Young Spit crosses cultures, LaBulKrack produce a colossally triumphant groove, Someone Very Smooth screws it up (again), Mariotte is a helpless dancer, Marcus Gad braves the new world — but you’ve got nothing to fear in today’s submissions from Groover, a platform that connects artists with critics like me for a small fee. You can (and should) visit my Tinnitist Top 150 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, make the most of these fine finds:
Young Spit | Uwanje
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Young Spit is originally from Burundi, a landlocked country in east central Africa. In 2016. He rose to prominence with hisfirst single Shanna. His EP Rock Star came out in June. His sound is a mixture of Afro-fusion, world music and hip-hop. His original version of Uwanje was OK, but something was definitely missing. This new upgrade is like adding an extra lemon to our tequila. Y’all peep the Afro-pop vibe, electric guitars and drums in the mix? It looks like we got Master Muzik & Fig the beatmaker pon dis joint. Creative juices are intentionally activated! And how about those Hugh Masekela-inspired trumpets? They were definitely a huge risk — but they complement his voice quite well.”
https://youtu.be/mEpC72RSflw
LaBulKrack | Le Triomphe Du Colosse
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Afrobeat.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “LaBulKrack are a French band led by guitarist and composer Hugo Bernier. With an atypical lineup that crosses big band and amplified music, LaBulKrack provide spontaneous and sophisticated music, playing on shades and styles with a versatility all their own. After two EPs in 2014 and 2016, the band released their first album La Traversée Héroïque in 2018. Its new release Cumbia Bamako combines many inspirations with evocative names: Syrie Mon Amour, Grand Voile or Caribbean Cocktail.”
Someone Very Smooth | Fukk It Up Pt. 2
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m an independent artist from Montreal. Salvation!! Here’s my new video Fukk It Up Pt. 2, which features a mix of English and French.”
Mariotte | 1518
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In the summer of 1518, a mysterious dancing epidemic occurred. In this single from her soon-to-be-released first EP, Mariotte delivers a powerful ode to dance and the ecstasy of the party, at a time when the streets are deserted and bodies move away from each other. Mariotte is a character straight out of a timeless tale. His stories are nourished by legends, mythologies, but also portraits. She likes to pay tribute to fighters. Her heroines, women giant and rebellious, are invoked by sharp texts and soaring melodies responding only to the drums of a distant and intoxicating folk. Mariotte is about to release a first EP La Géante on May 5.”
Marcus Gad | Brave New World
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Raggae.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Marcus Gad hails from the multicultural lands of New Caledonia, a French Island in the South West Pacific Ocean, and embodies a spiritual movement of soul music and meditative roots. He uses music to remind us of how important our essence can be during times of crisis. “Brave New World was written right after the first European lockdown in 2020, just about a year ago. Back then, we had spent weeks speculating about what was going on behind the curtains, but somehow had the feeling that something we had fore-sensed for years was unraveling. After two months in the peace of our countryside dwelling in the south of France, going up to Paris to record songs with my beatmaker Tamal was quite an interesting experience. As I was walking out into what seemed to be yet another dystopia, I couldn’t help but thinking about Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Going up to the studio, I had to sing about it, in the same satirical fashion, and this song was born. Overall, I believe the way we face the challenges that await us today, as a humanity, are of utmost importance. We cannot run away from the factual reality of what is going down. However, the way we decide face it is entirely our choice. I chose love and trust.”
Vooo | Sorry To Tell
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Jazz-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Vooo are the jazz-pop duo of Anne-Fred (vocals, guitar) and Cédric (keyboards). Before creating Vooo, both had diverse experiences: Folk and blues-rock for Anne-Fred and jazz for Cédric. Vooo’s sound is difficult to define (even for them!). They say: “Sorry To Tell is our fourth single. Between electric guitar and clavinet, between rock and jazz, find out the new color we try to give to music. Once again, the choice of simplicity has been made … we could add garageband drums and bass, but we like to play it all. Once concerts will be allowed, you will figure out that our music is made to be shared with people.”
https://youtu.be/prLA6Zzniv4
Stereonoon | Inconvenient
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Nu-Jazz.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Stereonoon is a modular collective. Stereonoon is a relentless quest for sound. Stereonoon is a tale about letting your mind wander around a lockdown until you find a way to break the silence. Stereonoon begins with Anna Polinari, undiscovered voice of Verona, and Max Tozzi, brains and brawn of the band cinemavolta. They released the EP Yeah. And Stuff’ on March 26. Other national and international musicians performed on the record for the occasion: Mark Lettieri (guitarist from Snarky Puppy), Matteo Pontegavelli (on trumpet) and Francesco Dondi (on tenor saxophone).”
