L.A. progressive electronic and dance producer The Prizm recently unveiled his debut self-titled album. It seems to be a conceptual piece about the search for a mysterious and important woman or entity called “ID”. I previously wrote about the lead-off single “Hello” featuring pitched up vocals by singer McEwen. The albumwill definitely appeal to those who enjoy Illenium in particular but other artists like Ekali, Crystal Skies, and Trivecta, and is tightly packed at only 32 minutes long. But the standout track is “Her Symphony”. The soothing female vocal honestly just gets stuck in your head and the song has a nuanced, almost classically-based melody. It’s also not quite like what the other artists I’ve mentioned are creating, so appropriately it really stands out.
Right after the release of the album came an almost instantaneous release of “Baby Do”, featuring Maryland’s RapperJayCee. It’s completely in a different space than the music in the album. “Baby Do” is a radio-friendly earworm that draws from late 90’s and early 00’s europop like Alice Deejay and marries it with a likeable rap style that you might hear in releases by Big Sean and definitely Drake. It’s also got a positive message about ‘just doing you’ – no need for phoniness when you’re trying to attract someone’s attention. “Baby Do” is a real surprise and well-worth hearing – because you’ll keep playing it!
Don’t worry, it’s not a dance version of the Buffalo Springfield classic! The UK’s Tiggy Hawke and producers Sondr (who recently brought us their own unique spin on Eiffel 65’s “Blue” called “So Blue”) pair up for “For What It’s Worth”. It’s a bright, positive, crystalline-sounding slice of dance/pop that might need a few listens, as it did with me, before it sinks in. It’s a nice blend of melodic and tropical house vibes carried by Tiggy’s distinct and knowing vocal, which doesn’t sound an awful like other singers from England. Dance music radio should enjoy this one and it’s clear that its record company Armada definitely believes in this song, which also has the potential to resonate at spring and summer festivals.
What’s there not to like about a song that goes right for the gusto with “ay yippie oh ki yay” and a banjo within its first 30 seconds? NYC singer/songwriter Reigen has another zesty, soulful winner with “Wild Nights”. I enjoy its unbridled enthusiasm which will become more affecting in the summer months. The underlying piano is charming and Reigen is hardly uncomfortable when he breaks loose into a higher vocal range. The results may sound straight-forward but I must say I enjoy all of the layers in the song as well as Reigen’s always entertaining voice. Check out the video for “Wild Nights” above.
Following up the intriguing “Enter The Grid” is the equally tantalizing “Concrete Jungle” by progressive electronic producer Kantor. He’s also created a new launchpad for DanceDanceRevolution which you can witness in the above video. I really enjoy how this song builds and then lets loose with its frenzy of synths and effects. I can’t comment on DDR, because I know little about it, but know that its fans will find the video of great interest. “Concrete Jungle” could also use another video perhaps that depicts nightlife in the big city. Its future bass style isn’t as heavy as that of someone like Wooli and favours progressive electronics instead. Fans of that sub-genre will undoubtedly be completely satisfied.
German producer Levi and NYC Victor Perry are back to dazzle us again with the enchanting new single “Lost Boy”. The pair previously reached #3 on my chart in 2017 with “Sail” and also brought us the bubbly “Moonlight” not long after. “Lost Boy” is more of a natural follow up to “Sail”, alternately gentle and captivating thanks to a familiar, bassy deep house rhythm carried by acoutic guitar work (reminiscent of Mako’s “Breathe”) over which Victor weaves his vocal magic. “Lost Boy” quickly draws you in and keeps you there with its affecting chorus “I’m a lost boy with a treasure of gold, and I’m trying to find my way home” hitting the emotional chords. The song also has tremendous club potential which I think could be unlocked even more by some remixes.
