When soulful UK house music is done right, it will warm your bones and draw you out onto the dance floor. “Give Me Your Love” is the collaboration between London DJ/producer Embody and chanteuse-on-the-rise A*M*E (already noted for her work with Duke Dumont and Monsieur Adi). No filler this – it’s a slick, crisp slice of house, without going too deep and dirty, the kind of song that positions you on the dancefloor before the DJ starts playing the latest and greatest. And “Give Me Your Love” could end up as one of the latter too with its distinct sound and yet another rich and versatile vocal by A*M*E. Listen below and download for free by ‘liking’ Embody’s Facebook page.
Time isn’t standing still, but when you’ve got a 1,2,3,4 kapow like what’s happening at the top of my new chart, you’re gonna have to be patient to find out when they all get shook loose. And it could happen as early as the next chart in two weeks but until then, enjoy:
#1 “I’m Not The Only One” by Sam Smith
#2 “Smile” by Mikky Ekko
#3 “Afterglow” by Harriet
#4 “Thanks For Nothing” by Brandyn Burnette
Brandyn Burnette has a new acoustic set available on Soundcloud above and lots of free songs as well so I’ll be keeping you posted on the prolific singer’s new songs very soon!
ON THE RISE
The lone new entry to the Top 5 isn’t actually new, but it does sound significantly different from the original version which got to #5 in 2011. I’m talking about the mid-tempo Aron Friedman house remix of “I Won’t Let You Go” by Adam Tyler of course, which climbs 8-5.
As her album Tough Love enters the UK Top 10 and her October 26 show in my city approaches, Jessie Ware is the gal-most-likely-to as “Say You Love Me” continues to rise quickly, up 9-6.
It’s now due on November 10 (in Canada anyway), but if you go to iTunes you’ll find 3 more songs to preview from Jamie Scott’s My Hurricane album, including a duet with Christina Perri called “Gold”. In the meantime, his latest single “Unbreakable” moves up 11-9, joining his band Graffiti6 with their Top 5 entry from last year, “Free”.
Music fans are the always the first ones to get “Zeppelin” by Eli Lieb but even if you’re not familiar with the famous band’s songs or why friends might be jamming to Zeppelin in the car, then you can still revel in the positive and nostalgic vibe of the song. It anchors the top songs on the chart at #10.
Chromatone is out gigging in the London, England area quite regularly, so do try to catch one of his performances! His latest song “Play For Me” continues to advance on the chart 17-13.
It’s one of the more discreet songs on the chart, but it’s heartwarming and holds within its lyrics reams of truth. The fastest riser on the chart is“Stage Fright” by Jake Barker.
It’s not easy to find different love songs to write about but Semi-Precious Weapons has done just that with “Brando”. Hopefully a video is in the works and can make it out before their next album, still expected before year end.
I caught Smallpools’ set back when they opened for Neon Trees back in July, and with new songs like “Killer Whales” I look forward to their next album release. The band plays in my city on October 24 too. “Killer Whales” swims upstream to #18!
Between her acting career and her singing career, Jane Badler travels all over, and will next perform a concert in Paris at the end of November. Her beguiling single, featuring Spanish guitar via 70’s new wave via torch ballad, “Losing You”, lands at #20 on my chart, from her new album Opus.
Those Janoskians are still making their way across North America promoting their latest single “That’s What She Said”, which lands at #21 this week. The teens definitely like their Aussie boys when they get even a little more than naughty, and that’s what makes watching their success unfold rather interesting! Yes, this blogger likes The Janoskians 🙂
There’s nothing stopping Sam Smith short of exhaustion, and he’s announced another North American tour, including a stop in my city on January 20 at the biggest venue in town! I was fortunate to see him at the 500 person Virgin Mod Club last Spring for $15.00! “Restart” moves up to #22.
