Browsing Tag disco
Hedda Mae – Sitting Down Here (De Neste)
Emerging future pop star Hedda Mae hasn’t really broken out of her home country Norway yet, but you’d better keep an eye on her. She and her co-writer and producer Benjamin Giørtz (Tiësto, Betty Who) are a great tandem. He creates songs with a nu-disco flavour, while her youthful performance makes them sound extra fresh.
The singer, whose real name is Hedda Aalvik Grønhaug, will put out her second EP of original material later this year. First single Take It Or Leave It was released earlier this year. As a side project, Hedda Mae contributed to Norwegian TV show De Neste (‘the next’). For the programme, she recorded two covers of Norwegian classics: Jaa9 & OnkleP’s Glir Forbi, and Lene Marlin’s finest moment Sitting Down Here. The latter was a pan-European hit in 1999.
On behalf of the TV show, Giørtz produced and arranged a modern version, full of his trademark ‘80s influences. It goes down very well with the original composition and could make the song a hit all over again. I think the current generation will love this Kylie Minogue-like take on Sitting Down Here.
Recommended as well:
Hedda Mae – Madness
Follow Hedda Mae 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.
Inspector Spacetime – Dansa Og Bánsa
And now for something completely different… Honestly, dance is not a genre you’ll find in large quantities at Carte Blanche Music. Nothing personal. But obviously, as always, there are exceptions to every rule.
Inspector Spacetime are a Reykjavík-based pop trio. More precise: Egill Gauti Sigurjónsson, Vaka Agnarsdóttir and Elías Geir Óskarsson are three dance-lovers. They released their self-titled debut album, an odd mix of energetic dance tunes and love songs, on 8 January. Drawing inspiration from French and UK dance music, the exciting hyper-pop movement, disco and fellow scandi-pop acts, it’s a fun and diverse album.
Dansa Og Bánsa is probably the most hi-NRG tune on the album. It’s definitely the happiest one. Talking to Icelandic site grapevine.is, Inspector Spacetime say about the song: “We made it on the first day we officially created the band and just kept throwing vocals on and creating huge choirs of funness. The lyrics are basically ‘I like to dance and bounce and dance and bounce’, so it’s basically a song for children. All our songs are basically songs for children. We make songs to help children practice their grammar. We try to give back, you know?”
When they had nearly finished the track, they decided to add a flute solo to make it a little more extravagant. All in all, it ended up a fun, fantasy-disco song.
Follow Inspector Spacetime on Instagram | 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.
Rooue – Flavour
Three months ago, London-born, Dublin-based duo Rooue (pronounced as [rew]) impressed me with their debut single What You Want. Their sophomore release doesn’t show any signs of decreasing quality. Quite contrarily.
I loved their first single for being a dark electronic pop song. For its follow-up, twin sisters Roísín and Louisa O’Connor chose a more light-hearted approach. Flavour links in with the current nu-disco trend, providing the track with a catchy, fresh, punchy and accessible sound. The sound of now (but hey, is that a banjo I hear?). Think Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue and Raye.
The track was produced by Irish songwriter, mixer, producer and musician Richey McCourt. He worked with the likes of UK talent Pixie Lott, Will Young, Rebecca Ferguson and Rita Ora before. Great job!
Recommended as well:
Rooue – What You Want
Follow Rooue 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.
Eva No – 100%
In 2019, Swedish songwriter Eva Nordell launched an artist career under the moniker Eva No. Only a few months after her debut EP History Of Now, she puts out the brand new song 100%. It highlights someone going all-in with love. Musically, it’s a camp track with big drums, handclaps and an overall ‘90s pop sound. In fact, it’s got ‘Eurovision’ written all over it in big blinking red neon letters.
To Popmuzik blog she revealed the writing process: “This song has come about just like all my songs. I get a melody in my head and if I’m lucky, it’s followed by a snippet of text that I can then build on. I always try to finish the whole song in my head before I record it. Should I forget the melody, that’s just a proof it’s not strong enough, haha. So then I have to start all over again.”
