Browsing Tag hip hop
Werner’s Weekly (week 51)
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:
- Holy Holy (feat. Queen P) – Port Rd (Wildcard this week)
- The Lottery Winners – An Open Letter To Creatives (Wildcard last week)
- NewDad – I Don’t Recognise You
- Ocean Grove – Dream
- Slowride – I Feel Like You
- Texas & Wu-Tang Clan – Hi
- The Hold Steady – Family Farm
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: Gwen Stefani, Calogero, Taylor Swift, The The, and more.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Texas & Wu-Tang Clan – Hi
No need to introduce Scottish pop act Texas and no need to introduce American hip hop crew Wu-Tang Clan. No need even, I presume, to mention their earlier collaboration. Or perhaps I should, for those who were born in this century…
In January 1997, Say What You Want was the first single to be released off Texas’ fourth album White On Blonde. It’s the band’s biggest hit to date. A year later, the song was re-recorded featuring Method Man and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan. Re-named Say What You Want (All Day Every Day), this version was re-released as a double A-side with Insane in 1998. Partly thanks to a joint performance of the song at the Brit Awards in London, it became almost as successful as the original.
Over 22 years later, Texas teams up with Wu-Tang Clan again. With the group’s RZA and Ghostface Killah to be exact. Less than 3 minutes long, Hi is a fun upbeat track that gives plenty of room to the rappers in the verses. Basically, Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri only sings the choruses.
Hi is the first single to be released ahead of Texas’ upcoming tenth album of the same name. The long-player will come out in the new year.
Recommended as well:
Texas – Let’s Work It Out
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I 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.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Shaka Ponk feat. Cypress Hill – Pure 90 (Rapping Queen)
Celebrating 15 years on the scene, French rock band Shaka Ponk just put out their triple album Apelogies. It features all of their hits, live tracks, covers (from Nirvana, Kim Wilde, De La Soul and even Dalida) as well as new songs.
One of those new tracks is good old-fashioned rock tune in every sense of the word. Entitled Pure 90, it’s exactly that: a throwback to the ‘90s. Funky horns, a fat groove and a collab with Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog… all ingredients are there. Lyrically, it references Insane In The Brain, House Of Pain and Public Enemy as well, to complete the picture.
If you can’t stand explicit lyrics, don’t click below. If you’re in for a motherf*cking party, please do!
Recommended as well:
Shaka Ponk – Faking Love
Shaka Ponk – Mysterious Ways / Rocksta (feat. Skin, De Staat & KillASon)
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Just Jack (feat. Melissa Jo Heathcote) – Long Grass
Remember Jack Alsopp, a.k.a. Just Jack? He’s a master in combining laid-back beats with smart lyrics, which he delivers in a way he calls ‘nature rap’. His 2007 breakthrough single Starz In Their Eyes is still one of my all-time favourite summery songs. But also check tracks like Writer’s Block, Embers and Doctor Doctor for a great introduction.
Now, Just Jack is back with a brand-new single. Long Grass has been a long time coming. “Various versions of this have been knocking around for years”, he says on Facebook. Apparently, these versions didn’t feel quite right. The current release however, co-written and produced by The Easy Access Orchestra, does. Ralph Lamb and Andrew Ross (The Easy Access Orchestra) worked with acts like The Herbaliser and Roots Manuva before.
Long Grass features additional vocals by Melissa Jo Heathcote from post-punk band The Trudy.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Werner’s Weekly (week 35)
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:
- Archie X – Loud Boy (Wildcard this week)
- Town Of Cats – Lemons (Wildcard last week)
- Catherine Anne Davies & Bernard Butler – Sabotage (Looks So Easy)
- E^ST – I Wanna Be Here
- Ellie Dixon – Space Out!
- Mell & Vintage Future – Brand New Day
- The Flowers – You Don’t Say!
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: American Autors, Bright Eyes, Roosevelt, and more.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Werner’s Weekly (week 34)
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:
- Town Of Cats – Lemons (Wildcard this week)
- Altered By Mom – Walking With The Enemy (Wildcard last week)
- Altered By Mom – Better On The Page
- Amy Allen – Difficult
- Fritz – Arrow
- Liela Moss – Turn Your Back Around
- Päter – Sleep
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: The Cribs, eels, Tame Impala, Weezer, and more.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wildcard (week 33):
Town Of Cats – Lemons
There are pop songs, rock tracks, dance tunes, etc. And then there are the ditties that are impossible to categorize. These are ‘genre defying’, as they say. Musical melting pots, as it were. This is one in the latter category.
But how about a short introduction to start with? Town Of Cats are from Brighton, a town that is slowly taking over from London as the musical capital of Great-Britain. Other Carte Blanche Music favourites from Brighton are Black Honey, The Magic Gang, Lime, MarthaGunn and Yonaka. As well as Fatboy Slim, The Kooks and Royal Blood, of course.
The last few years, Town Of Cats built themselves a solid reputation by ripping up festivals around their home town with their explosive cocktail of styles. Hip hop, jazz, punk, afro-beat, (prog) rock, funk … it’s all there, and more. The best reference I can think of, is a cross between Dog Eat Dog and Fishbone. Remember them? They were fantastic as well!
Lemons is Town Of Cats’ new single. With its lively rhythms, blasts of brass and guitar, a good old-fashioned sax solo, and sing-along vocals, it bursts with energy. Not the music you’re likely to hear on the radio (which is plain stupid, if you’d ask me), but you can easily imagine this band to grow into one of the huge future live bands. Can’t wait for the festival season to re-open. But way ahead of that, on 28 August, Town Of Cats release their sophomore album The Elephant’s Room.
This whole week, Carte Blanche Music combines the sweet and the sour, as Lemons is the new Wildcard. They don’t come any wilder than this!
In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Werner’s Weekly (week 29)
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:
- Grace Farriss – All The People (Wildcard this week)
- Noga Erez – No News On TV (Wildcard last week)
- Alice & Moi – T’aimerais Que Ce Soit Vrai
- Esteban – Suburban Paradise
- Killboy – That’s OK I’ll Just Fuck Myself
- La Oreja De Van Gogh – Te Pareces Tanto A Mí
- Nikki & The Waves – Shirts
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: James Bay, San Cisco, The Goo Goo Dolls, and more.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Lime Cordiale – Screw Loose
Sydney-based brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach started Lime Cordiale in 2009. However, it took them 8 years to release their debut album. In that respect, their sophomore album 14 Steps To A Better You was a quickie. It’s slated to come out on 10 July.
Screw Loose is the duo’s new single. A great track, that reminds me a little of You’ve Got To… by The Young Punx. The song was written by the brothers on a sleepless night in Los Angeles. “We were laughing throughout the whole writing process”, said Louis of the track. “The great thing about working with our producer Dave Hammer is that he never says, ‘no’. Most of the time he just wants to take things further. The kookaburra laugh at the end of the song has been there from the start and we always thought someone would try to convince us to take it out. It’s a pretty dominating sound and very Australian but it places the song in the environment that we want it to be in.”
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.