64. FSR Rontvia - RAMelia (Tribute to Amelia) - RAM & Susana

 

 

A massive 52 song final meant that the 18 point system was used for the first time. Good to see Belinda Carlisle and Everything But The Girl entered but it was FSR Rontvia who managed their 8th and most recent win which is still more than any other country. RAM & Susana finished 18 points ahead of The Subs and Colonel Abrams with their update of the Colonel's 1985 classic 'Trapped' (FARC). Family Tree by Meadowlark was 3rd for Syndare.

 

This is a song of two halves. The first part is stunningly beautiful and the second half is all trancey. I love trance music as well so this is my favourite winner so far.a great discovery for me. RAM is Dutch DJ,Ram Boon,and this is his tribute to his wife who passed away.

 

10.5 out of 10.

 

 

I love trance music but that never resonated with me in the same way as it did with so many others. That said, it is a very distinctive and memorable winner so it's fair to say it is one of the classic BJSC tracks.

Rollo if you love that, you 100% will need to listen to '7even' by Andy Duguid. 100% the winner that never was - STUNNING. By Rontvia again too!

RAMelia is definitely up there in my rankings of the best winners ever. I think that's an advantage of trance, it's very easy to have strong feelings about it and when the emotions attached to one of those tracks are real ones of loss... hoo boy it's strong. Second the '7even' recommendation too, equally as good.

My last hurrah!

 

I was so happy to pull a win out of the bag three years after the last and RAMelia is easily one of my favourite entries that I've ever sent, it absolutely floored me when I first heard it, a very very special song. 7even is gorgeous too, strange that was similar in some ways but did quite a lot worse.

I've just listened to 7even. Yes,a very good song as well but not as good as RAMelia on first listen. I'll listen to both of them again some time.

Without a doubt one of my favourite discoveries too :'( massive feels every time i listen, as far as bjsc trance goes i doubt anything will ever top that for me

'RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia)' is another one of my favourite winners, I'm sure FSR Rontvia will win again one of these days but as it stands there could hardly be a better "last hurrah", such a triumphant song (and I adored '7even' as well, pretty much agree with what Lew said - I guess too many people may have just been comparing it to RAM and thinking it wasn't as good, and it may have done better had RAM not been sent already? no idea). My 13 pointer in the contest.

 

Some other great songs from this contest: my 18 was Evian Christ's 'Salt Carousel' which IIRC I was surprised but very pleased to see making the top 10 (the top 10 as a whole was actually super strong this month, I voted for 7/10 of them) :wub: 15 points went to ZHU with 'Paradise Awaits', I believe Iz was considering sending 'Faded' instead but glad he didn't as I actually slightly prefer 'Paradise Awaits' which I'd have never heard otherwise but both of them are absolutely brill, and 12 points went to Natural Animal's 'Who You Are' which is another one I'd recommend you check out as I feel you would be a fan. Then I didn't vote for it but it's worth a mention that this was the month of Sufjan Stevens' 'Impossible Soul', by far the longest song ever sent to the contest. Also an appearance for future minor hit single 'Pushing On' by Oliver $ and Jimi Jules.

 

This wasn't quite the first contest with the 18 point system (it was originally used in BJSCs 26-31) - this contest was a bit of a mess hosting wise as Vülker was hosting the semi-finals but left the site halfway through the contest before he'd presented the results, so the mods decided to throw out the semis and have a single final with all of the songs, hence the 18 point system being briefly brought back before it would make a full return 10 contests later! Incidentally due to this quirk, after this contest FSR Rontvia had all 3 of the nominally highest scoring winners of all time, with the two Sheelah tracks completing the top 3 as they were sent in the height of the One Big Final era.

Actually, as far as I remember it, I found Paradise Awaits on a blog with a note saying that people are loving what this guy is doing, loved it and confirmed it, without hearing Faded at all. It was only after that, after someone else (I think Froot) tried to confirm Faded and I remember a Skype convo - before it was revealed what I'd sent where the topic of Australian iTunes came up, where Faded started smashing first, pretty much in that confirmation week, and I'd realised that I'd stumbled onto a REALLY hot artist rather than just a kind of hot artist. Really thought I was going to be vetoed as well after that.

 

I am of course very glad I entered that one as as much as I love Faded, Paradise Awaits has far more of a 'BJSC personality' to it. That's a thing. And it was never a hit so it got to remain a discovery.

