Tag Archives: alternative

#BILLCSTop30 #532 – April 2/18

The tides are changing now that Spring is here as new favourites overtake older ones.  While we have four debuts this week on the chart, there are two songs that reach the maximum of 10 appearances – “Pineapple Skies” by Miguel (#1) and “Body” by Loud Luxury and Brando (#2) – and will depart the chart in two weeks.  We could have a slew more debuts in two weeks so watch for them.  In the meantime, chart #532 brings a new #1 while other contenders rise up as well!

The Top 10

  • The new #1 belongs to L.A.’s Alex Seaver, otherwise known as Mako, with “Breathe”.  It’s such a compelling performance and keeps you attuned all the way till the very end, and Alex can bring it in concert too.  “Breathe” also happens to be the most charted title in my 20 year chart history – 6 times – but this is the first time the title has reached #1!
  • Soaring from 8 to 3 is Norwegian singer/songwriter/ Dyrisk with “Smile”, featuring production by the UK’s Nik Ernst.  “Smile” is such a different, dark song, full of attitude and so reminiscent of alt.electronica from the early 90’s by Massive Attack and Radiohead.  
  • Another song that continues to get under my skin in all the right ways is “I Want You” by Robotaki and Manila Killa with vocalist Matthew John Kurz.  In its intense Spirix remix it climbs 12-6.  That matches the peak of Matthew’s only other previous chart entry, “Fix Me”, in 2011, while producers Robotaki and Manila Killa are both chart newcomers 🙂
  • “Perfectly Me” is UK singer/songwriter James Poole’s song about positive body image that will have you cheering gleefully with its embedded influences that seem to range from Mika to Queen.  It moves up 11-8.

  • The fastest riser on the chart is UK Top 10 smash “17” by MK (producer Marc Kinchen), which zips into the Top 10, rising 19-9.  It’s also an overdue dance club smash in North America, and should by all rights be a radio hit too.  The uncredited vocals, by the way, are by UK soul singer Carla Monroe.  MK’s Miami Music Week sets were all the buzz when I was there recently.
  • Also new to the Top 10 is “Prisoner” by Bobby Nourmand featuring UK R&B singer Laurent John, climbing 14-10.  It marks Bobby’s fourth trip to the Top 10, with new music just released and itching to be heard 🙂  I had the pleasure of witnessing Bobby’s masterful set at the Potion Records showcase at Miami Music Week.

Movin’ On Up

  • Kudos for Vancouver’s Ekali and all of his recent appearances at Miami Music Week.  His recent single with ZHU called “Blame” rises 16-12.
  • Sofi Tukker are keeping busy with touring and remixing as the April 13 release date of their album Treehouse approaches!  “Baby I’m A Queen” may be their best single yet and it flies into the Top 10, up 26-17.
  • What do you do when you’re a successful act like Years & Years, leading into your second album release with a strong song and video like “Sanctify”, but get New Order’s own Bernard Sumner to remix it!  “Sanctify” climbs 25-20, check out Bernard’s remix as well as French producer Michael Calfan’s more uptempo “Prayer” remix at the link above.  I also caught one of Michael’s excellent DJ sets at Miami Music Week.
  • Dutch production duo The Him just wrapped their recent North American tour, which means that more new music is on its way soon.  In the meantime, I got to see their engaging set at Miami Music Week, and their latest single, the soulful “White Lies”, rises 27-21.

Four Debuts

  • Yes I continue mention Miami Music Week!  It was an interesting experience that I would repeat 🙂  A song I fell in love with in a DJ set one night was “Satisfy” by French producer Mercer and featuring Chicago vocalist Ron Carroll.  I didn’t know that Mercer was from France and honestly all I could think of at the time was 70’s disco by fellow French producers like Cerrone and Don Ray, married with contemporary house rhythms.  The pace is relentless and the vocals rich and on point – just the way I like a record!  “Satisfy” bows at #22.

