Browsing Tag electronic
Wildcard (week 15):
Yelle – Noir
Yelle is a French electro-pop group around front woman and namesake Yelle (Julie Budet) and Grandmarnier (Jean-François Perrier). The original name of the band, Yel, was an acronym of ‘You Enjoy Life’. When there appeared to be a Belgian act with the same name, they feminised their name to Yelle. Halfway the ‘00s, they scored a Top 5 hit with their debut single Je Veux Te Voir (Dans Un Film Pornografique!). Follow-up single A Cause Des Garçons was almost as successful.
15 years later, the group has four albums to their name. The most recent one, L’ère Du Verseau, came out in September 2020. Noir is one of the best tracks on it. Early this year, car brand Kia used it in a TV campaign for the Black Edition of its Sportage model, which ignited huge interest in the track. Now it has been released as Yelle’s official new single. Budet explains it’s an ode to post-pandemic life: “I strongly hope that this song will make you want to dance, to party, to stay out late, just at a moment when all of this is forbidden…”
A great punchy electro tune, Noir is cool in every sense of the word. This is well-reflected in the song’s super stylish music video, which celebrates the dynamic versatility of an all-black wardrobe. ‘Comment t’habilles-tu ce soir? / Moi je m’habille en noir’ (‘What are you wearing tonight? / Me, I’m wearing black‘.)
Noir by Yelle is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it’ll feature prominently at the top of the page for a full seven days!
Recommended as well:
Yelle – Ici Et Maintenant (Here And Now)
Follow Yelle 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.
Glades – Limbo
Glades are vocalist Karina Savage and multi-instrumentalists/producers Joey Wenceslao and Cam Robertson. They met at high school in Sydney and officially formed the band in 2015. After collecting their early singles on the 2016 mini-album This Is What It’s Like, they released their first full-length To Love You in 2018.
The trio are currently preparing the release of their sophomore album Planetarium. It was originally slated to be put out last summer, but has been postponed to 30 April. In the meantime, the band keep giving us tracks ahead of it. Limbo is the sixth single preceding a long-player that can already be seen as their second ‘best of’ compilation 😉.
Limbo combines old-school guitar licks with tight beats and catchy vocal melodies, so there’s something to like for everyone. If you love the sound of breaking glass, this one’s for you too!
Recommended as well:
Glades – Get In The Way
Follow Glades 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.
Aili x Transistorcake – Pari Pari
The strange part of band competitions is that the best entry usually doesn’t win. Take De Nieuwe Lichting, Belgian radio station Studio Brussel’s talent show. As I wrote last December, I would have put my money on Aili x Transistorcake’s Dansu to win. But I would have lost. However, that didn’t stop the pair from being lauded by fellow musicians, added to many playlists and scoring a minor hit.
Now, it’s time for the next chapter. Once again, Belgian-Japanese artist Aili Maruyama joins forces with one of Belgium’s most exciting new electronica acts: Transistorcake (Orson Wouters). Their new single Pari Pari continues where Dansu left off, but more up-tempo and funkier. It’s another intriguing synth-pop song, built around one of their trademark squelchy bass lines. Another trademark, Aili’s Japanese lyrics, is present as well, adding a layer of mystery to the funky beats.
Talking about mysteries: what does that title come from? Pari Pari was the term Aili’s father used for tonkatsu, a kind of Japanese schnitzel, that crackle when you eat them. ‘Pari’ is Japanese for the sound that produces.
11 June, Aili x Transistorcake release their 5-track debut EP Dansu.
Follow Aili on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
Follow Transistorcake on Facebook | 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 12)
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:
- Hawke – Pinch Me (Am I Dreaming?) (Wildcard this week)
- Monowhales – He Said/She Said (I Wait) (Wildcard last week)
- Japanese Breakfast – Be Sweet
- Lucy Spraggan – Heartbreak Suites
- Madame Monsieur – Coeurs Abîmés
- Montaigne – Technicolour
- You Am I – The Waterboy
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: Daði Freyr, Inhaler, Middle Kids, Saint Motel, UNKLE, 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.
Montaigne – Technicolour
In 2020, Montaigne was supposed to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest with the empowering track Don’t Break Me. But, well, you know… Luckily, the artist was also chosen for the 2021 edition of the event. In my opinion, her new entry is even better than last year’s song.
