ROBOTAKI & MANILA KILLA featuring MATTHEW JOHN KURZ, “I Want You” (Spirix remix) (free DL)
Young L.A.-based producer/remixer Spirix has scored with a handful of both originals and remixes while he continues in college, with every one of them offering a somewhat signature sound that will serve him well going forward. To me, Spirix actually improves on the original of “I Want You” by the awesome duo of Robotaki and Manila Killa (of Hotel Garuda), featuring a killer vocal by Matthew John Kurz, who himself has appeared in these blog pages a number of times. It’s all about ear-dropping future bass beats and high end synths, so very complimentary to Matthew’s heartfelt vocal. “I Want You” was a pre-holiday remix gift from Spirix, so get it while you can at the link above.
Unless you recall the days of having a ‘formula’ for a hit record, songs that have both pop and electronica dance mixes that work for their audiences don’t come around too often. L.A.-based Teffler and Chicago’s D.A.N.E. are two producer/DJ/songwriters who have tapped into something quite good with both the radio edit and club edit of “Never Let Me Go” for Wall Recordings. Teffler has already been bringing the goods for a number of years as a DJ – an outlet for his own anxieties, many will relate! – remixer and songwriter for the likes of Ellie Goulding and Nathan Sykes. Featuring the sweet sizzle of an uncredited vocal by Christa Gniadek, the radio edit grabs the longing of the lyrics and leads them towards the bounce of the chorus, whereas the club edit focuses less on the lyrics and more on a classic piano 90’s flavoured house melody to make it pretty darned irresistible for clubs and dance radio shows. Check out both versions at the Spotify link above.
HENRI PFR & ROMEO BLANCO featuring VERONICA, “In The Mood”
“In The Mood” combines many winning elements to make a sunny pop and dance hit for the winter month. It comes together courtesy of Belgium’s Henri PFR and Romeo Blanco featuring a delightful vocal by Canadian Family Channel favourite Veronica. It’s already a Top 30 chart hit in Belgium (Sony is behind it there), with Canada (where it’s an independent release) not far behind with lots of initial pop radio support thanks to Veronica’s presence as well as having Canadian songwriters. The video for “In The Mood” is also both sly and enjoyable and well worth a watch at the link above. I think you’ll be hearing “In The Mood” a lot over the next several months. Some dance remixes would also enhance its staying power!
THROTTLE x NIKO THE KID, “Piñata” and “Signs” (which is a free download above)
My but Australia’s Throttle and recent Grammy-nominee Niko The Kid (for his work on Odesza’s album) make a perfect playful pair with two recent releases, “Piñata” and a cover of the Snoop Dogg/Justin Timberlake collaboration “Signs”. “Piñata” definitely takes some cues from the Martin Garrix school of fun deep house instrumentals, which will make you pine for arid sunshine and margaritas with a DJ spinning tunes on the side. “Signs” is quite far removed from the 2003 hip hop/pop original, trading R&B rhythms for lighter, feel-good summery vibes, really only recognizable through its lyrics. The guys gifted this one to us on New Year’s Day so you can download it for free above. After some remixes as well as these two releases, maybe we’ll see a joint tour for Throttle and Niko The Kid one day!
If you like your tropical house with add Euro flair, then you will particularly enjoy “Moves” by Italy’s Big Fish for Tipsy Recordings. Though the artist is new, the song does a great job of selling itself with its totally engaging melody and slick production. It also has this vibrant vocal by Mike Gomes of American duo Xuitcasecity – not an entirely unexpected place for Mike to show up, as you’ll remember Xuitcasecity’s memorable presence last year on “Runaway” by Spirix. “Moves” is an easy add for club DJ’s who want to encourage their audience to strut their stuff rather than simply watch the DJ at work. Check it out at the link above.
In my last chart of 2017, there’s a new #1 by a performer who is now dominating the chart, as well as five debuts that will make heading into 2018 a lot brighter 🙂
The Top 10
It’s Miguel who takes over at #1 with “Pineapple Skies” (above) from the stellar War & Leisure album. It’s Miguel’s second #1 following 2013’s “Adorn”. He also rises 6-3 with his laid back collab with Travis Scott on “Sky Walker” (below) and gets one of the five debuts at #25 with the ever-so-Prince-worthy “Told You So” (also below). 2018 is going to be fabulous for Miguel, and I look forward to seeing his show in March!
