alternative – Page 22 – BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

Check out 90’s inspired alt.rock from Toronto-based singer/songwriter @PaulManchin with “Gratification”

PAUL MANCHIN, “Gratification”

Post-grunge 90’s rock influences seem to be in store for a revival lately, and “Gratification” by Toronto-based singer/songwriter Paul Manchin is part of that inspiration. Often working in the background as a songwriter or musician, Paul has also released a number of his own albums over the years too, and many of his songs have received placements on TV. While it contains Beatles vibes particularly through the piano melody, “Gratification” also gives nods to artists like Smashing Pumpkins and Beck in terms of vocal style and guitar work. It’s certainly helped by crisp production by co-writer and Grammy winner David Bottrill, who has worked with not only the Pumpkins, but also Peter Gabriel and Rush. Paul’s voice has a laid back Billy Corgan-meets-John Lennon-esque tone with a soulful side, and even with a myriad of influences, “Gratification” sounds fresh and could easily find a place on alt.rock or college radio station playlists.

Amsterdam-based California R&B/pop producer/songwriter @_BlackSands takes you on an emotional journey with “Used To It” from the EP “Afterglow”

BLACK SANDS and MARTINO, “Used To It”

In “Used To It”, California electronic/pop producer/songwriter Black Sands (aka Andrew Balfour) concludes that while life will not be the same after an unfortunate and tragic event, he must move on, and thus takes us on an emotional foray with The Weeknd as his clear inspiration for his new music. The song comes to a stylized fruition thanks to L.A. R&B/pop vocalist Martino. Because of his voice, “Used To It” reminds me of The Weeknd’s music circa Starboy and My Dear Melancholy, which is some of my favourite music of The Weeknd’s career, all recorded in the aftermath of a breakup. The synths sparkle and create their own kind of twilight. Black Sands recorded his new EP Afterglow following the sudden death of his sister. And while the stories are bleak, they never come across that way at a distant listen. Listen closely though and you’ll grasp that Black Sands has achieved something far from ordinary with his new songs.

California pop singer @KaceyFifield returns with poignant “Ghost” with South Korea’s Little Rain, and synth-washed @AlessVanco remix of “Confused”

KACEY FIFIELD and LITTLE RAIN, “Ghost”

KACEY FIFIELD, “Confused” (Aless Vanco remix)

Through her ongoing work with singer/songwriter/producer Robbie Rosen, California’s Kacey Fifield is finding a nice niche with genuine-sounding alternative electronic pop that will appeal wholeheartedly to teens and young adults. Her most recent release, “Ghost” finds her teamed up with South Korean producer Little Rain, who has demonstrated his flair for beautiful synth melodies, such as in “Moonlight” (with vocalist/songwriter Devyn Rush). It’s a delightful pairing as Little Rain taps into the emotion of “Ghost” that allows the song to shine without being maudlin. Kacey’s down-to-earth vocal is appealing and will touch those young folks who can relate to the feelings expressed in this post-relationship story.

I previously wrote about Kacey’s Spring solo release “Confused”, which gets an engaging lift from Belgian producer Aless Vanco and makes the familiar sentiments of Kacey’s song sparkle with the addition of synth flourishes in all the right places. It’s easy to bury a vocal under effects but Aless Vanco capably balances the vocal, melodies and rhythm, and his remix helps to accentuate all of the fine features about the singer and her song.

British producer @ZenDubmusic brings drum and bass dance music to the fore again with “Invoke” from the new album “Enigma”

ZEN DUB, “Invoke”

“Invoke” is dance music for creative thinkers, as British producer Zen Dub pulls drum and bass melody and beats front and centre for the first time in a long while. Culled from his ambitious 10 track album Enigma, “Invoke” reminds me a bit of what Tritonal were trying to achieve with their Sanskrit mantra “Shivohum” last year. Zen Dub uses Asian influences to help make “Invoke” a unique experience, and the compelling vocal makes it more than just the average drum and bass electronic release. It’s as challenging as Disclosure’s recent releases, and the album title reminds me of the same-named 90’s project by German producer Michael Cretu which brought other styles and cultures to Top 40 radio with tracks like “Return To Innocence”. “Invoke” is a highly recommended step away from the big beats of today’s dance music and demonstrates enjoyable alternate flavours that are available for more progressive electronic music fans.