Follow Eva No 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 2)
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:
- Philippine – Bah Non. (Wildcard this week)
- Tate McRae – R U OK (Wildcard last week)
- Beks – The Thing About Us
- Daði Freyr & Ásdís – Feel The Love
- Päter feat. Alexandra Willett – MTL
- † † † (Crosses) – The Beginning Of The End
- Harry Styles – Treat People With Kindness
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: London Grammar, Foo Fighters, Róisín Murphy, and more.
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.
L’Impératrice – Peur Des Filles
L’Impératrice is a group of six musicians, founded in 2012 by keyboard player Charles de Boisseguin. Only three years later, the current frontwoman, vocalist Flore Benguigui, joined the band. Her soft and sensual way of singing – typically French – largely defined the sound of their 2018 debut album Matahari.
Its follow-up is on its way: L’Impératrice’s sophomore album Tako Tsubo will be out on 26 March. Tako Tsubo is the official name for broken-heart syndrome, which manifests itself by a deformation of the heart due to an intense emotion – a negative or positive one. The album contains 13 songs, four of which have already been released as singles: Fou/Exit, Voodoo?, and Anomalie Bleue.
The fifth single just came out: Peur Des Filles, which translates as ‘afraid of girls’. It’s a witty and sarcastic ode to femininity, including all of the elements the group is known for. It sits somewhere halfway disco and chanson, with a touch of funk. And of course, there’s Benguigui’s voice.
Peur Des Filles comes with an absurd and colourful video, directed by Aube Perrie (Angèle). The clip references ‘Mars Attacks’ as well as ‘60s horror movies.
Follow L’Impératrice 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.
Daði Freyr & Ásdís – Feel The Love
If 2020 wouldn’t have been dominated by an unexpected inconvenience, Daði Freyr would have easily won the Eurovision Song Contest for Iceland. Although the competition didn’t take place after all, Freyr’s star has been rising throughout the year. He continued to release ultra catchy and uplifting nu-disco tracks and took the world by storm.
His new single Feel The Love is probably the best and most accessible song he put out so far. It’s sung almost entirely by another hidden gem from Iceland: Ásdís María Viðarsdóttir. The production, although handled by Freyr himself, sounds very Scandinavian, which – as you know – is pop heaven. While ‘80s synths, tights beats, funky guitars and handclaps alternate, Ásdís’ voice cuts like a knife through butter.
If this is Freyr’s submission for the 2021 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, it’ll undoubtedly be a strong contender for the victory. If it isn’t, he’ll have to settle with a worldwide hit.
Recommended as well:
Daði Freyr & Gagnamagnið – Where We Wanna Be
Daði Freyr & Gagnamagnið – Think About Things
Follow Daði Freyr on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
Follow Ásdís on 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 48)
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:
- Joel Culpepper – WAR (Wildcard this week)
- Keleketla! – International Love Affair (Wildcard last week)
- Eelke – I’m A Man
- Just – Dark Days
- Raye – Love Of Your Life
- Shaka Ponk feat. Cypress Hill – Pure 90 (Rapping Queen)
- Slum Sociable (feat. Kye) – You’re In My Head
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: LP, Miley Cyrus x Dua Lipa, The Radar Station, and more.
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 47)
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:
- Keleketla! – International Love Affair (Wildcard this week)
- Bloxx – 5000 Miles (Wildcard last week)
- Favvkes – Black Dove
- Banji – Listen
- Lime – Fever
- Blossoms – It’s Going To Be A Cold Winter
- Don’t Bring Stacey – Waiting For It
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: Billie Eilish, Haim, Kylie Minogue, Pale Waves, and more.
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.
Raye – Love Of Your Life
This week, Raye will release her EP Euphoric Sad Songs, a seven-track music project exploring the cycle of grief. Love Of Your Life is the embodiment of the final stage of grief. It represents coming to terms with the trauma and hurt you’ve experienced, and realising that you feel ready to turn a negative into a positive and grow through it.
True to the EP title, it’s a euphoric tune, and true to its theme, it’s as uplifting as can be. This should be the song that propels Raye’s solo career into true stardom.
If you like Dua Lipa’s latest tunes or Kylie’s nu-disco sound, Raye could be the next Love Of Your Life…
Recommended as well:
Raye – Natalie Don’t
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.
