Browsing Category single track
Yelle – Ici Et Maintenant (Here And Now)
Julie Budet is a French singer, who was discovered via MySpace (look that up, kids). She uses the moniker Yelle (a contraction of ‘yeah’ and ‘elle’, French for ‘she’). When you combine the titles of her three albums: Pop Up, Safari Disco Club and Complètement Fou, you get a pretty good picture of her music. It’s poppy, electronic, and never shy of a twist, not in the least because of her sometimes provocative lyrics.
Yelle broke through with her singles Je Veux Te Voir (Dans Un Film Pornographique) and À Cause Des Garçons. That was ten years ago. Now – many singles later – there’s this new track. Lovable and colourful as always. With a video that must have been a joy to script and film. You know where and when you can see and hear it… #hereandnow

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.
Kakkmaddafakka – Young You
Spotify already shortens the band name Kakkmaddafakka and calls them KMF, so I would not be surprised if the band would soon start abbreviating it themselves as well. And let’s be honest: the pretty ‘controversial’ name of the Norwegians could generate wrong expectations about the music they’re making, which is actually very accessible.
Kakkmaddafakka’s latest album KMF was co-written and co-produced by Erlend Øye (Kings Of Convenience, Whitest Boy Alive), like their last two albums. It already produced the singles May God and Galapagos, but I like the new one, Young You, even better.

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 2):
Izzy Bizu – Talking To You
Last August, I saw Izzy Bizu play the Lowlands festival in Holland, where I happen to live. Isobel Beardshaw (her real name) and her great band treated the audience to a bunch of soulful summer songs. One of them was Izzy’s breakthrough single White Tiger. Other highlights included Give Me Love, Naïve Soul and Glorious.
All of these tracks are from her album A Moment Of Madness, that hadn’t yet been released at the time. Upon its release, in September, a standard edition of the cd was put out, as well as a Deluxe Edition, featuring four extra songs. Three months later a second Deluxe Edition was issued, with even one more new track. And it’s exactly that track, the wonderful Talking To You, that has just been released as a single. Excellent choice!

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 – You Don’t Get It
This 22 year old north London singer-songwriter first came on my radar last September with her incredible song Miss You. If you like references: think The Kills, Garbage and Arctic Monkeys. Lyrically the song is about the thin between love and obsession. Intriguing…
And now, Harlea has her second single out. You Don’t Get It crams equal parts blues, rhythm & blues and rock into one three-minute track.
Don’t expect her to be all over the (social) media just yet, as she feels the world is characterised by over-exposure. She’d rather want you to learn about her bit by bit, via her music. So here’s your second introduction into her world.

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.
Lupe Fiasco (feat. Jake Torrey) – Wild Child
Lupe Fiasco’s 2006 debut single Kick, Push (based on a sample of Celeste Legaspi’s Bolero Medley) was quite a way to start his career. It’s a beautiful description of a love affair between a male and a female skateboarder. Ten years later, his career seemed to come to an end.
In December last year, Lupe made clear he was about to retire from rap and cancelled the album trilogy he had earlier announced: Drogas light, Drogas and Skulls. This was not the first time he retired, by the way. Early in 2015, after fulfilling his recording obligations, het tweeted ‘Now that my contract is over and I have other things that I’d rather be doing I get to make the decision to go back to the shadows’.
But apparently Lupe Fiasco made up his mind (again) and he just dropped a new single, Wild Child (featuring Jake Torrey). This funky affair is the follow-up to last year’s singles Pick Up The Phone and Made In The USA, all of which are now planned to appear on his Drogas light album, to be released on 10 February. The album will feature collabs with the likes of Ty Dolla $ign and Rick Ross.

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.
Public Service Broadcasting – Go! (Live At Brixton)
If you can, go and see Public Service Broadcasting live. They’re great. Both the musicians and the ‘concept’. Now don’t say ‘yuk’ when I say ‘concept’, will you? Let me explain…
The album The Race For Space is one of the most extraordinary musical projects I’ve encountered the last years. On it, Public Service Broadcasting put impressive historical audio fragments from space documentaries to music. And when they perform it live, they add an extra element: the images that accompany the audio fragments. It’s incredible how all of those samples (both in sound and vision) melt together with the music.
In November 2015 they staged their show in O2 Brixton Academy where, as an added bonus, they added a choir, strings and horns to the party. The concert was recorded for the 2cd+dvd Live At Brixton, that I highly recommend. To get you in the mood, let me show you the live version of one of my favourites: Go!

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.
Ozark Henry – A Dream That Never Stops
Ever since his first solo album, over 20 years ago, I’ve been a fan of Ozark Henry (the stage name of Belgian singer-songwriter, musician, arranger and producer Piet Goddaer). His beautiful melodies continue to strike me, also after repeated listening. The organic sound of his songs lends itself perfectly to be performed with an orchestra and that’s exactly what he did on his latest album Paramount, which he recorded with the National Orchestra of Belgium in 2015.
Two years later, Ozark Henry is about to release his ninth studio album Us, an album about doing what is necessary to save our earth, climate, dignity and humanity. Still, it’s a hopeful album, according to Goddaer. It was produced by Tim Bran (London Grammar, Birdy, The Verve) and is preceded by this first single, A Dream That Never Stops.

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.
Be Charlotte – One Drop
Only 19 years old, Charlotte Brimner’s musical cv is no less than impressive. Born in Dundee, Scotland she has already been invited to American showcase festival SXSW twice, played at Scotland’s largest festival T In The Park and just finished a tour in South East Asia. She’s not only a talented songwriter, but also a great singer (who raps and beatboxes as well) and a multi-instrumentalist. Even better: she helped to invent some of her own unique musical instruments.
Her new single One Drop is one hell of a catchy pop song. Go and see ‘the most exciting emerging artist in ages’ (BBC Radio 1) at Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, the Netherlands if you can, or elsewhere on her upcoming European tour.

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.
The Little Kicks – Goodbye Enemies, Hello Friends
Are you a Paul McCartney fan? Then you don’t want to miss out on this track by The Little Kicks. They are a Scottish fourpiece who released their debut album in June 2009. The follow-up came in November 2011 and the third one in late 2013. Their fourth album Shake Off Your Troubles is scheduled for 3 March 2017. As you can tell, they took a year longer than average to make it, so it’d better be good!
Well, the first signs are most promising. The Little Kicks’ new single Goodbye Enemies, Hello Friends has a beautiful string arrangement to it, performed by the Cairn String Quartet, and was mastered by Geoff Pesche (who worked with everyone who makes music) at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. No doubt (and no wonder) that Paul McCartney would approve this track. I certainly do! (for what it’s worth…).

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.
Kiesza – Dearly Beloved
“When my best friend Alice passed away nearly a year and a half ago, her white electric guitar was passed along to me. In her memory and because I love her so much, I promised myself that I would not let it sit in its case collecting dust. I was going to play the hell out of it, just as she would have done. So that’s what I’m doing.”
This quote, by Kiesza, makes you listen to her new single with another mindset. Still, it is (or at least appears to be) a joyful affair. The title may be referencing Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy, but the song itself bears some resemblance to Emeli Sandé’s finest moment: Heaven. Which is never a bad thing. A beautiful tribute!

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.