Here’s why #OpenDoorSessions curated by charity-driven @NeonOwlco is your go-to music networking event

I’m departing a bit from my usual blog post format to encourage musicians and producers to invest in some valuable networking through Open Door Sessions (ODS), which are curated by founder Elaine Huang and her team at Neon Owl. The Neon Owl team are taking their next virtual event on Saturday, August 21 to an amazing next level – they’ve invited key players and artists at Anjunabeats to participate in their panel discussion, on a production breakdown, as well as to listen to demos which have been submitted and selected in advance (the deadline was August 16).

But even if you can’t submit your demo this time, it’s worthwhile to purchase a VIP ticket (which includes a charity donation) to listen, participate, and hear some great unreleased music. Prior to the pandemic, ODS were held in person at a US location, so moving it online has opened even more doors to interested participants around the world who would not normally be able to attend in person.

It’s a bit lengthier a post than usual, but read along about my ODS experience and those of five artists. I’ve also featured a recent song by each artist.

My ODS Experience

I was sent an invite to Neon Owl’s April ODS by southern California producer Jay Bird, whose music I’ve been writing about for the last four years or so. The Neon Owl team has created a safe and respectful environment which is meant to inspire and inform rather than dissect and criticize. The panel discussion was interesting and positive, but the demo session in particular was well-organized, gave every artist who was selected a chance to shine, and gave the listening panel as well as participants the opportunity to comment on some fine music and engage with the artists to the extent that time would permit. I came away from this session wanting to get to know all of these folks better, and of course to attend future ODS.

To reinforce my illuminating experience, I engaged five previous participants, who could not speak highly enough about ODS.

Jay Bird

In 2017, Jay Bird was looking to launch his new brand and sought out like-minded blogs (including yours truly!), tastemakers, and other Soundcloud users. He sent his music to Elaine, who really enjoyed it and the vibe, so she asked him to do a guest mix for one of the Neon Owl social media channels. Jay then attended ODS in person in Oakland, since the topics of networking, getting shows, and improving as a DJ were of interest. He immediately felt like he was part of a special community, meeting other artists and Elaine, and making friends in the process.

“There was no ego, everyone was welcoming and approachable”, he recalls. It was a big step forward as he began to see how working with the right people can help you accomplish your dream through mentorship, modeling behaviour, and giving back to the ODS community. “I started as an attendee, and then came back as a panelist. It’s about inspiring artists and paying it forward”, he says.

A memorable moment came when Andrew Rayel said he could hear the demo he presented being played on the radio. “He even mentioned that someone like Kaskade would play it”, says Jay.

Jay’s networking skills also ramped up. He started curating a Spotify playlist (“The Birdhouse”) as well as an artist coaching program, which included new friends from the ODS community. “Be humble, edify other people, ask good questions. Create value for yourself to offer to other people”, he points out.

Jay Bird releases his latest single on Friday August 20 called “Have To Go”. Through a remix contest, he also has an unofficial remix of “Try” by MitiS currently available on Audius and Soundcloud, which he hopes will attract the interest of Ophelia Records (Seven Lions, Trivecta), or perhaps other similar labels.

Ashwyn

Next, I was very pleased that during my ODS experience, one of the artists who submitted his demo for review, Indian performer Ashwyn, immediately connected with me with his submission for consideration in my blog. That led to me writing up his guitar-laced pop/rock effort “Sell My Soul”, which took a few steps away from his earlier work as a dance producer who recorded under the name Astra. And he’s only just 20!

Ashwyn found out about ODS through Jay Bird’s Instagram feed and compliments “the warm, community driven feedback and insights into the music industry” that ODS offered him.

Importantly, “I learned about the different aspects of music marketing and how to build an organic fan base” and “got to talk to everyone in the VIP lounge”. He believes that ODS definitely encourages artists to express who they are, as that always comes from a deep and authentic place.

Ashwyn followed up “Sell My Soul” with the more progressive “Déjà Vu” and his next release is “more Indian and pop-driven” and “sounds like none of the tracks I’ve put out before”.

