“Holding You” in its original version is a chilled out but jazzy and soulful instrumental with some 90’s flavour by France’s Slowz. To enhance it for clubs, remixer/producer Stan Sax (one half of Germany’s Saxity) weaves his magic following up his edit of Fabian Luttenberger’s “Vague” by adding his insightful saxophone work to the proceedings, retaining its loungey/laid back approach but adding a romantic side to enhance its appeal. Clubs looking for the right song for early evening as the lights begin to dim will want to add this edit of “Holding You” into their mix. Download it for free at the link above.
MICKEY VALEN featuring NOÉ, “Meet Me” (Wait What remix)
After dazzling us with a riveting remix of “Supernatural” by Boombox Cartel & QUIX, Californian Troy Skinner aka Wait What returns, this time reshaping “Meet Me” by New York producer Mickey Valen featuring French singer Noé. I wrote about this song in the Fall, and in this remix, the sexy coyness is substituted with a variety of different EDM flavours to make it pop on the dancefloor. Some nifty trap/dubstep breaks surround a slower paced rhythm augmented with some fresh synths and instrumentation to alternately isolate the verses and then crank up the beat. It’s a pretty creative remix, and taking risks to make the changes standout are what it’s all about. Check it out at the link above.
As my bi-weekly chart heads towards its 500th edition in two weeks, it looks like the top of the chart will be shaken ‘n stirred a bit. I keep the chart to a Top 30 but my new music iPod playlist is around 80 current songs 🙂 Two Canadians lead the new list!
The Top 10
The Weeknd and Daft Punk score the top spot again with “Starboy”, which will cause it to rank highly in my upcoming Top 86 of ’16 list 🙂
The big question is, which song will follow “Starboy” at #1 in two weeks? Songs 2, 3 and 4 all make big cases to succeed it. Another Canadian, Halifax’s Famba, rises 3-2 with his funky and fun “Right Here Right Now”. L.A.’s Bobby Nourmand climbs 5-3 with his EDM and hip hop mix “D E E P In NY”, featuring rappers D.O.C. and Goodmorning. Both are above. And the venerable Pet Shop Boys score their second Top 5er this year with “Burn” (below), moving 6-4.
NYC’s Stefan Alexander’s “Skeleton” busts upward 9-6 – check out the intriguing new video below.
I had a little hand in connecting lyricist to performers/producers with the song “Brothers” which evolved out of the collaboration. Germany’s Saxity brought in Norway’s Strøm for the vocal, and the rest is history as the passionately performed song climbs 16-8.
The fastest riser on the chart is a vibrant and happy instrumental by Sweden’s Hellberg called “All The Way”, and it vaults 19-9.
The last of three new entries to the Top 10 is the infectious, 90’s influenced song “The Thirst” by Eric Sharp featuring vocalist Zhao, rising 14-10.
Movin’ On Up
Victor Perry is headed for his second Top 10 song on this chart with his brilliant soft piano-led cover of Everything But The Girl’s “Missing”, which moves up 23-14. Get it for free on his Soundcloud page!
It recently went to #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Play chart, but Tony Moran & Jason Walker’s “Say Yes” is so bright and bubbly it deserves to stick around for longer. It climbs 24-16.
Kid Cudi’s new album Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ should be an interesting listen if its lead single “Surfin'” (featuring Pharrell Williams) is any indication, and it jumps 25-17.
Canadian Felix Cartal is one of the most prolific dance producers/performers around in 2016. His uplifting single “Drifting Away”, featuring Ofelia K., rises 28-22.
Premieres
The Netherlands’ San Holo has offered up some often infuriatingly experimental progressive EDM of 2016, so it was intriguing to see him land near year’s end with a gorgeous chilled out pop record called “Light”, which arrives at #23. It’s also on its way up the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, where it resides in its Top 20 🙂 You can still get it for free, for now, via his Soundcloud page above. It’s also a feather-in-the-cap for new label Bitbird!
Molly Moore’s songs have a way of sticking in your head. So with recent outstanding remixes by teenager Pluto and duo-on-the-rise Telykast (both above and free downloads), “Imaginary Friends” (initially from her Now You See Me EP) began to resonate with me more. The song in all of its versions bows at #26.
Another teen debuting on the chart is Germany’s JPB, who has released a debut three song EP called For You, and the title song, featuring increasingly in-demand British vocalist Luke Cusato, debuts at #27 from the Heroic label. The song is also available for free download at the Soundcloud link above.
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
Listen for me with my Pick of the Week at 2:20/6:20/10:20 AM/PM EST onhttp://www.planetradio.ca most days Monday through Sunday, and my flashbacks to a Toronto Top 10 of yesteryear Tuesdays at 9pm EST!
