Browsing Tag melancholic
Jonas Brøg – All Across The Sky
Born in Denmark and based in the Netherlands, Jonas Brøg is a very talented producer, songwriter, singer and musician. After working behind the scenes for numerous artists, his solo career is only three songs old.
All Across The Sky is the latest of his first trio of tunes. A classic pop song with a modern touch. Where other current singers and producers apply tons of voice effects just because they can (not to mention the side effect of concealing bad vocal techniques), Brøg adds just enough to give the track an edge. Think of it as I Am The Walrus with a ponderous drum beat (or whatever other combination that springs to mind).
Talking about vocals: just like in his latest single I Think Of You I Cry, the singer’s voice is contrasted by a wonderful female counterpart, courtesy of Astrid Lagerstedt, who also co-wrote the song. And to continue the namedropping: famous Dutch composer Jochem Fluitsma lent his talents also, as well as playing some instruments. A great collaboration that adds an additional touch of quality to Brøg’s slowly expanding repertoire. We want more!
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.
Garbage (feat. John Doe & Exene Cervenka) – Destroying Angels
While on tour with Blondie and LA punk band X, Garbage worked with John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X to write and produce Destroying Angels. The track, which Garbage describe as a murder ballad, was released as a 7” single on 23 November 2018 for Record Store Day: Black Friday. The initial physical release was limited to only 3.000 copies, but now, the song is available digitally for everyone interested.
The B-side is the band’s take on David Bowie’s 1972 classic Starman, originally recorded for American DJ Howard Stern’s all-star Bowie tribute, which aired in February 2018.
Beyond Destroying Angels, Garbage is also working on their 7th studio album. Last summer, No Horses was our first taste of where this new record is going…
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 48)
As musically diverse as Andy Burrows & Matt Haig, Harts, Metric, Sam Fender, Weezer, Within Temptation (feat. Jasper Steverlinck) and Youngr may seem, they all have one thing in common: all of them released new music last week, which I added to my Carte Blanche Music playlist. They are in very good company, for it’s not at all my intention to add all new releases to this collection. And tracks that are only so-so in my ears, don’t make the list either. After a very heavy selection procedure, I only added 20 new songs last week.
Only the very best of those additions can be found in my definitive round-up Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. Check them below and/or via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Follow the links for more information.
- Starcrawler – Hollywood Ending (Wildcard this week)
- Jonas Brøg feat. Laura Mathilde – I Think Of You I Cry (Wildcard last week)
- Broods – Everything Goes (Wow)
- I Wear* Experiment – Almere
- Navarone – The Strong Survive
- The Lighthouse – Catch Fire
- Yonaka – Death By Love
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 47)
Last week a great diversity of new music saw the light. There were very good releases in every thinkable genre. After applying heavy criteria, I added the likes of Chvrches, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Hozier, The Kooks, Rita Ora, and The Vaccines to my Carte Blanche Music playlist on Spotify, alongside a host of emerging artists you probably haven’t heard of before. And Jennifer Lopez as well. Listen to her new single Limitless without prejudice and you’ll hear it’s a really good song.
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Below, you can find my ‘best of the best’ selection Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. Via the links you can access my original recommendations and you can listen to all six of the tracks via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Here you go:
- Jonas Brøg feat. Laura Mathilde – I Think Of You I Cry (Wildcard this week)
- Jade Bird – Love Has All Been Done Before (Wildcard last week)
- 1010 Benja SL – Ultimaybe
- Audio Adam – Emma Watson
- Hollydays – Minuit (La Baie Noire)
- Moscow Apartment – Orange
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 46):
Jonas Brøg feat. Laura Mathilde – I Think Of You I Cry
Full disclosure: Danish-born, Holland-based Jonas Brøg is not only a very talented singer-songwriter, drummer and producer, he’s also a friend of mine. A guy that I knew as happy and light-hearted. Then, three years ago, he sunk into a depression. It was (and is) heart-breaking to see his sadness, especially since there appears to be no reason for it; he crafts great songs with an extreme ear for details, he has a wonderful wife, a beautiful child… and this damned depression…
Lucky for him, Jonas also has his music. He picked up drumming again, stopped (temporarily, I hope!) producing songs for others and started writing for himself, as a therapy. However delicate his own songs are, he decided to share them for the first time, taking us along on his journey back into the light. And with his character and attitude, I’m very confident he’ll get there!
Jonas is not the only talented musician in the Brøg family. On a holiday in Denmark, he was stunned when he heard his 15-year-old niece Laura Mathilde sing. He convinced her to sing on one of his songs and the result is breath-taking. As Jonas explains: “Although merely 15 years young at the time of recording this song, I’m convinced her soul is older than a few thousand years and I personally love the depth of her voice.”
This final version of I Think Of You I Cry may very well be its 50th incarnation. Jonas is a perfectionist and he tweaks his songs endlessly. In my ears, he reached perfection this time, with distorted synth notes, a dry drum sound, beautiful string arrangements, captivating vocals, and lyrics about a destructive, half-hearted, jealous and unhealthy kind of love. For you didn’t expect this to be an optimistic song, did you? 😉
If you like Hooverphonic (whom I adore), you should definitely listen to I Think Of You I Cry by Jonas Brøg feat. Laura Mathilde. It’s this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it’s only one mouse click away for a whole week.
