GubbaTV makes goo-goo eyes, Laurence Nerbonne plays politics, Hansom Ēli goes with the flow, TK Tycoon hits the dancehall 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, check out today’s eclectic and eccentric lineup:
GubbaTV | Goo Goo
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Gubba is an author, singer, songwriter, dancer, poet, fortune teller, talk-show host, gourmet cook, and notorious GUB rapper. She features improve-style entertainment on her streaming channel with singing, dancing, storytelling and expert gameplay. “This has become one of my most popular tracks with my fans and I want to spread awareness even more. This is the second song from my comic book series I created call Frankie Ravens. The song goes with the comic book and tells a story of a Librarian named Frankie. This song is when Frankie encounters her first villain!”
https://youtu.be/UqZgBDBymno
Laurence Nerbonne | Première Ministre
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Critically acclaimed for her latest album Feu, Laurence Nerbonne is finally back! The singer-songwriter and beatmaker competes in daring and versatility with Première Ministre (Prime Minister), continuing to shift towards more urban sounds. On a catchy hip-hop melody and a sleek trap production, Laurence Nerbonne unveils a punchy text and unapologetically indulges in a caricature by putting herself in the shoes of a politician. A political-flavored “banger” that sets the table perfectly for the third album to be released in the fall.”
Hansom Ēli | Flow Of The River
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hansom Ēli, composed of Camille and Alexy Guérer, is an innovative musical duo based in Montreal. Together, they effortlessly blend folk, R&B, funk and indie-pop, forging a style unmistakably their own. With a voice and sound reminiscent of the soul and character of Feist or Christine and The Queen, Hansom Ēli is sure to draw you into their musical world. Flow Of the River, the lead single from their debut studio EP Better Days, was born in the spring of 2018, not long after the two siblings decided to begin making music together. Striking group vocals, pulsing pianos and the powerful groove lays the foundation for Camille’s message that illustrates the obstacles that we must overcome through life. Written, arranged, performed and mixed entirely by the duo, Flow is a song that strikes at the heart of Hansom Ēli’s identity as a versatile and engaged musical group.”
TK Tycoon | Bolanle
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: Dancehall.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “TK Tycoon is a Nigerian-born singer, songwriter and producer based in Stockholm, Sweden. The inspiration for his unique blend of music comes from genres like Afrobeat and dancehall, hailing his African roots while echoing with fresh vocals and unique delivery. The strength of TK’s vision is the way the energy of the sound combines with the bass-heavy grooves, lush melodies and catchy singalong hooks. Bolanle is a brand-new song designed to move the mind, body and soul. To create the supremely celebratory and all-inclusive vibes of Bolanle, TK Tycoon enlisted the A-list talent of Dotman in a unified collaboration that has both artists sounding right at the top of their game — drawing on the roots of their Nigerian heritage to bring a unique hybrid of cross-cultural sound in an experience that the summer of 2020 could not be called complete without!”
Arthédone | Des Plans Sur La Comète
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “His stage name is a nod to the visceral energy that animates him: Arthédone, artist-hedonist, arrives in the great family of French song. In his first EP La part du roi, Arthédone gives us a huge dose of energy. His music gives pride of place to catchy melodies, touching ballads and more rock pieces. His writing reveals an artist concerned with the world around him. In his career as a musician, human encounters are what will change everything. Self-taught songwriter Arthédone believes that no one is held to the impossible, but that there is always a future for those who try. The artists in the pantheon of his influences — Springsteen, Cabrel, Goldman, Freddie Mercury — are inspiring tutelary figures. They are above all men concerned with life, family and the world: subjects he addresses in the songs of his first EP. Alongside Gurvan Nantel, he developed a writing nourished by the observation of humans. It is devoid of judgment that he encourages them without language or pretense: “I hate when you stop someone from coming forward on the pretext that they were born in the wrong place.” As a child, Arthédone dreamed of being D’Artagnan and making music. His first record, full of passion and panache, is perhaps his way of approaching it …”
Alvin Chris | Verre De Trop
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Rapper and beatmaker Alvin Chris unveils a new single that mixes well-felt rhythms borrowed from the current trap with a calm, calibrated flow, serene. The track resonates perfectly with this detached period of time and the usual frenzy. In your sofas, get up to speed with Alvin Chris’ self-confident nonchalance. Verre de trop is the clip accompanying the release of new EP Enchanté. What Alvin said about the EP: “This EP is a mixture of spontaneous creations without calculation. I have navigated between several musical horizons, influences from Deep House, Pop Rock, Afrobeat, to name a few.”
