Ordinary Strangers go above and beyond, Efy Hecks get psyched, Daniel Argus loves you too, Marcio Markkx serves up the loneliest number, Nora Toutain enjoys ladies’ night and more in today’s submissions from Groover, a platform that connects artists with critics like me for a small fee. You can (and should) subscribe to my Tinnitist Groover Top 100 playlist HERE, or you can listen to it via the widget at the lower right of every page on this site. If you want to be in an upcoming playlist, click the link just below the widget or go HERE. But first, please get that seat back and tray table upright in preperation for takeoff.
OST-Ordinary Strangers | Go Beyond
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Independent project of creative souls from different parts of the planet. Building bridges between visuals and music in the style of electronic, pop, rap and folk. Always done in contact with the heart, the mind and the open spirit. Expressing a delicate raw sound for justice, freedom of all sorts No barriers, go further, go beyond. “I just wanna forget time to keep our beauty alive and the world can fall apart outside.”
Efy Hecks | Aujourd’hui/Tu s’ras pas là
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Psychedelia.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Efy Hecks is a project created by Vincent Lemay in the small suburb of Sainte-Thérèse in 2014. Inspired by the bedroom-pop movement, he produced the recording all by himself in the comfort of his room. Many members joined him in the following years to bring those compositions onto the Montreal scene. Their sound is often described as psychedelic rock, soft rock and even sometimes jazz. In 2020, after releasing only anglophones compositions, they’re taking a new road and will from now sing in their native language.”
Daniel Angelus | With Or Without You
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Dream-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Daniel Angelus is a British musician — a singer, songwriter, and producer — who creates “melodramatic cinematic pop and rock.” A self-described recluse, Daniel began making music after a difficult and traumatic childhood, using it as a form of therapy. What began as bedroom music has, ten years later, transformed into an incredible career in its own right. Daniel has performed live in the UK, Europe, and North America since 2008 — and music is now his full-time job. His sound is unique, built on “the frailties and wonderment of human life”. There’s real grit beneath the surface that only comes from lived experience, and which translates into the fullness of the music — “it’s the colours of your mind; it’s the pictures lost in time.” With or Without You is Daniel Angelus’ dream-pop cover of the classic hit by U2. Featuring haunting synths, a cinematic soundscape and an equally fragile vocal, this track went is taken from ACT II, his new dream-pop album.”
Marcio Markkx | Out Of This Loneliness
HOME BASE: Brazil.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Marcio Markkx has been developing his work in music for at least 20 years, first as a prom singer, backing in the studio and finally, a popular singing teacher. The focus as a solo singer ended up being in the background and only in 2002 was the first single You Made Me Feel Good released. With a strong influence of Pop music and artists like Djavan, Silva, Tiago Iorc, Michael Jackson, Jamie Cullum and Bruno Mars, among others, the singer has been preparing material that ranges from Brazilian music to international.”
Nora Toutain | Women
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: R&B-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Nora Toutain is a Moroccan-French singer-songwriter, based in Montreal. Her brand of synth-driven r&b seamlessly moves across genres like neo-soul, funk and jazz with hints of afro rhythms — a direct reference to her diverse cultural experiences and musical upbringing. Her love for these traditional genres and contemporary sounds elevates her music offering a fresh and unique experience on stage. Wherever she performs, her ease and energy on stage charms crowds. Nora got her start performing with Kalmunity, Canada’s largest music improv collective, with whom she performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2018 and 2019. The singer-songwriter’s first single and music video Bad at Love was well-received by fans and the press. This is the first single off her highly anticipated album Grounding Place Vol. I, out in the fall of 2020. The album is produced by Chris Vincent from Busty and The Bass. Right before COVID-19’s lockdown measures came into effect, Nora was attending the Banff’s international songwriting residency to work on material for her second album.”
Le Couleur | Désert
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal trio Le Couleur share Désert — a stunning new single from their forthcoming album Concorde. The song imagines lead vocalist, Laurence Giroux-Do, arriving on a film set in a sequined dress, discussing the desert, and death as a mirage ensnaring audiences in its net. The song is in two parts; first a sunny disco cruise, followed by a nostalgic ballad, which ends on a long guitar solo drawing from the dark and psychedelic side of the moon. The distinct disco flavour, a hallmark of their sound from the very beginning, is still ever-present. This often lighthearted and danceable musical world is offset by Concorde‘s lyrics, which tackle death on every track.”