  • Although I didn’t go to the Ultra Music Festival, The Chainsmokers blew away the naysayers about their latest songs with what I heard from others was a dynamic performance.  The uncharacteristic “Sick Boy” slides 6 to 4, while the hip hop influenced “Everybody Hates Me” debuts at #24.  Do not underestimate The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me” will have you singing when you need to vent.

  • In an unexpected collaboration, Philadelphia singer/songwriter ROZES (she of ever-recognizable The Chainsmokers’ “Roses” vocal) and Dutch dynamo Nicky Romero released “Where Would We Be” recently, and this true-to-life song arrives at #27.  It’s the first appearance for both on the chart.  Above is their recent performance on TV’s “Conan”.
  • From his excellent album Ultraviolet, 3LAU (that’s pronounced “Blau”, as in Justin Blau) gets his first chart appearance with “Walk Away”, featuring LunaAura.  This memorable new song should prompt you to listen to the whole album in full, well worth your time!  “Walk Away” bows at #28.

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 new BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

“Be Like You” dazzles with the pairing of Chicago’s @Whethanmusic and New Zealand duo @Broodsmusic

WHETHAN featuring BROODS, “Be Like You”

What “Be Like You” is only going to do is… make you want more!  At 2:41 it’s way too brief a taste of what kind of a pairing can blossom like rising 18 year old Chicago producer Whethan adding alt.charmers Broods into the mix.  The melody is actually pretty dark and gritty for the dance floor, while Georgia’s versatile vocal adds a melancholy fascination that hints at obsession.  And then, that’s that.  Really.  I think this will be a Spring mid-evening favourite for Club DJ’s but some top drawer remixes could really expand on the song and give us more – longer versions! – of this radiant teamwork.

#BILLCSTop30 #531 – March 19/18

A changing chart makes it anyone’s guess as to what will be #1 in two weeks – even I don’t know 🙂  While there are a lot of songs on the rise, my focus in this post is on a selected few of note as well as four debuts which charge in to make their presence known!

The Top 10

  • Troye Sivan’s “My My My!” is glued to the top for a third appearance (sixth week), so we’ll see in two weeks if it can stay atop.  Two weeks ago I brought you the Cash Cash remix.  Finally, the much awaited remix by fellow Australian Throttle is on deck below.

  • Mako’s “Breathe” is also benefiting from some remixes as it glides up the chart from 5 to 2 to challenge “My My My!” in two weeks.
  • A number of new peak positions occur for some fabulous songs in the Top 10.  Dave Edwards & Mark Asari’s “What We’re Made Of” (above) slides to #3; Miguel’s “Told You So” is up a notch to #5 (below, and ohhhh what a concert that was last week!); Mika’s “It’s My House” also rises to #9; and Reigen’s beautiful cover of “Dreams” by The Cranberries becomes his second Top 10 song following 2014’s “Come Back To Me” (#2).

  • The Chainsmokers packaged a trio of singles into a new EP:  the outstanding “Sick Boy” (above, up 9 to 6) plus “You Owe Me” and now “Everybody Hates Me”, which some ‘Smokers fans are either saying it’s the best or worst song they’ve ever done.  I really like it – give it a spin below.

  • The fastest riser on the chart becomes the third entry in the Top 10 for Tipsy Records.  It’s the mysterious and progressive “Smile” by Norway’s Dyrisk featuring British producer Nik Ernst.  It makes short work of the chart, climbing 22-8!!

