Two years ago, Toronto’s Dan Talevski was out to seduce us with mysterious R&B-flavoured ear candy like the riveting “Guilty As Sin” as well as “My Religion”. He’s back with this saucy bit of fun called “Birthday Suit”, and it leaves next to nothing to the imagination save for a well-placed bunny (oh yeah, the cap too). There’s little to dislike here – yet another on-point vocal, a fine arrangement, and invariably well-placed cuss words, with a funky rhythm that will keep your motor going long after the song is over. And I think that’s the idea. “Birthday Suit” could also benefit from some naughtier remixes, just sayin’…
JOEY NEGRO featuring DIANE CHARLEMAGNE, “Prove That You’re Feelin’ Me”
UK producer/DJ Dave Lee has recorded under the name Joey Negro for many years as well as a number of other aliases, and one of my favourite nu-disco songs of the 2000’s is his “Make A Move On Me”. After his successful Remixed With Love albums comes Produced With Love, and I’m looking forward to hearing this one like I did with The Freemasons’ album Shakedown (the first one) back in the day. If the songs are as beautifully reverent as “Prove That You’ve Feelin’ Me”, we will all have a great time! Joey captures the fine voice of the late Diane Charlemagne for this song – she was the vocalist on Urban Cookie Collective’s huge hits “The Key, The Secret” and “Feels Like Heaven”, but passed away in 2015. Her essence is kept alive in this fun song with a rich groove that is kind of an unintended sequel to CHIC’s 2015 dance hit “I’ll Be There” – no Nile Rodgers here but this throwback to their biggest hits is undeniable. “Prove” is a classic dance song that will beckon club goers to the dancefloor within a few bars. Check it out at the link above.
Joey Negro appears as part of Pride month at Toronto’s NEST on Sunday, June 25, 2017.
Germany’s Koni follows up one of my favourite songs of the year, “Mad About You” (featuring Danelle), with one more for clubs called “L.A. Luv”, also for Big Top Amsterdam. Like “Mad About You”, “L.A. Luv” has R&B flavouring courtesy of American singer Rakan, who effortlessly helps transport us to the west coast of sunshine and beaches. Koni emphasizes a bigger bounce in this one which will make it reverberate in those big speakers all the better. Or you can lay back in your deck chair with headphones on and keep that head bobbing. Check out “L.A. Luv” at the link above.
She’s a force on Australia’s Triple J radio, but producer/DJ KLP definitely has international potential with her own original “Changes”. It’s certainly one to play coming out of a quiet mix, with a dramatic 60’s-styled beginning followed by KLP’s own vocals which contain elements of Gwen Stefani. The song evolves into a sophisticated and anthemic floor filler which should be accompanied by the requisite bright, colourful lights and endlessly flowing bubbly in fancy glasses. “Changes” is one to watch so it’s best to give it a solid listen at the Spotify link above. Gotta like the 80’s Madonna-esque look in the photo artwork too!
The new chart is definitely shakin’ and stirred – many songs make big leaps while other favourites tumble. Yet there somehow is still room enough for four debuts.
I’m not sure if this has ever happened before on my chart in its 19 year history, but the both new #1… and the fastest rising song on the chart… belong to one performer, who happens to be L.A. indie singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor.
The Top 10
The sweet-voiced pop/R&B singer who tells it like it is climbs to #1 with a song that draws you in from first listen, “Wasted My Love” (up top). And not too far behind at #8 is his follow up, the lovely and resolute “Out Of My Head” (below), the fastest riser on the chart, soaring 21-8 in its second appearance. They are both free downloads for now so pick them up while you have access to them 🙂 Axel is a talent who won’t go unnoticed!
Also making a huge move 15-3 is a number one contender, “Attention” by Charlie Puth, becoming his highest placing song on the chart thus far. That R&B bassline seals the deal!
I still can’t get enough of Alesso’s “Falling”, which is up a notch 5-4.
The song that moves up 11-5 has a wonky kind of charm with its rhythm, matched up with a soulful vocal with a dash of grit, and a chorus that will get stuck in your head and stay there. It’s by Philadelphia duo NiGHTS with “P A R T Y”.
L.A. based producer/remixer Spirix is getting comfortable again in my Top 10, following last year’s #5 “Take Me Apart” and a #1 remix of Brandon Skeie’s “So Bad”. Paired with Floridians Xuitcasecity “Runaway” has a lot of charm and climbs 8-6.
L.A. pervades my Top 10 with Virginian transplant Eddy Faulkner obtaining his first Top Tenner here with “Cruel” moving 12-9. Though his voice is front and centre, I love the rich backdrop of production that surrounds it.
Movin’ On Up
It’s hard to stop listening to a song that’s been out for a while but has a killer vocal and rhythm track. That happens to be “Never Been Better” by young Dutchman Steve Void, which continues to rise, up 14-11.
One of the most downright intriguing songs of the year is “Silent Games” by German producers Lars Beck and Henri Purnell, with vocals from Honolulu native Zekt. Remixer UOAK recently gives it a lush deep house flavour while retaining the song’s mystery. Get it for free at the link below. “Silent Games” rises 20-16.
Martin Garrix and his Dutch bro Brooks move up 24-19 with their hard-to-ignore instrumental “Byte”. And joining it on the chart is “There For You”, with Martin’s other bro, one Troye Sivan, and it bows at #29.
