Browsing Category single track
Just – Walk Slow Smile More
People often say pop music is shallow and superficial. That doesn’t do right to many pop songs. Excuse me for leaving the question ‘what is pop music anyway?’ unanswered at this point.
Dutch singer-songwriter Just’s new single is a good example of a song with a deeper layer. Walk Slow Smile More tells the story of a good friend with MS. Last March he fled to a remote part of the Netherlands because of COVID-19, leaving family and friends behind. It was completely uncertain what the future would hold for him. Even in this desperate situation, he was strong enough to encourage himself to go on. He had his motto ‘walk slower, smile more’ tattooed on his forearm. A reminder to enjoy the beautiful things in life, even when you have to give up more and more.
This true story inspired Just to turn his friend’s motto into a song. He recorded Walk Slow Smile More with some of the finest musicians. Lothar Kosse for example, whose guitar melodies sometimes remind me of songs by Fish. Also, the track is graced with a beautiful Hammond part courtesy of Steve Smith, who worked with Dire Straits and ABC before. Minco Eggersman produced the single (as well as Just’s upcoming album Deep Cycles), and plays the drums. Just himself does a great job stretching his vocal chords to the max.
The singer is especially proud of the song’s artwork, made by James Marsh. He also designed the iconic cover art for the Talk Talk albums, one of Just’s all-time favourite bands.
Walk Slow Smile More is as close as Just has come to writing a pop song. His finest moment so far.
Recommended as well:
Just – Dark Days
Follow Just on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Ivan & The Parazol – Mást Vártam
This year, Hungarian band Ivan & The Parazol will release their fifth album Budai Pop. Unlike their earlier records, this one will feature lyrics in their native tongue, instead of English. That’s because they see this album as a celebration of their roots.
Mást Vártam is the five-piece’s new single. The title means ‘different expectations’, which is exactly what the song is about. It’s a bittersweet song about growing up in Budapest and managing the expectations of adulthood. ‘Why don’t you find a real job’, ‘music is only a hobby’, etc. Mást Vártam opposes this attitude. It’s the product of a group of best friends who claim full artistic freedom. They wrote it during a session in a cabin at the shores of a Hungarian lake.
The song opens as a potential dance tune, but soon changes into a danceable rock track with infectious keys. This one’s sure to go down well live, sometime…
Recommended as well:
Játék
Changin’
Follow Ivan & The Parazol on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Abbie Ozard – Breakdowns
Lauran Hibberd, whenyoung and Phoebe Green have all featured in these columns before. That same scene now produces Abbie Ozard, whom I praised before as well.
Following 2019’s Growing Pains EP, she just released her second EP, Let’s Play Pretend. It collects the Manchester-based artist’s latest three indie hits, and comes with her new single Breakdowns. Another obvious indie-pop hit, it features some heavy synth bass. The track was co-written and produced by Easy Life collaborator Ben Matarvers.
Breakdowns is an observational track, as explained by Abbie: “I wrote this tune after a massive conversation about Generation Z. I’m intensely guilty of the accusations we make in this song – how life is online, and how we deal with our problems through social media. (…) I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s found the word breakdown relatable recently…”
Recommended as well:
Abbie Ozard – True Romance
Follow Abbie Ozard on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Amen Mustang – (The Shit You Say) When You’re High
After Aussie band Jenny Broke The Window went their separate ways in 2018, singer Sam Lathlean moved to London. It wasn’t long before he reinvented himself as Amen Mustang, a one-man band inspired by Mystery Jets, PNAU, The Maccabees and Passion Pit. Exactly one year ago, he released his debut single Someone To Somebody. It was followed by Isolation Tapes, an EP with three covers and a home recorded version of his first song.
Amen Mustang’s second single (The Shit You Say) When You’re High came out mid October 2020 in Australia. However, it wasn’t promoted outside that continent. Until now. British label Snowhill Songs is determined to make this the indie hit it deserves to be. And I think they’re right.
After an intro that sounds like a collection of samples, (The Shit You Say) When You’re High really kicks off with a driving bass line. Elsewhere, we hear spacey drum patterns, shimmering guitars, cutting edge synths, horns and layered vocals. Indietronica meets downtempo rock. Cleverly produced by Xavier Dunn (Jack River, Slum Sociable, Sarah Wolfe), it sounds like an indie version of OneRepublic.
Follow Amen Mustang on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wildcard (week 6):
Almost Monday – Live Forever
Only a year ago, San Diego trio Almost Monday’s career took off to a flying start. In 2020, Dawson Daugherty (vocals), Cole Clisby (guitar) and Luke Fabry (bass) released four tracks. All of them drenched in sunshine, with funky basslines, ecstatic choruses, and danceable grooves. They were crafted with producers Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) and Simon Oscroft (The Naked & Famous, Dreamers). Together, those songs formed their debut EP Don’t Say You’re Ordinary, which racked up 23 million audio and video streams. Countless garage jams, small-scale DIY gigs, and innumerable writing sessions paid off.
Not wasting any time, Almost Monday release their first single of the new year. Live Forever (not the Oasis song), is another uplifting feel-good tune with a catchy chorus. It’s a reminder for us to boldly live in the moment, especially in these crazy times. A very promising start of what should be their break-through year.
As a push in the right direction, Live Forever by Almost Monday is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. As such, it’ll feature prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Follow Almost Monday on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Allie X – Glam! [2021 Version]
Alexandra Hughes began her career by performing in televised talent shows in her native Canada. She continued her career as Allie Hughes, before switching to her current moniker Allie X (not to be confused with Elle Exxe). After moving to Los Angeles, California, she released the song Catch, which reached #55 in her home country.