L.A.’s Shoffy has one of the best songs of the year with the pensive “Flags”, featuring Yuna, which holds at #2 from his enjoyable self-titled album.
Toronto’s Dzeko soars into the Top 5 from 16-5 with his brilliant retro-techno cover of Seal’s “Crazy” in a Tiësto Big Room mix.
YEBBA is a new talent to watch for in 2018. As far as I know she’s still an unsigned commodity but that will not be for long 🙂 Her first single “Evergreen” (above) climbs 13-7 while her duet with Sam Smith on “No Peace” (below) from The Thrill Of It All moves 17-15.
The pairing of producer SAINT WKND and singer MAX for “Survive” is a killer combination as the song rises 11-8 in its fab PLS&TY remix. It’s MAX’s 5th appearance in the Top 10 overall as either lead or featured vocalist.
Toronto’s dynamic duo Loud Luxury score their third consecutive Top 10 with “Body”, featuring a fantastic, earthy vocal by Brando. It climbs 18-9.
Movin’ On Up
The fastest riser on the chart, not surprisingly, is the genuine dance pop of “Small Talk” by new trio Giiants, which soars 23-11. I’m going to keep the mystery alive about Giiants for now and all will be revealed in 2018 as to who is behind this excellent project.
Nora En Pure’s dance floor filler “Tears In Your Eyes” rises 19-13, one of the best emotional dance pop tunes around to make you swirl away to those rich synth sounds.
One of my favourite parts of “Right Now” by Toronto’s Ryan Shepherd featuring Dirty Hary is the punchy and layered beginning, which leaves you hooked for the rest of the song. “Right Now” moves up 20-14.
It’s inspiring and set to a deliberate, almost funky pace, but California duo waitwhat have a winner with “Alive” climbing 26-17 and featuring a stunning vocal by Rielle.
4 More Debuts
It’s definitely a pattern – creative synth work and a passionate vocal – that drives “What We’re Made Of” by NYC producer Dave Edwards featuring London-based singer Mark Asari to debut at #19. It’s one of the best and most fervent songs around heading into 2018, and has the potential to be another “This Is What It Feels Like” by Armin van Buuren.
It’s gentle and good-natured with a buoyant electronic melodic hook, so “You Found Me” by German production duo Saxity featuring NYC-based singer Victor Perry arrives at #21 as a free download. It’s Saxity’s second entry following the #3 “Brothers” (and members Koni and Stan Sax have charted separately too), and Victor’s fourth appearance following #4 “Missing”, #7 “Rainbows”, and his #3 “Sail” with another German producer Levi.
L.A. based singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor is just finishing up a run on the chart with the #12 “Hit Rewind”, and for his fourth entry this year it’s “Talk To Me” at #22, whose video features a cute story with an ending that will leave you thinking. Axel’s “Wasted My Love” and “Out Of My Head” will both figure prominently in my upcoming year end list 🙂
British singer Mika returns to the chart for the first time in almost exactly five years with the bubbly and all-inclusive message of “It’s My House” at #27, his 10th overall entry. He’s the real deal as I’ve seen in concert and should never be underestimated even if his last album really did not win me over. He’s been to #1 once on this chart, with “Rain” in 2010 from my favourite album by him, The Boy Who Knew Too Much.
