Carte Blanche Music |

Yelle is a French electro-pop group around front woman and namesake Yelle (Julie Budet) and Grandmarnier (Jean-François Perrier). The original name of the band, Yel, was an acronym of ‘You Enjoy Life’. When there appeared to be a Belgian act with the same name, they feminised their name to Yelle. Halfway the ‘00s, they scored a Top 5 hit with their debut single Je Veux Te Voir (Dans Un Film Pornografique!). Follow-up single A Cause Des Garçons was almost as successful.

15 years later, the group has four albums to their name. The most recent one, L’ère Du Verseau, came out in September 2020. Noir is one of the best tracks on it. Early this year, car brand Kia used it in a TV campaign for the Black Edition of its Sportage model, which ignited huge interest in the track. Now it has been released as Yelle’s official new single. Budet explains it’s an ode to post-pandemic life: “I strongly hope that this song will make you want to dance, to party, to stay out late, just at a moment when all of this is forbidden…”

A great punchy electro tune, Noir is cool in every sense of the word. This is well-reflected in the song’s super stylish music video, which celebrates the dynamic versatility of an all-black wardrobe. ‘Comment t’habilles-tu ce soir? / Moi je m’habille en noir’ (‘What are you wearing tonight? / Me, I’m wearing black‘.)

Noir by Yelle is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it’ll feature prominently at the top of the page for a full seven days!

Recommended as well:
Yelle – Ici Et Maintenant (Here And Now)

Follow Yelle on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

In the Wildcards 2021 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

werner's weekly

Werner’s Weekly (week 15)

April 12th, 2021

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:

Who – Hey! Get Out The Way (Wildcard this week)
RoseeLu – Playing Alone (Wildcard last week)
Danilo – Bringing It Back
Devon – Warning Signs
Paloma – 2AM (Love Again)
Rori – The Same Way
Vistas – Start Again

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: Alice Merton, Crowded House, Texas, Twenty One Pilots, Years & Years and more.

indie | pop | r&b | rock | soul

single track

The Vain Travail – Do You See The Sun?

April 10th, 2021

The Vain Travail are a new cool collective from the Netherlands. It was formed by five musicians (Arthur Adam ten Cate, Dirk Schreuders, Jonas Pap, Dave Menkehorst and Len van de Laak), who have a wealth of experience. They play(ed) with renowned Dutch artists like Bertolf, Sevdaliza, Henny Vrienten, Sandra van Nieuwland and Navarone. Arthur Adam featured on this blog before.

In between their other commitments, the five have been working on their own repertoire for the past two years. During that time, they’ve never been all together in one room. Working in pairs or trios, they wrote and recorded songs, sent them to one another and added elements from their own studios. Eventually they produced twelve promising demos, enough for a concept album. That was at the start of 2020, a year that turned out rather different than anyone could’ve thought.

With their agendas suddenly empty, the five devoted all of their time to The Vain Travail. The first result is their debut EP All Is Quiet, which will be followed by an album full of new tracks in November.

Although the lyrics for the EP had been written before COVID-19 came upon us, they describe the ‘new normal’ in a bizarrely accurate way. All Is Quiet describes abandoned streets and loitering mischief, I Must Be Dreaming deals with the confusing conclusion that the world keeps turning, even after everything collapsed, I’d Be Dancing is about acceptance and the light at the end of the tunnel, while Do You See The Sun? is a song about hope.

The latter is The Vain Travail’s new single. An intense, melancholic pop noir track in the best Radiohead tradition. Radiohead at the time they still made ‘songs’, that is. And if you recently enjoyed my recommendations of Just’s music, you’re sure to like this as well. High quality from the lowlands!

Recommended as well:
Arthur Adam – O

Follow The Vain Travail on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

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

indie | melancholic | pop

single track

Ashe – I’m Fine

April 10th, 2021

With hundreds of millions of streams to her name, Ashe may not need much of an introduction anymore. But just when you thought you knew what to expect from her musically, she exposes a totally different side. And I like it very much.

I’m Fine is Ashlyn Willson’s new single. It’s said to be inspired by the Beach Boys, but personally, I hear more of a Queen sound in some of its classic vocals. Anyway, I’m Fine is another great example of how good a songwriter Ashe is. A true talent.

The artist says of her new track: “I’m Fine is about having that one person in your life that when you’re trying to fake it and you’re trying to say, ‘Oh, no, I’m doing okay,’ it’s having that one person who says: ‘I know you’re not okay. You can’t pretend with me’.”

Ashe will release her highly-anticipated debut album Ashlyn on 7 May. I’m Fine will be on it, alongside Till Forever Falls Apart (feat. Finneas), Save Myself and Moral Of The Story (feat. Niall Horan).

Follow Ashe on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

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

indie | pop

single track

No Money Kids – Why I’m So Cool

April 10th, 2021

A lot of music produced in France is instantly recognizable as French. That’s not the case with No Money Kids. Inspired by the lo-fi movement, Felix Matchulat and Jean Marc Pelatan make songs that hang somewhere between lo-fi indie-rock and blues, with electronic elements. A bit like Moby’s slower songs.