Ilenya | Non È Un Sogno
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Synt-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Non É Un Sogno is the new single of the Milanese singer-songwriter Ilenya.”
Why Elephant | A Pair
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Three years after their first EP Unknown Man On The Moon, Why Elephant are back at it. Their new EP Today is full of energy, and never forgets aesthetics: There are some catchy guitar riffs and powerful vocals, but also strong traditionnal blues influences and a sharp sense of writing, following the path opened by the likes of The White Stripes, The Kills or The Black Keys. A Pair, from their new EP coming this spring, is full of groove, but also shows a very tight rythm section, sending the listeners straight to Nashville.”
Kefran | T’Es Ou?
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Kefran is a singer and rapper living in Avignon, France. He is originally from Côte d’Ivoire. He says: “T’Es Ou? (Where Are You?) Is the first excerpt from a future eight-track project. It’s a rap marking my official dedication to music.”
Hugh Bram | Past Life
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Soul/R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Music Artist. Self-taught Audio Engineer. Composer. Businessman. Mastermind. I’m Hugh Bram from Champaign, Illinois. I’m from a small town of crabs in the bucket. I want to lead by action and prove to myself and also the people from my town that dreams can come true if you work hard and believe in yourself. This sound of mine is one of many; I want listeners to feel the waves and emotion from my vocals along with the instrumental. I’m telling a love story throughout the song, which is the best part for me.”
Baby Boy & The Earthly Delights | What U Want (Ain’t What U Need)
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Reggae-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “What do surrealist painter Hieronymus Bosch and reggae have in common? Both artistic expressions are at the forefront of the roots-rock/reggae-inspired group Baby Boy & the Earthly Delights. Led by the charismatic and zany Baby Boy, songs from The Earthly Delights contain halcyon guitar melodies, sultry horns, and lyrics steeped in fable, myth, nature, and the human condition. The latest single What U Want (Ain’t What U Need) immediately grabs the listener’s attention with its bumping trumpet blare and bluesy guitar lick, only to be met by the mesmerizing vocals of Baby Boy. Together with his band of virtuosos, Baby Boy sings of a coming revolution from our current generation of greed. “The idea behind the name of the band and the concept of the group is that Baby Boy, this young and impressionable newborn, is making his way through a mystical garden, meeting all of the Earthly Delights on his journey through life,” Baby Boy says. Think of The Clash’s dabble into reggae with Sandinista! and you’re close to the vibe The Earthly Delights are going for. The perfect jam for the warming weather, What U Want (Ain’t What U Need) is the first preview of the band’s self-titled EP, a collection of tracks meant to invigorate during these confusing times.”
Cat Marina | Overdose
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Cat Marina is 22 and has already been in many bands. He’s toured with Shura and even wrote a song for the computer game Pro Evo Soccer. But this is something new and it’s only the beginning. As he explains: “This was going to be a band but I ran out of band members to work with, so I produced some tunes I wrote in my bedroom, and sampled some birds and a coffee shop along the way. I’m calling my upcoming EP Elephant Things, as my mum likes elephants and I like my mum; but really it’s a bit a of a dive-bomb into introspection. There’s some lines about playing Call Of Duty, as well as trying to hack an ex-girlfriend’s Facebook, but for me I guess it’s a little more existential than that … Overdose is about the feeling of wanting to escape day-to-day life, and dealing with the process of how a breakup can steal away your identity.”
Armel Caprice | Mon Doudou
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mon Doudou is dedicated to all the children of the world, as well as to all those who have lost a loved one during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Sean Jeffery | Gravitational Wave
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Sean Jeffery is an English singer, songwriter, musician and producer. His EP will be out in May.”
Don Matteo | Papa Les P’Tits Bateaux
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap,
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My new song is about child abuse. It stings the eyes but writing it and offering it is a necessity.”
JG Poirier | Citizen Of Your World
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Prog-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Originally from Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, JG Poirier is a musician, singer, arranger, author, composer and performer. Citizen Of Your World, the first track from the album of the same name, invites you to enter his original and colorful universe.”
Princis | Oum
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: Reggae-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The Oum-choir came as I was clearing my dishwasher, and from them an entire song was born about wanting to let my voice come out, and losing myself in music. It shows myy deep love for reggae, mixed with my passion for singer-songwriters, plus a guitar solo. it’s absolute dope to me.”