To say the least, Technicolour is a bold and theatrical tune. It’s an up-tempo hyper-pop track, that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Charli XCX album. A great song for Montaigne to showcase her impressive vocal capacity. Its production is no less than innovative, with a surprising and ear-catching pre-chorus. The chorus itself is infectious and euphoric.
A song made for the Eurovision Song Contest, that deserves to score well beyond the event.
Recommended as well:
Montaigne – Ready
Follow Montaigne 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 10)
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:
- Kalie Shorr – Amy (Wildcard this week)
- MBG – This Time (Wildcard last week)
- Coach Party – Everybody Hates Me
- Good Health Good Wealth – Love Hangover
- renforshort – Virtual Reality
- The Reytons – Broke Boy’s Cartel
- The Roop – Discoteque
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: Hooverphonic, Ladyhawke, Walk Off The Earth, 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.
Talkbøx – People People People
For Dutch electronic indie-pop trio Talkbøx, 2021 is off to a good start. People People People is their second great single of the year, so far. The track was written last summer, when the band was still a duo, consisting of producer/beatmaker Dion Peters and guitarist/writer Mitchell Giebels.
They recall it as follows: “At the end of June 2020 we started writing People People People. It was a summer evening where we actually had no intention of writing music. After we had swum that night, we got the idea to make some music in the studio. Mitchell had brought his guitar that night just in case and played some chords on which Dion started whistling. This is how the cheerful flute part originated in the song. We became so enthusiastic about how quickly we came up with this cheerful melody that we wrote the lyrics that same evening.”
However, they didn’t do anything with it for a while, until conservatory student Dana Havrylyuk joined the band as their main vocalist. She then sang the lyrics, which are personal and based on depression. Quite the opposite of the song’s cheerfulness. So I’d suggest you let your mood decide whether you focus on the music or the lyrics while listening.
Recommended as well:
Talkbøx – Reach Out
Follow Talkbøx on Facebook | 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 9)
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:
- MBG – This Time (Wildcard this week)
- Drew Sycamore – 45 Fahrenheit Girl (Wildcard last week)
- Fear Of Tigers – Tiger Blood
- Grrrl Gang – Honey, Baby
- Isaac Dunbar – Fan Behavior
- Noémie Wolfs – Lonely Boy’s Paradise
- Upsahl – Stop!
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: Del Amitri, Green Day, Maxïmo Park, The Offspring, 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.
The Roop – Discoteque
The Roop are a trio from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. After forming in 2014, they put out two long-players. In 2018, they made their first attempt to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. With their second try, two years later, they hit the bull’s eye. Alas, as we all know, the event had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While many participating countries decided to send in their 2020 entries to this year’s edition, the Lithuanian broadcasting organization decided to hold a new national selection for the 2021 contest. The Roop was guaranteed a place in the final. Luckily for the trio, they won the national competition once again. As a result, they’ll represent their country in next May’s Eurovison Song Contest after all.
The song they participate with is a very strong one. An electro-pop tune, consisting of equal parts Depeche Mode and Sparks. The bridge even has Kraftwerk influences in it. Three of my personal favourite bands all wrapped up in one track. What can possibly go wrong? Douze points from this one-man Dutch jury!
Follow The Roop 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.
Fear Of Tigers – Tiger Blood
Do I look at the wrong places, or is this the most overlooked song of the last week? Criminally overlooked, I might add. Tiger Blood by Fear Of Tigers is a banger, and apparently, I’m the first to tell you. So please, take my word for it. Or even better: listen on your preferred platform via the widget below, and listen for yourself.
Don’t let the 20-second intro, which sounds like a jingle company demo, fool you. Just wait for the synths to kick in, immediately followed by a vocal sample that spells e-a-r-w-o-r-m. No mention of its origin, alas. All and all, Tiger Blood is one of those irresistible ‘80s-influenced pop-dance tracks. Great for working out in the gym (I suppose). For reference, think Call On Me by Eric Prydz.
Fear Of Tigers has been the artist name of Benjamin Berry for over 10 years now. Besides that, he collaborated with people like Ellie Goulding, Max Richter, Leann Rimes and Kylie Minogue. Tiger Blood is the second single from his forthcoming same-titled album, which will be out later in the year.
Follow Fear Of Tigers 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.
