Section Pull Up want you to meet Pamela, Saint Chaos are just plain weird, Cigar Club lose their spark, Katy Topham is right back where she started from, Rodeo FM share their shame — and they’re just getting you warmed up for another slate of submissions from Groover, a platform that connects artists with critics like me for a small fee. You can (and should) follow me on Spotify HERE, check out (and like) my Top 150 playlist HERE, or 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, go HERE. But first, check out all the artists bringing heat today:
Section Pull Up | Pamela
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Afro-Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Section Pull Up are an original, positive, energetic group who deserve success.”
Saint Chaos | Everybody’s Weird
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Berlin duo Saint Chaos feature singer Nils Brunkhorst and producer Phil Sunday. Formed in 2018, Saint Chaos make electronic-based alt-rock and grunge-influenced pop. Saint Chaos speak about embracing your weirdness and finding authenticity through your differences in their new single Everybody’s Weird. What you think is weird is really your super power. So be weird and stay weird.”
Cigar Club | Cold
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto four-piece Cigar Club’s newest track Cold is a raucous thrill ride about loving someone who shows adoration in frigid ways. The young band got their start in 2016 from a mutual interest in guitar maestro John Mayer. The sound quickly shifted into a heavier alt-rock with a bit of blues and soul. They recorded their debut self-titled EP and started getting traction in Toronto in 2019. Cigar Club will unleash their full-length Day, Now in August. The debut LP promises to be an onslaught of hard rock tunes with a psychedelic, experimental edge. “It takes the listener through all ends of the music spectrum, from heavy hard rock to soft ambient soundscapes,” Cigar Club say. “We really aimed to display our dynamic ability in this record and I think we managed to pull it off.”
Katy Topham | California
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “California is the latest single from Kitchener country singer-songwriter Katy Topham. “Essentially the song is about losing a dream to someone you thought you loved,” Katy says. “It’s a melancholy song with a hopeful twist allowing the listener to dance along. I want my fans to relate and connect with the stories I’m sharing. I hope they resonate with California and each song to come as I share a little piece of my heart with each of you.” Katy is working on releasing her debut album later this year, but she says fans can expect at least one more single before then. “The album is kind of a love letter to the old me; I see you, I see your pain, I’m letting you go now, I’m OK now.”
Rodeo FM | Shame Shame Shame
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Alt-Country.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Shame Shame Shame is the second single from All The Things You Asked For, the upcoming EP from Berlin alt-country band Rodeo FM. It’s a twangy, banjoesque tale of love lost before dawn, and all the things this might entail. Rodeo FM have been playing their brand of Americana for 15 years — in dingy cellars, at weddings and funerals, in beer tents and night clubs, at country festivals, symposiums and demonstrations. They have been filling dance floors from the South of France to the Russian border.”
Ana Moura | Jacarandá
HOME BASE: Portugal.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Ana Moura has discovered the strength of her own freedom — and with the new single Jacarandá she lets us perceive her vision with a song of rapture and balance, of poetic words and sensual rhythms. Jacarandá was made with the precious collaboration of Mike Scott, a guitarist who accompanied Prince and who brings class to this new song. On her new album, Moura expresses, with a voice as unique as always, what sounds like a new set of emotions. Jacarandá begins with a melody expressed in her voice without words, offering pure emotion. The narrative comes later: “Fecho os olhos e não estás distante” (“I close my eyes and you’re not far away”), “perco os sentidos, não perco o norte, por ter a sorte de ainda te ouvir chamar” (“I lose my senses, I don’t lose the north, because I’m lucky to still hear you calling”), she confesses. The production is advanced and the rhythm invites the sweet swing of a dance for two.”
Yara | Mains Sales
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Yara has one foot in France and the other in Algiers. With his talent as a driving force and his ambition at the helm, he aims straight and intends to make an impression. A pure product of his generation, Yara knows his lines, knows what he is doing and what he wants.”
Karim Naas | Just Friends (ft. Niall O’connor)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Dance-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Passion, authenticity and generosity are what Karim Naas channels through his music. In January, Naas broke into the international dance music scene with the infectious and euphoric Threw A Party. With his unique style — Naas mixes the urban and pop music genres — the young producer has already attracted an international audience. This year, Karim Naas releases Just Friends, featuring Niall O’connor. The feel-good, summer-ready single comes on the heels of his latest track Work From Home.”
Now Open Smokes | Soft Lie
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “With soaring ambition, Now Open Smokes believe they have broken the code that will fill that classic glitch between commercial pop and indie music. Now Open Smokes are the sum of several years of exploration of the musical diaspora. Songwriters and producers Vasse Bartziokas and Ludwig Rostedt joined forces in 2021. Their debut single Soft Lie combines Motown vibes with cold Nordic sorrow. Soft Lie is a sunny pop song, stuffed with musical flirting, a sticky Mellotron, tasteful noise and dysphoric vocals. It’s for fans of Tame Impala, Future Islands, The Radio Dept and Perfume Genius.”
