Browsing Tag latin
Bomba Estéreo & Systema Solar – Carnavalera
Bomba Estéreo and Systema Solar are two huge Colombian bands, well-known for reinterpreting their home country’s traditional sounds and starting a party wherever they perform. No need to say, then, that their one-off collaboration Carnavalera sounds like a street party anthem.
The track celebrates Carnaval season in Barranquilla, the spiritual home of the folkloric rhythm and dance known as cumbia. Their club-like take on the sounds from Colombia’s Caribbean coast can be described as electro-funk cumbia fusion.
In a press release, Bomba Estéreo’s Simón Mejía writes: “Carnaval is the consummation of all of our cultures across Colombia and Latin America. It’s a mixture of the powerful roots that intermingle among this shared musical experience without social, sexual or racial labels. This is how the world should be all the time.”
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 33)
With the addition of great new tracks by Elle King, My Baby, Ten Tonnes, You Me At Six and others, the Carte Blanche Music playlist got another quality boost last week. 2018 has proved a fine year for music so far, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down, even in the midst of summer. On the contrary, when looking at Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, one can only come to the conclusion that there are a lot of fantastic new acts to be discovered as well.
As always, this shortlist is made up of the latest two Wildcards, complemented by the best new releases of the last week. More info is behind the links below, and you can listen to the songs via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar.
- Jade Bird – Uh Huh (Wildcard this week)
- Manic Street Preachers – People Give In (Wildcard last week)
- Danko – Hit Me Up
- Dizzy – Backstroke
- Fanclub – Leaves
- Gecko Turner – Un Limón En La Cabeza
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.
Gecko Turner – Un Limón En La Cabeza
Gecko Turner (born Fernando Gabriel Echave Pelaez) grew up in Badajoz, Spain, a small town about halfway between Lisbon and Madrid. He learned English from the blues artists he loved. After a long musical journey, he started composing in a style that combined jazz, blues, samba, reggae, hip-hop, Arab music, and more into something all his own.
When he went to the copyright office to register his songs, the form had a space for both his proper name and an alias. Being nicknamed ‘Gecko’ since boyhood and loving the music of Big Joe Turner, he wrote down Gecko Turner.
His first album Guapapasea! featured the track Un Limón En La Cabeza, that grew out to become one of Turner’s signature tunes. 15 years later, ahead of the release of Soniquete, a compilation of greatest hits, previously unreleased gems and new songs by Gecko Turner (slated for release in autumn 2018), the track is re-released.
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 23)
While I was on vacation, I continued to update my Carte Blanche Music playlist with the best new music of the year so far. The past three weeks, I added over 80 fresh tunes. The last week alone, great new songs by artists like Ash, Dave Matthews Band, James Arthur, The Kooks, Turin Brakes and Underworld feat. Iggy Pop joined this ever-growing list of musical treasures, alongside a host of lesser-known acts, that are waiting for you to be discovered.
Below, you’ll find my personal choices: Werner’s Weekly. First up are the Carte Blanche Music Wildcards of the past two weeks, followed by a selection of favourite new tunes, presented in alphabetical order. As always, Werner’s Weekly is meant to be your compass to the music that matters. Listen to all the songs via the dedicated player in the sidebar and get more information through the links below. Enjoy!
- Yukon Blonde – Too Close To Love (Wildcard this week)
- Welshly Arms – Down To The River (Wildcard last week)
- Alfa Rococo – Danser Dans L’ombre
- Carlos Vives – Hoy Tengo Tiempo (Pinta Sensual)
- Charmless I – Fire Up (Here We Go)
- Mats Wawa – Easy On The Eye
- The New Respects – Freedom
- Zazie – Speed
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.
Carlos Vives – Hoy Tengo Tiempo (Pinta Sensual)
Colombian latin superstar Carlos Vives is not new to the game. He released his first album in 1986, but had his first success in the early ’90s. He released 13 studio albums in total, the latest called Vives.
The album opens with Hoy Tengo Tiempo, a slightly different version of which has now come out as its fifth single. The song contains an infectious mix of tropical styles and a catchy saxophone hook, sounding a little like the one in 1958 rock ‘n’ roll instrumental Tequila by The Champs. All of this makes Hoy Tengo Tiempo a potential summer anthem. YouTubers already discovered the song. Less than a week after its release, the colourful video stands at over 4 million views.
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 15)
In a great week for new music, I added the likes of Band Of Horses, Chromeo, Gin Wigmore, Johnny Marr, Manic Street Preachers, Novastar and We Are Scientists to my 2018 container playlist Carte Blanche Music. All of them very much worth checking out and you might even consider following that playlist, so you won’t miss a single great track, ever.
But there is only one ultimate rundown, containing only the best of the best new songs: Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. Click the links below for more information about each track, and listen to them all via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar.
- boy pablo – Losing You (Wildcard this week)
- Tiny Fighter – New Century (Wildcard last week)
- Gruppo Sportivo – (This Is A) Normal Song
- Inge van Calkar – Imaginary
- NoNoNo – Friends
- Ofenbach vs. Lack Of Afro (feat. Wax & Herbal T) – PARTY
- Victor Manuelle & Juan Luis Guerra – Quiero Tiempo
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.
Victor Manuelle & Juan Luis Guerra – Quiero Tiempo
Spring is in the air, so why not starting to look out for the potential signature summer songs? I deliberately don’t use the term ‘summer hits’, for Carte Blanche Music isn’t about hits, just about great new music.
European radio stations are often not adventurous enough to play genres like salsa, bachata or merengue, not even in the summer. While there is so much to like! Hopefully, the worldwide success of latin songs like Despacito, Mi Gente and Échame La Culpa will give a boost to other (and more authentic) music in Spanish as well.
What can go wrong when two veterans join forces? Victor Manuelle, from Puerto Rico, has been scoring latin hits since the mid-’90s and most recently featured on a salsa version of Despacito. Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra’s career started ten years earlier. He rose to global fame in 1990 with Burbujas De Amor, which is currently (and criminally) absent from streaming platforms.
Manuelle’s brand new just-released album 25/7 features an incredibly sunny duet with Guerra, that would be a great soundtrack for the summer of 2018.
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 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