 

Natural Animal was FAB too

Ahh, was just remembering that totally wrong in that case - still, I'm glad I was introduced to ZHU via 'Paradise Awaits' rather than 'Faded'. x

65. N DNTN - Tear The House Up - Herve x Zebra Katz

 

 

A first win for N DNTN as Herve and Zebra Katz finished just a point ahead of Cold by Rae Morris and Fryars (Altyr Muunilinst). Sophia Del Carmen's Lipstick was 3rd for Hendinia.

 

Good to see another genre of music being represented here and the video was colourful but the track was fairly average. Herve and Zebra Katz are a British/American combination.

 

6.6 out of 10.

 

I wish I'd been able to help Cold or Lipstick over the line to victory, I still love and regularly listen to both, whereas I haven't listened to Tear The House Up since the contest, it seemed like a bit of a fluke winner on such low points and by such a narrow margin, but it was fun to host such a close contest.

I quite liked that winner from N DNTN - I think I sent some points across, though I wished that Hercules & Love Affair had won. A brilliant and much underrated track with the sultry vocals of John Grant!

Yeah, Tear the House Up was a really random winner and not one I go back to at all, though that was a FANTASTIC contest (despite the fact I DNQ'd), my top 2 of Cumulonimbia's techno-bhangra remix of Max Richter's Spring 1 and Greenfroze's creepy pop track Dark Dark In The Night were two of my favourite ever BJSC discoveries :wub:

 

RAMelia should've been my thing, but I can never get into it (though that contest featured another all time fave with my top pointer with Natural Animal's Who You Are <3)

'Tear The House Up' was definitely a bit of a fluke winner - it ended up not making the final of TBO for example - but it was great to see N DNTN finally getting a winner after being so close on several previous occasions (with songs that feel more like enduring BJSC classics now than this one did). And I did love it, gave it my 10 points and it was farrrrrr better than the rest of the songs in what was a pretty subpar top 5 for me so it was fab to see it squeaking the top spot. Actually the only other song in the whole top 10 that I care for at all any more is Alex Adair's 'Make Me Feel Better' (another future hit to show up in BJSC first).

 

There were a couple of gems that missed the top 10, my 12 and what would end up being my 2nd favourite BJSC entry of the year was 'Emanate' by Phoria :heart: :heart: :heart: and also still big love for Blawan's 'Getting Me Down' which I gave 8 points. Then 'Spring 1' as Chez mentioned is incredible as well, somehow only gave it 4 points at the time! Overall not the strongest contest for me though.

This was the closest to a golden era I ever had with my 5th being the central hit for me of 3 top 10s in a row so I remember this contest fondly, and 4th ahead of me was one of the best and most surprising BJSC hits I've ever seen. Tuomas Holopainen with The Last Sled, I worship Tuomas on the side what with him being Nightwish full time, but yeah, I really wish that had won for Zechonia (even though I do rather like Tear The House Up).

:wub: :wub: :wub:

01 Herzebania // Agnes - Release Me [bJSC 13]

02 FSR Rontvia // Sara Bareilles - Love Song [bJSC 4]

03 Hendinia // Adele - Someone Like You [bJSC 30]

04 Quotosibb // Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood [bJSC 23]

05 Daehun // Indila - Derniere Danse [bJSC 61]

06 Kopecka // Loreen - Sober [bJSC 38]

07 Eledan // Ronya - Hyperventilating [bJSC 44]

08 Hendinia: Ricki-Lee - Raining Diamonds [bJSC 39]

09 Bhangra // Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice [bJSC 3]

10 Mdice // Ke$ha - Dolla/Tik Tok [bJSC 18]

11 Fljótavík // Foxes - Youth [bJSC 41]

12 Eledan // RuPaul - Sissy That Walk [bJSC 63]

13 FSR Rontvia // Sheelah - The Last Time [bJSC 31]

14 Hendinia // Roll Deep - Good Times [bJSC 25]

15 Mdiče // VV Brown - Shark In The Water [bJSC 16]

16 Kathaldazia // Eva Simons - Silly Boy [bJSC 19]

17 Kingdom Of Shadow // Margaret Berger - Will You Remember Me Tomorrow? [bJSC 9]

18 Batidas // Agnes Obel - Riverside [bJSC 33]

 

:heart:

19 B.a.N.G. // Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets [bJSC 22]

20 FSR Rontvia // Lykke Li - Sadness Is A Blessing [bJSC 32]

21 Isconia // Lana Del Rey - Video Games [bJSC 36]

22 Batidas: Zara Larsson - Uncover [bJSC 52]

23 Nonsuch // Lily Allen - f*** You [bJSC 8]

24 Yuxhaaq // Zoe Badwi - Freefallin' [bJSC 29]

25 Mdiče // Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl [bJSC 7]

26 Numayania // Alphabeat - The Spell [bJSC 20]

27 Numayania // Dragonette - Let It Go [bJSC 43]

28 Numayania // Frida Sundemo - Indigo [bJSC 50]

29 Farahtyn // Jessica Mauboy - Inescapable [bJSC 37]

30 Herzebania // Charice - Louder [bJSC 34]

 