NYC producer Adam Kahati has the flair to create bright and easy-to-digest dance/pop, and his EP 2:25 has five shining examples of what to do right. You won’t hear a lot of splashy effects because they would take away what these solid songs have to offer. Adam surrounds himself with fine vocalists – you already heard Gabi Sklar last year in the standout “Tell Me”, and there’s also the crystalline voice of Danielle Goz in the country-tinged title song, Danni Carra and rapper Ben Beal in ‘Because Of You”, Jess Meilman in the gentle but club-worthy “Fall Into Place”, and an uncredited winner in another previous single, the tropical-flavoured “Let You Go”. But everything is spot on – all of the songs are positive and agreeable and, of course, danceable. Sure it’s not for those who like their dance music full of heavy drops and big synths, but trust me when I say that the songs in 2:25 will definitely leave you with a big smile on your face.
BROOKLYN THE KID and CONRADO MULUC, “Thinking A Lot”
I don’t write a lot about hip hop as I’m not an expert in that genre, but I do know a good song when I hear it. DMV-based rapper with Latin roots Brooklyn The Kid impresses with “Thinking A Lot” featuring fellow rapper Conrado Muluc. The song takes a well-rounded sampling of hip hop styles post-Lauryn Hill and takes us back on a retro trip to the time of Digable Planets and Arrested Development. The jazzy-Latin backdrop is incredibly inviting and the verses by Brooklyn and Conrado, a likeable M/F combo, flow freely, stream of consciousness-style. “Thinking A Lot” certainly deserves your attention for all it has to offer in its loaded 2:41 length.
Last week’s new music schedule was simply ferocious. There was so much new music to hear that I felt quite overwhelmed. I still haven’t digested it all, but in the spirit of sharing more of what I listen to on a regular basis outside of music that is sent to me for review, I’ve created a new Spotify playlist!
The BILLCS Viral Weekly is here 🙂 Some of the songs will change every week, particularly those by bigger name artists, and it will always include a mix of newer and independent artists with those who are more popular. Check it out below, and then on to the new chart!
Harry Styles obtains his second #1 on this chart with the totally charming “Adore You”. “Lights Up”, the lead single from Fine Line, reached the top last November and tumbles off the chart this week after the requisite maximum 10 appearances (20 weeks). Harry’s still back-to-back with Zayn as the latter’s outstanding vocal on R3HAB and Jungleboi’s “Flames” slides to #2.
Autograf and Jared Lee climb 5-3 with the classic house of “Ain’t Deep Enough” (above), while The Weeknd’s UK #1 “Blinding Lights” (below) rises 6-4. You can hear his latest song “After Hours” in the Viral Weekly playlist above.
“Better Day” (above) by Vancouver’s Young Bombs with the distinct voice of Aloe Blacc climbs 14-6. And Young Bombs have something in common this week with the artist at #7 – besides being Canadian – who is Famba with “Storm” (below), featuring Kyra Mastro. Young Bombs have in fact remixed Famba’s new single “I Feel Your Pain”, featuring David Aubrey, to spice up the ballad for the dance floor. You can also check it out below as well as on the new Viral Weekly playlist!
ZEROBADDAYS and Victor Perry land in the Top 10 at #8 with the sweet and soulful “Starlight” (below). It becomes NYC-based Victor’s 5th Top 10 as either a solo or featured artist. ZEROBADDAYS is usually the saxophone half of the German production duo Saxity, who themselves have been in the Top 10 twice, including once with Victor on 2018’s “You Found Me” – which also reached #8!
The third song to jump into the Top 10 is “Mirage (Don’t Stop)” by Jessie Ware at #10. It’s from her upcoming album What’s Your Pleasure, which will also feature a song released last week called “Spotlight”. And yep, you can hear it in the Viral Weekly playlist above!
The Fastest Riser on the chart is the previous chart’s highest debut, “Backfire” by Italy’s Deep Chills with L.A. singer Not Famous. It’s a tropical house-pop charmer to which anyone can relate, with an impressive vocal by Not Famous that will get stuck in your head. It soars 21-12.
Also not to be discounted is Arty’s “Daydreams”, featuring singer Cimo Fränkel in a Sultan + Shepard ‘echoes of life’ remix, which rises 18-13.
I must now skip to the five debuts on the chart which are all quite impressive in their own right.
