Browsing Tag funk
The Brand New Heavies feat. N’Dea Davenport – Getaway
In the late ‘80s, early ‘90s of the last century, Acid Jazz wasn’t only an acclaimed record label, its name was also a used to describe the musical genre that was the common denominator of most bands on the label. Signees like Young Disciples, Jamiroquai and The Brand New Heavies all produced music labelled as acid jazz (also known as jazz dance), combining jazz, soul, funk and disco.
In the 1990s, The Brand New Heavies scored hits like Dream On Dreamer, Midnight At The Oasis and You’ve Got A Friend, most of them sung by N’Dea Davenport. While still a popular live act in later years, real hits appeared to be a thing of the past.
Hopefully, a turn of events is on its way, for The Brand New Heavies are back, and they’re also back on Acid Jazz Records. Recently lauded by the likes of Mark Ronson (who invited the band to play at his fortieth birthday celebrations), they have a brand-new (pun intended) single out, once again featuring long-time vocalist N’Dea Davenport. On top of that, it includes a wink at The Emotions’ Best Of My Love.
Getaway is a most welcome return, which spells the beginning of the next chapter, with a new album underway!
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.
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.
Papooz – Theatrical State Of Mind
Armand Penicaut & Ulysse Cottin (a.k.a. Papooz) met whilst studying Literature at the Sorbonne university in their home city of Paris. The duo began working on demos of weird pop, inspired by artists as diverse as The Beach Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, and The White Stripes. These demos went on to become their debut album Green Juice.
A few weeks ago, Papooz released their second full-length, Night Sketches. Theatrical State Of Mind is the new single off it. The video pitches the track’s languid disco groove against a surreal dream that Armand had about his bandmate Ulysse. They ‘explain’: “Ulysse le Sévère, the blood thirsty King of Burgundy, invites a couple of twin minstrels to play music in his castle. Just when you think you’re safe… you’re in more danger! A french tale of revenge, lust and forgiveness.”
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 14)
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:
- Maggie Lindemann – Friends Go (Wildcard this week)
- Shanguy – Toukassé (Wildcard last week)
- Kakkmaddafakka – Sin
- Model Depose – Damage Control
- Neo Minor – Run
- Vant – Propaganda Machine
- Vendredi Sur Mer – La Nuit
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: Angèle, Perry Farrell, Rammstein, 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 13)
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:
- Shanguy – Toukassé (Wildcard this week)
- Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles (Wildcard last week)
- Hot Like Sushi – Go Anywhere
- Jonas Brøg – All Across The Sky
- Nasty Cherry – Win
- Pi Ja Ma – I Oh I
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: Broken Social Scene, Panic! At The Disco, Rat Boy, Roosevelt, Tame Impala, Two Door Cinema Club, 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.
Hot Like Sushi – Go Anywhere
Somehow, Swiss band Hot Like Sushi had the feeling that they couldn’t shake their booties as much to their own music as with their role models Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak and Prince. They found the solution to that observation by flying to Los Angeles, where they immersed themselves in the local music scene and soaked up the West Coast swag. Together with producer Benny Steele (Justin Bieber, Jason Derulo, Nile Rodgers, David Guetta) they recorded five new songs, which they describe as ‘swag pop’.
Go Anywhere has just that. It’s direct, funky and a whole lotta fun. I agree with this review I once read, which stated they’re ‘the best thing to come out of Switzerland since chocolate’!
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 12):
Shanguy – Toukassé
I’m a fan of Shanguy. It’s their fresh take on electronic pop, which incorporates both funky and jazzy elements, that I’m attracted to. Both their singles La Louze and King Of The Jungle were Carte Blanche Music Wildcards last year.
Until recently, Shanguy was an all-male affair, created in 2017 by Italian DJ NRD1, including French singer-songwriter Eon Melka and Italian singer-songwriter Frank-O. In September 2018, they were joined by Italian singer Shady Cherkaoui-Sørensen. Hers is the female voice you can hear on the band’s new single Toukassé (the title is a corruption of ‘tout casser’, which is French for ‘break everything’). Luckily, the other ingredients remained the same, making this their third great track – and their third Carte Blanche Music Wildcard – in a row!
In the Wildcards 2019 playlist you can 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.
Superbird – Year On String Along
Cola Bottle Fizz was a great introduction to British trio Superbird, but there’s more where that came from. Year On String Along is the band’s third effort, and once again, Joe Sin (lead vocals, guitar), Alex Ash (drums, vocals), and Freddy Sidero (bass, vocals) drag us back to the wonderful 80’s. The tune is driven by the funky, groovy kind of retro vibe that’s already starting to become the group’s signature sound. I’d be surprised if this wouldn’t do well both on the radio and live.
But don’t take my word for it, just see what Superbird say about themselves. Their bio claims this is ‘a band of genuine peacocks re-defining the term ‘flamboyancy’ with a red-hot live show, entailing wild frontman Joe’s soaring vocal-range and signature leg-kick, enhanced by Alex’s melodic & rhythmical disciplinary – accomplished by the bands “not-so-secret” weapon of funk Freddy’. Seeing is believing, I guess…
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.
Anthony James – The Biggest Thrill
Anthony James is an Australian-born Londoner, who debuted last year with his EP Pursuit Of Happiness. The songs on it typically include irresistible rhythms, catchy, bittersweet hooks and driving guitar lines. He brand-new single is no different.
The Biggest Thrill is a funky, upbeat track on the surface but has an underlying sadness. It tells a story of lust and addiction with raunchy tones that will leave the listener with a hunger for more. Worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of Beck, Phoenix and Mark Ronson.
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.
