Browsing Tag folk
Gizmo Varillas – Losing You
Since releasing his debut album El Dorado in early 2017, Spanish singer-songwriter Gizmo Varillas received praise from Yoko Ono, opened up for Jack Savoretti and was added to George Ezra’s Spotify playlist. Musically, Varillas mixes folky pop with tropical instrumentation, and Latin and Afrobeat rhythms. He is currently working on his second album.
Losing You is the first single off this album. Varillas says about it: “This song is a response to the Orlando shooting… I used the name Maribel as a way of putting myself into the shoes of one of the Latin mothers who lost their child. That song is basically a letter to her. The sad lyrics provide some sort of depth, and the happy music gives reassurance.”
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.
Wildcard (week 7):
Shake Shake Go – Dinosaur
Poppy Jones, Marc Le Goff, Kilian Saubusse, and Virgile Rozand are from France and Wales, but their band Shake Shake Go is currently based in London. They started their career busking on the streets in Britain, perfecting their collection of pop folk anthems, and winning over hearts from all around the country. A proper European tour followed, where they shared stages with James Blunt and others.
Shake Shake Go’s debut single England Skies was a Top 10 hit in the European Border Breakers Chart, based on airplay in Spain, Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia, while their first album All This Time fared pretty well in France. With new single Dinosaur, that presents a rockier sound, the band is now ready to sink its teeth in the rest of Europe.
Next week, Dinosaur by Shake Shake Go features prominently on the Carte Blanche Music blog as the new Wildcard. You can find all of them in the Wildcards 2018 playlist.
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 52)
Guess what I found under the Christmas tree? A playlist full of great new music! ‘Great new music?’ you’ll ask? Yes, indeed. Because despite the fact that Spotify curiously didn’t upload New Music Friday playlists in several countries last Friday, there still is a lot to discover, music-wise. I mean, I didn’t exactly have a hard time finding fine new tracks by !!!, Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Hunna, Shy Luv and The Hunna, all of which I added to my container playlist Carte Blanche Music, featuring the best music that came out in 2017.
The hardest part, each week, is narrowing this selection down to only a few tracks, that deserve a spot in my alphabetically ordered ‘best of the best’ playlist Werner’s Weekly. But I managed, and these – apart from the recommendations I’ll post this week – are the last songs I’d like you to consider this year. For your streaming playlist, your radio show, the magazine you write for or just for your own listening pleasure. All of these tracks have the Carte Blanche Music stamp of approval, which means – as I hope you discovered the past year – that they’re catchy, rich in melody and accessible. Whatever the genre.
Well, just check for yourself. You can listen to each of the songs via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar, and find more information by clicking the links below. Enjoy!
- Turin Brakes – Wait (Wildcard this week)
- Delilahs – Bricks (The Outsider) (Wildcard last week)
- IAMJJ – You In My Arms
- Joan – Tokyo
- Shanguy – La Louze
- The Phase – Burnout
But if you’d really rather hear Christmas music these days, without having to plow through the obvious Wham!s, Mariah Careys and Chris Reas, I can recommend this playlist. Happy X-Mess!
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.
The Phase – Burnout
Australia never had a shortage of great musicians, but in recent years, they are coming by the dozens. Via Carte Blanche Music I keep you up to date about the best of the bunch. The Phase, for instance…
The Phase is an alternative pop/rock band from Sydney, for all you Two Door Cinema Club/The Kooks lovers out there. They started out as a solo project by Luke Mangraviti, but grew into a band after he started searching for musicians to actually bring his songs to life. Earlier this year they debuted with Can’t Get It, and Burnout is only their second effort. I like it. A lot!
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.
Melis – Parallels
Melis is half Czech, half Turkish, but currently lives in Berlin. There, she continued her career as a solo artist, having been in electropop duo Iyes before.
They duo haven’t separated though, for Melis recorded her just released debut EP Parallels with her Iyes collaborator Josh Christopher. After recording it in both her Berlin apartment and a small rehearsal/studio space, the EP was mastered by John Davis, who worked with Lana Del Rey and Led Zeppelin before.
Three of the five tracks on it have aready spread in the blogoshere: Holding Hands, Flower and Sober (Over You). However, the opening song and title track of the EP is my favourite. A delicate track, where a sparsely used vocoder effect is just that; a subtle effect on the voice. Not a feature to conceal that the singer can’t actually sing.
