Tag Archives: house

Music for sunny days: “Dreamin'” by @iamEmbody featuring @CamdenCoxmusic

EMBODY featuring CAMDEN COX, “Dreamin'”

When I last wrote about Lithuania-born, London-based producer Embody, he was working great things with UK soul singer A*M*E.  A year later and he’s totally crushing it with tropical-themed deep house to help get a lot of us through the winter months with “Dreamin'”, featuring UK singer Camden Cox.  The combination is irresistible – a Caribbean-sounding trigger guaranteed to make you bounce while Camden’s playful vocal makes those flashes of dreamy beaches and palm trees almost in reach.  I don’t see “Dreamin'” in my iTunes store so hopefully it will be a matter of time.  So check out yours and enjoy this song above as it sneaks up on you!

Dance this mess around: “Drinkee” by NYC duo @SofiTukker

sofitukker

SOFI TUKKER, “Drinkee”

NYC duo Sofi Tukker picked a great variation on a famous celebrity’s name, using their own names: Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern.  And it looks like their debut single “Drinkee” is going to be the talk of the winter on the dance club circuit.  It’s got this slinky R&B groove that will make you think of ZHU’s “Faded”, a guitar hook that recalls “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, and a sultry vocal that’s singing… in Portuguese (but adapted from poetry by Brazil’s Chacal).  And that really creates bliss on the dancefloor as you try to make sense of it all.  “Drinkee” is very entertaining – perhaps you might look back to the first time you heard Enur & Natasja’s “Calabria” (only of course to realize that one was in fact rapped in English) – and Sofi Tukker are protégés of The Knocks, having been signed to their label Heavy Roc, with an EP on the way.  I’m predicting great things for this one.  Check it out below and pick it up on iTunes.

“Echo” by @CutSnake gets an edgy, dirty deep house mix by Chicago remixer Snøwmass @snowmassbeats

CUT SNAKE, “Echo” (Snøwmass remix) (free DL)

“Echo” by Australian producer/DJ’s Cut Snake is one of those sneaky sultry late night club songs which will grab you when you aren’t paying attention with its slickly styled EDM house rhythms.  Chicago remixer Snøwmass gives the song a different kind of punch with an in-your-face beginning that turns into a deep, bass-laden dirty house track at about the 1:25 mark.  By that time it’s too late to turn back, your speakers will be vibrating and you’ll be wondering what comes next in this unpredictable mix.  While the original mix is beautifully suited to the female vocal, Snøwmass provides for a contrasting approach that totally works.  I love remixes because someone else takes a song into places that perhaps it wasn’t intended, and if they’re successful it works out well for everyone.  Check out the original “Echo” above and the Snøwmass remix below available for free download.

https://soundcloud.com/snowmass/cut-snake-echo-snowmass-remix

 

@Jessica6 and @NomiRuiz are back with steamy “Down Low”

JESSICA 6, “Down Low”

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.

Never stop to “Never Drop” with Italy’s #DRYdjofficial and @DJMirkoB

https://soundcloud.com/vireggs/dry-ft-dj-mirko-b-never-drop

DRY. & DJ Mirko B, “Never Drop”

There’s a lot of Italian club music out there and some of it becomes indistinguishable sometimes.  “Never Drop” is one of those exceptions, brought to us by two established Italian DJ’s, DRY. and DJ Mirko B (who you read about previously here  in the Spring with Sweden’s Anton Ewald on “Higher”).  “Never Drop” is one of those records that keeps you guessing as to what will come next.  It shifts comfortably from contemporary progressive Eurohouse to some funky 90’s throwback jamming.  But underneath is a beautiful, classic Europop melody!  “Never Drop” is a real crowd-pleaser.  Listen to an excerpt above, and you can also buy the full version from the Beatport link right here or get it on iTunes.

Party Up to @MatthewKoma’s new single “So F**kin’ Romantic” (plus a @MOTiofficial remix)

MATTHEW KOMA, “So F**kin’ Romantic”

It’s taken awhile, Matthew Koma’s first solo single since 2013’s “One Night” and with a new record deal with RCA, but the talented guy has kept himself busy writing for others (Kelly Clarkson and Shania Twain 😮 among them), DJing, and featuring on songs by Giorgio Moroder, Hardwell, Tiesto, Zedd, and more, so he’s never been away.  “So F**kin’ Romantic” I guess is not aimed at radio play 😉 but Matthew’s dominant presence as a voice in clubs make this a friendly and easy sell 🙂  Sometimes one doesn’t know what to do when you think you’re romantic, right?  You can go over-the-top but if the person you’re trying to please doesn’t get it, then what’s the point?  Time to party – and MOTi captures the sunny, tropical vibe of the original in his remix (below) which has a progressive edge to it with nods to the 80’s and other eras (not to mention saxophone – not the variety from Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop”).  If anything, “So F**kin’ Romantic” should make radio want to play more Matthew Koma, but we dance music lovers will take this one for ourselves!  A new album is completed – can’t wait to hear it all.

