @iamRIELL take you to fanciful destinations in “Hiding In The Blue”

THEFATRAT and RIELL, “Hiding In The Blue”

“Hiding In The Blue” is an exceptional electronic dance release that straddles the line between future bass and fanciful, progressive-sounding pop/dance.  It’s not quite like anything else out there, which is a good thing, especially for fans of veteran German producer and You Tube star TheFatRat (Christian Büttner) and Canadian singer/co-writer RIELL. The sophisticated melody and arrangement take you on a sci-fi/fantasy ride into the sky, where it’s safe and everything is calm and right in the world while other forces terrorize your world and you wait for your lover to find you again and bring you home.  This is the stuff that cool movies and mini-series are made of, with instrumentation that sounds like it wants to transport you alternately backward and forward in time.  TheFatRat is accustomed to using powerful voices for his releases (such as Laura Brehm and Anjulie), and RIELL has been a familiar vocalist in the dance music genre for the last several years, so “Hiding In The Blue” ends up being a stellar showcase for them both.