I’m glad to see EDM performers and remixers involved with more philanthropy and supporting great causes, and a great example comes via Chicago’s Aryay and British remixer DMNO. A new high powered trap-fused future bass mix of “Never Gonna Leave” has arrived with a classic Chicago house sound at its roots. It’s not too relentless though as DMNO makes some sweet adjustments in the mix to tantalize your senses before you bust loose again. If you support the song then be sure to donate to Kids Off The Block, which will help at-risk youth get the support they need to keep them off the streets and out of harms way. Donate right here and download the song for free at the link above.
COYOTE KISSES featuring MADISON LOVE, “Waiting For You” (Nikö Blank remix)
“Waiting For You” by L.A. duo Coyote Kisses arrives with a quirky Nikö Blank remix, featuring vocalist Madison Love, which is designed to throw you for a bit of a loop. It basically sounds like Fifth Harmony got drunk and arrived to party at an EDM club. You’ll know what I mean by a rather odd beginning that belies how catchy and vibrant the rest of the mix actually is. Nikö Blank makes unexpected shifts and changes that work beautifully against the solid vocal. I always enjoy it when a straight-forward pop song gets turned on its head a bit – but not too much. The effects here are all restrained but cool and lots of fun. Check it out at the link above.
“Know Myself” is a slick, soulful, downtempo EDM ballad that deserves to be high on clubland’s radar when bringing down a set for some on the floor romance. It’s brought to us courtesy of relative newcomers, Denmark’s Owkey and British singer/producer Ashdown. It might take a few listens but you’ll find yourself drawn to the warm and rich production and the versatile vocal by Ashdown. The trap effects help build the attraction to the knowing lyrics to which anyone can relate. The Heroic label has an uncharacteristic winner with “Know Myself”. Check it out on Spotify above.
SHANE 54 featuring JENNY JORDAN, “Paradise” (original and remixes)
Hungarian producer Shane 54 captures a variety of EDM styles and elements in “Paradise”, featuring an alluring vocal by Jenny Jordan. He kicks up the Eurohouse flavour several notches with progressive big room elements that you might not usually find in a song like this, making it hit hard at times, which club DJ’s will absolutely love. He brings it up and down at all of the right times and it’s a breezy, involving 3 and a half minutes. A number of remixes are available too but Maddix gets a big two thumbs up for playing on the same song structure by revving it up with both progressive and retro techno vibes, highly complimentary to the original. “Paradise” has loads of potential and with Nettwerk Records on board you can bet a lot of activity will be on deck. Check out the original and remixes in the set above.
I’ve long thought “Day ‘N Nite” by Kid Cudi was a great song that ended up in a boring Crookers remix which became a huge hit in 2009, even more so in the UK and Europe. Toronto producer/remixer/musician Liam DeBoer has reimagined the song with nifty guitar work which provides a dominant rock flavour that you don’t find in many remixes. This doesn’t detract from the original flow of the song, but if you’ve ever thought of incorporating some head banging and fist pumping into a Kid Cudi song, well this is especially for you. It’s great timing both with the new Kid Cudi album “Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'” on release (featuring the fun single “Surfin'”) and more DeBoer originals and remixes set to breakout in 2017. Watch this blog for more details, in the meantime get DeBoer’s remix of “Day ‘N Nite” above for free (under “More”).
Australian production duo Sunset Child offer up some deep house with even deeper-down, richer and soulful vocals with “The More That I Love”. I’m not entirely sure if the vocals were manipulated a touch to sound like early 2000’s UK house music, but nonetheless I’m a sucker for this kind of voice which immediately made me think of Gregory Porter. And it’s a huge treat to hear a Charlie Mason/Daniel Volpe collaboration in this kind of clubby setting. “The More That I Love” has familiar flavour but with enough production differences and a classic club vibe to keep you very happy. It’s a winner destined for international club play! Listen above and pick it up at your favourite online store.
It’s one of the more compelling progressive deep house records I’ve heard in a while, and it may might cause races to the dance floor. Miami-based producer/DJ Alyx Ander brings us “Memories Of You” featuring Seattle-based vocalist Srey Davi. Unlike so many Dance/EDM records that are about escaping or burying the past, “Memories Of You” is reminiscent of an enticing affair where you can’t get that special person out of your head. Srey Davi’s vocal commands your attention, turning the emotions up as needed, while Alyx Ander’s mix showcases some terrific build ups to drops that you don’t want to end. It’s great to see Nettwerk Records supporting “Memories Of You” as they have a wealth of electronic music history tracing back to their humble mid-80’s beginnings which launched the likes of Sarah McLachlan. You can pick up “Memories Of You”, along with a half dozen remixes (below, including a playful Alex Preston remix, Alyx’s own slower “day by the pool” alternative, and Banx’s sizzling, mainly downtempo take) at your favourite digital store.
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 