#BILLCSTop30 #463 – August 10/15

The amount of posts I write seems to have slowed down, but I do make them count 🙂 And my chart brings some of them full circle and also introduces you to some songs I adore that I haven’t written about (usually major name performers).  So the new chart has five debuts – don’t let the lower chart position belie how well these five will do in the coming weeks 🙂  As usual, current faves have to give up the ghost first!

The Top 10

  • What more can I possibly say about Brandyn Burnette’s “I Wanna Be (Free)”?  How about a fourth appearance (eighth week) at #1!  Just in time for the remix by The Bravos which I wrote about recently.  It’s going to be very hard to beat the Top 2 songs in this chart at year end!

  • And then there’s “Shine” by UK trio Years & Years.  I can’t understand why radio will not play this one in North America.  There’s a really powerful emotional undercurrent to “Shine”, which didn’t sink in until well after I stopped hearing it with one ear on a similar-sounding melody to Erik Hassle’s “No Words”.  It holds at #2 again, but “Shine” is looking to take over from “I Wanna Be (Free)” whenever that song surrenders #1.

  • It does have an ‘earworm’ of a chorus as my friend David kindly put it.  Toronto’s Dan Talevski has released a follow up called “My Religion” which I have not heard yet (but will in the next while undoubtedly), probably because I’m too wrapped up in “Guilty As Sin”, which rises to #3 for the talented singer.

  • I get the feeling of triumph every time I hear “Beauty Never Lies” by Serbia’s Bojana Stamenov.  The Eurovision finalist climbs up to #5 to anchor the Top 10 midway point 🙂

  • There is no doubt that “Kiss Me Quick” by Nathan Sykes (which climbs to #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Play chart this week) has its druthers aimed for the top spot on this chart, and for now it bounds 12-6 while the UK singer continues to promote the song throughout the US.

  • Toronto quartet Smashing Satellites follow up their #3 chart hit “Waterfall” with the very different and ebullient “What It’s All About”, which has taken its time but lands at #8.

  • Rounding out the trio of Torontonians in the Top 10 is star-on-the-rise singer/songwriter/guitarist Francesco Yates with “Better To Be Loved” at #9.  Francesco sings on one of the debuts too!

https://soundcloud.com/penguin-prison/show-me-the-way

  • The fastest riser on the chart belongs to Penguin Prison with the effortless-sounding and breezy “Show Me The Way”, soaring 22-10, and the Top 10 is no stranger to PP who have cracked #1 twice before.  In the US, you can catch “Show Me The Way” in the latest Hulu ad 🙂  Not yet a single, but soon-to-be… I hope… pretty please…

Movin’ On Up

  • I can’t get enough of UK singer Martin Luke Brown’s vocal on “Take Out Of Me”.  This searing piece of soulful pop rises 19-11.

  • Another unique vocal appears in “East Side Bay” by L.A.-based producer/DJ – and yes vocalist – Mi Disguise.  This is one sneaky club track that deserves exposure, and climbs 15-12.

  • Amid fierce competition, Cobi Mike’s thoughtful and affecting “Walking Through The Fire” continues to move up 14-13 – check out the intriguing video (you’ll get past the point that the singer is naked throughout, really, you will).

  • When in doubt gain brownie points by using your country in your latest song title 😉  Seriously, “Girl From Sweden” by Eric Saade is a catchy singalong, and I’m sure you’ll find the singer dancing in the Swedish countryside one day with pretty girls in hand 😉  The song rises 18-15.

  • Performers who collaborate with their significant others often make fine music together.  Such is the case with Molly Moore, whose “Natural Disaster” climbs 25-19 (Brandyn Burnette is a co-writer).  I wrote about another top notch song by Molly not long ago called “Don’t Believe It”, which saw official release on iTunes last week. Much more new music to come!

  • Canadians J-Mi and Midi-D are off to a great start with their recent single “So Much For That”.  Not only is it loads of fun, with its 90’s Europop backdrop, but these underdogs, remixers and ravers alike, have created a song that absolutely anyone can identify with.  The video is a hoot and the nerd in us all will appreciate it.  “So Much For That” climbs 26-21.

Those 5 Debuts

  • I must admit to have been totally blown away by the collaboration of New York producer/DJ’s The Chainsmokers with fellow New Yorkers Great Good Fine OK on “Let You Go”.  But the song IMO has been immensely improved with a throttling Tiesto remix which is available for free download on Soundcloud!! “Let You Go” is the highest debut, arriving at #22.