NEW TO THE CHART
Keep those dancing shoes on for “Arms Of Another” by Bright Light Bright Light, which I wrote about recently as the extra song (or ‘B’ side as we used to call them) on the new single for “An Open Heart”. The latter song already conquered this chart back at the top of the year, and now “Arms Of Another” arrives at #24.
And now I return you to the explosive and diverse dubstep/trap and other EDM scene. “Gold Skies”, brought to you by the quartet of Sander van Doorn, Martin Garrix, and DVBBS, and featuring vocalist Aleesia, sounds like a radio hit in the making, and it’s included on Martin’s EP of the same name on iTunes, which also features two of my 2014 #1’s, “Animals” and “Proxy” (previously a free download). “Gold Skies” bows at #27.
It’s been since 2011 that The Script last landed on my chart, and to me have returned to the sound now which got them popular in the first place back in 2009. “Superheroes” is the first single from No Sound Without Silence, the Dublin, Ireland trio’s fourth album. And they are well worth seeing in concert! “Superheroes” premieres at #28.
EXTRA! EXTRA!
While “Hang On To Your Love”, the Penguin Prison free download cover of the 1984 Sade debut glides up the chart at #19, the singer (aka Chris Glover) released his first solo single in three years last week. He’s not breaking a formula that won over fans like me either with “Calling Out”. It’s as simple a song as “The Worse It Gets”, with similar late 70’s early 80’s inspirations like “Kiss On My List” by Daryl Hall & John Oates or “What A Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers, but spun Penguin Prison style: Danceable ear candy! Can’t wait to hear more from PP’s upcoming sophomore album. Listen below and get it on iTunes.
Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailedweb edition of my chart.
01 01 I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE Sam Smith 02 02 SMILE Mikky Ekko 03 03 AFTERGLOW Harriet 04 04 THANKS FOR NOTHING Brandyn Burnette 08 05 I WON’T LET YOU GO (Aron Friedman remix) Adam Tyler 09 06 SAY YOU LOVE ME Jessie Ware 07 07 GET TO KNOW YOU Corey Niles featuring Ish 05 08 NO FUN The Presets 11 09 UNBREAKABLE Jamie Scott 12 10 ZEPPELIN Eli Lieb 14 11 AMNESIA 5 Seconds Of Summer 15 12 CRIMINAL Adam Tyler 17 13 PLAY FOR ME Chromatone 06 14 MUSIC GODS Davis Redfield featuring Carl Man 23 15 STAGE FRIGHT Jake Barker 10 16 THIS COULD BE SOMETHING Anton Ewald featuring Medina 24 17 BRANDO Semi-Precious Weapons 21 18 KILLER WHALES Smallpools 22 19 HANG ON TO YOUR LOVE Penguin Prison 26 20 LOSING YOU Jane Badler 27 21 THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID The Janoskians 28 22 RESTART Sam Smith 13 23 JUST SAY HELLO Lyonn New 24 ARMS OF ANOTHER Bright Light Bright Light 16 25 I BELIEVE Bright Light Bright Light 18 26 STRANGER Chris Malinchak featuring Mikky Ekko New 27 GOLD SKIES Sander Van Doorn, Martin Garrix & DVBBS featuring Aleesia New 28 SUPERHEROES The Script 19 29 TIME HAS COME Hannis 20 30 TEN FEET TALL Afrojack featuring Wrabel
Listen for My New Music Pick Of The Week onD-Moos.com!
As many of you are already aware, after many years away from the microphone, I am now pleased to be back as a voice onD-Moos.com Canada’s National Internet Radio Station, which mainly plays a selection of oldies, mostly from the 50’s to the 90’s, with soon to be more intrusions from the 2000’s and other new music.