The duo is currently working on their fourth long-player Factory, that will be out later this year. Two months after the release of its first single Crossroad, they now come up with a second teaser track. Why I’m So Cool is built around synths and acoustic guitars, creating a melancholic atmosphere with nightly vibes.

Follow No Money Kids on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

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

indie | melancholic | pop

single track

Glades – Limbo

April 10th, 2021

Glades are vocalist Karina Savage and multi-instrumentalists/producers Joey Wenceslao and Cam Robertson. They met at high school in Sydney and officially formed the band in 2015. After collecting their early singles on the 2016 mini-album This Is What It’s Like, they released their first full-length To Love You in 2018.

The trio are currently preparing the release of their sophomore album Planetarium. It was originally slated to be put out last summer, but has been postponed to 30 April. In the meantime, the band keep giving us tracks ahead of it. Limbo is the sixth single preceding a long-player that can already be seen as their second ‘best of’ compilation 😉.

Limbo combines old-school guitar licks with tight beats and catchy vocal melodies, so there’s something to like for everyone. If you love the sound of breaking glass, this one’s for you too!

Recommended as well:
Glades – Get In The Way

Follow Glades on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

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

electronic | indie | pop | rock

single track

Jan-Marten Block – Never Not Try

April 10th, 2021

Just like every country, Germany has got a very popular TV talent show. It’s called ‘Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar’. So far, it hasn’t yet produced any winners that managed to achieve an international career, but that me be about to change.

Last week, 25-year-old Jan-Marten Block from the Northern German city of Süderlügum won the competition. He doesn’t only use his voice to sing (impressively), but he’s also a voice-over artist. Apart from that, he’s a multi-instrumentalist, who masters the guitar, piano, drums and bass. In other words: he could be his own one-man band.

Before participating in ‘Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar’, he had only performed at fundraisers and family parties. Winning the competition landed him national fame (not to mention a prize of 100.000 euros). Next stop: Europe, and then global stardom? I wouldn’t be surprised… His debut single Never Not Try is a song with international hit potential.

Follow Jan-Marten Block on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

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

pop

single track

Drug Store Romeos – What’s On Your Mind

April 10th, 2021

Fiction Records is a legendary record label. They’re best-known for being the home of The Cure for over 20 years, but other acts on their roster throughout the years have been Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs, Athlete, Kate Nash, Elbow, White Lies, Ian Brown, Delays and Tame Impala. And then there are Drug Store Romeos…

They’re a 3-piece from Fleet, Hampshire, formed at college by childhood friends Jonny Gilbert and Charlie Henderson. Sarah Downie replied to their ad for a bassist, but soon proved herself a better vocalist than either of the boys. Therefore, Charlie switched to the bass, while Jonny remained the band’s drummer. For them, growing up in a small suburban town inspired escapism and led them to search for music that complimented and romanticised the at times slow-paced and quite isolated existence.

In that respect, their new single What’s On Your Mind hits the bull’s eye. It’s a dreamy track at first, with lead roles for a prominent bassline and Sarah’s angelic vocals. But just before the 2’30 mark, it changes in pace. As if the trio are in a hurry to reach the level of success they deserve. I don’t think they have to worry about that…

Drug Store Romeos’ debut album The World Within Our Bedrooms will be released on 25 June.

Follow Drug Store Romeos on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

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

pop

cover, single track

Wavves – Sinking Feeling

April 10th, 2021

It doesn’t happen often, nowadays, that a band leaves a gap of a few years between releases. Nathan Williams’s project Wavves just did 😉.

His latest album You’re Welcome dates from 2017. A few one-off singles followed, but then, things went quiet. Until now, for Wavves are back with Sinking Feeling. A far cry from the punky rock songs the band produced earlier, this is a track with summer vibes. The acoustic guitars, that alternate with electric surf guitar notes, give it a relaxed feel. It hasn’t always sounded this way however. The original version, released in 2014 by the band’s guitarist Alex Gatez, was a way more trippy affair.

“Sinking Feeling is a song about a wave of depression that keeps coming back”, Nathan Williams said in a statement. “It’s that sinking feeling that drags you down and no matter what you do or where you go it follows you.”

The track was produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek.

Follow Wavves on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

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

indie | pop

single track

Carla de Coignac – Danse

April 10th, 2021

I love the French language, and French names in particular. Take Carla de Coignac, for instance. I fell for her name before I even heard one single note of her music. She doesn’t have much music out yet, by the way, for Danse (‘dance’) is only her debut single.

Anyway, when I listened to the song, only after being attracted to it by the beauty of her name, I wasn’t disappointed. As you might expect, Danse is a track that’s very easy to dance to. Its message is less carefree however. The lyrics oppose a society where some people seem to live for judging others. The song deals with shyness and a lack of self-confidence, and urges people to go their own way, without fear of what others think of them.

Carla de Coignac is a 22-year-old from the French city of Bordeaux. Apparently, the music over there has the same quality as the wine. In 2017, she made it all the way to the final round of TV talent show ‘Nouvelle Star’. She didn’t start a career of her own straight away, but wrote five songs for French superstar Louane’s album Joie De Vivre instead. Now, it’s time for De Coignac to shine as an artist in her own right. Danse, the first single of a future EP, is a very promising start!

Follow Carla de Coignac on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

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

pop

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