Panties And Chocolate | Another Summer
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Some Panties and Chocolate? I can give you that thru ears! PAY ATTENTION: This is a sham of a summer hit with some sarcastic indie pop ! My heroes: Tyler The Creator and Mac DeMarco, good music and good laughs at the same time. My goal: Send as much panties and chocolate to people as I can. I wish you to enjoy your summer.”
Patsy P | Honky Tonk Girl
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk.
THE TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Passionate about folk and contry music and an amateur singer/guitarist, I started writing after returning from a trip to the USA! This trip inspired me and allowed me to tell the story of my trip through Texas and Nashville. Classically trained on guitar, I am comfortable with guitar picking which allows me to easily accompany myself on guitar during my solo concerts or with my group / duo Froggys (Folk / Country / Rock). Singing lessons also gave me access to vocal techniques!”
Nipazen | Solitude
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: New Age.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Discover the Nipazen universe, inspirational & emotional orchestral music, relaxing music, instrumental pop and progressive music. Get ready to relax and start dreaming…”
Oozy Woods | Rise
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Oozy Woods is a band formed in Bologna, Italy in 2017 with the aim to create new original music. The overall sound goes from Rock to Blues and even Grunge, while the songs are made of a crossover soul: they evolve into a continuous journey, which reflects the different personalities of each member. Born from the encounter between the singer and the other three musicians, the Oozy Woods started their path within the walls of a small underground room, focused on creating completely new songs compared to their previous projects. In May 2019 they finally achieved the objective of recording their first full album of 12 songs, at Magister Recording Area in Preganziol (TV). In December 2019 they uploaded their first single Modern Needs, together with an official videoclip. In June 2020 they released their first album In Between. Through these months the band also created and developed its own visual image based on the paintings made by the drummer.”
A N I M A | Naima
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Electronic Jazz.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Although expressed through the voice of a human, A N I M A announces the resurfacing of the feminine force in our collective consciousness. Together with Oszillator, I create this album in deep honoring of the Afro-American people, who have contributed their amazing spirit, their exquisite and unique gift of rhythm, music and dance to our global culture, in spite of the unspeakable atrocities inflicted upon their entire nation for no reason. As i write these words, i feel pain, sadness, deep empathy as well as deep respect in my body and soul. How can we STILL not know that we are all of the same kind? HUMAN. Current developments and very actual political occurrences are alarming wake-up calls to our awareness for history not to repeat itself. This is my outspoken and fierce stand against any form of racism, any form of discrimination, whether it be color, gender, religious conviction or other. It is my call for care and respect, holding a vision of healing. Healing for us as ONE HUMAN race. May we find the awareness and strength to restore the wisdom of the Ancients living close to the earth, in harmony and respect with the environment and all living beings. I have a dream that one day we will stop the war against ourselves.”
Silk on Steel | Welcome To Our Revolution
HOME BASE: Netherlands.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Welcome To Our Revolution is a powerful and passionate blast of rock. The song puts the steel in Silk on Steel. The heavy guitars and energetic vocals will make you want to get out and be a rebel, marching through the streets with banners that say “I’m not finished, I’m not giving up.”
Chris Red | Angel Undercover
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: Dance-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Swedish singer/songwriter Chris Red spent years behind the scenes in Stockholm’s renowned pop music scene before branching out on a solo career influenced by artists like Ed Sheeran, Avicii, Shawn Mendez and The Script. Chris studied music production in school and honed his skills playing in bars around Stockholm in his early years, later becoming a session guitarist for Bosson and eventually took the step into the spotlight with his own expressive, melodic tunes. After spending ample time in the studio making sure each track is perfect, Chris is now ready to introduce his music to the world. He is ready to follow his dream and see just how far his music can take him.”
Levyn Garner | Forgetting About U
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Reggae-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “French DJ/Producer. Pretty much sure I make cool ass music.”
