Browsing Tag indie
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.
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:
- Who – Hey! Get Out The Way (Wildcard this week)
- RoseeLu – Playing Alone (Wildcard last week)
- Danilo – Bringing It Back
- Devon – Warning Signs
- Paloma – 2AM (Love Again)
- Rori – The Same Way
- Vistas – Start Again
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: Alice Merton, Crowded House, Texas, Twenty One Pilots, Years & Years 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 Vain Travail – Do You See The Sun?
The Vain Travail are a new cool collective from the Netherlands. It was formed by five musicians (Arthur Adam ten Cate, Dirk Schreuders, Jonas Pap, Dave Menkehorst and Len van de Laak), who have a wealth of experience. They play(ed) with renowned Dutch artists like Bertolf, Sevdaliza, Henny Vrienten, Sandra van Nieuwland and Navarone. Arthur Adam featured on this blog before.
In between their other commitments, the five have been working on their own repertoire for the past two years. During that time, they’ve never been all together in one room. Working in pairs or trios, they wrote and recorded songs, sent them to one another and added elements from their own studios. Eventually they produced twelve promising demos, enough for a concept album. That was at the start of 2020, a year that turned out rather different than anyone could’ve thought.
With their agendas suddenly empty, the five devoted all of their time to The Vain Travail. The first result is their debut EP All Is Quiet, which will be followed by an album full of new tracks in November.
Although the lyrics for the EP had been written before COVID-19 came upon us, they describe the ‘new normal’ in a bizarrely accurate way. All Is Quiet describes abandoned streets and loitering mischief, I Must Be Dreaming deals with the confusing conclusion that the world keeps turning, even after everything collapsed, I’d Be Dancing is about acceptance and the light at the end of the tunnel, while Do You See The Sun? is a song about hope.
The latter is The Vain Travail’s new single. An intense, melancholic pop noir track in the best Radiohead tradition. Radiohead at the time they still made ‘songs’, that is. And if you recently enjoyed my recommendations of Just’s music, you’re sure to like this as well. High quality from the lowlands!
Recommended as well:
Arthur Adam – O
Follow The Vain Travail 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.
Ashe – I’m Fine
With hundreds of millions of streams to her name, Ashe may not need much of an introduction anymore. But just when you thought you knew what to expect from her musically, she exposes a totally different side. And I like it very much.
I’m Fine is Ashlyn Willson’s new single. It’s said to be inspired by the Beach Boys, but personally, I hear more of a Queen sound in some of its classic vocals. Anyway, I’m Fine is another great example of how good a songwriter Ashe is. A true talent.
The artist says of her new track: “I’m Fine is about having that one person in your life that when you’re trying to fake it and you’re trying to say, ‘Oh, no, I’m doing okay,’ it’s having that one person who says: ‘I know you’re not okay. You can’t pretend with me’.”
Ashe will release her highly-anticipated debut album Ashlyn on 7 May. I’m Fine will be on it, alongside Till Forever Falls Apart (feat. Finneas), Save Myself and Moral Of The Story (feat. Niall Horan).
Follow Ashe 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.
No Money Kids – Why I’m So Cool
A lot of music produced in France is instantly recognizable as French. That’s not the case with No Money Kids. Inspired by the lo-fi movement, Felix Matchulat and Jean Marc Pelatan make songs that hang somewhere between lo-fi indie-rock and blues, with electronic elements. A bit like Moby’s slower songs.
The duo is currently working on their fourth long-player Factory, that will be out later this year. Two months after the release of its first single Crossroad, they now come up with a second teaser track. Why I’m So Cool is built around synths and acoustic guitars, creating a melancholic atmosphere with nightly vibes.
Follow No Money Kids 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.
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.
Wavves – Sinking Feeling
It doesn’t happen often, nowadays, that a band leaves a gap of a few years between releases. Nathan Williams’s project Wavves just did 😉.
His latest album You’re Welcome dates from 2017. A few one-off singles followed, but then, things went quiet. Until now, for Wavves are back with Sinking Feeling. A far cry from the punky rock songs the band produced earlier, this is a track with summer vibes. The acoustic guitars, that alternate with electric surf guitar notes, give it a relaxed feel. It hasn’t always sounded this way however. The original version, released in 2014 by the band’s guitarist Alex Gatez, was a way more trippy affair.
“Sinking Feeling is a song about a wave of depression that keeps coming back”, Nathan Williams said in a statement. “It’s that sinking feeling that drags you down and no matter what you do or where you go it follows you.”
The track was produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek.
Follow Wavves 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.
Wildcard (week 14):
Who – Hey! Get Out The Way
When I spotted a track with the title Hey! Get Out The Way in the Danish New Music Friday playlist, I presumed it would be a cover of The Cardigans’ Hey! Get Out Of My Way. It isn’t, however. That said, it’s very hard to fine out what it actually is. I mean, calling your project Who isn’t going to make it easy to find any info via Google, is it? Furthermore, a Spotify bio is lacking as well. The only thing I know for sure, is that Hey! Get Out The Way is Who’s debut single. And a damn fine one as well.
The rest remains pretty much a mystery, and it might even be meant to be. One can only guess it’s a Danish project, as it appeared in the Danish NMF playlist. This guess appears to be confirmed by the fact the track was co-written by Nabiha Bensouda. She’s a very fine (Danish) artist in her own right. I’m especially fond of her early singles, like Deep Sleep and Never Played The Bass from circa 10 years ago.
Anyway, ‘who’ever Who is or are, Hey! Get Out The Way is a great debut, that echoes Lizzo’s Good As Hell. What’s not to like about that? If you like a good pop-r&b-soul crossover, this one’s for you. The single is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, which means it’ll feature prominently at the top of this blog for a whole week!
Follow Who on 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.
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:
- RoseeLu – Playing Alone (Wildcard this week)
- Telenova – Bones (Wildcard last week)
- Bloxx – Everything I’ve Ever Learned
- Marketplace – Charlie
- Mina Okabe – Walk Away
- Olivia – Can’t Break A Broken Heart
- Rick Treffers – The Best Of Your Days
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: Au/Ra x Alan Walker, Blaudzun, Morcheeba, 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.
Devon – Warning Signs
Devon is an artist/producer from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, which he describes as ‘the middle of absolutely nowhere!’ in his bio. So it’s fair to say he was isolated even before this whole COVID-19 thing happened. This isolation led to him developing a DIY attitude towards everything music-related. Like learning how to produce his own music from his bedroom due to a lack of studio recording facilities.
With over 2 million Spotify streams to his name, he spent part of last year’s free time to explore other channels. He discovered a love for TikTok, where he developed an impressive US listener-base. In fact, it now exceeds that of his home country. Likewise he’s currently very active on Triller.
Next to connecting with his fans, he connected with other artists to co-create. Most notably, he collaborated with Bath brothers Ewan Merrett and Callum Merrett (a.k.a. Carte Blanche Music regulars Bad Sounds). They produced Devon’s single Why Do We Wake Up? (Before The Good Bit) and made a groove-laden remix of Trust Issues before. Now, they also co-wrote and produced his new single, the big alt-pop banger Warning Signs.
Devon explains: “The track has a wide meaning, which I like, but It definitely came from a time in my life when I felt like I was acting out of character and destroyed certain relationships in doing so. The song talks from a outsiders perspective looking at other people and us as a human race, and how we can sometimes destroy ourselves by living in denial of issues and sweeping stuff under the rug be it on a personal level or just on a human level.”
Recommended as well:
Devon – I Don’t Want 2 B Ur Friend
Follow Devon 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.