  • It was a fine few weeks for dance music and NERVO land their first chart entry with “The Other Boys” at #23 from their new album Collateral.  The powerful mix plus Kylie Minogue and Jake Shears on vocals, carried by propulsive guitar work by Nile Rodgers should send this to the top of the national dance charts in short order.  I wish that pop radio would be open to playing it but alas I expect not.

  • The Weeknd doesn’t need my blog’s help with all of his success, to be seen in December come Grammy Awards nomination time.  His latest single, “I Can’t Feel My Face”, from the upcoming Beauty Behind The Madness (which I predict will be the #1 album of 2015), arrives at #25.  Despite all of his obvious influences, The Weeknd makes every song his own and that’s part of his appeal!  That he comes from my part of Toronto speaks volumes too 😀

  • Meanwhile, back to Francesco Yates… who sings lead on the latest single from Grammy nominee Robin Schulz on “Sugar”, the title song from Robin’s upcoming album.  The inclusion of lyrics from Baby Bash & Frankie J’s “Suga Suga” is a bonus, but kind of interesting in a roundabout way when you think that Francesco himself (who is 19) was a mere lad when the original came out in 2003.  “Sugar” premieres at #27 and the video is quite slaptsticky-funny if you suspend your disbelief.

  • The final debut belongs to Disclosure featuring Sam Smith once again on “Omen”.  This trio must get into a room and just know when they’ve written a hit.  Although “Latch” did take a while to catch on in North America (eventually climbing to #1 on this chart), “Omen” arrives signed and sealed for success.  It debuts at #28 and comes from Disclosure’s forthcoming album Caracal.

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 on http://www.planetradio.ca every Monday at 10:00 pm EST counting down a Toronto Top 10 chart from yesteryear!

Sweet ‘n soulful @GreatGoodFineOK’s top notch EP and vocals on @TheChainsmokers “Let You Go” (@Tiesto remix)

GREAT GOOD FINE OK  2M2H (EP)

THE CHAINSMOKERS featuring GREAT GOOD FINE OK  “Let You Go” (Tiësto remix)

I had the good fortune of seeing Brooklyn, New York band Great Good Fine OK when they swung into town opening up for Penguin Prison.  Their recently released EP of originals 2M2H showcased an 80’s flavoured electronic pop sound influenced heavily by R&B/soul – think Michael Jackson, Culture Club, Level 42, Style Council – with plenty of keyboard wizardry.  Singer Jon Sandler has a multi-octave voice that can go up against the best singers!  He hits those sweet high notes like Mika but has a beautiful, full low register as well.  “Something To Believe In”, featuring St. Lucia, is your go-to song on the EP, though all of the songs form a great introduction to GGFO, including “Carried Away”.  Jon Sandler and Luke Moellman are also DJ’s so not only do they sing and play their music so well with a full band, but they know how to work a versatile mix.  Stream the entire EP above.

So while I was checking out their music on Soundcloud, I came across their featured appearance on a song by fellow New Yorkers The Chainsmokers!  “Let You Go” once again features Jon’s high register in full force, and it’s highly complimented by Tiësto’s progressive house remix which truly kicks up a storm for the dancefloor.  It’s irresistible – you won’t be able to help yourself from moving.  A bonus – it’s a free download!  Play it along your favourite house tracks and don’t say you weren’t warned!  Listen to “Let You Go” and download it below.

https://soundcloud.com/tiesto/the-chainsmokers-ft-great-good-fine-ok-let-you-go-tiesto-remix

#BILLCSTop30 #460 – June 29, 2015

It’s been a busy few weeks in my household both at work and at home, so now it’s time to get caught up with new music on edition 460 of my personal chart 🙂

Listen to the entire chart on Spotify!!

https://soundcloud.com/brandynburnette/i-wanna-be-free

The New #1

  • I’m a few days early in advance of the official video, but Brandyn Burnette garners his second #1 of 2015, moving from 6-1, with the thought-provoking, dreamy, and laid back “I Wanna Be (Free)”.  It is definitely one of my key songs for the Summer of ’15, and I hope it might turn into one of yours (listen up top).  It’s from Brandyn’s much-awaited forthcoming EP  Made Of Dreams.  Show your support and pick up this one on iTunes!  One of my favourite parts of the song is the piano especially during the first minute 🙂

The Top 10

  • With “I Wanna Be (Free)” taking over at #1 so quickly, that left “No Words” by Erik Hassle nowhere else to go but to #2.  I’m still hoping this song will catch on at radio for the summer months.