Julien Breitz | Trapist 01E
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I have been an electronic artist since the years 2000. My style is resolutely electro but very varied — it is difficult to associate me with a musical style. My inspirations go from Daft Punk to Madonna, Michael Jackson, Dua Lupa or disco-funk. I like pop music as much as dance/club music. Trapist 01E is a beautiful sound ballad, sharp but accessible.”
Mag Hantson | Give And Receive
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m a rock singer with an original style, overflowing with humour and positive energy. Although influenced by singers like Pink , Anastacia and also Evanescence, it is through my own compositions that I express myself the best. My musical universe is that of classic rock. My voice fluctuates between saturation and lyricism. My music combines influences from progressive rock and American pop delivering messages of love , liberty and hope. Give and Receive was written after the birth of my child.”
Mackenzie Leighton | Florist By Day
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In her everyday life, Mackenzie Leighton works as a florist while composing sweet melodies and poetic lyrics. Originally from the U.S., she began her solo career in Paris in 2017. Her sensibility falls in line with the tradition of folk singers like Joni Mitchell, while remaining modern in the style of Phoebe Bridgers or Julia Jacklin. Mackenzie intimately reveals the reality of her expatriate life and pushes the boundaries of her own identity in her upcoming EP Fleuriste, set for release in summer.”
Cinnamonspoxy | Why Did You Do It By Yourself?
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: Psychedelia.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Two geniuses who have been making music in their cellar for over 25 years, have decided to come out of the shadows. More than 100 titles are ready — never released, never performed on stage.”
https://youtu.be/du3j16CmscE
The Resolute | Pariah
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Modern Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “We live to create. We’ve set out on a journey to release a song a month for the next two years and would love for you to join us. This is our fifth single. We take a DIY approach to our art where we write, produce, record, mix, master and create our own music videos in house. The song is a mix of metal and melody, with a lyrical take on the journey of believing in yourself and how that can alienate you at times.”
Siloh | Plus Haut
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Siloh is a 25 year old singer-songwriter from Nice. Her sexy and slightly broken voice brings us in a universe full of honest lyrics and images inspired from her emotions and life situations. Her latest single Plus Haut is out now.”
Romy.k | Kuihé
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Reggae.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Romy.k is an Ivorian reggae artist. he has three albums to his credit. Very sensitive to the fight led by African youth, he did not hesitate to make his third album Have Faith in Africa with local musicians and engineers. Kuihé is a song from the pure Bété tradition (western Côte d’Ivoire) to accompany the deceased. Knowing that it is impossible to imagine life without death, Romy.k dedicates this title to his late parents and to all those who, in these difficult times, have lost a loved one. Death transforms life into a gift and Life is precious. So let’s take advantage of every moment of our life.”
The John Michie Collective | When The Moon Breaks Up
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The John Michie Collective is a one-man band from Newcastle whose art explores personality, truth, beauty, inspiration and euphoria in the form of guitar-based psychedelia. In his song writing, John siphons psych stalwarts including Pink Floyd, The Beatles and The Velvet Underground, with a touch of Lalo Schifrin and Fleetwood Mac, yet in no way does John fail to present an original approach. His debut LP High Vibrations, veering from multi-layered instrumentation to sparse drone, is crafted around a punchy, upbeat tempo, which works to display how John is able to accomplish a firmly controlled freak-out. Decadently embellished by the pretty sounds of space, and propelled by a smooth and tranquil baggy beat, John’s low, washed-out vocals retreat among the languid soundscapes, encouraging a wholly atmospheric disposition. The album was created over three days using techniques employed by Brian Eno and acts like Boards of Canada.”
Daoud | No-Hit Wonders (ft. Etienne Manchon)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Jazz-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Daoud’s velvet trumpet sound has been used by songwriters and producers for years all over the world. After a 15-year career working on other artists’ music, Daoud presents his own brand of dreamy cinematic soundscapes featuring his signature sound. Playing most of the instruments on this release, he also got some help from french jazz piano wunderkind Etienne Manchon and drummer Guillaume Prévost.”
Brilou | Grime
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Cédric Martel (alias Brilou) is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist in Quebec. His catchy creations, melodically charged and deeply meaningful, can make people dance or think. Grime is Brilou’s second single, a very colorful project with various influences that will defininitly make you dance.”