Vanille | Fleur
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Founded in 2017, Vanille is the solo project of singer-songwriter Rachel Leblanc. Her songs, drenched in suburban melancholy, tell a naïve tale of teenage reverie and sadness. Blending the refined melodies of ’60s vocal pop with the energy of ’90s garage-rock, the album Soleil 96 is set to release early next year. Fleur is the first single. Produced by Emmanuel Éthier (Chocolat, Jimmy Hunt, Peter Peter, P’tit Belliveau) and recorded by Benoit Parent at the Makina studio, this piece is characterized by its atmosphere dreamlike, its dark lyrics and captivating vocal melodies. Halfway between Françoise Hardy and Stereolab, Fleur propels us into a resolutely feminine universe where tenderness and violence waltz.”
Vivian Roost | Gymnopedie No. 2 (Rework)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Classical .
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Somewhere between minimalism and neo-classical movement, inspired by Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Philip Glass and Michael Nyman, Vivian Roost is a Franco-Swiss international classical training pianist, composer and producer. This version of Gymnopédie No. 2 by French composer Erik Satie is a completely re-imagined version. While voluntarily respecting the original score, Vivian wanted to bring a new vision of the work by adding new sounds such as a more aerial sound of the piano, harmonium notes with a triplet rhythm that reinforces the feeling of dance like indicated by the name Gymnopédie; the melodic backings of stringed instruments, with a fragile sonority, bring a dreamlike atmosphere to the original work. “I have always had a great admiration for the music of Erik Satie and especially the Gymnopédies. In my composition work, I have continually been drawn to this paradoxical mix between simplicity and complexity. It was during confinement that the idea of Rework of Gymnopédies was born. Time was as suspended as when I was listening to the music of Erik Satie. I tried to imagine Gymnopedia No. 2 (Rework) as a journey without a destination, without limits. “
Hillhar | IDK
HOME BASE: Israel.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hillhar is an electro-pop trio that began operating independently in 2016 and has recently completed a tour of Israel and Europe as part of the launch for the international debut album Earthly Divine. Hillhar are Assaf Twina, a pianist, DJ and producer who has conquered huge stages around the world (keyboard, vocals, computer & Ableton), Louharya, a multidisciplinary artist and the beating heart of the band (lead singer, keyboard and lyricist), and Dar Bechar, a songwriter, lyricist and guitarist with a unique sound (guitars, vocals). “IDK is a song about blurring the barrier between reality and a dream state, a journey of self-discovery which carries throughout the entirety of our upcoming releases. It comprises of sounds similar to Nordic electro pop groups such as Royksopp, Iamamiwhoami, Monarchy and others.”
Samuel Félix | Descent
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Classical.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Anglo/French jazz musician Samuel Félix is the youngest child of a family of artists. His musical upbringing was shaped on the one side by his father (a classical conductor who taught him about Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy) and his elder brothers (who showed him Bill Evans, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock). After touring the world as a session musician for several Grammy-winning musicians, his album Départ, set for final release in late autumn, marks his departure as a solo artist. All written and recorded over lockdown on the same family piano that he has played his entire life, these recordings aim to capture the intimate relationship between a musician and their instrument. “Descent: I wrote this after climbing a large snowy peak in the alps. As I was walking back down, looking at my house far away on the valley floor, this little melody started forming in my head.”
Grandbec | Léa
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: Rap.
THE TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Grandbec, whose real name is Pascal Vigolo, is a guy who does everything on his own and above all at his own pace. Confined to his bedroom during the Coronavirus pandemic, Pascal writes and composes new songs in a style he has never explored before. Bringing together the best of all worlds, he is inspired as much by Gilmour-style guitar layers as by ’90s hip-hop grooves. Straddling rap, slam and vocals, his pieces are mainly based on texts and what whatever the themes approached, he always makes sure to choose the right words and find an interesting angle of approach. We therefore find a panel of very broad subjects, such as the eyes of others, harassment, the relationship to technology or the refusal to grow up. Léa is a piece against the grain. Where everyone puts forward catchy melodies to the detriment of the lyrics, here it’s the text that counts. He describes the life of a young, naive teenager who finds herself in the throes of digital harassment following photos of them posted on the Internet.”
