Browsing Category single track
Wildcard (week 30):
Crimer – Eyes Off Me
Did you like recent The Weeknd singles Blinding Lights and In Your Eyes? Then look no further for your next favourite song. Eyes Off Me is a new track by Crimer, a Swiss singer who deserves to conquer the world with this one.
In his own country, his career has already taken off in a big way. He reached #2 in the Swiss charts with his debut album Leave Me Baby, containing most tracks off his EP’s Leave, Me and Baby. Also, he won the ‘Best Talent’ gong at the Swiss Music Awards 2018.
Previously singing with a baritone voice, Crimer re-invented himself for his new single. Written in just 5 hours during a song-writing camp in Berlin, Eyes Off Me combines his effortless vocals with rousing retro synths. This results in a fresh and exciting electronic pop track with a euphoric ‘80s vibe.
Radio stations and curators who featured The Weeknd, but ignore Crimer, aren’t worth their salt. This week, Carte Blanche Music has its eyes on him, as Eyes Off Me is the new Wildcard. May more well-deserved attention follow!
In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Ferraro – Fool’s Paradise
Ferraro are a Toronto-based pop-rock sibling trio: guitarist Cosmo, bassist Tally and drummer Gianni Ferraro (all three handle vocals). They cite The Beatles, Kings Of Leon, Jack White, Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks and Foster The People as their influences. After starting as a cover band, Ferraro currently produce their own material.
The band just signed a major label deal and will release their upcoming 6-track EP via Warner Music Canada. You Look Good Like That was the EP’s first single, followed by Wish You Were Gay. Just in time for the summer holidays, they put out their new single. Fool’s Paradise is an upbeat, fun track, produced by alt-pop duo The Darcys.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Gracie Abrams – Friend
Never heard of LA singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams? Then you’re probably not on Instagram. The 21-year-old has over 310.000 followers on the platform, including Billie Eilish. Also, her five singles so far have been streamed over 90 million times globally. Time to catch up if you hadn’t already.
Minor is Abrams’ first EP. It contains her three latest singles and four new songs. Each of the seven tracks on this collection of breakup songs sounds like a page out of her diary. The lyrics are raw and personal in an introspective way, with heartbreak as their central theme.
Friends is her new single. Musically, it’s stripped back to the point the lyrics stand out even more. ‘And I hate the way you love me / And I hate that I still care’. Haven’t we all been there?
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Oscar Lang – Apple Juice
True to their name, the Dirty Hit label produced quite some (dirty) hits already. It’s home to successful artists like The 1975, Pale Waves, beabadoobee, Wolf Alice and Marika Hackman. All of them featured on Carte Blanche Music before.
Now, we can add Oscar Lang to that list. He’s the son of the former drummer in The Housemartins (remember them?). But more relevantly, he’s a singer-songwriter and producer from London, who crafts his songs in his bedroom studio. He’s part of a group of creative friends, including beabadoobee and Alfie Templeman.
Only 20 years old, Lang already has three EP’s to his name, and the fourth is on its way. The Hand Over Your Head EP is slated for release on 11 September. It’ll feature 7 tracks, including his new single Apple Juice, a fuzzy Brit-rock song with a psychedelic touch.
Sounds like the one to propel Oscar Lang to a wider audience.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Wildcard (week 29):
Doves – Prisoners
11 years. Eleven(!) years. It’s that long ago that Doves released their latest album. If you, like me, were eagerly anticipating its follow-up, the wait is almost over. On 11 September, at last, the Manchester rock band will give us their fifth full-length The Universal Want. In an interview with NME, frontman Jimi Goodwin calls it ‘probably the most organically-made Doves record’. Further explaining that process, he said: “It was born out of chatting to each other over email. (…) We started pooling all our material and the material that we couldn’t work into shape on the last record Kingdom Of Rust.”
Following Carousels, Prisoners is the album’s second single. A soaring, yet melancolic rock song. Goodwin: “Sometimes we get trapped by our own behaviour. You can be a prisoner of your own thoughts. They can take you to some pretty dark and unexpected places if you let them. It’s a song about checking yourself. It’s not to do with lockdown or the pandemic, it’s just the day to day wellbeing.”