:D

31 Ashton // Molly Sanden - Mitt liv ar mitt [bJSC 27]

32 Lorikeet // Dolly Rockers - Boys Will Be Boys [bJSC 21]

33 FSR Rontvia // Sheelah - Psycho [bJSC 26]

34 Greenfroze // Rachel Platten - 1000 Ships [bJSC 40]

35 Elëdan // Lenka - The Show [bJSC 11]

36 FSR Rontvia // RAM & Susanne - RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) [bJSC 64]

37 Caerfyrddia // Marcel Woods ft. Vanbot - Bring It Back [bJSC 55]

38 Fljotavik // Vaults - Cry No More [bJSC 58]

 

:)

39 Kopečka // La Roux - Quicksand [bJSC 12]

40 Aeroche // Kate Boy - Northern Lights [bJSC 51]

41 Mdiče // Brandy - Right Here (Departed) [bJSC 10]

42 #00274E /// Carli - Look Up [bJSC 53]

43 Kopecka // Eric Saade - It's Gonna Rain [bJSC 27]

44 Elëdan // t.A.T.u. - Gomenasai [bJSC 5]

45 N DNTN // Tear The House Up - Herve x Zebra Katz [bJSC 65]

46 FSR Rontvia: Beautiful Small Machines - Robots In Love [bJSC 18]

47 FSR Rontvia // Uh Huh Her - Not A Love Song [bJSC 14]

48 Trifoski // Ghost Loft - So High [bJSC 56]

49 Mdiče // Britney Spears - And Then We Kiss (Junkie XL Remix) [bJSC 1]

50 Eledan // Cut Copy - Meet Me In A House Of Love [bJSC 60]

51 Bokia // Katharine McPhee - Dangerous [bJSC 2]

52 Aeroche // Unicorn Kid - Need U [bJSC 48]

53 Aeroche // Trentemoller - Moan [bJSC 46]

54 FSR Rontvia // Chart Music - All My Life [bJSC 35]

55 Syndare // Belanger - Take Me Home [bJSC 57]

56 B.a.N.G. // Delphic - Halcyon [bJSC 24]

57 FARC // SOHN - Artifice [bJSC 62]

58 Mdiče // Royksopp - The Girl And The Robot [bJSC 15)

59 Ingermanlandia // Woodkid - Run Boy Run [bJSC 45]

60 Skall // Postiljonen - Supreme [bJSC 54]

61 Fljótavík // Fibes oh Fibes - Cerahtonia [bJSC 49]

 

:/

62 Trifoski - The Kite String Tangle - Given The Chance [bJSC 59]

63 Aeroche // Silk - Trust [bJSC 47]

64 Quotosibb // Beverley Knight - Black Butta [bJSC 6]

65 Botanikka // Emma Hewitt - Colours [bJSC 42]

 

 

RAMelia is something I wouldn't usually like, I really don't like trance as a genre as it all sounds the same to me :lol: But this obviously has a lot of meaning as has been covered already. The vocals are stunning which is what pulls me in, the trance bit doesn't overstay its welcome and get samey because it's not the full song. I think the only other example of trance in BJSC I've really enjoyed was Aelyn's Give Love A Try which is like 20 contests from being covered in this because it was a pop song with trance influences that used it really well. My 18 that contest was kinda random, Cassie Steele's Mad which is something I don't go back to a huge amount now :lol: Then again there isn't really anything from this contest I go back to a huge amount, it's not a fave of mine :P

 

Tear This House Up definitely feels like an odd winner, that Chris nearly did it so many times and it was this that did it, from 12th in the semi :lol: I didn't quite point it like but it's a good song. I'd have loved the stunning Cold by Rae Morris to win that contest, I still go back to that but "only" gave it 8. My 12 was Sophia Del Carmen - Lipstick which was a total bop <3

*catches up in a slightly more condensed manner so this is less of a wall of text :P*

 

'Cry No More' sounds really familiar but I've only heard it just the once before, from the winners rate ages ago. Was the instrumental used in an advert before or something? Anyway, I really like said production - the bells and strings are so easy on the ears, then I enjoy how it switches up at about 2 minutes in with a slightly darker layer to the production. The vocals are so lovely too :heart: a shame they split up already after their commercial push with the John Lewis advert. I actually didn't discover Vaults through that, my first taste of them was via their appearance on the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack. Other highlights from BJSC 58 that I recognise: TLC, As Animals, Vance Joy and Izzy Bizu.