Rahat Rashid

Rahat Rashid is a dance producer and PR media strategist who records under the name Reznor. and will be a panelist at Saturday’s ODS. He has known Elaine for years and has been participating in ODS since their early days in the mid-2010’s. He’s continually amazed at the variety and quality of talent that has been participating in the events. He also reinforces the authenticity of the artists who attend, and how he always learns something new – this is not just for beginners.

“I’ve made some wonderful connections and even have found other folks I’ve wanted to collaborate with on future projects with,” he says.

There was a previous ODS which allowed participants to talk openly about mental health, and hear how performers like Christian Burns and SILVA overcame their own personal issues, which he found illuminating.

“I also can’t forget the time when Andrew Rayel gave feedback on my most recent release, “Feeling My Soul”, and shared some glowing feedback on the release, even saying he’d play the track on his radio!”

He has upcoming projects on his home base Scorchin’ Records, but also has a major remix coming out on a compilation album next month too!

SAKET

For someone who has to juggle family responsibilities and a full-time job and doesn’t consider himself good at networking, producer SAKET found out about ODS through social media hoping for some worthwhile comments about his music after 10 years of producing, as well as to assist with networking. Originally from India and based in Maryland, SAKET got more out of ODS than what he was expecting when Andrew Rayel gave him some amazing feedback, especially considering the demo SAKET presented was created with Andrew’s label in mind.

“His comments validated that I can actually make good quality music,” says SAKET, who plays to attend future ODS as a result of his positive experience.

For what’s next, SAKET says “This year I’m planning on establishing my other project, T3KAS, I really wish I made music which is completely different than my SAKET project that focuses on trance music. Under my T3KAS project, I have already signed multiple tracks to the label run by The Disco Fries, and a couple of tracks to another label in the UK . I have at least 6 to 7 finished songs but I’ll start pitching in the coming weeks.”

Danny Fathom

San Francisco-based DJ and producer Danny Fathom found out about ODS quite by accident. Another artist, Ducka Shan, asked him to attend with him, and Danny found his first session had a great environment that was full of approachable people. He has now attended five ODS, and describes them as good containers for people to interact or network and hear demos.

Attending ODS for Danny has helped improve his self-confidence immeasurably. “You’re in the same room as big artists who can listen at your level”, he says. In fact, through one of the sessions, he got one song “Owen” (above) signed through another artist and attendee, Ram, though it needed some work and was ultimately improved with the help of another producer. In February, Sacha Robotti of Dirty Bird Records thought the demo he submitted was a lot of fun and asked if he could work with it.

So while Sasha works away at his demo, Danny also recently got to open for Tritonal – twice! You can see photos from those shows, hear clips of his demo, and another new song called “Wanting You” on Danny’s Instagram feed.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for the next Open Door Session on Saturday, August 21! I will be attending again, and you can find all details including cost and what charity will benefit from your payment at http://www.neonowl.co/opendoorsessions!!

#BILLCSTop30 #620 – August 16/21

The current fast-moving pop music climate reminds me of the 1970’s. Back then, songs were usually off and on local radio station’s charts within 12 weeks, especially during the early 70’s. A&R and promo reps at record companies would start to promote a new song by a major artist and there was an understanding with radio stations that once previous hit song was starting to decline, it would move off the chart quickly in order to allow the new one to chart. That didn’t last long because by 1973 songs began much lengthier stays on radio charts, and in the late 70’s, because of the advent of rock-oriented FM radio, the average length of time had likely increased to 14 or 15 weeks for a Top 30 chart. So my new chart had yet again another new #1, my 10th of the year. Back in 2019 and 2015, I only had eight #1’s for the entire year.

Also, make sure you read about my ONLINE RADIO AFFILIATES (see details after the post) – all kinds of online radio announcing projects now keeping me busy!

Cash Cash are already out touring to support their album Say It Like You Feel It, so I’m sure if you hit up one of those shows you’ll likely hear “The Feels” which features a scorching vocal by singer/actor Alex Newell, and is my new number one song!

Right on the heels of “The Feels” is “Can’t Stay Away” by Sweden’s Darin, which becomes his personal best on my chart, moving up 3-2.

The first of three songs to arrive in the Top 10 is the first one for Ed Sheeran, whose “Bad Habits” advances 12-6.

