Carte Blanche Music

Hot Like Sushi – Go Anywhere

March 22nd, 2019

Somehow, Swiss band Hot Like Sushi had the feeling that they couldn’t shake their booties as much to their own music as with their role models Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak and Prince. They found the solution to that observation by flying to Los Angeles, where they immersed themselves in the local music scene and soaked up the West Coast swag. Together with producer Benny Steele (Justin Bieber, Jason Derulo, Nile Rodgers, David Guetta) they recorded five new songs, which they describe as ‘swag pop’.

Go Anywhere has just that. It’s direct, funky and a whole lotta fun. I agree with this review I once read, which stated they’re ‘the best thing to come out of Switzerland since chocolate’!

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

single track

Von Wegen Lisbeth – Lieferandomann

March 22nd, 2019

After starting off in 2006 as Fluchtweg, and changing their name several times, this German indie pop band now goes by the moniker of Von Wegen Lisbeth. Their full album debut Grande came out in the summer of 2016 and spawned the great singles Bitch and Sushi.

Three years later, they’re ready for phase 2. The band’s second album, called sweetlilly93@hotmail.com, will be out on 3 May and the first single Lieferandomann is out now. Just like before, they sing about everyday observations, accompanied by instruments they appear to have bought on the flea-market around the corner. Charming stuff!

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

pop

single track

Airways – Trampoline

March 21st, 2019

I like British band Airways, and apparently, so do you. Their single Reckless Tongue ended in both Your Favourites 2017 and Your Favourites 2018, meaning it was one of the best read Carte Blanche Music recommendations for two years in a row.

This week, they release two singles simultaneously: Trampoline and The End. ‘Two carefully crafted golden crispy supple nuggets of audio’, as the band describe them themselves. Both of the two showcase a new sound for Airways, which I like a lot. Not in the least because Twenty One Pilots appear to have been an inspiration. This is most evident on Trampoline, the track that I like best.

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

indie | pop | rock

single track

Pi Ja Ma – I Oh I

March 21st, 2019

Pi Ja Ma are French visual artist and singer Pauline de Tarragon, and composer and multi-instrumentalist Axel Concato (ex-Melody’s Echo Chamber).

As the daughter of a painter, De Tarragon started drawing under the influence of her father, who encouraged her development as an artist. In 2014, she participated in TV talent show Nouvelle Star, where she ended third. Shortly after, she met Concato. He started to create Pi Ja Ma’s bewitching sound landscapes, which have an almost innocent freshness and a fertile spontaneity, and complement her voice wonderfully.

Their debut album Nice To Meet U is out now, and I Oh I is the new single off it. With her gift for drawing, De Tarragon is also responsible for Pi Ja Ma’s artwork and videos.

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

pop

single track

Retro Video Club – Addicted

March 20th, 2019

Rock music is probably not the first thing you think of when it comes to Scotland. Still, some great guitar bands hail from the country. Biffy Clyro and Honeyblood, for instance, and earlier bands like Simple Minds, Teenage Fanclub and Snow Patrol. Here’s another one: Retro Video Club, one of the most exciting emerging rock bands in Scotland right now.

Liam Allison (vocals/rhythm guitar), Sam McGill (lead guitar), Michael Ward (bass) and Kieran Burt (drums/backing vocals) so far released five singles, with the short and snappy titles Noir, Psycho, Famous, Chemistry and 3AM. Their sixth track Addicted fits in nicely. Just like their earlier tracks, it’s a driving indie anthem that won’t fail to get the crowd bouncing.

There are plenty of bouncing crowds ahead. Retro Video Club is currently on a European tour supporting Barns Courtney, which will be followed by a British tour supporting The Hunna. Subsequently, they’ll do their own headlining tour.

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

indie | rock

single track

Wildcard (week 12):
Shanguy – Toukassé

March 20th, 2019

I’m a fan of Shanguy. It’s their fresh take on electronic pop, which incorporates both funky and jazzy elements, that I’m attracted to. Both their singles La Louze and King Of The Jungle were Carte Blanche Music Wildcards last year.