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.
Efecto Pasillo – Las Banderas
This Spanish band was founded in 2007 on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria. Efecto Pasillo mixes elements of pop, rock and latin into an infectious musical cocktail.
Success has so far been limited to their home country, where they hit the top spot in the popular chart Los 40 Principales with Pan Y Mantequilla (2012) and No Importa Que Llueva (2013).
Las Banderas is more or less the title track of their most recent album Barrio Las Banderas. It’s not a single (yet), but it should be. It makes me happy and could very well follow in the footsteps of recent latin hits like Despacito and Mi Gente.

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 36)
One year ago, on 2 September 2016, I published the first edition of Werner’s Weekly. That was on a Friday, but I soon switched to Monday mornings. All of the lists of the past year are collected here, and all of the featured tracks (and many more) can be found in my 2017 container playlist Carte Blanche Music.
Last week, I added tracks by Dan Auerbach, Depeche Mode, Neil Finn, Hurts, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Pale White and Reverend & The Makers to my list of candidates (to name but a few). Great new songs, all of them, but my eventual selection only includes the following:
- AKA George – Stone Cold Classic (Wildcard this week)
- Julian Velard – Don’t Ask Me About Hamilton (Anymore) (Wildcard last week)
- Basement Jaxx – Rendez-Vu (Jesse Garcia Club Mix)
- Grace Mitchell – Capital Letters
- Kettcar – Sommer ’89 (Er Schnitt Löcher In Den Zaun)
- Rat Boy – Turn Round M8
While listening to these six tracks through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar, you can find more information about them by clicking on any of the links above.

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.