Clide | Flight Mode
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Although still pretty young, Clide knows exactly what adjectives he wants his music to be associated with: Authentic, innovative and raw. He wants to talk about things that move him and are close to his heart. Of course, love is one of those things, but so are questions around his own identity, the search for truth, dreams and interpersonal relationships. Flight Mode features U.K. newcomer Artemas. The song captures this longing for a break with a positive pop vibe and delivers calmness in a musical way by taking the listeners on a 2:52 minutes long trip away from buzzing phones and social obligations: Flight Mode is basically the anthem of having enough of people and needing to be alone. “I wrote the song, when I needed a break of everybody, being constantly asked for things and always in a rush. Turning the phone on Flight Mode can resolve a lot of problems sometimes. After I had written the song I discovered Artemas, so I hit him up and he got back to me with his verse. I fell in love with it immediately, I related to it completely and just took the song to another level.”
Nicolas Réal | On Veut Des Notes
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: Folk-pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Nicolas Réal was born in the 1980s. For years, with the help of his lyricist friend Laurent B, he has been working on his songs like miniature films, sometimes borrowing from western, film noir or science fiction to make music that is surreal, hallucinatory and sensual. His debut album is expected in the fall of 2021. On Veut Des Notes (We Want Notes) is an ironic and sunny charge against the passion for notation and evaluation that runs through our society. This summer song also brings together adults and children in the same yard.”
Gregario | Volganic
HOME BASE: Luxembourg.
GENRE: Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Drawing from years of experience within the Luxemburgish DIY music scene and stints in various acclaimed post-rock, indie and electronica outfits, David André (aka Gregario) has left his elaborate equipment for piano-based compositions that manage to feel subdued and urgent at the same time. In order to increase dynamic shifts, drum parts were added to the sparse arrangements by Paul Fox, one of the most sought-after drummers of the Benelux jazz scene, who brings his finesse. Gragario says: “For the track Volganic the creative process was very unusual. I had the outro before everything else in the song, and so the creation process was pretty much done upside down. I really like the rather dark and very cinematographic atmosphere that emerges from it but resolves in something romantic in the outro.”
The Mergers | Better Days
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “With their songwriting and arrangement strongly influenced by British rock and pop culture, The Mergers capture their audiences not only on stage, but also attract an international fanbase that is completely addicted to their recordings. On their Three Apples In The Orange Grove, it seems the boys from Nuremberg have immersed themselves in the British sound of the late ’60s and merged psychedelic freakbeat-sounds with their own, unique and timeless, fresh songwriting. With beautiful vocal harmonies and lots of reverb as well as an expansive array of swirling guitars, their sound comes across almost dreamlike.”
Kay-Ô | Elle Rêve De Mes Oui
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Kay-Ô is an urban pop artist, singer, author, composer and actor. He comes from a ghetto but he wants to sweep away the clichés with a joyful and optimistic music. His love of mixing and creation without preconceived ideas leads him to create his own style with his signature at all levels, whether musical, vocal or lyrical, with subtle and striking wordplay. As he often says: “Music is like human beings — each one has its own color, but like human beings, it’s by mixing them that you get the best.” That’s why he likes to sing and write in French, English, Spanish, Arabic… not to give himself a style but because it’s his style!”
Tristan L’Étoile | Les Moments Qu’On Aime
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Christophe Avril, alias Tristan L’Étoile, is a child of the ’80s. Les Moments Qu’On Aime (The Moments We Love) features a euphoric melancholy presented as an ode to the small pleasures of life. It’s an excerpt from his new EP that features five French pop songs with synthwave colors and ’80s accents — five positive and playful songs which never forget to ask sincere questions.”
Orbital Gloom | No Way Out
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Berlin’s Orbital Gloom ae an electronic music project by Kosmo (synthesizer) and Can (vocals). The music of the duo features warm and melodic dance tracks rooted between electro, IDM and deep house. No Way Out is their third single. The distorted electronic stabs of the track take the band into new territories as they explore themes of solitude, rebellion and inner turmoil. The forceful tonality reflects the demanding path which the person was forced down. The song offers a bright and energetic take on synth-pop which tries to rupture human feelings, only to raise them up into new positive cosmic spheres.”
Dannii Scott | In This Town
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In This Town will instantly allow you to imagine yourself cruising on a beach, chilling with good vibes. Let the secret style of DScott’s proven ear candy help you vibe away your day. In This Town is a story about a young man dealing with a heartbreak and needing to leave. It is the start of the journey. Come along and join the vibes.”
Elishéva | Bring Me Back
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Elishéva-Lilla Sabbah is a 21-year-old French-American singer-songwriter. Having originally sold her soul to jazz, Elishéva has had a long recovery process into dark pop. She infuses different harmonic and melodic colors into her songwriting, keeping a little spice from her past life in the jazz world. Her biggest influences include Billie Eilish, Charlie Puth, Jazmine Sullivan, Peter Collins and John Coltrane. Her debut single Bring Me Back introduces her dark pop summer vibe.”
Dorian & Louvar | Sans Condition (ft. Dorian)
HOME BASE: Luxembourg.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Here is the new single from my group Dorian & Louvar.”