Until recently, Shanguy was an all-male affair, created in 2017 by Italian DJ NRD1, including French singer-songwriter Eon Melka and Italian singer-songwriter Frank-O. In September 2018, they were joined by Italian singer Shady Cherkaoui-Sørensen. Hers is the female voice you can hear on the band’s new single Toukassé (the title is a corruption of ‘tout casser’, which is French for ‘break everything’). Luckily, the other ingredients remained the same, making this their third great track – and their third Carte Blanche Music Wildcard – in a row!

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

electronic | funk | jazz | pop

single track

Nasty Cherry – Win

March 19th, 2019

Los Angeles based indie rock band Nasty Cherry were given a seal of approval by Charli XCX. In fact, it was the British star who first hinted at them. After months of mysterious Instagram posts, it’s now finally clear who Nasty Cherry are: a female quartet, consisting of model Gabriella Bechtel (vocals), Chloe Chaidez of the band Kitten (guitar), Georgia Somary (bass), and Deborah Knox-Hewson plays the drums, just like she does in Charli XCX’s band.

The past few months, Charli helped her protégés create their debut EP. She co-wrote some songs and helped produce videos and visuals for the group in a sort of executive producer-type capacity. She already indicated that if fans were craving more of her True Romance-era music, that Nasty Cherry would certainly satisfy that itch.

Indeed, the band’s first single Win clearly has an XCX stamp on it. The song is as ear-catching as its artwork is eye-catching. A great introduction!

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

pop | rock

single track

Superbird – Year On String Along

March 19th, 2019

Cola Bottle Fizz was a great introduction to British trio Superbird, but there’s more where that came from. Year On String Along is the band’s third effort, and once again, Joe Sin (lead vocals, guitar), Alex Ash (drums, vocals), and Freddy Sidero (bass, vocals) drag us back to the wonderful 80’s. The tune is driven by the funky, groovy kind of retro vibe that’s already starting to become the group’s signature sound. I’d be surprised if this wouldn’t do well both on the radio and live.

But don’t take my word for it, just see what Superbird say about themselves. Their bio claims this is ‘a band of genuine peacocks re-defining the term ‘flamboyancy’ with a red-hot live show, entailing wild frontman Joe’s soaring vocal-range and signature leg-kick, enhanced by Alex’s melodic & rhythmical disciplinary – accomplished by the bands “not-so-secret” weapon of funk Freddy’. Seeing is believing, I guess…

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

funk | indie | pop

single track

Jonas Brøg – All Across The Sky

March 18th, 2019

Born in Denmark and based in the Netherlands, Jonas Brøg is a very talented producer, songwriter, singer and musician. After working behind the scenes for numerous artists, his solo career is only three songs old.

All Across The Sky is the latest of his first trio of tunes. A classic pop song with a modern touch. Where other current singers and producers apply tons of voice effects just because they can (not to mention the side effect of concealing bad vocal techniques), Brøg adds just enough to give the track an edge. Think of it as I Am The Walrus with a ponderous drum beat (or whatever other combination that springs to mind).

Talking about vocals: just like in his latest single I Think Of You I Cry, the singer’s voice is contrasted by a wonderful female counterpart, courtesy of Astrid Lagerstedt, who also co-wrote the song. And to continue the namedropping: famous Dutch composer Jochem Fluitsma lent his talents also, as well as playing some instruments. A great collaboration that adds an additional touch of quality to Brøg’s slowly expanding repertoire. We want more!

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

melancholic | pop

werner's weekly

Werner’s Weekly (week 12)

March 18th, 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:

Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles (Wildcard this week)
Indigo – Distant Lullaby (Wildcard last week)
Barrie – Darjeeling
Barry Moore – Hey Now
Man & The Echo – A Capable Man
Royal Republic – Fireman And Dancer

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: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Novastar, Walking On Cars, and many more.

indie | pop | rock

12 3 4 5

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Hot Like Sushi – Go Anywhere

Von Wegen Lisbeth – Lieferandomann

Airways – Trampoline

Pi Ja Ma – I Oh I

Retro Video Club – Addicted

Wildcard (week 12):
Shanguy – Toukassé

Nasty Cherry – Win

Superbird – Year On String Along

Jonas Brøg – All Across The Sky

Werner’s Weekly (week 12)

Wildcard (week 12)

Werner’s Weekly (week 12)

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Wildcard (week 12)

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