Pulse Park | The Equidistance
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rock.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Founded in January 2020 as a Canadian-Berman collaboration, our four men first met some time ago on an Arctic expedition in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut and started learning their instruments during the long polar nights. These were ukuleles that they traded dry fruits for with the Inuit. After the successful introduction of a breeding program for bowhead whales, the band decided to sing about this very rare and intense experience. Songs about the cold, the dark, cod-liver oil and not to forget the dinky white Arctic hares.”
https://youtu.be/Y8Xr3Q8eLiE
JOSHUA x MRAN | Cool Night / Run
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “MRAN is a French musician and composer, and although he does not like being put in a category, he is described as a DJ. Joshua Perez is an author and singer who lives in Toronto. It all started in December 2019, the date from which the two artists began a rich and fruitful collaboration of musical creations. Then Goodbye was born as the fruit of confinement — a single created on three continents and made up of three titles: Goodbye, Cool Night and Run. The duo plan to release a new single at the end of November, as well as an EP of seven tracks for March 2021.”
https://youtu.be/YfidWtr88BE
The Foundation of Freedom | The Crystal Maze
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Psychedelic Rock.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My name is Nathan Mitchell. I am a 21-year-old solo artist from Scotland who goes under the name of The Foundation of Freedom. I have sent you my favourite song from my debut album Deep Music for a Shallow World. My album was released this June and I picked the song because its unique and defies the conventions of modern music. The song takes you on a journey that’s comparable to Pink Floyd or The Doors. I sing and play all the instruments on this song and the rest of my music.”
David Le Sueur | Sand
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Jazz-Folk.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “On March 2, I released my first EP Belle de Nuit. This is a project combining jazz and folk, developing a story through all titles.”
CLOUDNiNE | Lovable
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul/R&B.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Lovable is the third single of my upcoming album, which drops on Sept 15 — all performed, produced, mixed and mastered by myself.”
Lectrom | Ocean View
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Lectrom is an electronic music producer originating from Germany. As a kid, he started to make beatbox beats and learned to play the guitar a little bit, but it was not his passion. It took more than 20 years for him to give music another chance. Now he has found what makes him really happy: To produce electronic music. He states, “I love music and it makes me feel complete and this I want to share something that is so amazing and powerful! My new tropical house track Ocean View is an endless summer love with an ocean view.”
Lucie & the Robot | Birdseyeview
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Lucie & The Robot is a band founded by Berlin based singer-songwriter and producer Lucie. In 2019, Lucie brought drummer Paul Richter and producer Hannes Marget together to produce her songs and play them live. The introspective tools of improvisation have helped Lucie discover why she wants to be a songwriter. Her goal is to tell the stories that take place beneath the surface — the events that only happen inside the world of our hearts and minds, where they seem isolated and secretive. Lucie’s lyrics open the gates to these hidden stories. Lucie’s songwriting is informed by her eclectic tastes. She is just as much a fan of ’90s trip-hop artists like Björk and Sia and ’80s synth-pop bands like Depeche Mode as she is contemporary experimental producers such as Arca and Flying Lotus. Birdseyeview is about how people can feel small and trapped when they concentrate on their insecurities. Its about stepping outside and changing the perspective in order to be inspired and grow.”
Charlie Grant | Whatever Your Heart Desires
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “U.K. native Charlie Grant got his first break in music as a songwriter for hire, landing cuts with Melanie C, Michael Patrick Kelly, Simply Red, Robert Miles, Marco Mengoni and Leslie Clio, among many others. However, the original dream of writing and releasing music as an artist in his own right refused to stay quiet … so, pulling in favours and forming a new currency based on pints of beer owed to various musician friends and studio owners, Charlie got used to recording in the dead of night and set to work on a heartfelt set of songs focused on musicianship, storytelling, and craft. Charlie has independently released several singles as well as the EPs Chemistry and Astronaut. Whatever Your Heart Desires was written with and features backing vocals from Claire-ann Varley from the Berlin-based band Varley. Stripped back and intimate with a haunting yet uplifting feel, It’s a song that deals with battling an urge to self-sabotage that holds many creative people back.”