Do listen in for my New Music Pick of the Week feature onD-Moos.com8 times per day starting at 2:05 AM EST on Mondays, and while the station is only live in the evenings from 9:00 pm to midnight (with my long-time musical partner in crime “The Musicman” James Rogers), you can hear my voice at other odd times, particularly if you’re an oldies loving night owl on the weekend overnights 🙂
What a year 2014 has been for 18 year old Martin Garrix, and it’s not over yet! Touring and recording with every major EDM/dance artist, and releasing one song after another are the order of the day. This time Martin’s paired up with MOTi, who was matched up with DVBBS earlier this year for the potent “This Is Dirty”, and they’ve come up with a unique song that will send people to the dance floor instantly. It builds with a classic grumbling trap melody and then is transformed by uncredited female vocals into a hybrid kind of pop record that could cross over to radio. The video has a cool concept – almost the reverse of “The Matrix” in some ways, with a few twists, and you can watch it above.
I absolutely adore Bright Light Bright Light’s “An Open Heart”. It’s one of my favourite songs by Rod Thomas, and it was already #1 on my personal chart for 4 appearances (8 weeks) at the top of the year, previously featured on the EP In Your Care. “An Open Heart” is also featured on the album Life Is Easy, and is the new single from it, so I’m hoping international doors will open even more for Bright Light Bright Light with it. But featured on the single release is another fantastic BLx2 song that you just can’t miss. It’s quintessential BLx2, drawing specifically from the keyboard hook and house rhythm of “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)” by Crystal Waters. It’s a joyous choice of music, set to lyrics of resignation when you find that the one you care for prefers someone else. So be sure to pick up the full single release tomorrow on iTunes and you will not only get the single and 12″ versions of “An Open Heart” but this new gem “Arms Of Another” too(preview).
After pairing with A*M*E for his killer cover of Soul II Soul’s “Back To Life” (reimagined as “What’s Going On”, which got to #2 on my personal chart) last year, and receiving raves as an opener for Beyonce’s UK tour, the amazing French producer Monsieur Adi returns with “Lucky Ones”, featuring U.S.-based Swedish singer Negin. You’ll know Negin already for her appearances on Avicii’s “Three Million” and a remix of Daft Punk’s “Derezzed”, and her voice perfectly suits a gentle Europop setting, coming across sounding like a mix of Cathy Dennis and Foxes. “Lucky Ones” is just the kind of song that will fill dance floors everywhere, another notch on the list for our Monsieur, whose full album release is due in early 2015. “Lucky Ones” should heighten the international profiles of Monsieur Adi and Negin, so be sure to listen for it soon! In the meantime, you canenjoy it in this link from Hypem.
So the next question is: Can Brandyn Burnette’s “Thanks For Nothing” crack the Top 3, as it rises significantly, up 10-4? The singer constantly reminds us on Twitter that the song may be a straight middle finger to a past relationship, but that it has an optimistic side to it about moving forward. Gotta listen to Brandyn!! There’s an ages old soul in that young body, methinks!
Those “Music Gods” keep forging ahead on this chart! Davis Redfield and vocalist Carl Man climb 7-6 in this edition.
Get to know Canadian R&B/hip hop singer Corey Niles as his latest song “Get To Know You” spreads across Canada, with the help of rapper Ish! It rises 9-7 🙂
Second time’s a charm, especially when it’s in a gorgeous, romantic, midtempo house remix! “I Won’t Let You Go” by Adam Tyler in an Aron Friedman remix gets to the Top 10 for the second time, and that’s only happened once before, with Nelson Clemente’s “You Want Me Don’t You” in 2008/09, which peaked at #3 both times. “I Won’t Let You Go” is at #8, three places short of its original #5 peak in 2011.
The fastest riser on the chart is “Say You Love Me” by Jessie Ware, moving 20-9, and arriving in the Top 25 on the UK Singles Chart this week. Simply cannot wait to hear it in concert later in the month. Looking at the Top 3, I have to wonder when “Say You Love Me” will be able to crack the mold, but we’ll see!
Jamie Scott’s “Unbreakable” may be unstoppable at this point – it moves up 16-11 this week and will almost certainly grab a Top 10 berth in two weeks!