Agnès Aokky | Les Poissons-Chats
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The love of sound first propels Agnès Aokky at radio Nova where she tastes culture & counter-culture as a columnist-host. She imagines many pastilles and hosts Le Grand Mix Week-End as well as Gilles Peterson’s World Wide. Today, she mixes in every sense of the word as an author, performer & DJ. Inspired by Rimbaldian fuel, she writes many poems clinging to electronic sounds. She spares neither puns nor self-mockery to express the vicissitudes of her emotions, sometimes chanted, sometimes sung. Before starting her solo project with her acolytes producing electronic sounds like Maxime Komori or Computer Truck, Aokky experimented with several featurings: Falco Benz (keyboard of Benny Sings), Mathieu Boogaerts and Futuro Pelo, ex-Sporto Kantes. She is the co-performer of the song Bluff, playlisted on France Inter and Fip. She performs several stages with him. This scenic experience is a springboard for Agnès AOKKY to embark on a series of dates in 2019. Les Poissons-Chats ”is my 1st single. He rehashes the moments spent in the quicksand of an alcoholic period.”
Minihi | Hallowed Halls
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Orchestral.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Minihi is the creative outlet of percussionists and composers Zands and Louise Anna Duggan. Together, they create a uniquely percussive take on contemporary instrumental music by blending mallets, piano and bell-like textures with earthy drums and bubbling synths. The London-based musicians construct vivid soundscapes where the classical palette intersects with the world of groove and electronics. In their own right, Louise is the percussionist for Agnes Obel and Zands plays with Melt Yourself Down. Between them they have worked with artists and ensembles ranging from the Royal Philharmonic to Lady Gaga and together they recorded on Thom Yorke’s Grammy-nominated album Anima with the London Contemporary Orchestra. Their debut release Tokaido was released on May 22.”
Curtis Walsh | Midnight
HOME BASE: Ireland.
GENRE: Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “At just 19 years old, and having amassed over 10 million streams across all streaming services for his debut EP Breathe, Curtis Walsh is delighted to announce the release of his first single of 2020: Until I Fall. The track is a reflective piano-based ballad produced by LA-based Watsky producer/collaborator Kush Mody, with additional production by Ross Dowling (James Vincent McMorrow, Talos, All Tvvins) and Tommy McLaughlin (Soak, Villagers). Speaking about the meaning behind the song, Curtis comments: “It’s good to criticise what you do as it’s important to try and improve. A lesson I learned was how easy it is to take that approach in an unhealthy mindset and find yourself trying to fix and improve every detail about yourself. This song was written after that realisation and is about trying to make that transition into finding that balance of living in the now and improving for the future without living in your head.”
Buster Moe | Blackbird
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: R&B/Soul.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Buster Moe is back with the release of Blackbird. The singer-songwriter teams up with WOLGERS, who co-wrote and produced the song. With millions of streams to his name, Buster Moe continues to grow his fanbase by each release. He is known for his unique voice and his down-to-earth personality, which sets a personal and interesting tone to the music he writes. Blackbird is a song with attitude, it’s almost got an apocalyptic vibe; however, it’s hopeful and uplifting at the same time. “I think many of us have felt lonely these last months. I isolated myself from the outside world for a month and it got to me. I’ve always liked to be alone but only when it’s my own choice. I wrote the song as a way to deal with the quarantine and was just like damn I just wanna leave the house and do something. Wouldn’t it be awesome to just be that blackbird and leave the city?”
https://soundcloud.com/emelie-olsson-772996467/blackbird-buster-moe/s-psSE3CBSzoh
Tomaka | Time To Go
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Tomaka is a pop singer and a songwriter based in London (U.K.). By embracing both synthesizers and acoustic instruments, Tomaka has found his mojo. His songs’ unique palette has deep roots in pop, punk and electronic music. Raised on the sounds of The Clash, Pet Shop Boys and John Lee Hooker, Tomaka was inspired by his many collaborations and travels. Backed up by two musicians on stage, Tomaka’s performances are energetic and genuine. The trio fiercely engage with their audience to create an atmosphere said to be mesmeric and vibrant by fans. Tomaka’s first single Time to Go is out now.”