Movin’ On Up

  • UK singer/songwriter James Poole closes in on the Top 10 as his song about simply being you, “Perfectly Me”, rises 16-11.
  • Right behind me is the collaboration of Quebec’s Robotaki and Washington DC’s Manila Killa featuring Floridian vocalist Matthew John Kurz in the heart-wrenching “I Want You”, moving 17-12.  It’s set afire by the remix by L.A.’s Spirix, still available for free download.  But Robotaki released a fantastic new song at the end of last week called “Butterscotch” which is totally unlike anything he’s put out before, and Drake, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller fans will be swooning – check it out below.
  • L.A.’s Bobby Nourmand is playing The Magician’s Potion showcase in Miami Music Week on Friday March 23, and no doubt will be spinning his latest soul-drenched effort “Prisoner” featuring UK vocalist Laurent John, up 20-14.
  • Toronto’s Francesco Yates was kind of a last minute addition to Justin Timberlake’s Toronto and Montreal shows last week, but an amazing opportunity nonetheless.  His new single, the seductive “Come Over”, climbs 27-20.

Four Debuts

  • It was just a little over 25 years ago that Marc Kinchen reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart with “Always”.  He was also responsible for the key remix for The Nightcrawlers’ classic 90’s hit “Push The Feeling On”.  The much-respected producer and DJ known as MK got his first UK Top 10 hit with the soulful banger “17” earlier this year, and now it’s setting out to do the same in North America, first tackling the club charts.  “17” bows at #19.

  • UK trio Years & Years return to the chart with their fifth entry, their first since late 2015, the tantalizing “Sanctify” at #25.  This bodes incredibly well for their upcoming second album!  Y&Y are an absolute joy in concert thanks to tight performances and Olly Alexander’s down-to-earth presence on stage.  Check out the conceptual video above.
  • Following their surprise Top 40 pop hit “Best Friend” along with The Knocks, NERVO and Alisa Ueno, NYC duo Sofi Tukker are back on this chart for the first time since their Grammy-nominated hit “Drinkee” in 2016 with “Baby I’m A Queen”, from the upcoming album Treehouse.  Like with “Drinkee”, it’s the guitar hook in “Queen” that seals the deal.  So glad to see these nice folks with all of their success.  “Baby I’m A Queen” arrives at #26.
  • Just as the enduring and inspiring “Everybody Hurts” tumbles off the chart, Dutch duo The Him lose no momentum with their latest single “White Lies”, bowing at #27 with new remixes also on deck!  If you’re at Miami Music Week, The Him are performing about a half dozen shows, including at Ultra, so you don’t want to miss them!

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 new BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

Love drunk: @YoungRisingSons rock out to “Whiskey”

https://soundcloud.com/youngrisingsons/whiskeyyrs

YOUNG RISING SONS, “Whiskey”

New Jersey alt.rock trio Young Rising Sons have honed their band skills over the past few years touring to support the likes of The 1975 and Halsey, and are now coming to attention with songs like “Whiskey”.  The band comes from the same indie record source (Dirty Canvas) that brought us American Authors.  “Whiskey” features an appealing story that could be easily translated into a video, when someone falls hard for someone to the point that you’re high on the infatuation, ‘love drunk’ so-to-speak.  The guitar and synth-fueled melody keeps the pace moving while the vocal is nothing less than convincing and would probably be much stronger and edgy in concert.  So if you’re an alt.rock fan who like an electronic flair in the music, best watch for Andy, Julian and Steve when Young Rising Sons come to a city near you.  Check out “Whiskey” at the link above.

NYC’s @PrinceFox returns with his unexpected singalong cover of @JimmyEatWorld’s “The Middle”

PRINCE FOX, “The Middle”

Billboard was so impressed with Prince Fox’s take on Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” that they gave it a premiere.  And no wonder – his spin on the 2001 alt.rock and pop classic takes the song down a notch or two, taking away none of its original charm – it was in my Top 10 Songs of 2001 (and I am notoriously skeptical of covers of my faves!).  Prince Fox offers an earnest vocal while turning it into a singalong, because you all know the words to it after 17 years, right? 🙂  “The Middle” should not be confused with the current Zedd/Maren Morris/Grey hit, and clubs that play current and retro pop and rock will have customers turning their heads to find out who sings it.  Prince Fox provides one of the most genuine surprises of the year, a song that many think would be untouchable now covered with full credibility.  Give it a full listen up top.