In the Wildcards 2018 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 39)
Christine & The Queens, Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians, Imagine Dragons, India.Arie, Johnny Marr, Primal Scream, Public Service Broadcasting, Rita Ora and White Lies are all wonderful artists with great new singles. All of these, and many more, have been freshly added to my constantly updated Spotify-playlist Carte Blanche Music, which contains the best new music of this year, so far. The past week, this list grew with 40 titles and now holds almost 850 tracks, good for over 50 hours of excellent music.
If that’s too much for now (no offence), I can recommend Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. This ‘best of the best’ playlist features only 6 songs that don’t take more than 23 minutes of your time. You can listen to them via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. While you’re at it, you can read my original recommendations by clicking the links below. Enjoy!
- Sofi Tukker & Pabllo Vittar – Energia (Parte 2) (Wildcard this week)
- Sigala feat. Ella Eyre, Meghan Trainor & French Montana – Just Got Paid (Wildcard last week)
- Dan Owen – Stay Awake With Me
- Gecko Turner – Cortando Bajito
- Pale Waves – Red
- Sun Gods – Subtle Science
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.
Dan Owen – Stay Awake With Me
British singer-songwriter Dan Owen is an artist to reckon with. His voice and song-writing showcase an artist that appears much older and more experienced than you would expect from a 26-year-old.
Owen has been playing the guitar since he was 8 and performs live since he was 14. However, he set out to become a carpenter, but when he got a chip of wood in his eye, leaving him half blind, he decided to become a musician instead. A born storyteller, he wrote about his accident in the song Splinter.
His new single, the title track off his debut album Stay Awake With Me, is an ode to his beloved grandfather, who passed away just before Christmas last year. The track is written from the point of view of his grandmother; the pair met at an army base in Berlin as teenagers and spent 50 years together.
The moving video features footage of a couple throughout the years, cutting from the past to the present and interspersed by the widow reminiscing over old photos. A beautiful ballad that deserves to be a pan-European hit this autumn.
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 37)
Welcome to the 1000th post on Carte Blanche Music. It follows the week that was obviously the first after the holidays. New Music Friday counted a huge number of new releases, many of which by ‘high profile’ artists. But, to be honest, a lot of them disappointed me. Since I don’t pretend to serve up a complete list of new songs, and only want to present you with great new music, I added only a convenient amount of tracks to my container playlist Carte Blanche Music. There, you’ll find The Aces, The Cat Empire, Paul McCartney, Nile Rodgers & Chic feat. Craig David & Stefflon Don, Satellite Stories, Paul Weller, and more.
As always on Mondays, the best of the best can be found in Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. They’re also available in the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar for your listening pleasure. If you want more information about a track, simply click the respective link below:
- Bernhoft & The Fashion Bruises – Humanoid (Wildcard this week)
- Lauren Daigle – Still Rolling Stones (Wildcard last week)
- Brett Dennen – Be Somebody
- Munya – Hotel Delmano
- Spring King – Let’s Drink
- Tash Sultana – Cigarettes
- The Night Game – It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
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.
Munya – Hotel Delmano
Do you like French pop music like Air and Charlotte Gainsbourg? Montreal-based singer, songwriter and producer Josianne Boivin, aka Munya, certainly does. She’s classically trained in piano, jazz, and opera, and combines her extensive musical education and Francophilia into atmospheric synth-pop that simultaneously feels nostalgic and modern. Call her a romantic retro-futurist.
Her next EP (out on 5 October) is called Delmano, and it’s named after Hotel Delmano, a fancy cocktail bar in Williamsburg. The title track is about encountering a blue-skinned woman in that cocktail bar. Boivin says about it: “There is a French band named Vendredi Sur Mer and I just fell in love with their music video of ‘La Femme À La Peau Bleue.’ I watched it so many times that she entered my dreams, once we were having a drink at Hotel Delmano. The song is about that dream.”
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 35)
In my Carte Blanche Music playlist I keep you up to speed with the best new music that was released this year, so far. Mind you: it doesn’t pretend to give you a full overview of all new releases. On the contrary, I only present you with great new songs. In other words: following my list saves you a lot of time browsing numerous other playlists and listening to songs you probably don’t like… #tipoftheweek 😉
Last week, I added the likes of Dubstar, Plain White T’s, Rea Garvey, Smallpools & The Aces, and Villagers to my container playlist. But if 14 additions are too much for you (no offence), below you’ll find Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. If you’re only looking for the best of the best, here they are, alphabetically ordered and preceded by the two latest Wildcards:
- Say Lou Lou – Golden Child (Wildcard this week)
- Cookin’ On 3 Burners feat. Kaiit – Warning (Wildcard last week)
- Áine Cahill – Beauty Is A Lie
- Ed Struijlaart (feat. The Hornaments) – Guitar
- Romes – Out Of It
- Sam Fender – Dead Boys
- Yonaka – Fired Up
As usual, clicking the links provides you with extra information (both serious and fun facts), and you can listen to all seven of the songs via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Enjoy!
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.
