Tag Archives: house

Producer/DJ @theMadisonMars returns with summer barnstormer “Back The Funk”

MADISON MARS, “Back The Funk”

Summer’s almost here for those of us in North America, and I can visualize dance clubs jumping all over “Back The Funk”, the latest by rising Estonian producer/DJ Madison Mars.  Its intense production is an immediate draw to dance music lovers, and it contains all of the familiar bells and whistles (almost literally haha) to make you want to hear it many times over.  It’s kind of nonsensical overall but that becomes awfully secondary next to booming future bass and production that is primed for a party atmosphere.  At 2:54 “Back The Funk” is a bit tidy but perhaps some creative remixers with the same party-hardy bent will accentuate the proceedings.  Add “Back The Funk” to your Massive Beats playlist using the Spotify link above.

Party to this: “Get It Started” is the new EP by Australia’s @DJAlexPreston

ALEX PRESTON, Get It Started (EP)

You’ll recall how impressed I was recently by Alex Preston’s retooling of Marvin Gaye’s classic rendition of “Heard It Through The Grapevine” into a contemporary house track.  It’s followed up by an EP of house originals, Get It Started, and the Australian producer/DJ is game for setting the tone to your party on the right note.  Take it to the clubs, and a couple of these songs would sound massive.  The EP gets better as it goes along – the title song is the weakest, but good for kicking things off; “That’s How I Feel” impresses with some fine guitar work; “Around” features a soulful vocal sample that seems awfully familiar, and will have club goers lip-syncing to its sassy chorus; but best of all is “Take It Easy”, an excellent feel-good song for a Friday night to get your weekend going full tilt, again with some fun sampled dialogue to give the song its theme, and some horns that make it memorable (not sure if I’m hearing a Pigbag sample or not in this one).  Alex is clearly very talented at what he does, definitely one to follow, recalling at times an Aussie veteran who I’ve written about and respect greatly named Late Nite Tuff Guy.  Check out the EP at the link above but it’s “Take It Easy” that comes highly recommended most out of all of the songs.

“My Way” is dramatic, punchy deep house from France’s @Khamsinmusic with vocalist @MOONZz

KHAMSIN and MOONZz, “My Way”

Following up his powerful recent single “Second Guess” is French producer Khamsin with “My Way”.  It’s as equally catchy as “Second Guess”, anchored by the determined attitude in the vocal by rising L.A. singer MOONZz.  The punchy backdrop of drums and percussion gives “My Way” a resolute and tribal sensibility, fusing with its equally interesting story.  Khamsin once again offers tight production that is as pop-friendly as it is for dance club audiences.  Enjoy all the drama – “My Way” is a well-crafted package with lots to offer.  Khamsin is part of the electronic collective Slow Hours (also featuring Kidswaste and Rusty Hook among others) that is overdue for some music of its own!

#BILLCSTop30 #535 – May 14/18

A busy Top 10 on the new chart leaves some songs stranded behind current favourites, but that should change in two weeks.  Plus, among the four debuts, we find two by much respected performers with multiple chart appearances.  

The Top 10

  • Holding at the top for an impressive three appearances (six weeks!) is “Smile”, the quirky alt.electronica song by Norway’s Dyrisk and England’s Nik Ernst.  Think Massive Attack meets MGMT, and you have a strangely fun, sarcastic, and very different winner.  Nik has a new solo release coming in June that is going to be the bookend to “Smile” 🙂  Way to go Tipsy Records!
  • My favourite song that I heard coming out of Miami Music Week in March is Mercer’s “Satisfy”, which advances 5-2 and is a shoo-in for #1 next week.  It features a spot-on vocal by Chicago’s Ron Carroll on what is otherwise a top notch Eurohouse track.

  • The Chainsmokers’ latest songs have gotten big thumbs up from fans like me but I don’t think the audience that loved “Closer” or “Paris” has tapped into them just yet.  Both “Everybody Hates Me” (8-6, above) and former #2 “Sick Boy” contain very real sentiments about observations The Chainsmokers have obviously made in achieving their success.  I truly enjoy this other side of them, but if a club banger might be due, then bring it on 🙂
  • Like The Chainsmokers, Canadian producer Robotaki has ended up with two songs in the Top 10 on this chart.  “I Want You” rests comfortably at #3 while the entirely different, gritty, soulful “Butterscotch” (featuring singer Jamie Fine – of the duo with Elijah Woods, who were one of the winners of Canada’s TV competition “The Launch” – and producer Falcxne) zips into the Top 10, up 14-7.