A few years earlier, in 2013, she recorded a demo for Glam! (Love Me Forever). The song leaked in 2015 but was never put out as a single. Last year, as a bonus track for a special edition double LP of her early albums CollXtion I and CollXtion II, she recorded a new version of the track. This time around, it is a single. More than that, it’s a banger!
Glam! is about Allie X leaving Toronto to start working on her music in LA. In her own words, it’s an ‘unapologetic superpop synth fantasy song about following your dreams’. In my words, Glam! is a very lovable bubblegum-pop track. For fans of Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX and Katy Perry.
Follow Allie X on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
The Unknown Project – Swimmer
Apparently, I’m a Sebu fan. You may (think you do) not know him, but check this out: he’s one half of Capital Cities. They’re well-known for their single Safe And Sound; a US hit in 2011, which conquered Europe in 2013. In fact, it just passed the ‘six-times platinum’ mark in their home country.
Nowadays, Sebu is a solo artist, with some very, very impressive projects to his name. See below for a few recommended highlights from his catalogue.
What I didn’t know however, is that next to ‘after Capital Cities’, there was also a ‘before Capital Cities’. From 2002-2004, Sebu had another band. The rock outfit released a self-titled EP in 2002, which didn’t do much, to be honest. In 2004, they recorded their debut full-length, but the band broke up before they released it. In that respect, ‘The Unknown Project’ is a very well-chosen, somewhat prophetic band name.
Come 2021, Sebu decided to release his early band’s album after all. Once again, he gave it a brilliant name: The Album That Never Was. It may not be 100% correct, since it eventually did come out, but it’s still brilliant. But an album isn’t only about its title, Before all, it’s about its music. It’s unbelievable how it already has the Sebu stamp, so early in his career.
One of the album’s stand-out tracks, Swimmer, has been chosen as the record’s single. The Unknown Project are currently recording a barebones rock performance music video to the song, that will be out shortly. Apart from this video, there are no signs of a more permanent reunion. So, alas, it’s very unlikely they will ever change their name to The Well-Known Project…
Recommended as well:
Sebu with Eraserfase – The Worst That Could Happen To Us
Sebu feat. Sirusho – Have You Ever Hurt Somebody
Sebu – The Secret Is Out [Lucas Vidal Arrangement]
Follow Sebu on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Pixey – Electric Dream
I’m really looking forward to 24 March. That day, one of today’s most outstanding talents, Pixey, releases her second EP Free To Live In Colour. The title track is on it, as well as last year’s great tune Just Move. And she just released a third song off it, Electric Dream.
Being a performer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Electric Dream is another one of Pixey’s DIY tracks. Its fresh, vivid, clever and danceable Madchester sound brings us right back to 1990. That isn’t how it came to life however. She says about the single: “Electric Dream was originally written as a piano ballad, but after finishing the lyrics I felt the song worked as a dance track. I wrote it to make sense of being locked in with nothing to rely on but technology. The verses are all of my anxieties that come with that. Like trying to simulate humanity digitally and what kind of a future that would be. But the choruses are about the imperfections of real life that technology and AI can’t give us.”
Apart from the three singles so far, her new EP will feature two more songs. Pixey adds: “I wanted a collection of tracks which gave a quick snapshot into me and my brain – where I’m from, where I want to be and what I’m thinking about,” she adds of her new EP. “I hope people can take something meaningful from it or simply have a dance.”
And that’s not all. She’s currently writing about three new tracks a week, so you can expect a whole lotta music to come out this year.
Recommended as well:
Pixey – Free To Live In Colour
Pixey – Just Move
Follow Pixey on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Hoshi – Et Même Après Je T’aimerai
Last year, French singer Hoshi delayed the release of her second album a few months because of COVID-19. Eventually, Sommeil Levant came out in June. Since then, 30.000 units were sold. Soon, the 24-year-old will put out a new version of the album. No word yet on the extra content it will contain, but it will hold at least one new track.
That song, Et Même Après Je T’aimerai, is Hoshi’s brand-new single. A treat for lovers of French chansons, it’s enriched with a housey piano and a string arrangement as well. In other words: a powerful pop track. Lyrically, it’s a heartfelt song about the complexities of love affairs.
Recommended as well:
Hoshi feat. Corine – Larmes De Croco
Hoshi – Amour Censure
Hoshi – Je Vous Trouve Un Charme Fou
Follow Hoshi on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Paris Youth Foundation – The Back Seat
Liverpool five-piece Paris Youth Foundation named themselves after a graffiti spotted in an underground station in the French capital. In the five years of their existence, they built themselves quite a reputation as a great live band. No wonder, with such a bundle of anthemic songs under their belt. However, just like every other touring act, they were forced to put their ambitious plans for 2020 on ice.
Lost love is a theme that runs like a thread through the band’s catalogue. And here’s another one. Produced by Rich Turvey (Blossoms, Courteeners), The Back Seat is Paris Youth Foundation’s new single. It’s one of their finer songs. A melancholic, but upbeat indie-pop track with a danceable rhythm section and stadium-sized guitars. Front man Kevin Potter’s vibrato makes it extra special.
He says of the track: “The Back Seat is an upbeat sad song about two people getting to grips with being on their own, trying to hide their pain with drink and how drunk calling someone and hearing their voice mail at 4AM makes you feel a little less alone. All those messages you’ve typed out, but never had the courage to send end with a sense of inevitability and the regrettable call being made in the taxi on the way home.”
Follow Paris Youth Foundation on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
