Browsing Tag soul
single track
Tiggs Da Author – Fragile
Tiggs Da Author was born in Tanzania, but moved to London at a young age. The subsequent culture clash made him an allrounder, who is able to melt African jazz, Dizzee Rascal-like hip hop and Detroit soul into swinging contemporary funk and soul.
In 2015, he broke through with Georgia, that sounded a little like John Newman and contained a sample from the Northern Soul classic Shoes by Bobby Bland. His new single Fragile is an even more danceable affair.
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.
single track
Kat Eaton – The Joker
Being raised in Sheffield, Kat Eaton came across a lot of music. The Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and Richard Hawley are all from the steel city, but she was mostly influenced by Joe Cocker. The heart felt emotions in her songs can be traced back to him.
After moving to London, Eaton launched ‘Blue Sundays’ in October 2014; a weekly music night hosted by herself, featuring a new up and coming artist every week. But now, her priority is to raise her own voice. Quite literally, because her voice is her main asset. You can hear it shine on her new single The Joker, the first track off her debut EP When You’re Not Around, which was produced by Neros (Jack Savoretti, Foster The People).
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.
single track
Samuel Jack – Let It All Out
Some tracks need more time than others, for not all tracks are released in every territory simultaneously… On 23 September 2016 I played Let It All Out by Samuel Jack in my Carte Blanche radio show for the first time and only now it’s officially released in the Netherlands.
Samuel Jack was born in London, moved to Johannesburg when he was 12 and has now settled down in Dorset. He describes himself as ‘a poor man, with a rich mind’ and he writes and records in a caravan. The first fruit of those sessions was his debut EP Live From My Caravan (I’m not making this up), followed by the EP Let It All Out. The title track of the latter is a great soulful pop song. It’s never too late to discover…
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.
single track
Rex Orange County – Sunflower
18-year-old Surrey teen Alex O’Connor, a.k.a. Rex Orange County, started out as a drummer, but over time he also learned to play keys and guitar. Add to this his sugar-coated voice and you have a one-man band.
He makes the kind of sophisticated, soul and jazz infused pop, that The Style Council produced in the 80’s and The Cardigans in the 90’s. As its title gives away, Sunflower is the perfect tune for the sunny days that lie ahead of us, meteorologically speaking.
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
Werner’s Weekly (week 13)
On Sunday evenings, when you presumably finish your weekend with a nice glass of wine, a relaxing playlist or a good book (or all three of them), I make hard choices. What songs that made my container playlist Carte Blanche Music last week, deserve to be in my alphabetically sorted ‘best of the best’ playlist Werner’s Weekly?
The hardest part is not putting songs in the list, but taking songs out. In the end, each week I’m very proud of the result. This time as well. It’s as varied as ever. A damn fine selection of brand new music, if I may say so myself ?. Follow both playlists to never miss out.
You can listen to the songs by clicking the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. The links below take you to my short and snappy commentaries on each track.
- TANA – Leave Away (Live) (this week’s Wildcard)
- John Adams – Things That Make You Beautiful (last week’s Wildcard)
- Blas Cantó – In Your Bed
- Cold War Kids (feat. Bishop Briggs) – So Tied Up
- Rilan & The Bombardiers – Supernatural
- Soulwax – Do You Want To Get Into Trouble?
- Ten Tonnes – Silver Heat
- The Gift – Big Fish
Apart from the selection above, I added great tracks by Circa Waves feat. Pvris, The Cranberries, Lizzo and Depeche Mode (and many more) to my daily updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Sounds like an interesting list to follow if you’d ask me… (but hey, it’s a free world!)
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.
single track
Rilan & The Bombardiers – Supernatural
Rilan & The Bombardiers is a Dutch collective that knows how to blend soul, funk, hip hop, disco and jazz into a steamy cocktail. After a few singles and debut EP Walking On Fire they are now working on their first long player.