Aussie faves 5 Seconds Of Summer seem to be making more waves at radio now as the Fall sets in with “Amnesia” rising up 17-14 🙂
Chromatone has such a good groove going on in “Play For Me” that you must check out the fantastic dance moves in its well-shot video. It climbs 21-17.
ABOUT THOSE FIVE DEBUTS…
It’s an overdue debut, but always better late than never. While his team has been promoting “Oh So Simple” and “Scared” from his fine EP Stage Fright, the romantic inside me has long been with The Voice contestant blue-eyed soul singer Jake Barker’s title song, which bows at #23. You can only hear a preview on iTunes but it’s worth purchasing the EP for its entire four song selection. The following lyrics alone just send me at each listen just after the minute mark: “10,000 people looking down on me / All eyes on me / Could I picture my life / All I see is you”. Jake Barker has an immense future ahead – and he didn’t even finish in the Top 10 on The Voice!
A love song of a very different kind is “Brando” by Semi-Precious Weapons, which arrives at #24 in advance of their second 2014, following Spring’s Aviation release. “Brando” gets away from the anthemic sounds on Aviation in favour of a song that sings about when you are faced with the fact that you are impossibly in love. Justin Tranter’s vocal is on its best game here, and I’m really looking forward to more from SPW before the end of the year! Now if we can only get them up to Canada to tour…
I wrote about Jane Badler’s “Losing You” a while back, but the song gets under your skin quickly, so it arrives on the chart at #26. Actress/singer Jane previously reached #8 with “Yesterday’s Tomorrows”, so her alt.pop stylings are no stranger to this chart! Be sure to check out the impressive video trek through personal hell below.
Those Janoskians fans have eaten up my Twitter timeline today as the boys play a show at the Danforth Music Hall. I like these guys for the fact that they are bold enough to take risks to break out of the boy band mold, even though they will attract some similar fans as One Direction, 5 Seconds Of Summer, and even Justin Bieber. The Janoskians shake things up with their innuendo with “That’s What She Said” at #27. North American radio isn’t playing, but then again that’s no surprise. The huge fan base says ALL!!
It seems like there’s always room on my chart this year for another Sam Smith song. The 80’s flavoured “Restart” (particularly reminscent of Daryl Hall & John Oates or The Doobie Brothers brand of white soul) premieres at #28 along with a new video below.
Extra! Extra!
The duo Erasure (being singer Andy Bell and keyboardist Vince Clarke) has long endured because they know how to deliver exactly what their audience wants, and continue to create new songs for their huge repertoire. Their music is hugely influential on today’s electronica performers, whether that’s obvious or not. Their latest album The Violet Flame is their best in many years, more than ever a throwback to their classic late 80’s/early 90’s period, which is where their set list focuses in concert. While “Elevation” rises on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, the chart-bound zinger on the album belongs to “Sacred”. Listen below!!
Lastly, Tristan Thompson’s “Mistaken” shall return to the chart! It’s been bumped to being the third single release from Here For You in favour of another song, which I shall be writing about very soon!
The Full Chart
01 01 I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE Sam Smith 02 02 SMILE Mikky Ekko 03 03 AFTERGLOW Harriet 10 04 THANKS FOR NOTHING Brandyn Burnette 05 05 NO FUN The Presets 07 06 MUSIC GODS Davis Redfield featuring Carl Man 09 07 GET TO KNOW YOU Corey Niles featuring Ish 13 08 I WON’T LET YOU GO (Aron Friedman remix) Adam Tyler 20 09 SAY YOU LOVE ME Jessie Ware 04 10 THIS COULD BE SOMETHING Anton Ewald featuring Medina 16 11 UNBREAKABLE Jamie Scott 14 12 ZEPPELIN Eli Lieb 15 13 JUST SAY HELLO Lyonn 17 14 AMNESIA 5 Seconds Of Summer 18 15 CRIMINAL Adam Tyler 06 16 I BELIEVE Bright Light Bright Light 21 17 PLAY FOR ME Chromatone 08 18 STRANGER Chris Malinchak featuring Mikky Ekko 11 19 TIME HAS COME Hannis 12 20 TEN FEET TALL Afrojack featuring Wrabel 23 21 KILLER WHALES Smallpools 25 22 HANG ON TO YOUR LOVE Penguin Prison New 23 STAGE FRIGHT Jake Barker New 24 BRANDO Semi-Precious Weapons 19 25 WHEN YOU LEFT ME Sam Dickinson New 26 LOSING YOU Jane Badler New 27 THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID The Janoskians New 28 RESTART Sam Smith 24 29 BIG CITY GIRLS (DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH SMALL TOWN BOYS) Zorro Blakk 29 30 KNEW YOU BETTER Adam Tyler
Listen for My New Music Pick Of The Week onD-Moos.com!
