Tag Archives: electronica

Chicago’s Pete Cho @petechosen makes an auspicious debut with “Howlin'”

PETE CHO, “Howlin'”

It was a rather pleasing and unexpected surprise to get to enjoy “Howlin'” by Pete Cho recently.  Pete is a Korean BBQ restauranteur from Chicago turned pop/dance artist who also writes and produces his own music.  And if you’re going to do it then you may as well go big and bold with help from the likes of Dino Zisis (Lady Gaga’s “Applause”).  “Howlin'” sounds great and of course has just arrived in time for Hallowe’en.  That means there’s a spooky video with a few twists, and Pete had his hand in writing it too.  “Howlin'” has a solid overall sound with a lot of punch in its beats that generates appropriate suspense without overkill.  The uncredited singer has a good voice too which adds to the atmosphere.  Check out the video above – you’ll want to hear “Howlin'” again and play it for your friends 🙂

“Flags” by @Shoffymusic (feat. #Yuna) is a low-key start to a fabulous debut album

https://soundcloud.com/shoffymusic/flags-feat-yuna

SHOFFY featuring YUNA, “Flags” (free DL)

Shoffy’s debut album may be one of the best and most understated dance music records to arrive this year, all in a very good way.  I really need to dig deeper into it to write more about it, but I’ll start with the unity-themed lead off single “Flags”, featuring R&B singer Yuna, available for free at the link above.  The singer I’m going to compare L.A.’s Shoffy to is Troye Sivan, not because of similar voices or styles, but for someone who has found his sound, which Troye did on last year’s huge Blue Neighbourhood.  Like other recent finds like Lauv and Kid Froopy, Shoffy has a natural, likeable voice that flows beautifully with his music as well as his singing collaborator.  The overall sound is a low-key electronic delight, one that will stay with you through subsequent listens.  Not all dance music has to result in big bangers, and Shoffy in the two years has been part of some interesting releases by others until he made the Billboard dance/electronic chart last year with “Takes My Body Higher” .  Check out “Flags” for now and I hope to feature more of Shoffy’s songs from his album soon!  

Shoffy’s upcoming east-west US tour starts in NYC on October 11 at the Mercury Lounge.

L.A.-based @Lash_music has silky tropical vibes with “I’m Gonna Be There”

LASH, “I’m Gonna Be There”

Lash was once a duo but it’s all Kelvin Beato now as he reveals his new single “I’m Gonna Be There” for Enhanced.  It’s quite a lovely story of commitment through ups and downs, skewing more of a pop side than what you might find in clubs.  And what’s most attractive about “I’m Gonna Be There” is the gentle, silky tropical vibes that can only come from someone who grew up with it all around him – Kelvin is native to the Dominican Republic.  “I’m Gonna Be There” is familiar but fresh and holds a lot of promise as a breakout for someone like Kelvin who grew up with adversity at his doorstep and is now flourishing through some pretty cool music.

Come out fighting: @itsKasum returns with “Burned Bridges”

https://soundcloud.com/kasum/burnedbridges

KASUM, “Burned Bridges” (free DL)

If you’re going to take a bit of a break to finish off school and then come back even stronger, then you can use “Burned Bridges” by NYC’s Kasum as a great example.  Not only has Kasum (aka Brandon Weiss) offered the song as a free download for you, but it takes a bit of a nostalgic turn both vocally and melodically into Blink-182/Sum 41 territory, while staying rooted in dance music.  So it’s electronic pop with a punkish side, but the attitude is all about fighting to leave what’s buried behind you in life and getting on with things for the better.  Reminisce about those “Burned Bridges” with Kasum but expect to be bopping along and smiling in the end 🙂

 

Italy’s @Flyboy_official rides the big wave that is @Krewella with his remix of “Team”

KREWELLA, “Team” (Flyboy remix) (free DL)

Italian producer Flyboy – not even yet 20 – definitely has a great ear for leaving his imprint on a song, even if it happens to be the ever-reliable Illinois duo Krewella with his remix of “Team”.  This one will leave you spinning with all kinds of whirling synths and effects to perfectly match the fresh attitude of the lyrics and vocals calling out the haters.  But Flyboy knows his limits and how to place catchy synth riffs without them driving you crazy.  Flyboy is getting a lot of notice of late, through Spotify and Sirius XM, particularly in France, where some of his music has been picked up by none other than the prestigious Parlophone label through Warners.  This remix of “Team” is only near the beginning so there’s still lots of time to watch Flyboy soar 🙂  Download “Team” for free at the link above.