  • It’s taken longer than usual for a Brandon Flowers song to make its presence known on my chart but “Can’t Deny My Love” is on its way to the Top 5 following a pair in 2010 – #1 “Crossfire”and #3 “Jacksonville”.

  • Producer/DJ Antonio Giacca’s riveting and funky instrumental “Sensation” bounds into the Top 10 at #8.  Do check out the head-scratcher of a video which totally suits the song 🙂

  • It’s kind of no surprise but “Shine” by Years & Years is indeed the fastest riser on this chart, vaulting 19-9 to become the trio’s third Top Tenner.  And I’m so glad I’ve got a ticket to their September 14 show here in Toronto 🙂 I’m not so sure why North American audiences aren’t warming up to Years & Years as the rest of the world.  Olly Alexander’s vocal on “Shine” is one of the best of the year, and the video keeps you glued as to what’s happening next!

  • Rounding out the new entries to the Top 10 is Adam Lambert’s “Ghost Town” at #10.  Not all of the songs on his album The Original High are successful, but man, what a production, which zeroes in on making Adam’s voice more versatile than ever.  Gone are the days of the limiting “American Idol” image.  Watch the “Ghost Town” video below but also check out my other current favourite which is the bass-laden “The Light”.

Movin’ On Up

  • Another album I’m enjoying is Giorgio Moroder’s first album in 30 years, Déjà Vu.  The title song featuring an alternately wistful and powerful vocal by Sia rises to #12.  The album succeeds in some places that I didn’t expect – the songs featuring Kelis and Marlene, as well as his update of “Tom’s Diner” with Britney Spears – whereas the songs featuring faves-of-mine Mikky Ekko and Matthew Koma are either dull or maybe just need a few more plays.  Plus there are Giorgio’s instrumentals “74 Is The New 24” and “La Disco” which showcase his definitive sound.  But my next favourite after “Déjà Vu” and “Right Here, Right Now” (his previous #4 hit with Kylie Minogue) is “Wildstar” featuring none other than Foxes!  Listen below.

  • The chart would be many plays less fun if it wasn’t for Matt & Kim’s “Hey Now”.  The song has taken its time but moves up to #13.

  • Just as bold as her vocal, Bojana Stamenov’s Eurovision entry for Serbia, “Beauty Never Lies”, advances a whopping 20-14, with eyes firmly on the Top 10!

  • Another song not moving up as fast as it could due to competition is Lawson’s “Roads” at #15.  It recently became the band’s latest Top 15 hit in the UK, peaking at #11.

  • The triple-threat of some guys with great voices who debuted two weeks ago makes its impact as all songs advance into the Top 20.  Torontonians Dan Talevski and Francesco Yates are back to back again at #18 and #19 with “Guilty As Sin” (with its spicy video!) and “Better To Be Loved” respectively, while ex-Gentlemen Hall singer Cobi Mike climbs 26-20 with his indie release “Walking Through The Fire”.

Premieres

  • It’s taken a little while to arrive on the chart after I wrote about it in the Spring, but L.A.-based producer/DJ -and in “East Side Bay”, vocalist! – Mi Disguise gets his second chart entry at #24.  It follows his #15 collaboration with Adam Tyler from earlier in the year, “Alive”.  “East Side Bay” really gets going after a minute.  Still with it as Mi Disguise’s vocal has a unique charm about it that totally suits the song.  I’d love to see club DJ’s get behind this one like they did ZHU’s “Faded” (though that got major label support too) 🙂

  • Making their first appearance on my chart is Fall Out Boy!  The quartet borrows the surfer-guitar riff from the theme from the 60’s show “The Munsters” for “Uma Thurman”, and between the lyrics and musical antics, the fun just doesn’t stop while the song’s playing.  It’s a great summer tune, from the quartet’s latest album American Beauty/American Psycho, and arrives at #26.

  • As Eric Saade’s punchy “Sting” sails off the chart after peaking at #4, the Maroon 5-ish “Girl From Sweden” makes its debut at #29.  So now all you folks can go off to the Swedish countryside in search of Eric dancing with pretty girls in the fields…

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 🙂

@TheBeatles gone electro: “Because” by @BobbyNourmand”

https://soundcloud.com/theninjaclayton/bobby-nourmand-because

BOBBY NOURMAND, “Because”

Yes, you read that right.  L.A. producer/DJ Bobby Nourmand has made The Beatles’ “Because” sound positively other worldly.  This version retains the romantic, easy going vibe of the original but sets it to a slight house rhythm and a percussive backdrop, and the results make it sound like the song should have ended up on an alternate version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band rather than Abbey Road.  Definitely a head turner and foot tapper!  Even better, download for free at the Soundcloud link above.