Uplifting “Better” is the latest from L.A.’s @PhilGoodsmusic

PHIL GOOD, “Better”

L.A. singer/songwriter Phil Good has a great way with lyrics and music as you will find with the catchy singalong “Better”.  It even has an anthemic bounce to make you dance and sway as well!  But regular readers of this blog know that I’m quite fond of the Sean Turk ‘bedroom bass’ remix of his song from last year called “Sleeping In” – perhaps about a little more than just sleeping in, if you know what I mean 😉 – which was followed up by the knowing “Growing Up”.  “Better” is a sincere song whose intent is to make you stand up and cheer, and perhaps pass on some good advice to someone going through a rough time.  Phil Good makes thoughtful indie pop at its finest and is one to watch.  You’ll find yourself smiling as you listen to “Better” up top.

L.A. based producer @DennyWhite has a winner of a soulful voice in “Torn Up”

DENNY WHITE, “Torn Up”

He’s already been the voice of songs by the likes of Fedde LeGrand, Michael Brun & Rune DK, and Tiesto, so it seems only natural that Denny White should be the star of his own songs.  The L.A. singer/songwriter/producer definitely has a winner with “Torn Up”, which showcases the wide range in his soulful pop vocal with an emotional edge.  It’s a solid song that would otherwise find its way to the likes of people such as Nick Jonas or Jon Bellion in time, and you can hear influences perhaps from Maroon 5 and Coldplay in the mix.  While it stands on its own perfectly well, I’d be curious what a dance remix would sound like for “Torn Up”, given Denny’s house-worthy connections.  But “Torn Up” is definitely a great showcase for what pop audiences want to hear from a diverse singer like Denny White.  It’s available for your listening pleasure up top.

#BILLCSTop30 #530 – March 5, 2018

Spring is on its way and the new chart is pretty stuck on a number of songs.  So while there are three new entries, you can expect more changes in two weeks before I am Miami Music Week bound.

The Top 10

  • Troye Sivan’s “My My My!” secures a second appearance tightly ensconced at the top.  We did see the first official remix arrive, by the fantastic duo of Cash Cash, and it’s perhaps a little different from what you might expect, more chilled out than the original.  Check it out below.
  • If you want an uplifting song with a unique melodic hook, then listen no further than to “What We’re Made Of” by NYC’s Dave Edwards featuring Britain-based vocalist Mark Asari, climbing 5-4.

  • Mako gets his second Top 5 hit with “Breathe” moving up 7-5.  “Smoke-Filled Room” reached #3 two years ago.
  • Off to see Miguel next Monday, so fittingly “Told You So” moves up 10-6 from his stunning War & Leisure album.  Can’t wait to hear it all in live performance.  It was super that he got to sing the winning song on the Oscars from the animated film CoCo called “Remember Me”.

  • It’s such a different song for The Chainsmokers with on-point lyrics too.  “Sick Boy” bounds 14-9 making it Alex and Drew’s 6th trip into this Top 10 🙂
  • Mika moves up 12-10 for his first Top 10 entry since 2010 with the inspiring and inclusive “It’s My House”.

Movin’ On Up

  • Italian producer Big Fish has a brisk, fun and unassuming dance song with “Moves” featuring American vocalist, landing just shy of the Top 10 up 13-11.

