October 9th, 2021
single track
Aloe Blacc – Made From The Stars
A year after his latest album All Love Everything came out, Aloe Blacc is back with another brand-new track. The American artist, born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, is best-known for his single I Need A Dollar and as featured singer on Avicii’s Wake Me Up. Since then, he continued to release his trademark fresh soul-infused pop, and his new single is no exception.
As always, Made From The Stars is an utterly infectious track. It features a simple but very catchy horn part that appears to be a sample, but it isn’t. That’s one of Blacc’s strengths: his songs sound authentic, but contemporary at the same time. Great tune!
Recommended as well:
Aloe Blacc – King Is Born
Follow Aloe Blacc on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
album track
Wyn Starks – Black Is Golden
After releasing 14 singles in just two years’ time, Wyn Starks finally came up with his debut album Black Is Golden. A record as diverse as diversity gets, which puts an extra dose of soul in modern r&b. Meanwhile, the album combines Starks’ upbringing in Minneapolis with the innovative sounds he discovered upon relocating to Nashville.
In online magazine Euphoria he explains: “When I say black is golden, I think about so many artists, activists, and everyday people that have inspired me. People like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, Cornel West, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Prince, and my mother Cheryl Ann Johnson (just to name a few). It’s important we acknowledge their contributions to society, music, and the world. I stand on their shoulders. I hope that through this album I can inspire someone in the same way. That’s why I decided to call it Black Is Golden. It’s a celebration of people who have inspired me on this road to becoming Wyn Starks.”
The title track is my favourite song on the album. It was written in response to injustice and racial inequality when it comes to black people. A track with an important message, wrapped in a sound that’s both vintage and progressive.
Follow Wyn Starks on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 40):
Wildcard (week 40):
Youth Sector – Self Exile
Are you (like me) old enough to know and appreciate bands like Devo, Talking Heads and Tubeway Army? Then you might want to check out Brighton five-piece art-rock outfit Youth Sector, who combine the best of these bands.
Speaking of their new single, the band’s Nick Tompkins says: “Self Exile is about feeling self-destructive, cutting your nose to spite your face, and wanting to push yourself away from those around you as punishment. The lyric ‘That should do it this time’ is written in the mindset of thinking you’ve finally hit someone’s final nerve.”
Clocking in at [3’02], Self Exile is an energetic, well-crafted post-punk track. Exciting and catchy; playful and punchy. What more does a good song need? ‘That should do it’, indeed.
Self Exile by Youth Sector is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it’ll feature at the top of the blog for a full week!
Follow Youth Sector on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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
Werner’s Weekly (week 40)
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:
- Foxes – Sister Ray (Wildcard this week)
- Mazy – Flowers (Wildcard last week)
- Caroline Romano – Oddities And Prodigies
- Kacey Musgraves – There Is A Light
- Lucky Blue – Daydreaming
- Pixey – Take Me On
- Renée Millner – So Much
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: Aloe Blacc, The Allergies, Sam Fender, White Lies, and more.
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.
single track
Agnes – Here Comes The Night
Nine years after her most recent album, Swedish singer Agnes Carlsson is making a great return. The last three years, she’s been releasing seven singles. The latest three, Fingers Crossed, 24 Hours and Here Comes The Night will end up on her upcoming album. This long-player, Magic Still Exists, will be out on 22 October.
Co-written and produced by Vargas & Lagola, the euphoric track Here Comes The Night is Agnes’ new single. If ABBA would not have reunited, this would have been a perfect substitute. But even with the quartet temporarily back together, this is a great song of timeless class.
The singer says about the track: “Here Comes The Night is a homage to all of us out there who are longing to just let go. It is a declaration to the dreamers, the night, the mist, the spirituality. Those that dare to fall in love – with the moment, the people around them and themselves. Hopefully it will guide the listener into a moment of something they can call freedom.”
Follow Agnes on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
remake, single track
David Bowie – You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving [2000 Version]
Before David Jones called himself David Bowie, he recorded music as Davy Jones. He changed his name to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees. The last song he released using his old moniker, in 1965, was You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving. 35 years later, Bowie re-recorded the song, along with other tracks from his early career, using the experience and perspective he had at the time. He did so with a band that featured Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Lisa Germano and others. The sessions were co-produced by Mark Plati (The Cure, Natalie Imbruglia, Lou Reed).
It was Bowie’s intention to collect the new recordings on the album Toy, to be released in 2001. However, Virgin refused to put it out, which eventually led to him leaving the label. Bowie moved on and started writing and recording new songs, which would become his album Heathen. The album Toy (or a version of it) leaked online in 2011, but early next year it’ll be officially released as intended. Warner Music recently acquired the rights to Bowie’s music and will oversee the project.
