Nitsh get atmospheric, Sadandsolo put things in focus, Bobby Dove is a hopeless romantic, Fat Bottomed Boys visit the Big Apple with Freddie — and they’re just the first encounters in today’s musical speed-date from Groover, a platform that connects artists with critics like me for a small fee. You can (and should) subscribe to my Tinnitist 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, meet these enticing prospects:
Nitsh | Atmosphère
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “He is a narrator who can be seen as a guide. His messages is dedicated to all the people who are looking for answers about themselves, who challenge themselves, who are tormented. He represents flippancy, a poetic way to describe his destiny, paradox, inspiration, desire for independence, release, acceptance. Through his anonymity he is focused on the light to spirituality. He represents the modern man facing the true self. He desires to be himself. Atmosphère is a musical short film. Atmosphère is the life story of a couple. You are invited to give the meaning you want to the images.”
Sadandsolo | Focus
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Sadandsolo are back with Focus / Unfocused, a mini-EP of two tracks.”
Bobby Dove | Hopeless Romantic
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Since the 2016 release of Bobby Dove’s debut album Thunderchild, the Montreal singer-songwriter has become one of the country’s most dedicated troubadours, crooning heart-worn originals and paying tribute to the golden age of country. Co-produced with Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo) and Tim Vesely (Rheostatics) at The Woodshed in Toronto, Dove’s new album Hopeless Romantic offers 11 new original Americana and country songs about unrequited love, the road, haunted hotels and hard-rocking pallbearers. The upbeat title track and lead single satirically exposes the highs and lows of being a Hopeless Romantic. Bobby’s vividly shattered dreams are brought to life with nostalgic melodies and illustrated by an animated visual clip produced by the gorgeous and glorious Gregory Pepper.”
Fat Bottomed Boys | New York
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Fat Bottomed Boys. That name sounds familiar, right? It’s probably because it’s based on the famous song by Queen and Freddie Mercury! The Sgt. and Elash, the two founders of this French duet based in Lille, wanted to pay tribute to their idols by writing original songs inspired and arranged à la Queen. Their album Let’s Do It! was released on Sept. 5, when Freddie would have celebrated his 74th birthday. The year 2021 will sadly mark the 30th anniversary of his death. The French band Fat Bottomed Boys got their hands on New York, an unfinished demo of the Queen singer, and completed the lyrics and music. The result? A new Queen song, almost!”
Pacemaker | Wanderman
HOME BASE: Israel.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Pacemaker are a funk-rock band from Israel. They bring crates of energetic groove, combined with powerful songs and scorching lyrics. Pacemaker’s music invites the listener on a journey through personal pain to a collective protest. A journey to discover simplicity and innocence, to satisfy the craving for something real and unconstrained, that if found, will carry with it a wave of free movement and hope. The band was formed in 2019 by brothers Ittai and Mully Allon. The band recently released their debut single Wanderman. Two more singles are due in the beginning of 2021, with a first album later in the year.”
Charlilou Loverdose Duo | Plus Est Moins
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED & TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Charlilou Loverdose Duo blend a suave voice and satin chords. Charlilou wish to make their music known throughout the world. Sounds, rhythms and texts drawn from abroad mingle with the authenticity of the Ile de Ré. This sonic melting pot is unique and is not limited to any musical genre or language. Plus Est Moins (More is Less) is the first single from a six-track EP due in mid-April. Their music sounds like a silky envelope for a love pandemic. Together, they weave a singularity.”
PNQT | Retard Retard
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “PNTQ is the meeting of four troublemakers from diverse backgrounds: Electro/house (Lidwine), punk/new wave (Roman), dub/jazz (Guillaume) and soul/hip-hop (Lionel). They unite their strengths and their differences to breathe fresh air into French pop. “We started from the observation that rather than waiting for the world to change, it was up to us to plant the seeds of what we want to see grow. This song is light, sunny and punchy — a true declaration of love to latecomers.”
Iphis Well | Seule
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Iphis Well was born in France in a family of classical musicians. In her compositions, Iphis likes to mix pop and electronic music with the bass of house. While her music is meant for dancing, her lyrics tackle dark subjects, but are tinged with hope. Her pseudonym comes from a variety of butterfly — a symbol of freedom and renewal. “I wrote this song one month ago. I felt so lonely and depressed, I just wanted to die. But I’ve always wanted to listen to that voice which was whispering to keep hope and go catch my dreams. That’s what I want to convey through this song.”
Snej | La Même
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Here is the first single from my next album, Hillz. I am an author-producer-performer. I belong to the Stonegang collective, bringing together young producers and rappers based in Tours. La Même (The Same) combines different aesthetics. The song is accompanied by a video directed by Jérémie Lévy.”
Hurricane On Saturn | Me Versus All
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Rap-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “We are releasing our next single Outsider in March.”
Bidi | C’Est Un Départ
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Bidi was 16 when he wrote his first songs and started as a frontman in Strict-Minimum, a punk-hardcore band from Laval. In 2014, he decided to dedicate himself to keyboards and began writing his first album, which includes C’Est Un Départ. “The year is 2246 and Planet Earth is at its last breath. A habitable planet named Pura Bulla has been discovered some 320 light years away. An international mission to preserve humanity is launched, only to be immediately under investigation for fraud, scandals and controversy. Bidi, the mission’s chief commander, is constantly torn between his sense of duty and the guilt he feels for leaving Earth’s population to its doom.”