 

Oh yesss 'Given The Chance' is way more up my street than the previous Trifoski winner. This run of winners right now is so good *.* the production on this is gorgeous and builds up so nicely until THAT final minute where it is kicked up a notch! :heart: really like the vocalist too. Other highlights from BJSC 59 that I recognise: DVBBS and Borgeous, Hozier, Dolly Parton (*.*), Route 94 and Ten Walls. <3

 

Cut Copy is just about my new favourite Elëdan winner so far, it is difficult for me to ever resist synthpop. Very enjoyable male vox once again like the previous winner. Other highlights from BJSC 60 that I recognise: Aphex Twin, Son Lux (:wub: :wub: this was a Jadakissnia potential for a bit in 2015 before I realised it had already been sent :lol:) and Milky Chance. Slay at Arash being entered also, I love a bop by him called 'Temptation'.

 

Another good winner courtesy of Indila! This year appears to have been very strong at the top. I enjoy the French language anyway and her voice is lush. I love how dramatic 'Dernière Danse' becomes when it builds up, the backing vox are a fab touch that really heighten it. Other highlights from BJSC 61 that I recognise: Kids Of The Apocalypse (would have been an amazing winner) and Tiësto (I'm familiar with 'Take Me Home' and 'Wicked Games' too but not much of a fan of either).

 

'Artifice' is another one of these winners at the moment with lovely male vocals that are backed up by pretty production. It's a really nice and commanding piece of electropop. Good vid too as you pointed out, Rollo ~ Other highlights from BJSC 62 that I recognise: Christopher Tin, Indiana, Paris XY and Soap&Skin. I also see Blasterjaxx were entered, my debut entry was originally going to be something by them but I'm so glad I went for 'Curtains' instead, as that initial song I had in mind has aged pretty badly and wasn't as good anyway.

 

I've never seen an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race in my life but I do enjoy some of the music that comes from it. 'Sissy That Walk' is definitely one of the good'uns, really catchy and the breakdown is pretty banging. Other highlights from BJSC 63 that I recognise: Peking Duk, Galantis, Kris Menace, Oliver Heldens and Melanie Martinez.

 

I am a sucker for trance music and 'RAMelia' is made all the more better when there's such raw emotion behind it. The first couple of minutes really reel you in a with those emotional vocals, then I get goosebumps when the huuuge sounding trance part comes in as well. Idk there's something so triumphant about it. Gah some of these lyrics though </3 absolutely stunning winner. Glad '7even' was brought up too because that was one of my absolute highlights of my debut contest. Other highlights from BJSC 64 that I recognise: ZHU, Halsey + Oliver $ and Jimi Jules.

 

Ooooh 'Tear The House Up' really is quite addictive *.* gonna have that chorus line stuck in my head for a while I think. Does seem like a bit of a random winner but I'm here for it tbh. Slay at me enjoying all of the winners covered since last time I posted, makes me wish that I had actually signed up to BJSC a year or two earlier :kink: I think Alex Adair is the only other song here that I remember very well and love.

 

01. Ingermanlandia // Woodkid - Run Boy Run [bJSC 45]

02. Herzebania // Agnes - Release Me [bJSC 13]

03. Isconia // Lana Del Rey - Video Games [bJSC 36]

04. Hendinia // Roll Deep - Good Times (feat. Jodie Connor) [bJSC 25][/b]

05. FSR Rontvia // RAM and Susana - RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) [bJSC 64]

06. Fljótavík // Vaults - Cry No More [bJSC 54]

07. B.a.N.G // Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets [bJSC 22]

08. Fljótavík // Foxes - Youth [bJSC 41]

09. Trifoski // The Kite String Tangle - Given The Chance [bJSC 55]

10. Syndare // Belanger - Take Me Home [bJSC 57]

 

11. Bøtanikkä // Emma Hewitt - Colours [bJSC 42]

12. Batidas // Agnes Obel - Riverside [bJSC 33]

13. B.a.N.G // Delphic - Halcyon [bJSC 24]

14. Mdiče // Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot [bJSC 15]

15. Aeroche // Trentemøller - Moan (feat. Ane Trolle) [bJSC 46]

16. FSR Rontvia // Lykke Li - Sadness Is A Blessing [bJSC 32]

17. Mdiče // V V Brown - Shark In The Water [bJSC 16]

18. Kingdom of Shadow // Margaret Berger - Will You Remember Me Tomorrow? [bJSC 9]

19. Elëdan [π] // Cut Copy - Meet Me In A House Of Love [bJSC 60]

20. Aeroche // Kate Boy - Northern Lights [bJSC 51]

 