First single Supernatural is a must listen for fans of Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars and Pharrell. Rilan Ramhane turns 30 mid-April. This track already gets the party going, but wouldn’t a bona fide hit be a marvellous birthday present?
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
Werner’s Weekly (week 12)
It’s that time of the week again… Out of all the great new music I dragged into my container playlist Carte Blanche Music last week (tracks by 311, Black Honey and Kasabian, to name but a few), I hand-picked the very best. Those are proudly collected in my alphabetically ordered ‘best of’ playlist, called Werner’s Weekly. For my Werner’s Weekly playlist on Spotify, click the player in the sidebar. By clicking the links below, you can read my recommendation per track.
- John Adams – Things That Make You Beautiful (this week’s Wildcard)
- Fatboy Slim – Where U Iz (last week’s Wildcard)
- Avi On Fire – Win
- Black Stone Cherry – Cheaper To Drink Alone
- Lukas Graham – Drunk In The Morning
- New Politics – One Of Us
- Public Service Broadcasting (feat. Tracyanne Campbell) – Progress
- Welshly Arms – Legendary
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.
remix, single track
Lukas Graham – Drunk In The Morning
Hallelujah, it’s here at last! This is a future worldwide hit that was five years in the making. Let me take you back in time…
In January 2013 I was at some posh music industry diner, where I happened to sit next to the music director for MTV Denmark and Finland. We were exchanging upcoming artists from our countries and she came up with Lukas Graham. I instantly loved the soulful single Drunk In The Morning from their debut album, that had been a hit in Denmark in 2012. I immediately started playing it in my radio show Carte Blanche and I honestly admit that I’ve been stalking the record company ever since to release it. Which they didn’t.
Only in 2016 a Lukas Graham album was released internationally. This was essentially a compilation of their first two Danish albums, with remixed versions of their earlier domestic hits. It also featured the worldwide hit 7 Years. In the spring of 2016 it appeared Drunk In The Morning would be re-released as its follow-up. But the record company decided to come up with songs that resembled the more poppy sound of 7 Years: Mama Said and You’re Not There. They scored considerably less than expected.
So now, it’s time for something more ‘adventurous’: the re-release of Drunk In The Morning is finally here, complete with a new video. I still think it’s a banger, that should be able to replicate the success of 7 Years. You be the judge…
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
Werner’s Weekly (week 11)
After a week full of great releases (by Fickle Friends, Blackfield, Maxïmo Park and others), that you can find in my container playlist Carte Blanche Music, it’s time to draw up the balance-sheet: what were the best new tracks of the past week? I chose the songs below (in alphabetical order), that you can listen to via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Click the links to read what I wrote about them earlier.
- Fatboy Slim – Where U Iz (this week’s Wildcard)
- San Fermin – No Promises (last week’s Wildcard)
- Jens Lekman – Wedding In Finistère
- Levante – Non Me Ne Frega Niente
- Nano – Hold On
- Pale Waves – There’s A Honey
- Seramic (feat. Bootsy Collins) – Greg’s Love
- Todiefor feat. Helen – Beautiful
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.
single track
Seramic (feat. Bootsy Collins) – Greg’s Love
Seramic is a London-based band with Marcus Foster as its frontman. He describes himself as a ‘new alternative hipster gospel artist’. And it’s true, many of their funky, soul-flavoured tracks are supported by gospel-like background vocals.
Greg’s Love is one of them. It is, in fact, a track that was released last year without many media noticing it. Only now, radio stations across Europe start to give it a spin, resulting in the song entering the European Border Breakers Chart. So, it’s not too late…
Foster says about Greg’s Love: “The song began as a bass line sent to me by Greg, my bass player. It was inspired by Bootsy Collins, which is why we’re so honoured he agreed to get involved. It asks its listeners to celebrate; to find something fresh and exciting, like falling in love again, and just let go.”
After opening for Jack Garratt last year, from 29 March on Seramic will support Bear’s Den on their European trek. A headline tour can’t be far away…
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.
