Just when I think that 2015 can’t be loaded up with more fine singers and new music, and along comes Chicago-based singer/songwriter Lucien Dante with “Black Water” from his release Our Of We,available for free download right here (I am unable to embed the link). This is a young man who is able to marry real-life experiences, largely from living overseas in Germany, to his art, and is thus able to touch the listener profoundly. I still have to listen more to “Black Water” to figure out what it’s all about, but the strikingly subtle production, which becomes quite powerful towards the end, compliments the singer’s refreshingly shy-sexy-confident vocal that has the ability to draw you in and keep you there under musical lock and key. Think of him being somewhere between Jeff Buckley, Bon Iver, and Matthew Koma… what a unique artistic space to find him in! I will be delving more into the Our Of We release in the coming release and I expect to rave on further about Lucien Dante. Below is also the first song I heard from him, “Spark” (alsoavailable as a free download right here) which is in a different more EDM setting, but look past a sometimes busy production for the unique vocal performance. Lucien Dante is one-of-a-kind and you can’t say that about many singers in these contemporary days when so many fine voices pervade social media.
THE KNOCKS & MATTHEW KOMA, “I Wish (My Taylor Swift)”
I’m loving the tropical flavoured vibe that is infusing some pop and EDM songs lately. The songwriters creating them seem to have found a natural fit for this style. “I Wish (My Taylor Swift)” by producers The Knocks with go-to-guy Matthew Koma on vocal captures it in a lazy hazy kind of L.A. beachfront way, using the “1989” superstar as point of reference for the girl of one’s dreams. This is a song that will go down even better after a few drinks in the sun, when it will become an immediate singalong! Remixes could also turn it into a dance club and rave favourite, since both The Knocks and Matthew Koma are already established in those arenas. Lay back and set your mind adrift and make your wish! 🙂
Sometimes it just takes a great fit between music, lyrics, and vocalist and voilà! a hit is born. There should be no question that the latest by veteran pop singer Nathalie Archangel, “A Higher High”, should swirl its way into dance clubs and become a national hit. That would be a fine achievement for the talented singer whose first releases were back in the 80’s. After a long hiatus, she released a couple of pop records along with some songs designed for dance clubs (such as 2011’s still glorious “Next To Me” from the Ballroom Remixed compilation). “A Higher High” is as sweeping and uplifting as the similarly R&B-flavoured Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” (mashup, please??), owing much to the talents of collaborators, her good friend Charlie Mason, and the amazing Crush Boys (Daniel Volpe and Thomas Lipp). Can’t wait to hear the remixes, many brought to us by the same kind folks that scored a Top 5 Billboard Dance Club Play hit with remixes of Rozalla’s first chart hit since 1994, “If You Say It Again”.
“Cake By The Ocean” by new quartet DNCE must have been brewing behind the scenes for a while but exploded seemingly out of the blue on to social media a few weeks ago, so I wanted to give it a bit of time to sink in before writing about it. I was a fan of songs from Joe Jonas’ 2011 solo album Fastlife – not the singles that were released from it but rather the deeper EDM/R&B-influenced songs like “Make You Mine” and “Not Right Now” which featured some excellent vocals that reinforced my opinion about the singer’s talents. So DNCE has allowed him once and for all to break free of the Jonas Brothers’ Disney-confined sound and life, much like brother Nick did with his solo album last year. “Cake By The Ocean”, with its slinky riffing, anthemic/shouty chorus, and some not-out-of-place swearing, kind of takes you to the Fastlife side of Joe (who is now 26 😮 ) that his solo album wanted to be. He’s helped out here by guitarist JinJoo Lee, bassist/keyboardist Cole Whittle (a familiar face to all of you Semi-Precious Weapons fans while that band is on legal-imposed hiatus), and Jack Lawless, once a drummer with the JoBros. It might be a battle for this to get attention at radio, but “Cake By The Ocean” should certainly be embraced by clubs especially if there are remixes coming. I definitely admire this new start for Joe and his band.
The top of the chart continues to be difficult to dislodge though that will likely change in October. For we have an impressive debut in the Top 10, and a fast riser from one of the last chart’s debuts. Two debuts are also album cuts where I dive deeper into the album hoping for additional singles 🙂
The Top 10
Uno, dos, tres, quatro… Y&Y, Brandyn, Nathan, and PP, once again all comfortably atop the chart.
