Blaze Project live the dream, Michael Jacob lives for you, Dezordi lives for happiness, Mcclendon lives in the moment — and they’re just a few of today’s lively 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, live it up with these excellent cuts:
Blaze Project | Dream As An Answer
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Jazz-Funk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “An original Canadian band, Blaze Project blend their rock with touches of blues, jazz, funk and pop. They have fresh new music to discover, created by talented and experienced musicians. Featuring a fun, funky vibe, their track Dream As An Answer comes from Their Universe EP, which is available on all platforms.”
Michael Jacob | I Live For You
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Orchestral Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Born in Paris and trained as a drummer, Michael Jacob is a songwriter and performer. In 2013, he released his first EP Blue, arranged by Julien Cohen and accompanied by guitarist Bruno Caviglia. In 2020, Jacob surrounded himself with a string quartet and Cuban musicians for his new project More. With variations on the theme around I Live For You, More aspires to take the listener to new musical universes.”
Dezordi | Happiness
HOME BASE: Brazil.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Dezordi is a Brazilian singer who is releasing his first debut album in English, with reflective lyrics and striking melodies.”
Mcclendon | What I’ve Become
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mcclendon plunges into the indie scene with a fresh perspective while making new use of traditional techniques. With a sound reminiscent of the past, he transforms the way music complements words and messages. He’s drawn to write honest thoughts about concepts he personally connects with. Mcclendon hones in on observing and questioning himself and the surrounding world. “I just want to create what feels honest. Something that isn’t afraid of the moment,” Mcclendon says. He unveiled his self-titled EP in summer. it is a collection of fresh and spicy tracks that capture the duality between darkness and warmth. With the help of drummer Jeff Mello and guitarist Ben Kitterman, Mcclendon shows off all his talent on the haunting single What I’ve Become. The song’s message and feel allude to the failures, obstacles and changes — both good and bad — that come with the quest for one’s “true” self, set against a backdrop of poignant melodies, folk guitars and modern production reminiscent of Bon Iver and Ben Howard.”
Jake Aldridge | Down
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Country-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Jake Aldridge is one of the most intriguing British artists in recent years. After beginning his career as a rapper, he decided to swap hip-hop for country-pop, inspired by artists such as Kane Brown and Dan + Shay. Jake embraces the joviality of pop and combines it with a splash of country in his new track Down. The evocative song is filled with raw honesty, genuineness, and empathy for the underdog. The track is produced by Nashville based Simon Reid and was co-written by multi-instrumentalist David Edward Booth. “I’ve always wanted to write songs that are close to my heart,” Jake says. “Songs with a meaning that I believe in, and a message that I can stand for. I hope that my achievements (despite the odds being stacked against me) will help remind others to never give up and that anything is possible.”
Pedro Della Favera | Sunrise
HOME BASE: Brazil.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Pedro Della Favera is an 18-year-old Brazilian singer and composer with Portuguese and Italian origins. The son of a music producer, he started making music at home, using beats from the Internet, and creating his own melodies and lyrics. Sunrise talks about the youthful romance of a couple who are separated by distance and meet up in a small country town. They spend the night wandering and watch the sun rise. The vocals are soft and sweet, representing sweet young love.”
Cuarto Mundo | Sabi Lulu
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica / World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Cuarto Mundo is an exotic and electronic music duo formed by Thomas Lavernhe and Cosmo Gonik. The former has been part of various solo and band projects, while the latter accompanied Arcade Fire as a DJ on their 2018 tour. They take their inspiration from traditional and primitive sounds from the world. Their goal? Make people travel through the mysterious roots of sound. Cuarto Mundo means Fourth World, an expression to embody the indigenous peoples from the whole world. Their first single Sabi Lulu draws its inspiration from a traditional melody from West Java in Indonesia. It mixes electronic layers with primitive and mystical sounds.”
Split Kick | So In Love
HOME BASE: Canada / United States.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Split Kick formed during a chance meeting on the neon-soaked streets of Busan, South Korea in 2008. Pete Neonakis (Miami) and Andrew Corbin (Toronto) quickly developed a sultry electronic sound based on their shared love of everything ’80s, along with soft rock and nightlife. Fast-paced creative songwriting is their signature, as they produce well-crafted tracks in a short time frame. Partnering with graphic artist Diego Rueda (Mexico City), Split Kick have elevated their persona to a whole new level by creating artwork that embodies the spirit of their music and catches the eyes of the public.”
Soomeen | She Takes Me Up
HOME BASE: Russia.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Soomeen is an established Russian DJ and producer.”
OneHeadApart | Faster
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: EDM-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “OneHeadApart is the German duo of Joël Körner and Tim Balbach. They formed when DJ Tim and producer Joël became friends at school in 2018. Taking their name from the difference in their heights, they released their first track in 2019 with the voice of Nico Santos. “Faster is a really special one to us,” they say. “The track combines retro drums with a forwarding bassline and catchy synths. We love the ’80s sound so much and wanted to create something radio friendly at the same time.” During Covid lockdown, they produced a lot of tracks that are being released at a rapid clip. Stay tuned … ”
Jacob Aedam | Dead Man’s Hand (Mono/Poly Remix)
HOME BASE: Australia.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Melbourne producer Jacob Aedam has been sketching his sonic storytelling through instrumental beats. Lurking in the shadows at gigs and studios across Australia & Europe, Aedam has silently been honing his craft, delivering narrative-based musical projects in physical format to a progressively digital world. “It made sense to me that listening to music should be an immersive experience,” he says. “Mono/Poly has remixed my new tune Dead Man’s Hand and it’s out everywhere. Mono/Poly is responsible for some of Thundercat & Kendrick Lamar’s hit productions, his music has been used on GTA 5 radio and has done remixes for Flying Lotus, Machinedrum and Noisia.”
Lokomoko | Blossomed
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Psychedelic Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Founded in 2015 as a bedroom project of New York City-based German songwriter and producer Mario Schoening, Lokomoko quickly got pulled onto the stage, and has performed in many cities throughout Germany and the U.S. East Coast. He released two EPs — Harold Weird and Go Mi Ka Di Da Be — before issuing his first full-length, Shiny Silver Snakes, in the summer of 2021. Written and recorded as a trans-Atlantic effort between Hamburg and N.Y.C., with contributions by guitarist Michael G. Devan and poet-singer Britt Cannon, it steps into more lyrical and inward songwriting while maintaining his playful and eclectic sonic approach.”
Hendren | Easy To Love
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronic R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hendren abides in a universe where Frank Ocean, Jim Jarmusch and Father John Misty throw a party in a small dank underground club in Berlin packed with 50 souls. Here his R&B drones thrive and saturate the room in a mysterious darkness where his melancholic pop songs come to life to never see the light. Searingly honest and personal, Hendren’s lyrics frequently delve into mental health, addiction and dark romance. Akin to Leonard Cohen, he cannot help but offer glints of hope that seep through the cracks in everything. Hendren is the alias of Marty T. Zwart, musician, carpenter, roadie, lover and father. Marty played guitar in the band of brothers Coppersky for 12 years, released four records with them and toured all over Europe. Easy To Love is not really a song, but more a dark romantic poem that is full of contrasts and with a guitar-driven outcry at the end; a running away from or toward, a very disastrous relationship.”
Ros Gilman | Sunday Morning
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: Ros Gilman lets his music speak for him.