Lucie & the Robot | Sleeptalk
HOME BASE: Germay.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Lucie & The Robot were founded by Berlin singer-songwriter and producer Lucie (aka Lucia Vox). 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 a fan of ’90s trip-hop artists like Björk and Sia, ’80s synth-pop bands like Depeche Mode, and contemporary experimental producers such as Arca and Flying Lotus. Sleeptalk is about insomnia. It tells a story of how we desperately try to silence the sound of blood rushing through our veins and thoughts racing through our heads by turning to “coyotes” — the sleeping pills we take. They claim to help us reach a quiet place. But the only way to reach silence is to surrender to a loss of control, which will ultimately help to close the water lock on those racing rapids of thoughts.”
Michael Steltzer | Glass Shatters
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’d prefer to be the one to blame for incongruous song structure, chord, key and tempo, rather than being stuck in the unending sea of music already written. In other words, I prefer to create rather than recreate. Meaning is the underlying. Reality is what you make it. The song is written from my experience in depression and suicidal ideations, to calm the inner demons, and try to communicate a sense of calm and hope to the listener.”
Uran Apak | Bully
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Electonica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Uran Apak is an interdisciplinary artist and musician in London. His music is a mix of downtempo, vocal improvisation and Turkish classical. He’s equally influenced by Massive Attack, Bobby McFerrin and Zeki Müren. In his live performances he uses a loop station to perform songs and music created in the moment, with audience participation. Bully is his second single. “Music helps me to stay sane and allows me to come to terms with the darker themes running through my life, such as experience of bullying, alienation and nostalgia for lost love. Somehow music transforms my inner drama into gold, allowing my personal stories to connect to bigger narratives and my emotional wounds to heal.”
End of Code | The Fall
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “End of Code is the Malibu/Monaco electro duo of Nicolas Saad and Shawn Pereira. They write, produce and express the musical energy of future & freedom. It’s not the music, it’s what it represents. End of Code released their first album The Beginning in 2020 and their music is now in global demand. The new album The Rise is on the way with The Fall as the first single.”
Misaïdu | Shinobi
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “A fraternal duo created by Thomas and Nicolas Beau, Misaidu stands out with its hybrid music. The duo mix sampling, analog and digital synthesis with drum machines and acoustic instruments. The result is a colorful and bewitching sound. Shinobi is an organic/electronic track divided in two parts. The first is dark and enigmatic, led by a deep pad and sharp glitchy drums. All the suspense developed in the first part is resolved when the track opens itself in the second part, revealing a dreamy downtempo track.”
La Rime Métisse | Quarantine Survival
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED & TRANSLATED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “After a break of a few years, La Rime Métisse are back with varied and original sounds carrying positive and conscious texts. King Siroko and Architeknic lead the show with rhymes that range from eccentric to posed, in keeping with the tradition of original hip-hop culture. Quarantine Survival is a collaboration between La Rime Métisse and Kensho Kuma, an American-Japanese MC in California. The poignant production is designed by Far Beats. We will survive this quarantine and build a better world.”
3VTR | Les Lacs de Mercure
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “3VTR released his first album at the end of 2018, influenced by artists such as Worakls, Paul Kalkbrenner, Ennio Morricone and Hans Zimmer. In 2019, he consolidated his techno vision with his Childhood release. Today, 3VTR presents his new project The Good, The Bad & The Ugly; a trilogy of albums composed during the lockdown, with tracks chosen by his followers. This multi-faceted artist constantly renews and explores every corner of electro music without limits. While different in style, each of his releases tells a story and reveals the artist’s many faces.”
Vissac | Nitro
HOME BASE: Australia.
GENRE: Soul-Jazz.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The original project of bassist and composer Yann Vissac was formed in 2018. Inspired by jazz, soul, hip-hop and more, Vissac and his band define their approach to their craft as the bold exploration of the scope of human emotion, through an immersive sound world. Razor-sharp rhythms, sensuous saxophone, synths and luxurious keys contribute to creating a musical experience that refuses to limit itself to one genre or one era. Adventurous, playful and refreshingly pleasant, their music is best enjoyed with an open mind and an appetite for eclecticism. Their second single Nitro is upbeat and frenetic: A vaporous soundscape of surging grooves laden with electrifying solos. Nitro will pull you into its wheel spin of high potency.”
Igor Longhi | La Luna
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In 2015, pianist and composer Igor Longhi started his piano classical studies as a five-year-old kid. During his musical life, he has explored many different genres, from hard rock and prog music to reggae with the band Makako Jump. In 2015 he started writing soundtracks for documentaries, commercials and video clips. His latest single pays tribute to La Luna (The Moon): Fascinating, magnetic and sensual — solitary light and beacon of hope even in the darkest night, friend and companion of the most intimate dreams, invisible ruler of time. “On a late autumn evening while sitting at my piano, I was admiring her, tall and shining, making her the keeper of a secret between mutual glances and whispered words to my soul.”
