July 31st, 2018
Son Mieux – Everyday
In 2005, Camiel, Wrister and Quinten Meiresonne started rock band All Missing Pieces. Later on, Camiel played keyboards in Soul Sister Dance Revolution, but now, the The Hague brothers are reunited in the band Son Mieux. Originally, this was an acoustic solo project, for which Camiel wrote tracks in the middle of the night. These songs were supposed to become ‘his best’, which is the exact meaning of Son Mieux. However, with the addition of other musicians, the band’s sound became richer and started to include electronic influences.
So far, Son Mieux released an EP, Vice Versa, in 2016 and a follow-up single, Hiding, a year later. Ahead of a debut album, due out later this year, the band just put out their new single, Everyday.
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Roy Paci & Aretuska feat. Willie Peyote – Salvagente
Summer hasn’t really started, if Roy Paci hasn’t released a new single yet. Paci’s music is like an approval stamp for the summer, because all of his tunes sound like a soundtrack for the hottest season. Do you remember last year’s song Tira? His new single is no exception.
Salvagente features fellow Italian rapper/singer Willie Peyote. With this song, Paci states prejudice serves absolutely nothing, and that sometimes it’s better to remain silent.
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Feu! Chatterton – Zoé
This weekend, during a music festival in Verdun (near my holiday destination in north-east France) I saw a gig by French band Feu! Chatterton. When I tell you they named themselves after the 18th century poet Thomas Chatterton, who committed suicide at the age of 17, you won’t be surprised poetry and drama are important parts of the band’s music and overall performance. These ingredients, combined with elements of pop, rock, funk, spoken word and of course French chansons, define their sound. Highly recommended to go and see live when you get the chance.
This week’s concert wasn’t the first time I heard of the band. I already liked the early single La Malinche from their first eponymous EP in 2014, and a year later, I played their single Boeing in my then radio show Carte Blanche. Last spring, the 5-man band released their second full length album L’oiseleur, but new single Zoé is a brand new song altogether. Not totally representative of their sound and live dynamics, but a fine introduction all the same!
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Werner’s Weekly (week 31)
Even the ‘full version’ of my music recommendations doesn’t drown you in an infinite pool of new songs. My intention is not to present you with all new music, but only with the best new tracks. Last week, I added 20 great tunes to my container playlist Carte Blanche Music, by artists like Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, Everlast, The Hunna, Miles Kane, Lenny Kravitz, Tom Morello & Knife Party, and Maggie Rogers. Feel free to follow for fresh finds very frequently 😉.
For an overview of the new songs that are not to be missed, this is Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. 21 minutes of good stuff, that you can check through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Via the links below you can read more about every track.
- Young Gun Silver Fox – Kingston Boogie (Wildcard this week)
- Lizzo – Boys (Wildcard last week)
- Axel Flóvent – Close To You
- Big Data – Evolution Once Again
- Jennie Lena – Trouble
- Radkey – Basement
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
European Border Breakers Chart 27 July 2018
With large parts of Europe now officially in a heatwave, we can announce the winner of the battle for the summer hit of 2018. It’s the Hugel Remix of Belle Ciao by El Profesor (pictured). After claiming the top position in our Streaming Chart for the sixth week in a row, it’s now also the new #1 in this week’s overall European Border Breakers Chart, which takes both streaming and airplay into account. Following the worldwide success of the Netflix series ‘La Casa De Papel’, which it features in, the song now scores in Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, France, and Luxembourg.