Leading the pack is Whethan and grandson’s alternative dance concoction “All In My Head”, which arrives at #25. It’s from Whethan’s upcoming full album called Fantasy. Whethan previously charted in 2018 with Broods and “Be Like You”, which reached #8.
Also returning with plans to keep his Top 10 streak intact is UK singer/songwriter Sam Dickinson with the slick and soulful “Diamond Skin” at #26. Sam’s forthcoming album is called Off Script and is due in October.
Although I’ve seen him perform a few times over the years, this is the first appearance on this chart for British Columbia’s Shawn Hook. “I Don’t Wanna Dance” (#27) is a stunning new pop/dance track released by Ultra Records, and could prove to be not only a radio hit but another dance club hit for Shawn, following 2016’s #1 club smash “Sound Of Your Heart”.
Renown in electronic dance circles and a Grammy nominee, Porter Robinson lands on the chart at #28 with the thoughtful and emotional “Get Your Wish” from his upcoming album “Nurture”. And yes, that is Porter’s vocal, an adapted, effected, androgynous voice that he intends to keep for future releases. And when you’re such a well-respected wizard in the dance genre, you pretty much have a ticket to do what you want, so I’ll look forward to more vocal tracks by Porter!
The fifth debut is a no-brainer for dance clubs because it’s by Don Diablo! The song is “Congratulations” at #29 and features vocalist Brando, who is also at #24 on the chart with “Look Into My Eyes”. It’s the Don’s second entry on the chart following last year’s “Fever” (#15).
A reminder that the music from my chart and blog are featured regularly on the new online radio station Radio GTA. You can hear their Big 20 on Wednesday evenings with ‘The Musicman’ James Rogers and listen for songs from the chart too 🙂 Scroll down the station’s main page to listen to lots of variety from across the decades! I’m the new music consultant for the station so you can expect even more in 2020 🙂 You can start by joining our new interactiveFacebook group too!!
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs
“Killed The Love” follows last summer’s Top 20 rock radio hit “Lights Out” with more potent Canadian rock and roll from the quartet Bonds of Mara. This is tight and tidy rock that will sound even better in concert. Joining guitarist/vocalist Sal Costa (Smashing Satellites, My Darkest Days) and bassist Dave Benedict (Default) in the band now are vocalist Bryan Crouch (from Hail The Villain) and drummer Daryl Ralph. Produced once again by Default’s Danny Craig, “Killed The Love” doesn’t let up with the urgency that is so much needed in rock and roll today to stand out. Bryan is a worthy successor to Brian Byrne (who co-wrote the song and had to bow out of the band for personal reasons) with his memorable and cutting vocal. Though only two songs into their career, with their reputation as a fan favourite that collectively sews together the audience of their past groups, Bonds Of Mara is well on its way to being a Canadian treasure that could also see significant exposure in the American market once more songs are released. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Bonds Of Mara! Listen to “Killed The Love” below.
Amid their current tour, Bonds Of Mara plays The Music Hall in Oshawa, Ontario, tonight (see ya there!) and the illustrious Horseshoe Tavern on Thursday March 5.
I’ve been writing about Norfolk, England-born James Poole for many years now, after his exit from a well-established UK boy band and through a phase of You Tube videos of covers and original songs that never saw official release (shhh, you can still find some of them on You Tube if you look hard). The constants throughout this time have been his thoughtful songwriting, his strong and diverse voice, and his unpredictability, with songs alternately mixing serious subjects (the delightful “Perfectly Me” and “I’ve Started Fuckin’ Someone Else”) and funky/electronic whimsy (“Goodness Gracious”), playful falsetto vocals, and one HELL of a ferocious scream in the cathartic “I Am Lion”. All of the songs within Humanity have been released as singles since 2017, so it brings everything together in one package for you to enjoy. Aside from the aforementioned four songs, “Faith”, “I Got What You Need” and “Lost”, another worth revisiting is “If I Were The Devil”, which offers rock guitar, banjo and a clap-along rhythm amid a spry mix in which James is clearly having a lot of fun. As always, I look forward to whatever new songs James creates next. His is talent worth savouring in all of the music in Humanity, below.
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