The Fastest Riser on the chart for the second time in a row is the multi-lingual smash by Sofi Tukker and Amadou & Mariam called “Mon Cheri”. It’s culled from the Red, Hot + Free album (whose proceeds all go to charity) and climbs 19-9. It’s Sofi Tukker’s 4th time in the Top 10.

Moby takes “Natural Blues” to the Top 10 for the second time – it first happened with the original version peaking at #5 in 2000. Featuring amazing vocals by Gregory Porter and Amythyst Kiah, the “Reprise” version rises 14-10.

Toronto soulful indie pop singer CMagic5 moves up 16-12 with her single from the album Ready To Run called “Love Me If You Can”.

“Back To You” is one catchy dance song that will make you want to move in whatever way you wish! As recorded by Chicago’s Aash Mehta and Charlotte’s ephem, it busts a big move itself by climbing 22-13.

“Again” is a cover of the 2017 release by Noah Cyrus and XXXTentacion which, to me, has been outdone by a triad of relative newcomers to the music scene. The amazing vocal is by NYC’s Jessica Chertock, the producers are Russian duo Purple Guns, and the rapper/vocalist is Young Jae from Florida. “Again” soars 23-14.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had a really high debut on the chart – above #20 anyway. But this song so deserves it – “Sanctuary” by new Dutch producer Howen and “American Idol” finalist Robbie Rosen. Not only will it inspire you to get your groove on, but it’s also got a really warm vocal by Robbie, who also wrote the song. “Sanctuary” (above) bows at #16!! Robbie is also on the chart with Canadian producer Kayliox up 27-22 with “Don’t Want Perfect” (below).

British rocker Sam Fender has an anthem for young folks that is really hitting home with that target audience. “Seventeen Going Under”, from his upcoming album of the same name, climbs 25-19.

The second debut on the chart is “Never Going Home” by French producer Kungs at #24. Of course Kungs (aka Valentin Brunel) is most noted for 2016’s enduring “This Girl”, a song that I now adore, but for some strange reason I really didn’t get to know it until way after it peaked, so it never landed on my chart. But “Never Going Home” has a quirky, fun edge that I’m really enjoying too.

Next up at #26 is the killer combination of Canadian producer Felix Cartal and British singer/songwriter Karen Harding with “Only One”. It’s culled from Felix’s recent album Expensive Sounds For Nice People. Felix also appears as one half of Glass Petals, whose “Heartbeat” just peaked at #5. “Only One” is Felix’s 5th chart entry (including the Glass Petals release), while it is Karen’s 4th in the span of a year!! “Undo My Heart”, which reached #1, debuted on the chart a year ago today!

Premiering at #27 is “Life’s Okay” by Russian dance producer Marava and Canadian singer/songwriter Eadie. “Life’s Okay” has a unique mix of dance beats and alt.soul vocals, but it’s also one of the best feel-good songs of the summer.

The 5th debut at #28 is the dynamic pair of Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Damon Sharpe and the always dazzling Disco Fries with the potent rhythms of “15 Minutes” (and its fun video above). Damon previously appeared on the chart as part of Elephante’s “Age Of Innocence” back in 2016, while “15 Minutes” marks The Disco Fries’ 4th appearance following “Give It Back”, which got to #1 earlier this year.

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! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify: BILLCS Top 30 Songs

Check out and ‘like’ the BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

ONLINE RADIO AFFILIATES

Radio GTA – listen to The Big 20 from 10pm to Midnight EST as “The Musicman” James Rogers and I bring you the latest in new songs mixed with classics and songs you haven’t heard in a while. And on Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 6pm I bring you “Your Weekend Music Mix” six hours of commercial-free music from the 2000’s including many song choices from this blog.

Halton Hills Online – “Your Weekend Music Mix” has a second home on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 8pm to Midnight! It’s a different mix from Radio GTA’s show, and like that one it is also commercial free, proudly brought to you by Symposium Cafe Restaurant & Lounge in Georgetown, Ontario!

Planet Radio Canada – Now back in action, listen to the “3D Variety Show” with “The Musicman” James Rogers. I’m featured every Tuesday between 7 and 7:30 pm with my New Music Pick of the Week, and I also join occasionally for looks at music from our past through some live segments.

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.

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.