Browsing Tag electronic
Gemme – Sweet Harmony
Some songs have been covered more often than you’d think. Sweet Harmony by The Beloved, for instance. One of the most recent versions of that 1992 classic was recorded a year and a half ago by She Drew The Gun, and now, a new cover has come out. But let me start at the beginning…
During the 1980s, Xavier Jamaux was drummer in French indie-rock band Orange. Two of his fellow-members, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, famously went on to form Air and scored hits like Sexy Boy, All I Need and Kelly Watch The Stars. After Orange, Jamaux composed music for numerous films and commercials, and made many remixes.
His most recent project is called Gemme. Appropriately, Gemme is a female name, but also means ‘jewel’. As a project, Gemme is a jewel as well, consisting of five French and Belgian female singers: Nubia Esteban (the daughter of Lio, whose 1980 hit Amoureux Solitaires you may remember), Loane, Alka Balbir, Barbara Carlotti and Elodie Frégé. Their debut single is a cover of – as you might have guessed – Sweet Harmony by The Beloved. Next to the English choruses, however, the verses have been translated in French, making this a real Frenglish affair. In the sensual black and white video, Helena Noguerra (Lio’s half-sister) also plays a role.
The French word ‘gemme’ is pronounced as ‘j’aime’, and it’s true: I love it!
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.
Liss – Talk To Me
Sophisticated pop outfit Liss emerged in the mid-‘10s under a cloud of buzz with their acclaimed singles Try and Always (2015), and EP First (2016). Then, all went quiet… But luckily, the Danish four-piece are now back after a hiatus with a new, self-produced track.
As bassist Villads Tyrrestrup says, Talk To Me is about ‘the ups and downs of being a young adult in this world; sexuality, being in and out of relationships, and self-care’. The tracks is built around a gentle bassline, soft synths and a slightly experimental beat; a perfect fit in today’s pop scene. If you like The 1975, for instance, do try Liss.
Talk To Me is the first single off Liss’s new EP Second, to be released on 18 June.
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 19)
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:
- The Cheap Thrills – Smile When You Sleep (Wildcard this week)
- Jain – Gloria (Wildcard last week)
- Magdalena Bay – Only If You Want It
- Middle Kids – Beliefs And Prayers
- Nikki’s Wives – Real Girl
- Winnetka Bowling League – Diane
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: Bastille, Fitz & The Tantrums, Heather Nova, The Kooks, Vampire Weekend, and many 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.
Magdalena Bay – Only If You Want It
If you’re fond of clever pop by the likes of Grimes, Charli XCX or Britney Spears, please meet Magdalena Bay. This Miami-born, LA-based duo, consisting of Mica Tenenbaum (song-writing, vocals) and Matthew Lewin (song-writing, vocals, production) make just that.
Drawing inspiration from ’80s and ’90s pop song-writing and contemporary production, they began writing together in high school and started making music as Magdalena Bay in 2016. Since then, they released quite a collection of upbeat and synth-driven singles. No sad songs, just fun.
If you’re new to Magdalena Bay, their new single Only If You Want It is a perfect introduction.
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 18)
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:
- Jain – Gloria (Wildcard this week)
- Hey Violet – Better By Myself (Wildcard last week)
- Bear Ghost – Haunt, The Cartoon Heart
- Kakkmaddafakka – Get Go
- Owl Eyes – You And I / Le Soleil
- Roads To Roam – For A Better Day
- Talisco – Sensation
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: Bastille, Cage The Elephant, Foals, Jade Bird, Marina, SOAK, and many 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.
Talisco – Sensation
Talisco (née Jérome Amandi in Bordeaux, France) has recently released his third album Kings And Fools. An energetic, joyful, danceable, but before all diverse set of tracks, that appear to have been influenced by fellow French acts like M83 and Phoenix. Still, it sounds like a coherent body of work.
The long-player has been preceded by the singles Sun (the title track of French television series ‘Un Si Grand Soleil’), I’m The Dead Man and Closer, but I’d place my bets on Sensation to become single #4.
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.
Owl Eyes – You And I / Le Soleil
Owl Eyes is the artist name of Australian pop darling Brooke Addamo from Melbourne. She rose to fame in 2008, when she finished 11th in the 6th season of Australian Idol. In 2010, she released her debut EP Faces.
Owl Eyes just released a good old double A-sided single. The second track, Le Soleil, sounds like a chanson straight from the seventies. This feeling is strengthened by the lush strings, easy-going percussion and male parlando, spoken in French.
The first track however, has a distinctively different feel to it, although it also refers to the seventies. You And I sounds like a lost Donna Summer track, produced by the legendary Giorgio Moroder. An epic, up-beat tune!
Although very different, both tracks were helmed by the same person. Like her other recent singles, You And I and Le Soleil were co-written and produced by the Belgian/Italian dance producer, singer-songwriter en deejay Vito De Luca, well-known for his own musical outfit Aeroplane. A very fruitful collaboration!
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 16)
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:
- Suns Up – Just Because (Wildcard this week)
- Georgia – About Work The Dancefloor (Wildcard last week)
- Anteros – Breakfast [2019 Version]
- Chateau Chateau – Burn Me Alive
- HÆLOS – End Of The World Party
- Hatchie – Stay With Me
- Yuna – Forevermore
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: Band Of Skulls, The Chemical Brothers, Mark Ronson & Lykke Li, Royal Republic, Tame Impala, and many 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.
Yuna – Forevermore
Yunalis Mat Zara’ai is a Malaysian singer-songwriter who sings both in her own language and in English. She cites Feist, The Cardigans, Coldplay, Sia and Bob Dylan as her inspirations. In fact, she calls her music ‘a mix of Mary Poppins and Coldplay’.
In 2013, I fell in love with her single Lullaby, which had a Massive Attack (Protection, Teardrop) kind of vibe to it. Six years on, Yuna hasn’t sat still. Her new single Forevermore has the sound of now, with Dua Lipa as an obvious addition to her list of inspirations (and that can’t be a bad thing, can it?). A welcome return!
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 15)
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. No complaints about diversity, I’d say, 6 out of the 7 being female(-fronted) acts:
- Georgia – About Work The Dancefloor (Wildcard this week)
- Maggie Lindemann – Friends Go (Wildcard last week)
- Moddi – Kriegspiel
- Self Esteem – Girl Crush
- Stefanie Heinzmann – You Get Me
- The Veronicas – Think Of Me
- Yonaka – Lose Our Heads
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: Alex Lahey, Circa Waves, The Heavy, Vampire Weekend, whenyoung, and many 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.