21. FARC // SOHN - Artifice [bJSC 62]

22. Skall // Postiljonen - Supreme [bJSC 54]

23. Aeroche // TR/ST - Sulk [bJSC 47]

24. Elëdan [π] // Ronya - Hyperventilating [bJSC 44]

25. N DNTN // Hervé and Zebra Katz - Tear The House Up [bJSC 65]

26. Daehun // Indila - Dernière Danse [bJSC 61]

27. Caerfyrddia // Marcel Woods - Bring It Back (feat. Vanbot) [bJSC 55]

28. Aeroche // Unicorn Kid - Need U [bJSC 48]

29. Hendinia // Adele - Someone Like You (Live) [bJSC 30]

30. Quotosibb // Marina And The Diamonds - Hollywood [bJSC 23]

 

31. Mdiče // Ke$ha - TiK ToK [bJSC 18]

32. FSR Rontvia // Uh Huh Her - Not A Love Song [bJSC 14]

33. Mdiče // Britney Spears - And Then We Kiss (Junkie XL Remix) [bJSC 1]

34. Elëdan [π] // RuPaul - Sissy That Walk [bJSC 63]

35. Yuxhaaq // Zoë Badwi - Freefallin [bJSC 29]

36. Elëdan [π] // Lenka - The Show [bJSC 11]

37. Kopečka [Qärenfanghoney] // Loreen - Sober [bJSC 38]

38. Trifoski // Ghost Loft - So High [bJSC 56]

39. Elëdan [π] // t.A.T.u. - Gomenasai [bJSC 5]

40. FSR Rontvia // Sheelah - Psycho [bJSC 26]

 

41. #00274E // Carli - Look Up [bJSC 53]

42. Numayania // Frida Sundemo - Indigo [bJSC 50]

43. Fljótavík // Fibes, Oh Fibes! - Cerahtonia [bJSC 49]

44. FSR Rontvia // Chart Music - All My Life [bJSC 35]

45. Numayania // Alphabeat - The Spell [bJSC 20]

46. Nonsuch // Lily Allen - f*** You [bJSC 8]

47. FSR Rontvia // Sara Bareilles - Love Song [bJSC 4]

48. Greenfroze // Rachel Platten - 1,000 Ships [bJSC 40]

49. Kopečka [Qärenfanghoney] // La Roux - Quicksand [bJSC 12]

50. Hendinia // Ricki-Lee - Raining Diamonds [bJSC 39]

 

51. Kopečka [Qärenfanghoney] // Eric Saade - It's Gonna Rain [bJSC 27]

52. FSR Rontvia // Sheelah - The Last Time [bJSC 31]

53. Kathaldazia // Eva Simons - Silly Boy [bJSC 19]

54. Mdiče // Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl [bJSC 7]

55. Quotosibb // Beverley Knight - Black Butta [bJSC 6]

56. Numayania // Dragonette - Let It Go [bJSC 43]

57. Ashton // Molly Sandén - Mitt Liv Är Mitt [bJSC 28]

58. Bhangra // Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice [bJSC 3]

59. Lorikeet // Dolly Rockers - Boys Will Be Boys [bJSC 21]

60. FSR Rontvia // Beautiful Small Machines - Robots In Love [bJSC 17]

 

61. Batidas // Zara Larsson - Uncover [bJSC 52]

62. Herzebania // Charice - Louder [bJSC 34]

63. Farahtyn // Jessica Mauboy - Inescapable [bJSC 37]

64. Mdiče // Brandy - Right Here (Departed) [bJSC 10]

65. Bokia // Katharine McPhee - Dangerous [bJSC 2]

66. Aeroche - Beautiful - A.G.Cook

 

 

Aeroche's fifth win,A.G.Cook finished 10 points ahead of Lindsey Stirling and Lzzy Hale representing Jamvale with Shatter Me. Lost You by Zeds Dead,Twin Shadow and D'Angelo Lacy was 3rd for Ethanola. I hadn't noticed those two countries before on the list of songs so good to see someone new in the top 3.

 

I like the zaniness of this song but it sounds too like Pinky and Perky to get a high score from me. There are also parts of it that sound like the theme tune to Test Match Special which made me think A.G.Cook might be the former England cricket captain Alastair Cook but he's actually the British DJ Alex Cook.

 

7.9 out of 10.

 

Edited September 7, 20177 yr by King Rollo

One of Aeroche's best entries, I love that track.

 

Can't wait for BJSC75 Meg Myers :thinking: