Browsing Tag soul
The Haggis Horns – Haggis Express
I’m a sucker for bands with great horn sections. The likes of Chicago and Tower Of Power. Or the Dap-Kings, who worked with Sharon Jones, and later with artists like Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson.
UK funk/soul kings The Haggis Horns were new to me. My fault, because they’re around for over two decades, working with Corinne Bailey Rae, Lily Allen, Jamiroquai, and many more. I only heard of them recently, when doing research for my recommendation of Izo FitzRoy’s Red Line.
The Haggis Horns are about to release their fifth album Stand Up For Love. Its first single is the full-on instrumental banger Haggis Express, for all you funk/soul brothers and sisters out there.
Groovy rhythm section: check.
Scratchy funk guitar: check.
Fiery hammond organ solo: check.
Latin fire congas: check.
A horn section so sharp you could shave with their riffs: check.
It’s never too late to discover a great old band. Please meet The Haggis Horns. Pure dirty funk at it’s best.
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.
Carmanah – Best Interests
Canadian band Carmanah took its name from the rainforests in the province of British Columbia. One can imagine why. Their music is steamy, moody, shimmering and brooding. Imagine a spooky, soulful melting pot with elements of roots, blues and (soft) rock. It’s got a bit of a trip hop vibe as well, and an atmosphere comparable with Concrete Blonde’s Joey. Hope that makes sense. If not, all you can do is listen (which is highly recommended anyway).
Best Interests is Carmanah’s new single. It comes with a driving melody, lush instrumentation, and Laura Mina Mitic’s soulfully luminous vocals. Following As I See You, Best Interests is the second single to be released ahead of the band’s upcoming sophomore album Iris.
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 17)
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:
- Dive In – Give Me A Reason (Wildcard this week)
- Izo FitzRoy – Red Line (Wildcard last week)
- Alfie Templeman – Happiness In Liquid Form
- Helmut Fritz – Ça M’énerve [2020 Version]
- Liss – Waste My Time
- Rat Boy – Brave New World
- The Strokes – Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus
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: Billie Joe Armstrong, Christine & The Queens, DMA’s, Florence & The Machine, Hayley Williams, 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 16)
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:
- Izo FitzRoy – Red Line (Wildcard this week)
- Roquemore – Blame (Wildcard last week)
- AKA George – Bad For You
- Bessie Turner – Donkey
- Jealous Of The Birds – Ode To Fire
- Liza Anne – Bad Vacation
- Sondre Lerche – You Are Not Who I Thought I Was
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 Aces, Izzy Bizu, The Kooks, Rat Boy, Twenty One Pilots, 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.
Wildcard (week 15):
Izo FitzRoy – Red Line
I recommended Red Line by Izo Fitzroy before, but some songs just can’t get enough attention. An ultimate spring track, it’s this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
On Red Line, alongside her own band, FitzRoy is backed by The Haggis Horns and The Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir. Already a great track on her album How The Mighty Fall, the radio version is a beefed up affair. It’s got even more drive than the original and puts greater emphasis on the horns (which is never a bad idea). You might want to check this live version as well, by the way!
The long-player was produced by Colin Elliott, who worked with Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker and Paul Weller amongst others. Disco don Dimitri From Paris and Young Gun Silver Fox’s Shawn Lee lent a hand as well. With this album on repeat, you won’t even think about leaving the house!
In the Wildcards 2020 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 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:
- The Spitfires – (Just Won’t) Keep Me Down (Wildcard this week)
- Hollie Col – She Knows (Wildcard last week)
- Izo FitzRoy – Red Line
- Lime – Surf N Turf
- Magnus Bechmann – What Do You Know
- Saint Motel – A Good Song Never Dies
- Shingai – Coming Home
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: Dua Lipa, Pearl Jam, Sondre Lerche, 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.
Izo FitzRoy – Red Line
Following the release of her debut album Skyline, Izo FitzRoy was in demand. While writing new tunes, she lent her powerhouse vocals to the likes of Kraak & Smaak and Smoove & Turrell. But at the end of 2018, disaster struck; she lost the ability to sing. FitzRoy underwent surgery on her vocal chords, and came out with an even greater range, as her sophomore album How The Mighty Fall proves.
The record was produced by Colin Elliott, who worked with Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker and Paul Weller amongst others. Alongside her own band, FitzRoy is backed by The Haggis Horns and The Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir. Disco don Dimitri From Paris and groove wiz Shawn Lee (Young Gun Silver Fox) lend a hand as well.
Red Line is the London singer’s soulful new single. Already a great track on the long-player, the radio version is a beefed up affair. It’s got even more drive than the original and puts greater emphasis on the horns (which is never a bad idea). Great tune!
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.
Gotts Street Park feat. Flikka – Favourite Kind Of Girl
Leeds-based four-piece Gotts Street Park have been releasing music for just over 3 years. Also, they produced for the likes of Mabel, BBC Sound of 2020 winner Celeste, Kali Uchis, and Rejjie Snow.
Now, on their new single Favourite Kind Of Girl, they introduce another talent: Swedish singer Flikka. Her vocals, the beat and the whole atmosphere melt together in a soulful triphop kind of sound. As if it were a collaboration of Morcheeba and Portishead. Gotts Street Park performed and recorded the track live in their home-built studio.
Lyrically, Favourite Kind Of Girl tackles the theme of self-love and understanding your worth. Flikka explains: “I wrote this song when I was in a place of not feeling seen or listened to. I was continuing looking for it in an outside source without result and it made me feel lonely. Sometimes you need to be your own best friend/mother and by greatest support and I wrote this song as a mantra and reminder to myself to be the person I want and need to be.”
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 10)
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:
- Sports Team – Here’s The Thing (Wildcard this week)
- The Magic Gang – Think (Wildcard last week)
- Betty Who – The One
- Efecto Pasillo feat. O’Funk’illo – Chacho [2020 Version]
- Elle Exxe – Rose Gold
- Papooz – Figs And Gorgonzola
- Tout Va Bien – This Is How We Say Goodbye
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: Christine & The Queens, Half Moon Run, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, 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 9)
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:
- The Magic Gang – Think (Wildcard this week)
- Egoism – You You (Wildcard last week)
- Deluxe – I Love You
- Larkins – Hit And Run [2020 Version]
- League Of Wolves – On The Run
- Raphael Gualazzi – Carioca
- Young Gun Silver Fox – Kids
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: Alanis Morissette, Biffy Clyro, The Fratellis, Hooverphonic, Roachford, Sparks, 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.
