Charles J. & the Conquistadors have dreams, Mariona enjoys some retail therapy, Underlined Passages talk things through, Tchook gets up, Andrew Jahn feels the love 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) follow me on Spotify HERE, check out 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, enjoy these great songs from here, there and everywhere.
Charles J. & The Conquistadors | Dreams
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Latin Country.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Charles J. & The Conquistadors — led by the singer formerly known as J.C. Jones — have created a new music genre: Latin country. What is Latin country? A fusion of traditional country music with ranchera and bachata sounds and rhythms. They decided that a great way to introducd themselves would be to reimagine Fleetwood Mac’s iconic worldwide pop hit Dreams. They have changed the arrangement and instrumentation to reflect their fresh sound, and turned it into a duet as well.”
Mariona | Shopping
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Love from scratch could be the most interesting interpretation of Mariona’s inspiration. Obsessed by the perfect interpretation of human feelings she writes and sings in French because it sounds natural to her. Exploring the ’80s without no revival or regret she uses synthesizers and drum boxes to help express the tears and joy she puts into her words. With Shopping, she examines the excess of materialism and the lack of compassion in our world.”
https://youtu.be/tVN9y1PEXMo
Underlined Passages | Couples Therapy
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “After nearly four years away, Underlined Passages are releasing their new record Neon Inoculation as a series of singles culminating in a full-length late in 2021. The first single Couples Therapy speaks for itself. Recorded by Frank Marchand (Sugar, The Thermals) and mastered by Alex Wharton (Teenage Fanclub, Radiohead) at Abbey Road Studios, it is an exploration of an intimate relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic and reflects what many went through and still feel today. It also represents a return from the wilderness from this hard-working band from Baltimore. A return many of us are experiencing now, climbing back from this tragic pandemic.”
Tchook | Je Remonte
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Meet Tchook, a developing singer-songwriter. Je Remonte evokes those who, caught up in the whirlwinds of life, wonder “What am I doing here”? Tchook says: “It’s a theme that I explore often. It’s a less guitaristic track than what I usually produce but I loved leaving politeness to the strings and to the engineer Guillaume Spitz, who made it a delicacy. What marks my songs, my lyrics, my atmospheres is the scent of exile.”
Andrew Jahn | Love
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Following up his EP The Journey Within, Ontario singer-songwriter Andrew Jahn is releasing Love, a piano ballad epic intended to be a love letter for listeners. “People have been experiencing different forms of isolation for a long time and maybe they need to hear the words ‘I love you’ a bit more than they have been,” Jahn says. The track has more of a feel-good vibe than his previous work, displaying the positivity in his next batch of songs. “The biggest change is the piano is becoming more involved and I am experimenting more with vocal tricks, high notes, harmonies, and different vocal ranges.” Inspired by his faith and experiences, Jahn aims to create music that highlights human dignity and love and overcomes fear and adversity with hope.”
Rongaku | Bloody Scars
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Rongaku makes music based on spiritual feelings, ambient and atmospheric sounds — all evolving in a dark astral universe. Bloody Scars is the first song to be taken from the EP Temple Of Pain.”
https://youtu.be/6tpmX0hxOWE
BlueBeni | Fly
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “BlueBeni is an electronic music artist from Metz.”
Blackpearl | YehYeh
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Blackpearl is a self-taught pianist, guitarist, beatmaker, sound engineer and producer. For his third track in three months, Blackpearl offers us an Afrobeat with Afrolove tones on an instrumental by the beatmaker calliemajik. A black-and-white theme predominates in the visuals.”
Waagal | Extinction
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Waagal is a one-man band from multi-instrumentalist Erwann Texier-Harth. Guitar, didgeridoo, handpans, kashaka, kalimba and others instruments are played simultaneously to create a solo performance where the musician keeps pushing his limits. Drawing from music and cultures around the world, Waagal mixes thousand-year-old sounds and innovating rythms.”
Marius Pibarot & The Needs | Fête à La Maison
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Cajun.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Marius Pibarot & The Needs deliver songs that uplift the mood while nurturing attentive minds. The band started off with a supercharged violin with an extra low string to accompany the vocals, and a few stompboxes to get the solos off the ground. Added to this are drums, double bass and piano, played by peerless musicians. Four voices that roar in moments of fire and that go wonderfully together when it comes to being sweet and melodious.”
Mussa | Samba Do Bom
HOME BASE: Brazil.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mussa is a singer and songwriter from Rio de Janeiro who mixes the traditional samba with electronic beats and other sounds. His lyrics portray the day by day with softness and reflection, turning his songs into urban chronicles. Samba Do Bom mixes samba and pop with electronic beats.”
Mort Rose | Tomber
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Psychedelia.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mort Rose are a rock band founded in 2016 in Montreal. With a lifelong passion for psychedelic rock, they emulate the sounds of the late ’60s in an honest, personal and modern way to deliver music with a timeless aesthetic. Much darker and more personal than its predecessor, their album Au Revoir Cowboys is also full of spontaneity and authenticity. The songs feel deconstructed and unfinished, yet are filled with great melodies, energetic rhythms and meticulous arrangements. The album, which was recorded in an immersive creative bubble, represents a total rebirth for the band. It’s psychedelic yet accessible, old-school yet fresh, with great references to 70’s psych rock and a great touch of humour.”