  • Rounding out the Top 10 are no strangers to the chart.  Dutch producers The Him climb 12-8 with “White Lies”, their 4th Top 10, while England’s Years & Years advances 13-10 with “Sanctify” from their upcoming album Palo Santo (both above).  You can check out The Him’s recent collaboration with Jay Hardway called “Jigsaw” and Years & Years’ bubbly new single “If You’re Over Me”, below.

Movin’ On Up

  • Last week, Jesse McCartney announced his U.S. tour which will take him to just about every major city, so watch for dates near you.  His latest single, “Better With You” rises 18-13.
  • The fastest riser on the chart happens just as the artist’s song “Prisoner” drops from its #7 peak.  L.A.’s Bobby Nourmand has a dark winner with his Subterranean EP, which contains two songs, the title track and the deep and dangerous “Estranged” (both above), which move up together 26-15.
  • As Martin Garrix established almost 5 years ago, the clever dance producer under 20 is a real and more frequent thing these days, and Chicago’s Whethan has his share of fans which helped get him to collaborate with New Zealand duo Broods for “Be Like You”, which rises 22-17.
  • Fresh off of his appearance at Canadian Music Week on Friday is British Columbia native Tyler Shaw with “Cautious” in its remix by Halifax’s Famba, which climbs 24-18.

Debuts

  • Not only is his new single “Run” his 13th solo chart entry here since 2014 – that’s outside of his collaborations with Molly Moore and Elephante and his side project with Molly, Cosmos & Creature – Brandyn also co-wrote Jesse McCartney’s #13 “Better With You” with Molly and Jesse.  “Run” is the introduction to the story that led Brandyn to where he is today, from his upcoming album Emanate, and arrives on the chart at #22.

  • Australia-based singer/songwriter Troye Sivan’s star continues to rise and rise with beautiful songs like “Bloom” which bows at #26.  “Bloom” may have a specific meaning at its source, but it really is a song that anyone can relate to when you find yourself in a position to give yourself to someone in a relationship.  Troye’s upcoming album is also called Bloom, and this is his 6th chart entry including his collaboration with Martin Garrix on “There For You”.
  • A new chart upstart to watch who has been making great house music in Florida these last few years is Adam Foster with “Time”.  You’ll notice instantly that “Time” features the voice of Marvin Gaye.  It’s essentially a clever rework of Marvin’s 1969 hit “Too Busy Thinkin’ Bout My Baby” – one of my personal all time faves – and somehow transforms it into a new song by working its way around the original’s chorus.  “Time” drops onto the chart at #27.

  • I’m fortunate enough to meet and see in performance some very nice and kind folks in the industry from time to time, and two happen to be Norwegian producer Matoma and US singer/songwriter MAX (Schneider).  Then the unthinkable happens – an unanticipated collaboration, which turns out to be golden!  So we have Matoma and MAX with “Lonely”, with an insanely catchy instrumental hook and another brilliant vocal by MAX.  It premieres at #28.  It follows Matoma’s 2016 Top 10 “False Alarm” and is also MAX’s 6th appearance on the chart as either a lead or featured vocalist.  Matoma also is the third Norwegian on the chart – the others being Dyrisk (#1) and Alan Walker (#11).

View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here!  Click on the hyperlink on the song titles to hear the songs or watch the videos!

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

Check out and ‘like’ the new BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

Get it while you can: “Talking At The House Party” by @AngeloFerreri1 vs @TheKnocks (@DJKue bootleg)

ANGELO FERRERI vs THE KNOCKS, “Talking At The House Party” (It’s The Kue Bootleg!) (free DL)

Taking their recent single with Captain Cuts, “House Party”, a few steps further, NYC duo The Knocks mash it up with veteran Italian producer Angelo Ferreri’s “I’m Talking To You” in a DJ Kue white label bootleg for “Talking At The House Party”.  This takes the party out of the chilled out house basement and to a fun club setting where you get both house and party in strong doses 🙂  I’m sure this was intended to be a one-off track for fans but it could really have its own life if it desired, including an extended version, because only 2:45 of “Talking At The House Party” makes you want much more.  I’m very happy to have this one – thanks to all concerned for making it happen!  Get it while you can for free before it’s gone!!

Watch for “The Knocks And Friends” shows which are happening in NYC about once a month.  The next one will be on May 24.  ‘No stages, no VIP’s, just friends’ 🙂  That’s the way to do it!