I thoroughly enjoyed Years & Years in concert last week. They were able to pretty much replicate the songs from Communion, with “Shine” (my current #1), “Real”, “King”, “Memo”, and “Foundation” all standouts, plus a cover of Blu Cantrell’s 2003 UK #1 “Breathe”. Olly Alexander has a genuine and affecting stage presence that will take him far 🙂
A definite contender for the top of the chart is “Pain Told Love” by Tribe Society featuring Kiesza, which climbs 9-6. It definitely marks the transformation of the former pop/rock Gentlemen Hall into the darker and thoughtful alt.rock songs of Tribe Society.
It baffles me why this song isn’t being played in every club everywhere, but “The Other Boys” by NERVO featuring super-friends Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears, and Nile Rodgers, advances 11-8 from the dance production duo’s album Collateral.
Just can’t get enough of songs by The Weeknd right now. My fellow Torontonian is now at superstar heights, with three almost sold out dates in November at Toronto’s own Air Canada Centre. “Can’t Feel My Face” climbs 14-9.
Another Torontonian, Tommy Paxton-Beesley, definitely has created some of his best music for his brand new EP as River Tiber called When The Time Is Right. He’s shifting from progressive alt.rocker to an inventive mix of EDM, rock, soul, and hip hop. No more is that evident on the new River Tiber single “Let You Go” (up top), which bows at #10, following the #2 “No Talk” also included in When The Time Is Right. “Let You Go” is River Tiber’s 8th BILLCS Top 30 entry which includes two previous #1’s “Someday” and “The City”. Simply not to be missed – and a contender for #1 on my chart – get When The Time Is Right on iTunes! 🙂
And now for a bit of BILLCS chart geekery: “Let You Go” arrives in the Top 10 at the same time as “Let You Go” by The Chainsmokers & Great Good Fine OK is at #5. It’s the first time two different songs with the same title have been in the Top 10!
Movin’ on Up
After a wonderful set at his release party last week for his debut album Yesterday, Tyler Shaw makes no hesitation to weigh in as the Fastest Riser on the chart with “Dizzy” soaring 21-11.
While UK brother duo Disclosure continues to unveil new songs from their upcoming album Caracal, their partnership with Sam Smith continues to build with “Omen” rising 18-12.
NYC duo (a five piece band in concert though!) Great Good Fine OK are both Top 5 with The Chainsmokers on “Let You Go”, and Top 15 with their pairing with St. Lucia on “Something To Believe In” from the EP 2M2H. The busy and prolific GGFO premiered their new richly produced song “Take It Or Leave It” on Soundcloud last week (below).
I absolutely adore the mystery of a Jane Badler song! Her latest single from Opus, “Dead Eyes”, is dollied up in a well-matched remix from Eel Eye to put the mystery front and centre. “Dead Eyes” climbs 22-18.
Matthew Koma’s delightfully punkish stab at lovelife, “So F**kin’ Romantic”, moves up 24-19. The singer’s new album is finished, can’t wait to hear what’s been in the works now for so long.
The Rest of the Debuts
Three additional songs premiere on the chart.
Following up the sensual intrigue of “Guilty As Sin”, which peaked at #3, Toronto’s Dan Talevski continues his audio seduction with “My Religion”, which in turn is featured in another sexy video. Ain’t nuthin’ wrong with that! And the beautiful Spanish scenery makes a lovely backdrop. “My Religion” bows at #24.
“Wildstar” is a standout song from Giorgio Moroder’s album Déjà Vu featuring a charming vocal from Foxes that in some ways recalls Donna Summer in her heyday from my favourite album by her called I Remember Yesterday. So it’s a no brainer for my chart, whether or not it’s released as a single! “Wildstar” arrives at #25. It’s Foxes’ second appearance on the chart following 2013’s #2 “Clarity” with Zedd. “Wildstar” also follows Giorgio’s chart successes here with the title track featuring Sia peaking at #6, and “Right Here Right Now” with Kylie Minogue landing at #4.
There is no doubt that Adam Lambert’s The Original High is one of my most unexpected favourite albums of 2015 so far, with brilliant production nursing Adam’s wide-ranging voice to excellent effect. It’s so rich in songs yet I don’t see a whole lot of attention being paid to them other than of course “Ghost Town”, which should have done better as a lead off single. Nonetheless in my chart world that song peaked at #4, and “The Light” is a riveting EDM song that would make a perfect follow up! “The Light” debuts at #26.
You can hear me online onhttp://www.planetradio.ca every Monday at 10:15 pm EST counting down a Toronto Top 10 chart from yesteryear!
“Over” is one of those songs that doesn’t sink in right away but scores with repeated listens thanks to a familiar and bitter story that I know all too well. It’s brought to us by Chicago-born producer/songwriter/singer Goldhouse (aka Grant Harris), who has remixed many a fine song including those by Katy Perry, Sam Smith, and perhaps most notably Lady Gaga’s “Applause”. “Over” definitely sparkles in the production department and should be dancefloor bound. But I like the way he writes – “Over” is as caustic and direct as a post-breakup song can be, and setting it to such an engaging and sizzling EDM backdrop is somewhat cathartic. Goldhouse also cleverly mashed up “Over” recently with last year’s surprise hit by Nico & Vinz, “Am I Wrong”. Listen to both original up top and the mashup below. I can’t find “Over” in my iTunes Canada store but it seems like it may be on release in the U.S. or in your country.
A lot of the songs on the chart two weeks ago were stuck on hold… not a bad thing at all and shows staying power! But the new chart is shaken ‘n stirred but good, with only two debuts, but several favourites finish up their chart run at the lower end of the chart.
The Top 10
It appears that nothing is about to dislodge Years & Years and Brandyn Burnette from the top spots. “Shine” continues at #1, while former #1 “I Wanna Be (Free)” (which will soon have a hip hop flavoured remix) stays at #2. The songs in the rest of the year to come are going to need to be pretty special to beat out these two at year end. Oh, and next week I get to see Years & Years in concert in Toronto. Just cannot wait to hear the gorgeous songs on Communion in live performance!
Both Nathan Sykes’ “Kiss Me Quick” and “Show Me The Way” by Penguin Prison advance a notch to #3 and #4 respectively, but are the #1 and #2 songs going to keep them from moving up further? You’ll find out in two weeks! Again, both are very strong songs in 2015 against fierce competition.
Formidable NYC producer/DJ’s The Chainsmokers are touring (they play in Toronto on November 7) with a fun cast of performers depending on what city you’re in. The guys’ collab with Great Good Fine OK in a rollicking Tiesto remix on “Let You Go” climbs 9 to 6. Oh, and it’s a free download 🙂
Yeah it is all about that sample from the 60’s TV show The Munsters, but “Uma Thurman” by Fall Out Boy also has a wicked, fun vocal by Patrick Stump to carry it home. The song rises 11 to 8.
I have my fingers crossed that Island Records will recognize the emotional power of the fastest riser on the chart this week and release it to radio and as a single. The gorgeous heartbreak of “Pain Told Love” by Tribe Society (formerly Gentlemen Hall) featuring a stunning turn by Kiesza burns up the chart, soaring 25-9.
Movin’ On Up
It’s still a mystery to me why “The Other Boys” by NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears, and Nile Rodgers isn’t all over the dance clubs. It’s a smash waiting to happen no matter how long it takes! It climbs 20-11!
Eric Saade’s “Girl From Sweden” and Janet Jackson’s “No Sleeep” have been unlikely bookend for the past few weeks, and it continues as they both rise to #12 and #13 respectively. Janet plays in Toronto on September 15 and I look forward to hearing more from her upcoming Unbreakable album!
With The Weeknd’s superlative Beauty Behind The Madness set to debut at #1 this week, it’s fitting that “Can’t Feel My Face” climbs 22-14, eventhough it’s been #1 everywhere. Abel (who is from my part of Toronto) is unstoppable right now!
“Natural Disaster” by Molly Moore is one true grower, many folks that I’ve played it for have enjoyed it or asked about it, in its original form or delightful Win & Woo remix. The song moves up 19-15.
It’s taking its time to breakout, but I feel that about to happen… the title song from Robin Schulz’s album Sugar, featuring my talented fellow Canuck Francesco Yates, advances 23-16 (Francesco’s own “Better To Be Loved” peaked out at #6 two weeks ago).
Nerds, ravers, and dance music lovers unite and support this quirky and fun song! Quebec producer/DJ’s J-Mi and Midi-D move up 21-17 with their Avril Lavigne-meets-Vengaboys single “So Much For That”.
And speaking once again about NYC R&B/pop/dance act Great Good Fine OK, they play in my city at The Drake Hotel once again on September 10, and undoubtedly will perform “Something To Believe In”, their recorded duet with fellow dance act St. Lucia. From the EP 2M2H, the song climbs 26-19.
Premiering
It’s his best single yet, and is culled from his freshly released debut album Yesterday. British Columbian Tyler Shaw has a real winner with the zippy “Dizzy”, which arrives at #21. Not to be underestimated, this one! Tyler’s album release party takes place in Toronto on September 10 at the Virgin Mobile Mod Club.
Matthew Koma has blended the best of both of his worlds – EDM and pop with a punk attitude – on his humorous latest solo single “So F**kin’ Romantic”, which bows at #24. Matthew is a most welcome veteran on my chart – “Romantic” is his 4th solo entry (including two #1’s “Parachute” and “1998”) and he also is featured on 4 others (including #1’s “Spectrum” with Zedd and “Cannonball Earthquake” with Showtek & Justin Prime). Now he needs to play his own gig in Toronto – soon! 😀
The Full Chart
Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailed web edition of my chart. Go on, have a look and listen/watch 🙂
You can hear me online onhttp://www.planetradio.ca every Monday at 10:00 pm EST counting down a Toronto Top 10 chart from yesteryear!
Once of 2011’s greatest dance music surprises for me was the album See The Light by Jessica 6, the showcase for trans singer Nomi Ruiz (Jessica 6 being named after the Farrah Fawcett character in “Logan’s Run”). That album is full of dark, sexy music which I thought would revive a NYC nu.disco movement, particularly with the stunning single featuring Antony Hegarty, “Prisoner Of Love”. Last I heard from Nomi was on Eli Escobar’s sensational rework of Mark Ronson & Boy George’s “Somebody To Love Me” in 2013. Little did I realize what had gone on behind-the-scenes – basically the ‘band’ part of Jessica 6 departed not long after the release of See The Light, thus abruptly becoming pretty much an all-Nomi project, that found even more favour in eastern European countries. So now we have “Down Low” from her new album The Capricorn. Again, another steamy and seductive late night house-inspired song to dazzle us, with a memorable video too. I hear a melody that reminds me somewhat of “Grenade” by Bruno Mars as well. Club DJ’s will want to spin “Down Low” when the dance floor is sparse, to lure club goers into the flashing disco lights again. I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of The Capricorn, which you can pick up on iTunes. “Down Low” is also available in a percolating DONKEY remix for free at the Soundcloud link below.
This week’s new chart sees one of my most favourite songs of 2015 yielding to another. Either way, both songs have a lock on the Top 2. And strangely enough many songs stay still – probably because I can’t get enough of them, as well as the songs above them on the chart, which also explains why there is so much activity in the Top 10. There are no bad songs ever on this chart. Even if a song lands on the chart for one appearance at #30, I still enjoy will enjoy it evermore 🙂 So on to the new chart…
The Top 10
Years & Years score their second #1 with the brilliant “Shine” from the album that is currently stuck in my head, Communion. Their September 14 Toronto show cannot come soon enough, I’m itching to hear all of what they have to offer in concert. Watch the excellent video above.
Brandyn Burnette’s EP Made of Dreams is coming soon, but “I Wanna Be (Free)” is one of my most played songs right now, and has left #1 after 4 appearances (8 weeks). It is really in an ongoing battle with “Shine” for the top.
“Guilty As Sin” by Dan Talevski has a lot of immediate competition to face below, but still hangs on to #3 for another chart. I write about Dan’s new song “My Religion” the other day and the intriguing and sexy video has also landed at the top of the Music page at http://www.much.com.
In just about any other year, the very hot “Kiss Me Quick” by Nathan Sykes would be at the top of my chart, but currently advances 6-4.
Also new to the Top 5, but no surprise, is “Show Me The Way” by Penguin Prison from the sophomore album Lost In New York. The last time PP was in the Top 5 was three years ago as featured in RAC’s “Hollywood”.
Francesco Yates’ debut EP, featuring production and co-writes with Pharrell Williams, is due September 11, also featuring new Canadian single “Call” and another new song “Honey I’m Home” (also below – you can get it instantly when ordering the EP on iTunes). In the meantime, the well-served “Better To Be Loved” climbs 9-6, and Francesco also features in another song on the chart.
“Take Out Of Me” is a soulful slice of energetic R&B Britpop by Martin Luke Brown, and it moves up 11-8.
The fastest riser on the chart is the propulsive club-banging Tiesto remix of “Let You Go” by NYC’s The Chainsmokers, featuring fellow NYCers Great Good Fine OK, vaulting 22-9. The Chainsmokers have launched a new tour which will hit Toronto on November 7, featuring many special guests. Great Good Fine OK also debuts on this chart with one of their own songs!
The last new Top 10 entry belongs to L.A.-based producer Mi Disguise with his unique east side/west side story for dance clubs, “East Side Bay”, up 12-10.
Movin’ On Up
Slinking up the chart is “Uma Thurman” by Fall Out Boy (14-11), which is definitely a grower that will stick with you, and that riff from “The Munsters” TV show is a hoot.
Despite a lot of the songs in holding below, “Walking Through The Fire” by Cobi Mike climbs a notch up to #12, while his fellow former members of Gentlemen Hall also debut with their new band name.
It’s only a very temporary thing when you see the songs by Eric Saade, Janet, Trevor Guthrie, Molly Moore, and J-Mi & Midi-D all holding steady, but it’s also a very good thing! We’ll see who continues to advance in two weeks.
Meanwhile, NERVO’s “The Other Boys” gets stuck as well, moving up 23-20, so look for their guest-filled collaboration – with Kylie Minogue, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, and Nile Rodgers – to get un-stuck in two weeks.
Both Robin Schulz & Francesco Yates’ “Sugar” and Disclosure & Sam Smith’s “Omen” advance four positions to #23 and #24 – seems like a small start, but watch the chart in two weeks to see what might happen!
Debuts
Watch for great things from these debuts in the coming weeks!
I’m not quite sure why Island Records hasn’t dove into this song as a single release, so perhaps it’s a matter of time. But “Pain Told Love” is the emotional centrepiece and standout on Tribe Society’s debut EP Lucid Dreams, and has Kiesza no less on featured vocal. The rest of the former Gentlemen Hall have a winner here and it bows at #25. As the song’s lyrics sink in, expect to find yourself reaching for a tissue every now and then!
Arriving at #26 is “Something To Believe In” by Great Good Fine OK from their EP 2M2H (‘too much to handle’ – also a song on the EP). The song also features the Brooklyn-based (but South Africa born) electronica performer St. Lucia (who is also due for a new record of his own!). It’s a fine blend of voices and style, the key song on the EP.
The last debut marks the third appearance on the chart for the actress, and also singer, Jane Badler. The original version is from last year’s album Opus (also featuring “Losing You”), but producer/DJ Eel Eye has sparkled up “Dead Eyes” with some early 90’s dance club flavour, which enhances the sinewy, mysterious lyric of the song. “Dead Eyes” premieres at #28.
The Full Chart
Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailed web edition of my chart. Go on, have a look and listen/watch 🙂
You can hear me online onhttp://www.planetradio.ca every Monday at 10:00 pm EST counting down a Toronto Top 10 chart from yesteryear!
When I write about a cover version, it usually has something unique about it to rival or surpass the original. Young Dutch DJ/producer Quintino turns 90’s dance classic “(I Wanna Give You) Devotion” by Nomad into a slamming and manic slice of horn-laden electro house. After already conquering Dutch dance charts with “Epic”, “Devotion” seizes the moment for international glory. While Quintino’s rendition removes the happy hip hop flavour of the original, it cranks up the beat and will have friends of the dance floor in a blissful tizzy. Give it a listen above (and try not to move 🙂 ) and pick it up on Beatport for now.
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