Belle Ciao overtakes the first place from Liam Payne & J Balvin’s Familiar, that is a hit in over three times as many countries, but reaches less people. Not only does El Profesor enjoy a massive number of plays on streaming platforms, but at the same time, radio stations are playing the song during hours with many listeners.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the chart, we find 29 (re)entries, the following 10 of which never graced the Top 100 before:
#9: Silk City feat. Mapei – Feel About You
#73: Pale Waves – Eighteen
#78: New Hope Club – Medicine
#82: Maruv – Drunk Groove
#88: Punctual feat. Kid Ink & Skinny Living – King Without A Crown
#89: Amber Arcades – Alpine Town
#92: J. Bernardt – Motel
#94: Jubel feat. Neimy – Dancing In The Moonlight
#97: Lvndscape feat. Cathrine Lassen – Dive With Me
#100: Yazmin Lacey – Black Moon
For the full Top 100, click the ‘EBBChart’ tab in the top menu of this blog (loading of the PDF may take a little while). More charts, like the Tips (ranking the tracks that are on their way to the Top 100), the Airplay Chart and the Streaming Chart, are available at www.europeanborderbreakerschart.eu, where you can also listen to all of the tracks and watch their videos, as well as share them via social media.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Axel Flóvent – Close To You
As he comes from Iceland, where he grew up in a small fishing village, no one was surprised that Axel Flóvent’s songs turned out to be a little bit melancholic. This resulted in comparisons to artists like Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and fellow countryman Ásgeir. However, touring over the world to promote his music appears to have introduced Flóvent to more extrovert genres.
In recent years, his songs already developed into indie pop anthems, but his brand new single Close To You even has a proper amount of euphoria in it. It’s a wonderful, uplifting tune that sounds like an important step towards a decent career as a pop star. Well-deserved!
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Jennie Lena – Trouble
After touring the world with her mother, who was a singer as well, Jennie Willemstijn (professionally known as Jennie Lena) started singing backing vocals for Dutch star Anouk. It wasn’t long before she started to write and perform her own songs and releasing her own albums.
Despite her status as a well-known and much-loved singer, she appeared in season 6 of ‘The Voice Of Holland’. Making it all the way to the finals, she ended in fourth place.
Her third full album of self-written songs, out in October, was preceded last spring by her EP Trouble. The title track is out now as Jennie’s new single, once again proving her world-class talent.
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Harlea – Beautiful Mess
One of my first recommendations on this blog, in January 2017, was You Don’t Get It, the second single by then 22-year-old Londoner Harlea. That was the follow-up to her incredible debut Miss You.
Since then, things have been rather quiet around her, but she hasn’t sat still. Now living in Los Angeles and London in equal measure, Harlea collaborated with über hot producers/writers the Rock Mafia (who worked with Eminem, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber, Green Day and others before), resulting in (as a press release formulates) ‘hook laden, driving anthemic tunes that are drenched in groove and attitude’.
Beautiful Mess is only Harlea’s third single, but she obviously has a bright future before her!
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Mamazzoop – Summer Is Shining
Mamazzoop! is a Dutch cross-over band, consisting of singer-songwriter Jazzmin, guitarist-songwriter Zur, drummer Rob and bass player Bas (I don’t make this up).
Their new single is a short, snappy and sunny rock song with a sound halfway The Bangles and Blondie. Pay good attention when you give it a listen, because it’s over in less than 2,5 minutes.
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wildcard (week 30):
Young Gun Silver Fox (feat. Seaweed Horns) – Kingston Boogie
I admit, it would be a horrible thing to do, but what would happen if bands like Hall & Oates, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and Ace were thrown in a blender? It would give a mess, obviously, but musically, something deliciously juicy would come out. Luckily for us (and for the artists especially) it’s not necessary to do that blender thing, because the band whose sound incorporates all of the above (and more) has already stood up. And the best part is: despite of all these well-known ingredients they don’t sound like clones, but are a phenomenon in their own right.
I’m talking about Young Gun Silver Fox, of course, like I did before, when I recommended Lolita, Midnight In Richmond and Take It Or Leave It. All of these tracks can be found on the band’s latest album AM Waves, but they decided to save the best for last. My favourite album track, Kingston Boogie, is YGSF’s new single. An über sunny, sophisticated dance tune, and one of the tracks on the album to feature a horn section, the Seaweed Horns. In short: what’s not to love about this song?
Kingston Boogie by Young Gun Silver Fox is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, meaning you can find and enjoy it here in only one mouse click. Wondering what other fine tunes were hand-picked as this blog’s ‘powerplay’? You can find them all in the Wildcards 2018 playlist.
For more great new music follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.