January 15th, 2022
single trackNiko Rubio – Hold Me Down
Niko Rubio – Hold Me Down
Here at Carte Blanche Music HQ we write about circa 500 new songs per year. But thatâs only a small portion of the hundreds of tunes we listen to each week. This makes that even for us itâs difficult to guess which artists we spend most of our time with. Therefore, we eagerly await Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year, for no one knows our listening habits better than Spotify. Last year, according to Wrapped, Niko Rubio was our favourite artist. We listened to her for 250 minutes. Quite honestly, that surprised us as wellâŠ
But theyâre right (of course); we love Niko Rubio. We wrote about most of the singles she put out last year. And hereâs another one!
Hold Me Down is her first single of 2022. Thanks to pumping guitars and an irresistible beat itâs her biggest and boldest yet. She says about the track: âHold Me Down is my sexy New Yearâs anthem. I canât wait for you to dance in your living room and accidentally call your newest fling at 12 a.m.đ.â
Meanwhile, Rubio puts the finishing touches on her forthcoming sophomore EP, which will be out this Spring. Obviously, we canât wait!
Recommended as well:
Saving Me
Go With You
Bed
You Could Be The One
Follow Niko Rubio 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 trackBash! – In My Head
Bash! – In My Head
Based in Southampton, Bash! are a quirky quintet that formed in 2018 at Solent University. Amanda Bashmakova is the lead singer and namesake of the punchy pop band. Sheâs joined by Miles Hobbs (bass), Joe Burgess (guitars, producer), Angus McIntyre (drums), and John Burdfield (keyboards). The five of them live together in a five-bed house share. Only last year, they started releasing tracks, which ended up on their debut EP So Brokenhearted.
2022 is off to a great start with the brand-new tune In My Head. It was written by the band themselves and recorded in their own house. Sounds great though. Who needs studios anyway nowadays? This could have been a Haim song, but more cheesy. And thatâs meant to be a compliment. Imagine a combination of lively bass, punchy drums, striking guitars and sweeping synths. Or better: listen below.
Speaking about the songâs lyrics, lead singer Amanda Bashmakova explains: âAfter moving from Latvia to the UK, I struggled to find love due to the language barrier. The wrong words fell out of my mouth; I realised I could never truly convey my innermost feelings.â
Bash! have previously supported ground-breaking new artists such as Ashniko, Inhaler, Bloxx, Girli, and Husky Loops. Now, itâs time for them to get booked as headliners.
Follow Bash! 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 trackRose Avenue – Age Old Drink
Rose Avenue – Age Old Drink
Letâs start with the basics⊠Langdon Dearborn (guitar, vocals), Will Chant (guitar, vocals), Iman Behshid (bass), and Aram Behshid (drums) met in High School. After getting together and jam in 2018, they formed indie-rock band Rose Avenue. Heavily inspired by the post-punk indie-rock sounds of the early 2000s, Hippo Campus, The Wombats, Two Door Cinema Club, Interpol, The Killers, Wallows and The Strokes are their main influences.
Writing, producing, recording and mastering all of their music independently, the quartet is currently recording their upcoming EP. The follow-up to their debut album This Game We Play will feature recent single Head In The Clouds. Also included: their new track Age Old Drink. A dynamic song with easy-going parts alternated by full-on upbeat segments, where drums, bass and guitar provide a four-to-the-floor backdrop to the poetic lyrics. Talking of which: it’s a driving, eruptive account of someone questioning their partner’s honesty.
Follow Rose Avenue 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 trackEmma Dilemma – Vulnerability
Emma Dilemma – Vulnerability
Emma Dilemma. Could such a brilliant artist name truly be her real name? Well, it could, of course, but it isnât. Please meet Emma Cameron, the front woman of the band Decades from New Zealand. When she was writing songs for her groupâs new album, she thought some didnât fit. With her matesâ permission, she used them to kick-off a solo career.
In 2021 she released her first six solo singles, which she compiled on her debut EP Spit (Side A) last October. The EPâs title makes one expect a Side B is in the making. This assumption is correct. She has recorded six more tracks, which will all be released as singles, each with an accompanying video. Eventually, these 12 tracks will form a full album. My suggestion would be to call it SpitâŠ
Vulnerability is the first of the bunch. A great example of her doing what she does best: creating serious music that doesnât take itself too seriously. A powerful and danceable rock song with great guitars and squelching synths. Sounds like fun, right? Alas, it isnât. Not lyrically that is. In fact, the autobiographical song deals with Emmaâs struggles with anxiety and imposter syndrome, and her courageous decision to fight her way out of it. This way, Vulnerability describes a journey of personal growth and how she has recently reflected on the advice from therapists, close friends and family about letting herself feel vulnerable.
On the website music.net.nz she states: âI think this really opened me up on the trajectory for taking my own hand and pulling me on this new journey as Emma Dilemma and being true to myself, believing in myself and doing the things I wanted to do instead of the things I thought weâre âmeantâ to do as musicians and artists. Iâm realizing I can be exactly who I am in my music and my art, instead of trying to be like someone else, and that is the right way.â
Follow Emma Dilemma 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 trackMamas Gun – Looking For Moses
Mamas Gun – Looking For Moses
Itâs hard to believe four years went by since Mamas Gun dropped their latest album Golden Days. The success of front man Andy Plattsâ side project Young Gun Silver Fox is to blame for this long absence. Although that band isnât sitting still either, now is the time for Mamas Gun to claim back the spotlights. Their first single in two years, Looking For Moses, seems perfectly fit for purpose. Itâs the first track off the bandâs next album Cure The Jones, which will be out on 1 April 2022.