In lieu of the online version, here’s the full chart:
03
01
03
PINEAPPLE SKIES
Miguel
02
02
06
FLAGS
Shoffy F/ Yuna
06
03
06
SKY WALKER
Miguel F/ Travis Scott
01
04
08
NEED YOUR HEART
Latchmere
16
05
03
CRAZY (TIESTO’S BIG ROOM MIX)
Dzeko
09
06
04
EVERYBODY HURTS
The Him F/ Ivy Adara
13
07
04
EVERGREEN
YEBBA
11
08
05
SURVIVE (PLS&TY remix)
SAINT WKND F/ MAX
18
09
03
BODY
Loud Luxury F/ Brando
10
10
05
MONSTER
Latchmere F/ Dylan
22
11
02
SMALL TALK
Giiants
14
12
04
DO ME
Frank Pierce F/ Miles B
19
13
03
TEARS IN YOUR EYES
Nora En Pure
20
14
03
RIGHT NOW
Ryan Shepherd F/ Dirty Hary
17
15
04
NO PEACE
Sam Smith f/ YEBBA
04
16
07
WAKE UP FOR THE NIGHT
Alyx Ander F/ Caroline Pennell
26
17
02
ALIVE
Waitwhat F/ Rielle
07
18
07
DRIVEWAY
Culpriit
New
19
01
WHAT WE’RE MADE OF
Dave Edwards F/ Mark Asari
05
20
07
NO HANDS
it’s different & Forever MC F/ blackbear & MAX
New
21
01
YOU FOUND ME
Saxity F/ Victor Perry
New
22
01
TALK TO ME
Axel Mansoor
15
23
06
FREE
Carlos Nobrega f/ JVEL
08
24
10
PERFECT
Mahalo F/ Cat Lewis
New
25
01
TOLD YOU SO
Miguel
12
26
06
HIT REWIND
Axel Mansoor & Louis Vivet
New
27
01
IT’S MY HOUSE
Mika
21
28
10
NO LOVE IN BROOKLYN
Nick Peters & Frank Pierce F/ Scott Vega
23
29
08
TOO GOOD AT GOODBYES
Sam Smith
24
30
07
CAN’T RESIST
Halogen F/ Adriana Gomez & Lub X Tpf
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
We can party like it’s 2012 again with glorious arpeggios spearheading an uplifting message in “End Of The World” by Mumbai’s noted producer/DJ Shaan, featuring a powerful vocal by Dutch singer Allan Eshuijs. Now only 22, Shaan returns after becoming India’s only producer/DJ to play the Tomorrowland festival a couple of years back, and has been playing numerous other festivals in south Asia throughout December. “End Of The World” couldn’t be any more triumphant. It’s the perfect foil for Britney Spears’ “Till The World Ends” and should be played immediately after when the New Year tolls in a few days. “End Of The World” is brought to you once again by Armada, and is already receiving support by The Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, and Tritonal but to name a few. I know so many people miss the dance sounds of the first part of this decade, so let’s start a revival, right? Don’t miss “End of the World” for your club sets and Spotify playlists at the link above.
JUICY M & HIDDN featuring KEPLER, “Polaroids and Dirty Dances”
“Polaroids and Dirty Dances” is the latest and immeasurably catchy dance song to come out of L.A. with the great collaboration of prominent producer/DJ Juicy M, fellow producer HIDDN, and singers/songwriters Kepler. This song has so much going for it, from the dreamy vocals through to an infectious if familiar overall sound that make it a huge banger which wraps up under just three minutes. Kyiv-born but US-based Juicy M (and new mom-to-be) has such a worldwide following for her mix shows that it’s no surprise to find “Polaroids and Dirty Dances” with over 800K views on You Tube already (below). The song is a club DJ’s dream, so be sure to add it to your set and playlist using the Spotify link above.
MICHAEL MASON featuring SOPHIE MEIERS, “Evil Presence”
It’s darkly whimsical and alluring, and “Evil Presence” by producer Michael Mason with singer Sophie Meiers may be more suited for Hallowe’en than the current holiday season, as its cover artwork might signal. But its mysterious qualities are what will keep you coming back, full of a teasing kind of atmosphere thanks to another spot-on vocal by Sophie, who you also heard recently on Madnap’s sultry “Honey”. “Evil Presence” is definitely a grower and could set the scene for great things in a set with the lights turned down really low, to draw club goers out on to the floor for their danse divine. Michael Mason has a taut, unassuming winner with “Evil Presence”. Check it out at the link above.
DAVE EDWARDS featuring MARK ASARI, “What We’re Made Of”
The year continues to close out with some real gems, and I’ve been waiting especially for this one after hearing an early version of it some time ago. NYC producer/remixer Dave Edwards is now coasting the path of original music and what a triumphant start he has with “What We’re Made Of” for Tipsy Records. It features the earthy and urgent tones of Ghanaian UK-based singer Mark Asari, and with some highly creative synth work make it sound like an almost-sequel to Armin van Buuren’s “This Is What It Feels Like”. “What We’re Made Of” is an inspiring ode to determination and keeping up all those good fights that we know can suffer if we give up too easily. It’s an immediate call to the dance floor that can be an easy high point of the evening for club DJ’s who built up to it. Plus it is so pop and radio-friendly that listeners will wait to hear it again and again. Dave Edwards has it in the bag with “What We’re Made Of” and you can support it by listening above, playlisting it, and picking it up at your favorite online digital store.
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