The ‘new’ version of You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving is out now as the project’s first single. The recording may be over 20 years old, but in my ears it stood the test of time.
Follow David Bowie on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
single track
Julie Zenatti – France Et Jojo
In December 2017 and January 2018, France lost two of its biggest icons: Johnny Hallyday and France Gall respectively. On her new single, French singer and actress Julie Zenatti pays tribute to the musical heroes. The piano and bassline in France Et Jojo make it even sound a bit like a France Gall song. It causes both a good mood and a nostalgic one.
Zenatti’s homage is a brand-new song, that’s not on her latest album Refaire Danser Les Fleurs. But with its ‘80s influences it’s entirely in line with the music on that long-player. Also, this song is bound to work well live, when the singer goes back on tour in November.
Recommended as well:
Julie Zenatti – Tout Est Plus Pop
Follow Julie Zenatti on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
single track
The Cat Empire – Into The Night
With their cocktail of jazz, ska, funk, rock and Latin music, Australian outfit The Cat Empire creates a unique sound. A sound, as you can imagine, that brings down the roof when played live. Especially with six musicians on stage, often supplemented by a horn section. That’s The Cat Empire as we’ve known it for the past 20 years, but things are going to change. This line-up will play another three final concerts, and then, founding members Felix Riebl (vocals/percussion) and Ollie McGill (keyboards/backing vocals) will continue the band in a new form. ‘With a re-imagined, vibrant, cross-cultural, and joyful collective of musicians and artists’, as they say themselves. New music is planned for 2022. Hopefully they’ll keep the musical mix intact.
Ahead of this drastic change, the band released six farewell songs. The two last ones, Sparrow and Into The Night are out now. I like the latter best. It’s got that wonderful live energy you’ll remember if you ever attended one of the band’s gigs.
Riebl says about it: “I guess it’s an unashamed fist in the air anthem that celebrates the exuberance and live music and coming together and sharing germs and spreading an infecting love and just being in that space where you can let loose whether that’s at a live show, your living rooms or wherever you are. (…) I won’t hide the fact that this is a nostalgic song. It’s about looking back and realising that you made all sorts of mistakes, but if you can be together on one night, then there’s cause to celebrate music, and that’s all.”
Follow The Cat Empire on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
single track
Eyjaa – The Wrecking Crew
Don’t say I didn’t warn you the first time around. Following Eyjaa’s very promising debut single Don’t Forget About Me, Brynja and Sara Sverrisdottir make sure you won’t.
The Icelandic-Danish sisters lived in multiple big cities around the world and speak 7 different languages. Also, they’re multi-instrumentalists. On top of that, the girls are blessed with angelic voices. Combine that with the support of the world’s largest record company and one might think: what could possibly go wrong?
The Wrecking Crew is only Eyjaa’s second ever single, but a great confirmation of their talent. An atmospheric pop song with touches of folk, it revolves around the emotions of loneliness, and the acceptance and beauty of feeling sad. As they say themselves: “Going through life we all experience challenges that we tend to overthink or simply misunderstand within ourselves. The Wrecking Crew is about how you are never alone with your thoughts. Really, it can be just as beautiful to be sad as it can to be happy. It’s just human emotions, and they are not unknown to any of us.”
Recommended as well:
Eyjaa – Don’t Forget About Me
Follow Eyjaa on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
single track
IndyAnna Baby feat. Amy Shark – I’m Not Giving Up
Gab Strum, a.k.a. Japanese Wallpaper, has spent the lockdowns well. Apart from releasing his own songs, he produced, remixed and collaborated with many other (Australian) artists. Fletcher Gull, Cry Club and Charlie Collins, for instance. Meanwhile, Amy Shark, one of Australia’s best-loved songwriters, released her hugely successful sophomore album Cry Forever.
I can imagine it must be a dream to be able to work with one of them. Especially when you’re ‘only’ an upcoming artist. This story proves dreams can come true. And then some…
Gold Coast-based artist IndyAnna Baby, who just dropped their debut single, managed to work with both of the mega stars. The track, I’m Not Giving Up, was co-written by Shark and co-produced by Strum. Shark also appears as a featured singer on the track. Their voices blend together wonderfully.
I’m Not Giving Up is a moody, heartfelt tune, built around acoustic guitars and beautiful horns. A great and promising way to start a career!
Follow IndyAnna Baby on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
Follow Amy Shark on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