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 46)
What ‘big names’ I added to my daily updated Carte Blanche Music playlist last week, you ask? How about Dannii Monigue, Icona Pop, Liam Gallagher, Morrissey, Turin Brakes and The Wombats? But perhaps more interesting, from a discovery point of view, are less well-known artists like Fil Bo Riva, Kris Berry, Nana Adjoa and Pale Waves. Please, check them out and enjoy their talent!
Additionally, I compiled my Werner’s Weekly playlist for you, featuring a personal selection of last week’s best new music. Every track comes with additional information, which you will find by clicking the links below. You can listen to all seven tracks in this compact, alphabetically sorted chart through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar.
If you like what you hear, follow my playlists, and I’ll keep you updated on new music as soon as it’s released.
- The Presets – Do What You Want (Wildcard this week)
- MisterWives – Never Give Up On Me (Wildcard last week)
- High Contrast – Love On A 45
- Joan As Police Woman – Warning Bell
- Millie Turner – Eyes On You
- She Drew The Gun – Sweet Harmony
- Zak Abel – Still Want UUU
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.
Millie Turner – Eyes On You
Only 17 years old, Millie Turner makes an impressive debut. Her songs, that she writes herself, are absolutely captivating. Earlier this year she put out her first single Underwater, so this follow-up is only her second offering.
Eyes On You is great song, that reminds me of Maggie Rogers’s Alaska. It’s powered by an acoustic guitar that would’ve fitted a modern pop dance production (à la Lost Frequencies) as well, underpinned by a deep bass line throughout. Midway, as an added bonus, a piano melody comes in that’s simple and subtle, yet so effective. And on top of all that, there’s the London singer’s mesmerizing voice.
The song could have done without the fade-out, but other than that it’s clear Millie Turner is a talent to reckon with.
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 42)
Do you love new music, but don’t you have the time to find it? Have a radio show and like suggestions what to play? Have your playlist ready, but need some additional information about the bands? A fellow blogger who could use some inspiration? Carte Blanche Music is a one-stop shop for everyone who is actively involved in new music, as well as anyone who just likes to know the best music that has just come out.
The information is presented in three ways. Choose for yourself which suits you best, depending on the amount of time (or curiosity ? ) you have:
- my daily updated Spotify playlist Carte Blanche Music (a must-follow if you don’t want to miss a thing; added this week: Bad Sounds, Beck, Dagny, Marmozets, Zak Abel and many more)
- my recommendations on this blogs (usually two posts a day)
- my alphabetically ordered ‘best of the best’ playlist Werner’s Weekly (updated each Monday morning; you can listen to the tracks through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar)
Below, you’ll find the latest edition of Werner’s Weekly. Each link reveals more information about the respective track. Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion!
- Les Gordons – Let The Music Speak (Wildcard this week)
- Isaac Gracie – Silhouettes Of You (Wildcard last week)
- Absynthe Minded – Beam
- Alex Lahey – I Love You Like A Brother
- Dangers Of The Sea – Mathilda
- Efecto Pasillo – Las Banderas
- Firewoodisland – Dearest Brother
- Spoon – I Ain’t The One
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.
Firewoodisland – Dearest Brother
In 2010, Norwegian singer, songwriter and producer Stian Vedøy moved to Cardiff, UK. He started a solo project called Firewoodisland (which is ‘Vedøy’ translated into English), while studying for a masters in music production. A coming together of fellow like-minded musicians, followed by a regional win in Norway’s Bandwagon Battle of the Bands in 2013 saw the solo project turn into a full band, also featuring Abi Eleri Vedøy, Stephen Allen and Dylan Jones. Their debut EP ILD, quickly followed in early 2014.
Now Bristol-based, the band are reaching an ever-increasing audience and put out the follow-up EP Dome in 2016. Since then, they played a lot of showcases, support shows, regular gigs and festivals.
High time the media start supporting Firewoodisland as well. Their new single Dearest Brother is a great radio track, waiting to grace the airwaves.
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.
Dangers Of The Sea – Mathilda
If you like classic songwriting, acoustic guitars and beautiful harmonies, you’d better read (and listen) on. Dangers Of The Sea, consisting of five friends, all members from Danish bands like Saybia, Slaraffenland, Folkeklubben and Efterklang, has lined up its second album Our Place In History for release on 20 October. It has been four years in the making since their debut came out.
What can you expect? Think Neil Young, R.E.M. and Midlake… The album features the singles You And I, Can You Hear Me and this beautiful new track: Mathilda.
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.