“Do Me” ignites Afro-pop dance rhythms from @itsFrankPierce featuring @MilesB_yeaaaa

FRANK PIERCE featuring MILES B., “Do Me”

Hearing African rhythms blended slickly with international dance and pop styles is quite refreshing in the latest from western New York producer/songwriter Frank Pierce with “Do Me”, featuring vocalist Miles B.  The flavours in “Do Me” come from Nigeria, and they are definitely joyous, a fusion of African pop and familiar dance hall sounds.  The song stands out with its buoyant, unconventional polyrhythmic beats and cheerful synths, which are guaranteed to make your body want to let loose.  “Do Me” has a funky side to it and a soulful, but the overall result is irrefutably pop which would fit happily alongside songs from Major Lazer.  If you’ve heard his recent collaboration with Nick Peters on one of my current faves “No Love In Brooklyn”, then you know that “Do Me” is another good reason to get to know more of the music of Frank Pierce.  Once again from Tipsy Records in conjunction with Epic Oslo, “Do Me” is a whole lotta fun and delivers the goods!

Perfect getaway: “Sun Goes Down” by @officialKoni & #Jeongwoo featuring Toronto’s @LiliannaWilde

KONI & JEONGWOO featuring LILIANNA WILDE, “Sun Goes Down” (free DL)

“Sun Goes Down” is a logical follow-up to German producer Koni’s irresistible “Mad About You” (featuring Danelle) from earlier this year.  Relying on a similar and distinct vocal from Toronto’s Lilianna Wilde, “Sun Goes Down” is about the time to make your perfect getaway for romance, fun or whatever.  Like a number of Koni’s songs, this time in collaboration with mystery collaborator Jeongwoo, the overall sound is bright and resonating with easy-to-enjoy tropical flavour.  Koni knows his audience and hones his craft well, and besides “Sun Goes Down” there’s more new music coming down soon to enjoy.  Get “Sun Goes Down” for free at the link above while you can 🙂

#BILLCSTop30 #518 – September 18/17

Lots of songs on the rise will change the top songs in the next month or so, and there are three debuts 🙂

The Top 10

  • Bright Light Bright Light’s “New York Pretty” leads the chart for a 4th appearance (8th week).  He has done this before THREE TIMES with “Love Part II” in 2010, “Waiting For The Feeling” in 2012, and “An Open Heart” in 2013/14.  “New York Pretty” is tied with The Chainsmokers and Coldplay’s “Something Just Like This” for most time at the top in 2017.  and BLx2’s Billboard Dance Club Play hit “Into The Night” (below) climbs 10-8 this week too!

  • Staying at #2 for a second appearance is Toronto’s Loud Luxury with Nikki’s Wives and the catchy bass sounds of “Show Me”.  Both groups are touring with Nikki’s Wives bowing in London, Ontario this week.
  • The fastest riser on the chart belongs to Mahalo and Cat Lewis, obtaining their third Top 5 song on the chart with “Perfect” vaulting 15-4.  It will battle with “Show Me” and CVBZ’s “Be Like You” (#3) for #1 in two weeks.  Mahalo and Cat Lewis hit the Top 5 earlier this year with “Be My Love” (#5) and “WTFYWF” (#3), and their other recent collaboration of “Heaven” (below) continues to climb 19-13!
  • Toronto’s Dan Talevski collects his third Top 5 song on this chart with the endless fun of “Birthday Suit” climbing 9-5.  “Guilty As Sin” got to #3 in 2015, and it was followed by “My Religion” (#5).

  • L.A.’s Lauv will be touring with none other than Ed Sheeran in Asia very soon, as “I Like Me Better” continues to make new friends and rises 12-9.

  • Those of you who enjoy the new mystery band Terror Jr. will have a chance to catch Iowa’s Kid Froopy as the opening act on their tour.  The Kid’s exceptionally produced “Drive Slow” moves up 14-10.

