Carte Blanche Music

Sir Notch & Tommy The Sound – Miami Vice

February 15th, 2019

My recommendation of Sir Notch’s single Gimme That Sunshine was one of last year’s best-read Carte Blanche Music posts, ending up third in Your Favourites (2018). So obviously, I won’t hold his new single back from you.

Christon Kloosterboer, under his Sir Notch alias, made the track with his youth pal, Thomas Onderwater (DJ Tommy The Sound). He wanted to make a contemporary disco tune, which I think they succeeded in doing. On Miami Vice, the two blend the funky guitar, synths and other sounds from the 80’s seamlessly with today’s beats. Meanwhile, the lyrics play the nostalgia card. The song’s artwork underlines that feeling masterly, while the lyric video is a trip down memory lane as well.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

single track

Mauger – Grace Plays Alone

February 15th, 2019

Mauger is the brainchild of singer/guitarist Mauger Mortier. Initially, he did his thing as a singer-songwriter, but then he found three kindred spirits in ten-year Absynthe Minded veterans Jan Duthoy and Jakob Nachtergaele, and Matthias Debusschere (ex-Sioen). Together, they make timeless, intelligent pop songs. You can find a first collection of them on the band’s debut album Sunday Competition.

Grace Plays Alone is Mauger’s new single. Early fans may know the song already, as it has also been put forward in the summer of 2017. Since then, however, the track has evolved into a much better version, which was recorded for the album. After the intro, that brings back memories of the wonderful If You Were Here by Kent, Grace Plays Alone goes its own way with a simple, but very gripping melody.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop

single track, soundtrack

Elliphant – To The End

February 14th, 2019

With three previous album releases and a number of features during 2018, it is now time for Elliphant to release her new single To The End. A bold synth-pop song, heavily influenced by rock, where the Swedish singer (born Ellinor Olovsdotter) mixes genres and seamlessly makes them her own.

The song is featured in the critically acclaimed box-office movie ‘Spiderman – Into The Spiderverse’ where it introduces the new bad-ass character Spider-Gwen.

Expect even more fresh girl-power music from Elliphant during 2019.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

electronic | hip hop | pop

single track

I Know Leopard – Heather

February 14th, 2019

After releasing two EP’s and two separate singles since 2014, Sydney quartet I Know Leopard have just announced their debut album Love Is A Landmine is due on 5 April. It includes lead single Landmine, which was released last August, and brand-new song Heather. The latter has a subtle groove and overall nostalgic harmonies, that are evidently inspired by the 70’s.

Lead singer Luke O’Loughlin says of the track: “With Heather I wanted to write a classic ‘tormented in love’ song. There are songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s with this kind of theme that I was drawing upon and although it isn’t based on a specific personal experience I think a lot of people can relate to a relationship or even brief encounter in which they have felt chewed up and spat out.”

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop

single track

Mat Kerekes – Diamonds

February 13th, 2019

Ohio-based singer-songwriter Mat Kerekes is best known as the lead vocalist of alt-rock band Citizen. On his new solo material, he presents his softer side and showcases his versatility as a singer-songwriter. His second solo album Ruby, incorporating elements of pop and alternative, is expected later this year. It boasts massive choruses, dynamic arrangements, and infectious melodies.

Following the long-player’s title track, Diamonds is the set’s second single. A pop song with a rock edge that will go down well with fans of Billy Joel and Ben Folds.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop | rock

single track, wildcard

Wildcard (week 7):
Stats – The Family Business

February 13th, 2019

15 February, London sextet Stats release their debut album Other People’s Lives. The record is inspired by the likes of Roxy Music, Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem. A month ago, I already recommended the single Lose It off the long-player.

Now, amid increasing media attention, the band are back with an even stronger teaser. The Family Business is an energetic pop song with a driving 80’s influenced drum pattern, presumably originating from the same computer as the rhythm underlying a-ha’s Take On Me.

Stats have a way with catchy tunes, not in the least because frontman Ed Seed was part of La Roux earlier, and played guitar and keys in Dua Lipa’s band. With his new musical project, he’s about to reach the same heights. As a first step in this direction, Stats’s new single The Family Business is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, meaning it’ll feature here prominently until next Wednesday!

In the Wildcards 2019 playlist you can find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

pop

single track

Pet Shop Boys – What Are We Going To Do About The Rich?

February 12th, 2019

No need to introduce Pet Shop Boys, I guess. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are currently recording their upcoming album (set for release in the autumn) with Stuart Price. In the meantime, they drop the stand-alone EP Agenda, featuring four songs that won’t be on the album.

Discussing the EP, Neil says it contains “three satirical songs and one rather sad song – but they all have, broadly speaking, political themes. I think it’s because of the times we’re living through.”

The individual songs are Give Stupidity A Chance, On Social Media, The Forgotten Child and my absolute favourite: What Are We Going To Do About The Rich? A Pet Shop Boys classic in the making. Neil: “This was written as a lyric as a sort of mock-protest song.” Chris: “We’re talking about very rich.” Neil: “We’re talking about extreme rich – oligarchs and that kind of thing. The super-rich.” Chris: “The ones that don’t pay any tax.”

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

electronic | pop

single track

Sports Team – M5

February 12th, 2019

During their short career so far, British six-piece Sports Team worked with some seasoned producers. Their debut EP Winter Nets, released in January 2018, was produced by Dave McCracken (Ian Brown, Depeche Mode), follow up single Kutcher was recorded with Courtney Barnett producer Burke Reid, and their latest release M5 was helmed by Jolyon Thomas (The Magic Gang, Kendrick Lamar, U2).

The infectious new single has been tried and tested during the band’s live shows last year. Drummer Al Greenwood expands: “No one had heard the song, but by the second chorus we had crowds singing the lyrics back to us.” M5 is taken from a new EP called Keep Walking!, out on 8 March.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop | rock

single track

Zinnia – Lupins

February 11th, 2019

Zinnia is a Toronto-based art pop project of Rachael Cardiello. Lupins is only her first single, which will be included on her debut album Sensations in Two Dot, due out this spring.

The singer-songwriter says of the song: “The 18 month incubation of Lupins was accompanied by many personal moments of grief; a time when it seemed no matter what direction I looked, I found others at their breaking points. Writing it served as a salve for a period of pain.”

Despite this background, Lupins sounds hopeful, and may very well offer comfort to those like Cardiello, who find themselves at a loss for clear solutions.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

pop

werner's weekly

Werner’s Weekly (week 7)

February 11th, 2019

This is Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, containing the two most recent Carte Blanche Music Wildcards, and the best of the other new releases in alphabetical order:

Billie Louise – Like Machines (Wildcard this week)
Dua Lipa – Swan Song (Wildcard last week)
Cassia – Small Spaces
dodie – Monster
-M- – Grand Petit Con
Nadia Sheikh – Toxic
Tessa Dixson – Beautiful Pain

Click the links for more info and listen to each of the tracks via the Werner’s Weekly player below.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Also added last week: Beck, Caravan Palace, The Heavy, Mercury Rev, and many more.

12 3 4 5

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Sir Notch & Tommy The Sound – Miami Vice

Mauger – Grace Plays Alone

Elliphant – To The End

I Know Leopard – Heather

Mat Kerekes – Diamonds

Wildcard (week 7):
Stats – The Family Business

Pet Shop Boys – What Are We Going To Do About The Rich?

Sports Team – M5

Zinnia – Lupins

Werner’s Weekly (week 7)

Wildcard (week 7)

Werner’s Weekly (week 7)

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Wildcard (week 7)

Werner’s Weekly (week 7)

Spotify playlist

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