As many of you are already aware, after many years away from the microphone, I am now pleased to be back as a voice onD-Moos.com Canada’s National Internet Radio Station, which mainly plays a selection of oldies, mostly from the 50’s to the 90’s, with soon to be more intrusions from the 2000’s and other new music.
Do listen in for my New Music Pick of the Week feature onD-Moos.com8 times per day starting at 2:05 AM EST on Mondays, and while the station is only live in the evenings from 9:00 pm to midnight (with my long-time musical partner in crime “The Musicman” James Rogers), you can hear my voice at other odd times, particularly if you’re an oldies loving night owl on the weekend overnights 🙂
If you thought pairing up New York producer/DJ Chris Malinchak with star-on-the-rise Mikky Ekko for the American funk of “Stranger” was sheer bliss, then how about UK soul wunderkind MNEK? “Happiness” is the best kind of emotional, mid-tempo house music, and it’s an honest and catchy throwback to late 80’s hitmakers like Terence Trent D’Arby, Sydney Youngblood, and Colonel Abrams. Can’t wait to get this one once it’s released but for now, give a listen below.
DJ ESQUILLE featuring JANE BADLER, “My Skin On Your Skin”
“My Skin On Your Skin” is a sensational new dance club floor pleaser by Swedish DJ/producer EsQuille that just happens to feature a vocal by the ever-diverse Jane Badler. It’s a real throwback to some of the songs on the racier side of disco such as Musique’s “In The Bush” or Poussez’s “Come On And Do It”, but with a trendy techno-sounding vibe that gives it 90’s qualities. In any case, it’s a fast listen under 3 minutes, but you can go with the full blown Stonebridge club mixes which are available as a separate single on iTunes. I’ve loved hearing Jane in a dance music setting since the commanding remix of “Yesterday’s Tomorrows” a few years ago, she has just the right voice to help take “My Skin On Your Skin” that much further, so this is a great pairing! Don’t forget also to check out Jane’s new album Opus on iTunes, which features the engaging and dramatic new single “Losing You” which I wrote about recently.
Watch out Betty Who and Jessie Ware, a rival is in your midst. And British singer Rosie Lowe puts her own spin on an electronic R&B sound with “Water Came Down”, which is already available on iTunes overseas. The song dabbles in Prince-ly eccentricities at the beginning, which may leave you a tad puzzled, but before you know it we’re into a full fledged big pop sound with a jazzy backdrop, then the rest all makes sense and hits the ball out of the park. “Water Came Down” is grand, pop entertainment with a sultry and knowing vocal that is love at first listen. I can’t wait to hear a full release!
Well Martin Garrix’s dubstep/trap instrumentals may have won over the pop music world during the first part of 2014, but there’s always room for more. How about a huge House banger?? 🙂 Turkish DJ/Producer Deniz Koyu meets the prolific Twoloud on “Goin’ Down”, which will totally unexpectedly simply command your attention from within the first 10 seconds. And it just doesn’t let up because what’s goin’ down indeed is YOU on the dancefloor! “Goin’ Down” is the dance club slayer for the rest of 2014 and will be available on Beatport on October 3. Another Spinnin’ Records dance gem!
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