Movin’ On Up

  • Matthew Koma’s “Suitcase” breaks loose from lower chart numbers and soars 17-12 and is headed for the Top 10.
  • The Florida-based Tipsy label’s partnership with Epic Oslo is working with stellar new songs like “No Love In Brooklyn”, which has a great singalong chorus.  It’s by French producer Nick Peters paired with American Frank Pierce and with vocals by American Scott Vega, climbing 20-14.
  • “Gold” by Ricky Remedy and John.k rises a big 26-16, thanks to slick production and amazing vocals by John.k.  In fact John.k has already followed it up with a new song “OT”, which you can hear below.
  • What more can I say about the songs from Carlos Nobrega’s The Art Of Making Love?  A dedicated following has provided him with great chart numbers in Europe and has sent so many new visitors to this blog, over 80,000!  The charge started with “You (It’s All About You)” (above), the blog post of which is now my 3rd most viewed – but the blog post for the album is now most viewed at over 36,000 views!!  The song climbs 27-18, as a new instrumental from Carlos’ other project, Almageddon is released, “Almageddon: Madrid”.  This time it’s accompanied by a picturesque video of the famous city where he lives.  It debuted at #1 on the Spanish new age chart this past week.  Check it out below.

  • Steve Void and Syence move up with their touching joint collaboration to support anyone who’s down.  “We Won’t Leave You” rises 25-20.
  • The melodic but crazy dubstep of “Anesthetic” by San Diego’s Convulsic moves up 28-22.

Three Debuts

https://soundcloud.com/latchmeresound/need-your-heart

  • A new current favourite of mine that blends in contemporary electronic dance sounds with early 90’s classic house is “Need Your Heart” by Australia-based British producer Latchmere, from his debut indie EP Lovedrunk.  It bows at an impressive #23, ahead of some major major names and deserves your support 🙂

  • Sam Smith has such an amazing voice even if “Too Good For Goodbyes” as a song is weaker than some of his past hits, nonetheless it premieres at #26.  Sam has got to #1 here four times, all in 2014, with “Money On My Mind”, “Stay With Me”, “I’m Not The Only One”, and his collaboration with Disclosure on “Latch”.  The video arrives tomorrow!
  • Arriving on the chart for the first time is multi-Grammy winner Skrillex in collaboration with producer/songwriter Poo Bear (aka Jason Boyd), who co-wrote many songs on Justin Bieber’s Purpose album as well as classics like 112’s “Dance With Me” and Usher’s “Caught Up”.  The free download remix by scrvp. of “Would You Ever”, which gives the vocals and song an entirely different effect from the original, arrives at #27.

View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

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 🙂

Planet Radio Canada is on hiatus and will return http://www.planetradio.ca 🙂

“Be Somebody” is more unique and touching encouragement from Oregon’s @CVBZmusic

CVBZ, “Be Somebody”

Throughout 2017 so far, there are few singer/songwriters who have surprised me more than Oregon’s CVBZ.  And it’s not like his music totally won me over at the first few listens.  The great thing about songs is they get stuck in your head and sometimes the rest of their intentions strike you later.  Such is the case with “Be Like You”, which in its Sean Turk remix is one of my favourites of the year so far.  Following up “Be Like You” and the bold and risky “Vicodin” is third single “Be Somebody”.  Like both songs, it’s full of earnest sentiment that comes from a place deep down where you can fill lyrics with both encouragement and well screw that attitude.  So many young people can relate to these lyrics and I hope “Be Somebody” can find its way through the maze of a today’s music scene to get to the listeners who need it the most.  Musically, its big electronic sound is the right backdrop for its lyrics, and some remixes might help follow up the success “Be Like You” has had with dance music lovers.  Check it out at the link above.

NYC duo @djSHADESmusic gives electronic inspiration for clubs to “Moonlight” by @GraceVanderWaal

GRACE VANDERWAAL, “Moonlight” (SHADES remix) (free DL)

After receiving praise for their remixes this year for the likes of Betty Who, SHADES are back with an unexpected electronic reinterpretation of “Moonlight” by Grace VanderWaal.  Grace, as you likely now, was last year’s winner of America’s Got Talent at age 12.  Her debut album for Sony “Just The Beginning” is coming this Fall and has been preceded by some singles such as “Moonlight”, which definitely recalls singer JoJo at around that age.  But with different current inspirations like Lorde, Grace’s style veers more towards alt.pop. SHADES definitely see the potential for clubs as they fill “Moonlight” awash with uplifting synths, transforming the alt.pop leanings for club goers in the process.  The song is more than suited for a deep house style, with fine drops and other moments that work completely well.  Download it for free at the link above.