Posh | Time Has Come
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Posh are an alternative rock band born in 2001. In 2007 they represented Italy at the prestigious MIDEM Festival in Cannes. In the same year they released their EP Biancolilla, followed by the 2009 album La Realtà Celata Delle Cose. After 10 years of silence, the band returns in February with a cover of Kate Bush‘s Running Up That Hill. In August they released the single Mr. Anyone. Time Has Come, like its predecessor, will appear on their upcoming album Port Out Starboard Home.”
Miami73 & Jannine A. | Hi, It’s Me
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Before being called Hi, It’s Me, the song was instrumental and its title was Pancake Music (because I was enjoying pancakes when I composed it!). I created it using Bandlab (sort of like Facebook for music) and my smartphone! I posted it on my profile. Jannine heard it, loved it and wrote the lyrics. What makes the story even better is that we’ve never met. I live in France and she is in the Philippines.”
BMX Escape | My Crush (ft. By Forever)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “BMX Escape released his first track Along The Bay in 2018 and thei album CODENAME Jody in 2021. BMX Escape’s retro-electro sound is steeped in references to vintage elements of ’80s pop culture. The memory of this emblematic decade shines through in each of his compositions. Being passionate about film music since his childhood, he strives to keep a cinematographic or television common thread for each title, as a driving force and a source of inspiration. This permanent creative exercise led him to develop his first album around a complete narrative base. Evolving in an imaginary TV series atmosphere, the action takes place in 1985, with a young scientist named Jody at the heart of the story.”
Odaiba | Straight Ahead
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Disco.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Odaiba takes a noctural journey on the new EP Night Wanderer evokes. The voyage unfolds with almost dizzyingly high sounds and tones. The obviousness of the hip-hop, soul and funk influence, the electronic core, and the skillful chords offer crepuscular twists and turns to the passengers as we follow a man driving through life’s anecdotes and memories. It is a powerful and groovy experience.”
Yuken | Nushen
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Yuken is an Asian-style electronic music producer, mixing mainly Japanese and Chinese sounds with techno, house, dance and trance music. His influences date back to the begining of house music in the ’90s. His new single is titled Nushén (translation: Goddess). In taoist phylosophy, they are the incarnation of the elements, sky, moon or water and are floating in the clouds. It’s a kind of Chinese trance music, with hypnotic vocals.”
Odreii | Easy
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Born and raised in Montreal, R&B / Soul singer songwriter Odreii grew up in a very musical environment. After studying music in London and winning multiple songwriting contests, Odreii came back and released the song Runs In Mi Blood in 2019. Her single Go Solo, a collaboration with DJ Kleancut , arrived in 2020. She is woring on her first album Sweatin’ Gold, to be released in fall 2021.”
Elize | My Way
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My Way is Elize’s first single.”
Manzo | Trublion
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: Rap.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Of Belgian-Congolese origin, Manzo has been a rapper since 2018. Because he was previously a singer and guitarist, pop-rock influences are felt in his music. Mastering sound and pen, Manzo navigates between rap ballads and sharp punchlines. In October, his first EP Trublion will be released. This EP, the culmination of months of work and years of writing, represents both an immersion in the different layers of his musical universe and the start of a much larger and more ambitious project. The title track is also the first single from this EP.”
Andrea Bacci | Space Bubbles
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Ambient.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Space Bubbles is from Andrea’s most recent release Sleeping On The Clouds. The synths gradually build to an explosion of peace, awe, and wonder. Listening to Andrea’s music is like listening to your best friend’s secrets, with all the emotional involvement it implies.”
Simon Lemay | Gaétan
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Folk.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Simon Lemay is a new francophone singer-songwriter with Quebec pop-folk accents. In his songs, themes of nostalgia and friendship are often approached with a touch of humor and self-deprecation. A self-taught guitarist, he learned several songs from Johnny Cash which would greatly influence him for the rest of his career. Since childhood, he dreamed of composing his own songs, but it was only at the age of 47 that he decided to take action. It just goes to show that it is never too late to make your dreams come true.”
Lunar Woods | Never Mind
HOME BASE: Russia.
GENRE: Indie Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Desert rock from the frozen depths of Russian forests. Our sound could be described as stoner metal spiced with Deftones emotions, grungy Alice In Chains tones and the progressive vibes of Tool. The final single for the upcoming album Pain No More, Never Mind is about a struggle with the pressure of society. Sometimes it’s not easy to fight the trends and try to fit in. A person must remain a person.”