This whole week, Doves’ new single Prisoners will feature here prominently. It’s the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Calogero – La Rumeur
It’s summer and I’m currently on holiday in France. Two events that come together perfectly in Calogero’s new single. Three years after his hit album Liberté Chérie, the French artist returns with a great tune. La Rumeur (‘the rumour’) is a pure pop song with the energy of a rock track. It’s insanely catchy, thanks to a chorus built around a horn part and an easy to sing along to ‘papapalapapa’. Towards the end, the saxophone player grabs the spotlights, giving the track an ‘80s feel.
La Rumeur marks a welcome return and appears to be the first cut off Calogero’s next album. Title and release date are still under wraps, though…
Recommended as well:
On Se Sait Par Coeur
1987
La Vraie Vie
Je Joue De La Musique
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Raye – Natalie Don’t
So far, Croydon, South London-based singer Rachel Keen (a.k.a. Raye) has been mostly successful as a featured artist. She worked with everyone from Jax Jones (You Don’t Know Me) to Regard (Secrets) and David Guetta (Stay (Don’t Go Away)), not to mention Charli XCX. But here is the song that’ll make her a star in her own right.
Raye’s new single Natalie Don’t is a desperate appeal to another woman to not steal her man. Speaking of the track, she says: “It’s about that feeling of panic you have when you know you’re losing someone. The song is beautifully hopeless because you know Natalie will do what she wants regardless.”
Natalie Don’t fits perfectly in the nu-disco world Dua Lipa helped shape. The track ends in crescendo thanks to a beautiful, I Will Survive-like string arrangement. It’s taken from a forthcoming seven-track music project exploring the cycle of grief.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Saint Motel – Preach
Saint Motel came on my radar via their single My Type. The year after, 2015, they released the equally great track Cold Cold Man, and I’ve been a massive fan ever since. Currently, the band are recording their album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which will be the sum of 3 EP’s. The first, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Pt. 1, came out last year. The second set of 5 songs, a.k.a. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Pt. 2, will follow later this year.
Two of these songs are out there now. A Good Song Never Dies came out last March, and you can now put your hands together for Preach. It holds all of the elements I love Saint Motel for: it’s funky, danceable and utterly catchy. If there were a prize for ‘Best bass line’, this would be a contender. Add a ton of synths and horns, and a potential summer hit should be in the pocket!
Recommended as well:
A Good Song Never Dies
Destroyer
Move
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Wildcard (week 28):
Grace Farriss – All The People
Grace Farriss has lived on an artistic and musical diet all of her life. She grew up in the UK and Australia, as the daughter of Andrew Farriss, the main composer/songwriter for INXS. Growing up, she was always encouraged to play the piano and guitar. Eventually, she became a poet, singer, songwriter, composer, producer, painter, artist, author and environmentalist.
In 2017, she wrote All The People, which celebrates the interconnection between the diverse cultures that shape the world. The song has just been released as her debut single. It’s a ‘70s-inspired funky disco track, driven by a tight drum, horn and bass groove. Think of it as a more organic version of Lola’s Theme by The Shapeshifters. And the guitar that drops in after 1 minute reminds me of the opening riff of Sausolito Summernight by Diesel. What a great way to start a career!
Farriss is set to release her debut album Grace later this year, featuring performances from some of the world’s greatest musicians. The ‘thank you’ section in the booklet will include The Section Quartet, Matt Johnson (Jeff Buckley) on drums, Joey Waronker (Beck) on drums, Abe Rounds (Andrew Bird, Meshell Ndegeocello) on drums, Benji Lysaght (Adele, Father John Misty) on guitar, Ralph Carney (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The B-52’s) on saxophone, John Kirby (Solange) on keys, and Todd M. Simon (Angel City All-Star Brass Band) on horns.
Grace Farriss’ very first single All The People is this week’s new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Nikki & The Waves – Shirts
Don’t mistake this band for Canadian band Nikki’s Wives. Nikki & The Waves are a band from Liverpool with a Dutch touch to it. Front woman Nikki Drenthem Soesman was born and raised in Amsterdam. Three years ago, she moved to Liverpool to study at Liverpool Hope University, where she met the other members. The original plan was to take part in the yearly talent show, but they ended up forming a band.
Nikki & The Waves aren’t easy to pigeon-hole, which is a plus in my book. Their influences range from old funk to indie rock and dream pop. By mixing brass with upbeat guitars and melancholic melodies, they manage to create a modern sound that is nostalgic at the same time.
Nikki says about this: “Liverpool has a very vivid live scene. This inspired me and the other band members a lot. We’ve all done different studies and listened to different music, but I think all of our individual views created a unique sound.”
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