The other two debuts from two weeks ago will be contenders in the coming weeks. I honesty never thought Shawn Mendes would appear on my chart but he’s here with the Bryan Adams-ish “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” up 27-21, while right behind it is the Saxena house remix of “Darlin'” by Welcome To The Hotel featuring singer Brandon Serafino, climbing 28-22.
Despite Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore’s own many chart entries, their duo Cosmos & Creature lands on the chart with an original, the total winner “Bad Drug”, at #26. CnC first appeared on the chart as featured in Vicetone’s “Bright Side” about a year ago.
Sweden’s Anton Ewald returns with just his first name but also with a very hot R&B-influenced song (and a flashy, all-Anton video), “L.I.L.Y.” (aka “Like I Love You”) at #27. It’s his first appearance in about two years, and all of his songs that have appeared in this chart have reached the Top 10. “L.I.L.Y.” looks like it could follow that trend 🙂
He’s played Spider-Man on Broadway, and both Dorian Gray and Rocky Horror’s Riff Raff on TV, but before all of that he was a NYC local with his brother in their band Carney. Reeve Carney finally has his debut solo album out called Youth Is Wasted. I got to see his set and meet the man a few weeks back, and “Truth” is a highlight from the set and the album, arriving at #28.
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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
If you like your dance music downright gritty and grimy then “Gestures” is for you. It’s aggressive, dirty trap from Austin duo Far and Few and Dallas’ Taylor Thomas. This is not the kind of trap that will annoy the hell out of you and make you want to shut it off after a minute. “Gestures” has a sinewy and funky undercurrent that burbles and sputters until the next surprise in the mix wins you over. Take earlier Nine Inch Nails and Ministry and douse it with contemporary European EDM and you have a mix worth diving into, so make your own gestures on the dance floor! And it’s well worth the sample – download it for free at the link above.
BOYE & SIGVARDT x MAGNÜS featuring UHRE, “Astronauts”
It’s one of the most ebullient and joyous songs of 2017, and “Astronauts” has landed! All of the fine pieces that have been put together to make this song happen just work so well. Like many other records these days, it’s an international collaboration with three Danes (producers Christian Boye and Christian Sigvardt, as well as versatile vocalist UHRE) working with a Scot (rising producer/remixer MAGNÜS), courtesy of Tipsy. UHRE’s gentle and poised vocal is a major highlight, filling the song with vivid wonder as the ttightly-woven music underneath swirls and soars to a chorus to which it’s impossible to stay still. After one listen “Astronauts” commands your attention and is guaranteed to stay with you for the summer months. Listen and groove to it at the link above, and pick it up on all major platforms.
L.A.’s house/dubstep producer Ghastly pairs with the ever-amazing Matthew Koma with a song that straddles pop and dance genres, “We Might Fall”, which also goes hard ‘n heavy when it feels just right. It’s one beautiful, anthemic, futuristic deep house song that showcases what this perhaps unlikely duo can create with the right song. For it’s all about zeroing in on the melody, the vocal and the message and less about being overpowered dazzling production with tons of effects – Ghastly has everything working harmoniously. Matthew’s voice really shines here, somewhat reminiscent of his earlier work such as with Alesso. “We Might Fall” is a song also to be played in concert just to see all of those cell phone flashlights glow. Be sure to listen at the link above.
LEVI & HARRY D featuring HANNAH YOUNG, “Wilderness”
It’s got kind of an obscure lyric to grasp on the first few listens, but “Wilderness” by Germany’s Levi and Harry D featuring singer Hannah Young will sink in for a number of reasons. Hannah’s vocal has got a unique flavour that might otherwise be found on a jazz recording, and it’s supported by a key focus on melody that’s driven by the bass instead of guitar or synths. So it gets a deep house groove using different tactics from producers who know how to mix it up. You already know Levi from these pages and my current chart, where his seamless collaboration with US vocalist Victor Perry, “Sail”, recently peaked at #3. “Wilderness” is a choice follow up that you shouldn’t miss at the link above.
Ever since I saw singer/dancer/choreographer Anton Ewald (now billed with his first name) perform “Begging” on Sweden’s Melodifestivalen contest in 2013, I always have thought he has potential for stardom outside of the Nordic countries. His latest, “L.I.L.Y.” has all the signs to make a big noise if it can get some traction. The song itself, which pretty much reiterates a verse from Justin Timberlake’s 2002 hit “Like I Love You” (hence also the title) as part of its chorus, is catchy enough for radio to play it next to Justin Bieber, Drake, and Shawn Mendes. But what this song has that others do not is a sophisticated vocal performance. It deftly recalls Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” era, and splices its influence mixed with JT and 90’s Jamiroquai and a softer hip hop vibe. You can feel the work that went into this one. Paralleling this, its video is 120% Anton, a bright and splashy effort directed by Victoria Fajardo, an American who happens to be Anton’s fiancée and also directed Anton’s spicy “Devil” earlier this year. She makes him look fabulous, no doubt about that. While “Devil” may have been an experiment that pushed boundaries, “L.I.L.Y” reels it back but takes it to a different level while doing so. Watch and listen above – hear and see why 🙂
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