“Step To Me” is 80’s/90’s inspired fun from house master @djToddTerry

TODD TERRY, “Step To Me”

One thing that came to my attention when I was at Miami Music Week in March was the presence of many stellar veteran producer/DJ’s.  Unfortunately this year I was committed to a number of events which conflicted with theirs but if I go back next year, I’ll be looking out once again for sets by the likes of NYC’s Todd Terry.  Todd of course is most renown for reworking Everything But The Girl’s “Missing” into a radio and club hit in 1995, as well as some of their subsequent club hits such as “Wrong”.  He’s produced and remixed everyone under the sun from Björk to Annie Lennox to The Rolling Stones, so it’s nice to see new music from Todd making headway.  “Step To Me” is full of 80’s and 90’s dance/house references while still being innovative to catch savvy club goers who can in fact keep up their moves with this song.  Fellow club DJ’s need to give a hard listen to “Step To Me” and include the masterful and contemporary new work of Todd Terry in their sets.

“Worry” is the 4th – and best – preview of @FelixCartal’s album Next Season featuring @Victoria_Zaro

FELIX CARTAL and VICTORIA ZARO, “Worry”

It’s just over a week now before Felix Cartal’s new album Next Season drops, and his 4th preview single from the album, “Worry” featuring the enchanting Victoria Zaro, is the best of the four, edging out the dynamic and attitude filled “Runaway”.  “Worry”  is a classic pop song about moving on to what’s next and leaving worries behind – with that nagging doubt still lingering in your mind as you move on.  The Vancouver producer gives it a versatile mix, hardly ridden with effects yet turning what effects are used into hooks unto themselves along with the lyrics (‘going down down down’).  “Worry” is also perfect for remixers wanting to spin it on its head.  “Worry” is perhaps the most logical follow up to Felix’s huge Canadian hit from last year, his dance take on New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” so I’m hoping he and his team are keeping radio in mind for it.  Watch the lyric video for “Worry” above.

It’s house music with an earnest and emotional spin – “Falling Apart” by Sweden’s @Erlandomusic

ERLANDO, “Falling Apart”

“Falling Apart” is one of those songs that grabs you by both ears with its earnest, emotional story, against a thumping, but not overpowering, house backdrop.  It’s brought to you by Sweden’s Erlando, seemingly a relative newcomer but you might have known his music under the moniker Sinco up till about a year ago.  “Falling Apart” has a bit of a trick to it.  Just when you think the story might not be going anywhere at a quiet bridge around the 1:10 mark, it deliberately keeps you waiting for an even better half of the song.  This is a clever production foil that is rarely heard, when so many songs fall apart early.  Erlando thus is one to watch out for and “Falling Apart” definitely has the goods to find its way onto your Emotional House playlist using the Spotify link above.

“Time” by Florida’s @AdamFostermusic is not-so-secretly a Marvin Gaye classic reworked with finesse

ADAM FOSTER, “Time” (free DL)

Florida producer/DJ Adam Foster may have a personal best in hand with “Time”.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about Australian producer/DJ Alex Preston’s masterful rework of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, which features a hauntingly echoing vocal track.  Front and centre, however, there is no way to hide any elements of that song and make it into something else.  But Adam found another great Marvin Gaye single, “Too Busy Thinkin’ Bout My Baby” – which happens to be my favourite Marvin Gaye song ever and his follow up hit to “Grapevine” in 1969 – and transforms it into “Time”.  Gone is the urgent love story that anchors the original, focusing instead on the verse “I ain’t got time for nothin’ else”.  And I think Adam must be using what sounds like a live rendition of “Too Busy Thinkin'” with a pristine Marvin vocal to boot.  As with other songs by Adam, a stellar house rhythm carries the track, making it immensely appealing for dance clubs.  Overall “Time” is a fine, finessed rework that I will be playing a lot 🙂  Download it for free at the link above while you can.

Meet New House Producer @DimiLatUni with laid back and catchy “Nature” featuring @White_Trumpet

DIMI L featuring WHITE TRUMPET, “Nature”

I truly enjoy house and other sub-genres of dance music when it incorporates live instruments.  And if you know last year’s “Getaway” by Imad and Wave Wave, then you know the distinct sound of White Trumpet, who carries the melody of the instrumental “Nature” by Greece-born newcomer producer Dimi L.  Don’t go expecting a snooze-fest here.  “Nature” has a splendid uptempo house rhythm and some nice underlying piano work that mixes it up a bit and holds your interest solidly while maintaining a straight forward arrangement.  This goes down quite easy in the early evening, and trumpet fans of course will delight in their favourite instrument being front and centre which is not often the case.  It’s a good introduction to Dimi L who clearly has a passion for his art and I’m sure will take us elsewhere and deeper with subsequent releases.