  • Some K-POP continues to flourish on the chart as superstars BTS climb 18-15 with “DNA”.  
  • The fastest rising song on the chart belongs to UK singer/songwriter James Poole, who I am so glad to see back making original music after a bit of a hiatus, much different from when I first heard him in 2014-15.  And it’s even better because he’s found a goldmine with his positive message of “Perfectly Me”, and I’m happy to get behind the song 100%.  It soars 23-16.
  • It’s a quadruple threat:  Producers Robotaki and Manila Killa along with powerhouse vocalist Matthew John Kurz came up with the solid “I Want You”, then remixer Spirix amped up the emotion.  The remix climbs 22-17.  Check out Matthew’s new solo song “Dreams In LA”, below.
  • Bobby Nourmand’s new soulful dance hit “Prisoner”, featuring British singer Laurent John, should be well on its way in two weeks.  For now it rises 26-20.
  • Right behind “Prisoner” is Ekali and ZHU’s memorable “Blame”, climbing 27-21.  Check out NGHTMRE’s recent remix below.
  • Finally, Toronto trio Keys N Krates jumps 29-24 featuring Tory Lanez in the singalong “Music To My Ears”.

Three Debuts

  • One of the most unexpected, clever pleasures of the year is the alt.electronic vibe of “Smile” by Norway’s Dyrisk featuring British producer Nik Ernst.  It recalls to me some of the best music made by the likes of Massive Attack in the 90’s, and this update is out of the ordinary but very cutting edge.  Watch for this one in the coming weeks.  It bows at a high #22.  Nik Ernst himself previously appeared on the chart in the summer of 2016 with “Stronger” (#13) in its Steve Void edit.
  • It just reached #1 on Billboard’s Club Play chart, and “All Falls Down” by another Norwegian, Alan Walker, featuring both Miley’s sis Noah Cyrus and UK vocalist Digital Farm Animals on vocals arrives at #26.  It’s hard to believe Alan’s most famous hit “Faded” got to #3 on the chart just a little less than two years ago.
  • Another returnee to the chart is Toronto’s Francesco Yates, who to me is a superstar talent in the making.  Smashing it domestically with “Better To Be Loved” (#6) and “Sugar” (with Robin Schulz, #11) internationally just under three years ago, his latest song is the Spanish-flavoured “Come Over”, which bows at #27.

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 new BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

 

 

“Tough Love” is jazzy pop diversity at its best from @missMollyMoore

MOLLY MOORE, “Tough Love”

The lush sounds in “Tough Love” shouldn’t be overly surprising considering L.A. based singer/songwriter Molly Moore has dabbled in classics like “Come Fly With Me” on one of her EP’s and contributed to trumpeter Ryan Svendsen’s “Orange Tree Leaves” last year.  “Tough Love”, her first offering of 2018, does go heavy on alt.jazz flavour amid synth flourishes and a crisp vocal that’s more akin to a rock recording.  This is why Molly’s talents are so in-demand, through her other quite different work with beau Brandyn Burnette on his songs and their Cosmos & Creature project, as well as for others, including K-POP sensations EXO.  “Tough Love” is not about throwing everything into a recording but the kitchen sink.  It’s a consciously diverse offering that once again showcases Ryan Svendsen’s recognizable trumpet playing.  Rest assured that it’s a complex and fine introduction to what will come next in 2018 for Molly Moore – as always I am completely engaged 🙂 Add “Tough Love” to your Tasty and Diverse pop playlist using the Spotify link above.

Meet mystery newcomer @Vincent_Pine with engaging indie alt.rock of “Perfectly Familiar”

https://soundcloud.com/vincent_pine/perfectly-familiar

VINCENT PINE, “Perfectly Familiar”

I’m going to let Australia-based singer/songwriter Vincent Pine be an enigma for now to let the highly engaging “Perfectly Familiar” stand on its own.  It’s rich-sounding, straight-forward, guitar-oriented indie alt.rock with a striking and convincing vocal that might appeal to those who enjoy performers like James Bay, The 1975, or Jake Bugg, but also seems to draw unintentionally on late 80’s sounds familiar to fans of bands like Stone Roses, The Railway Children, or House Of Love.  It’s an interesting side project for the performer, who is also becoming known under another name as a splendid electronic dance producer.  “Perfectly Familiar” goes down really easy, as you will find by listening to it at the link above.