Suggestion | Cut From The Same Cloth
HOME BASE: United States
GENRE: Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Suggestion are a three-piece Tampa metal band with King Bong on guitar and vocals, Frank Wolfman on drums and Malcolm Sects on bass. Their music combines thrash-inspired riffs, extreme vocals, driving drum patterns, and funky bass lines. This unique blend of influences has created a new genre — Death Funk — which explores the funkier side of extreme metal. The members of Suggestion claim to be benevolent interdimensional beings sent to prevent worlds from breaking apart, and have had their memories altered by a nefarious alien force hellbent on preventing their mission. Their Think About Sects EP shines a light onto these secrets that our reptilian overlords would rather leave in the dark. Many mysteries have yet to be revealed but one thing is known: The fate of humanity itself is tied to the extraterrestrial presence known as Suggestion.”
Blitz Union | The Truth
HOME BASE: Czechia.
GENRE: Hard Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Blitz Union are a furious rock band. They combine melodic pop with hard rock and EDM. Using a blend of heavy guitar riffs, industrial metal overtones and melodic vocals, Blitz Union refuse to be put into a specific genre or category. This is also because the band stand for much more than music. The idea of creating an “union,” a community of devoted followers is omnipresent. Blitz Union are about standing together in times of uncertainty, pointing out social, economic and political issues — sometimes serious and forceful, sometimes ironic and sarcastic, but surely never conventional.”
Devk | Tequila Shot Up
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Instrumental Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Welcome to my world. I finally put all my feelings on a score. All music for me is wonderful; it transports us, it makes us feel sad or happy. Music impacts me very strongly. I am able to forget everything for a short time and just connect with it. I like to create things that come to represent me through my compositions. Can you feel it? We are always told to put ourselves in people’s shoes.”
The Masterminds | High
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “High brings a joyful message during these challenging times. The Masterminds have been heard on U.S. radio, with each of our last three singles being listed among the Top 20 most-added songs on the NACC (college radio) chart. Two of their tracks (Boomerang and Flashback) have been played on legendary L.A. DJ Rodney Bingenheimer’s show on Sirius Radio’s Little Steven’s Underground Garage channel.”
Ethan Senger | I’m Fine
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Ethan Senger is a passionate, 21-year-old Atlanta singer-songwriter and trd generation guitarist. He performs as a solo artist and with his band The Shift. His music is a blend of pop-rock and contemporary singer-songwriter, infused with flourishes of jazz and blues. He just released his self-titled debut EP. I’m Fine is about the longing for more time with a lost love, taking the listener through a full range of emotions in under five minutes. The warm vocals are accompanied by cinematic instrumentation that is mixed and produced in such a way that it elevates the song’s message rather than being gratuitous and distractive.”
Kamm | Shleem (I:Cube Remix)
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Kamm’s Cookies Policies Remix EP just came out, and includes this remix by French house music legend I:Cube.”
Calista Garcia | Deep Blue Diving
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “When Calista Garcia moved to Nashville in 2019, she didn’t fit in easily with the local scene. So she dug deep to find meaning. “I got really into philosophy. I listened to a lot of Bob Dylan and read a lot of Sylvia Plath. And whenever I got lonely, I wrote.” One result is this new single Deep Blue Diving. Calista weaves a story of her observations of life around her and explores that inner world we enter when we get lost — “deep blue diving” with a high-level philosophical musing about the meaning of life while “synchronized swimming in the great primordial soup.” With an acoustic, Americana groove that is a strong throwback to organic folk rock music of old, the B3, harmonica and acoustic guitars build to an energetic romp of musical resilience, leaving the listener feeling satisfied and optimistic.”
Sea Colour | In My Dreams
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Indie Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Sea Colour is the solo project of Berlin singer-songwriter Jonathan. In My Dreams is about getting stuck in life. It captures that moment when you let yourself go to be free but don’t forget who you actually are. This song has various layers of instrumentations being introduced throughout the song and uses different vocal styles.”
Danis Mallais | Donnez-Moi Un Verre
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Country.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “From New Brunswick, Danis Mallais offers you a tasty country-rock sound. Donnez-Moi Un Verre (Give Me A Glass) is the second single from his latest album. Recognizable for a voice combining power and delicacy, Mallais shares a funny story set to a catchy tune.”
Marian Crole | Golden Leaves
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Marian Crole is an Anglo-Uruguayan-Swiss singer-songwriter inspired by the beauty of life, nature and the human beings. She describes herself as a nomad in the quest for connection. Her music blends the differences of her multicultural origins and invites us to feel presence and intuition. Inspired by classic songs of the ’60s, interwoven with modern funk influences, Crole engenders a refreshing kind of soul music. If her music were a drink, it would be a daiquiri cocktail with a taste of Aretha Franklin’s power smoothed by some jazzy delicate touches in the style of Norah Jones. Golden Leaves is about holding on to hope in the darkest moment, when there’s nothing else left to hold on to.”
Caroline La Douce | Find Love
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I just want my music to be heard.”
Francois Myrand | What Is This Thing Called Love
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Jazz.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Song by Cole Porter, 1929. Interpreted by Élise Velle and François Myrand on bass and arrangements. A jazz standard revisited for the occasion in 2021!”