If you think Looking For Moses echoes the sound of Bill Withers, youâre right. The song was written on the day he passed away, and is meant to be an ode to the great soul man. Although other classic soul artists like Marvin Gaye and Labi Siffre also had their share in inspiring the song, it ultimately sounds like a trademark Mamas Gun tune. Itâs lush, sophisticated, groovy and beautifully crafted. Contemporary soul with an old heart, taped on analogue gear to best preserve the warmth and energy of the recording session. Another job well-done!
Recommended as well:
Golden Days
I Need A Win
Follow Mamas Gun 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 trackNona – Liar
Nona – Liar
Nona is an up and coming pop/soul singer from a small town in the Netherlands. She has yet to break out of her home country, but thatâs just a matter of time. My recommendation for her 2018 debut single Itâs Alright remains one of the best-read Carte Blanche Music posts.
Now, four years later, some of her singles have done great on the radio, attracting millions of Spotify plays in the slipstream. Since the release of her eponymous first album, she put out multiple new songs. So hopefully, a second long-player is on its way. âtil then, hereâs her new single.
Liar is still a soulful tune, but with a more modern sound. This is largely thanks to a breakbeat kind of drum part. The trumpets add extra excitement to the song. Apart from its sound, its length is very modern as well: Liar clocks in at 2â16, leaving us begging for moreâŠ
Recommended as well:
Last To Know
Itâs Alright
Follow Nona 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 trackApex – Guilty Pleasure
Apex – Guilty Pleasure
Apex are a London-based 5-piece, consisting of Ben Collins, Max Hood, Alex White, Christian Thomas and Jacob Trigg. While various members write the songs, Chris and Alex are the ones who sing them. They mention â00s indie bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Foals as their main musical influences.
The band appear to enjoy kicking off the year in a good way. After releasing their single Drifter on 1 January 2021, their latest one came out on New Yearâs Day 2022. This track, Guilty Pleasure, is only Apexâs fourth single to date, but a very promising one. Itâs got punchy verses, a punky pre-chorus and a sing-along chorus. Combining heavy guitar riffs and melodic synths, it flirts with pop, while staying true to their indie-rock roots.
Guilty Pleasure is the opening track from Apexâs debut EP Haze Of The Night. Expect more singles off it in the coming months.
Follow Apex 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 trackStacey Jackson – Flipside
Stacey Jackson – Flipside
Remember that â80s retro trend that ran through popular music the last years? Well, it ainât over yet (thankfully). Take Stacey Jacksonâs new single Flipside for instance. Itâs got â80s written all over it. The Take On Me-like drums, basically all of itâs synth parts⊠this song could not have existed if it wasnât for this decade.
Despite itâs joyful and youthful sound, donât mistake Jackson for the next teen pop star, however. She experienced the â80s consciously and only launched her music career at the age of 40. Since then, she released four albums and over a dozen singles. Next to that, she produces online workout videos and a weekly music show, aptly titled Stacey Jackson In The â80s. Her new single is the fitting theme song of the programme. In 2022, Stacey Jackson is a singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, TV presenter and mother of four.
In addition to young, â80s-inspired artists like Dua Lipa and The Weeknd, itâs nice to now hear an artist sing from the perspective of someone who was there first time around. Flipside is an anthem of empowerment, self assertion and determination, which confirms her staying power.
Follow Stacey Jackson 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, wildcard
Wildcard (week 2): Iris Gold – Piece Of Mine
With Indian and Jamaican roots, Mercedes Seecoomar was born in London and raised in Copenhagen. During her nomadic youth, she was surrounded by free thinkers growing up in hippy communes and squats that celebrated â60s and â70s counterculture. All of these elements made her the unique, charismatic artist she is today.
Using the stage name Iris Gold, she calls her music âhippie hopâ. This is a colourful and infectious mix of retro hip hop, soul and power pop with a generous sprinkle of flower power. Having shared the stage with some of the biggest acts in the world (like Robbie Williams, Blur and Taylor Swift), she developed into a great live artist herself.
Gold is currently operating under the wings of Eurythmicsâ David A. Stewart, who co-wrote and produced her most recent tracks. The same goes for her new single Piece Of Mine. Itâs a retro-flavoured funk tune with huge horns, squelchy synths and a catchy chorus. A song with attitude in every possible way. Sounding like Uptown Funk for 2022, this one is for fans of Lizzo, Janelle MonĂĄe, Mark Ronson, Ameriie and Sheila E.
This week, Piece Of Mine by Iris Gold is the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. That means itâll proudly feature at the top of the blog for seven full days.
Follow Iris Gold on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2022 playlist youâll find all of this yearâs 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
Wernerâs Weekly (week 2)
This is Wernerâs 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:
- Superbird – Elevation Airways
(Wildcard this week) - Our Propaganda – Essential Love (Wildcard last week)
- Emmy – Stupid Big Teeth
- Peter Stone – Cold
- Smash Into Pieces – Not Waiting For Heaven
Click the links for more info and listen to each of the tracks via the Wernerâs Weekly player below.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Also added last week: Aurora, Elbow, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, The Weeknd, 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.
