Muhlbo is a man on a mission, Joséphine Blanc wears purple, Magon takes to the trees, Rodeo FM deliver the goods 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, power up with these superb submissions:
Muhlbo | No Time To Die (The Spy Will Never Die)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Muhlbo is a French author composer and singer. He says: “After the release of my instrumental album Themes in April, I decided this fall to create my own version of a single inspired by the James Bond universe, in line with the release of the last film in the saga. My composition No Time To Die (The Spy Will Never Die) is actually an original fresco inspired by the 007 credits of yesterday and today. I also hid a number of winks there, in the notes and in the arrangements of my music.”
Joséphine Blanc | Purple
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “A 21-year-old singer-songwriter, Joséphine writes and produces songs that retrace her life, her experiences and everything she wants to convey to the world. An album is currently in production in which she will address styles and musical genres that are not alike. Her challenge is to go where she doesn’t expect.”
Magon | The Willow
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Paris-based Israeli psych-rock singer, songwriter & producer Magon returns with The Willow, the first single of his 3rd album to come in December. Between rock nonchalance and a sharp sense of melody, between ’70s references (Lou Reed, Led Zeppelin) and contemporary influences (Mac Demarco, Devendra Banhart), we find all the ingredients which make the salt of this so atypical artist, rocked by a wind of novelties: The poetry of the writing becomes more contemplative and essentialist, and the singing more assumed, for a striking result!”
Rodeo FM | All The Things You Asked For
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Americana.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Following their acclaimed 2020 album Upgrade Of Truth, Berlin-based Americana band Rodeo FM have taken five more songs from the same recording session and put them together as an EP. They have been playing their brand of alt-country mixed with an indie-rock attitude for 15 years — in dingy cellars and at vernissages, at weddings and funerals, in beer tents and night clubs, at jazz festivals, symposiums and demonstrations. They have filled dancefloors from the South of France to the Russian border and been likened to Americana greats such as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Whiskeytown, The Band and Tom Petty. But more than that — they have been exposing the foul status quo of late capitalist society with influences ranging from Bob Dylan to Antonio Gramsci. All The Things You Asked For is their fourth release.”
Owni | Fuck Toxic Masculinity
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I make music to heal. I am Owni. I am a young independent Swiss artist. Three months ago I released my first song, Anxiety. I have now released an EP which is available everywhere. The song I’m presenting to you today is Fuck Toxic Masculinity, the EP’s only English song. The rest are in French.”
Gabriele | Una Vita In Più (Radio Edit)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “This song, entirely in Italian, wants to bring the elegance and charm of Italian music to France and at the same time present the qualities of this artist who left to make his life abroad, but who preciously preserves his land in his heart. Una Vita In Più talks about the possibility of restarting one’s life with the experience that each one has had, so as not to make the same mistakes and to succeed where you were wrong. Gabriele’s Italian origins, his warm and romantic voice, his creativity and his sense of humor, have allowed him to multiply his artistic encounters by making himself appreciated as an artist and as a person, beginning to seduce the French public who appreciates more and more.”
Chiara Foschiani | Candy Woman
HOME BASE: France
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Chiara Foschiani posted her first covers on Soundcloud at the age of 15. At 16 she produced her first EP. She set up her own label at the beginning of 2021, at the age of 17 with her parents and has assembled a team to help carry out her projects. She says: “Candy Woman is from my Trouble Maker EP released last April. I wrote this song shortly after seeing Adrian Lyne’s movie Lolita. Written from the point of view of a predator, this song is my way of dealing with the very serious subject of pedophilia and predation in general. I wanted to have several elements in the instrumental, such as the childish ritornello that opens and closes the music, followed by a punchy bass and drum line. This is to play on the child-adult duality to end with a melancholic violin rise.”
Jérémy Arnold | Just For Loving (ft. Tolu)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Jérémy Arnold is an electronic music producer and DJ. Today he brings us his new single Let It Go. The French producer’s latest is a welcome ray of sunshine. Arnold is a talented producer and collaborator with a knack for getting the most out of the dynamic vocalists he works with. On this track with L.A. singer Tolu, he has created a song listeners can immediately fall in love with. With its witch-incorporated, soulful vibes, this track is a compelling and unique listen. Tolu delivers a mesmerizing vocal performance while Jeremy seamlessly weaves his pop, house, and dance influences together. The end result is a positive song with joyful waves that is sure to be played on repeat by music lovers everywhere.”
KOI Discovery | I Go Home
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m KOI Discovery. KOI stands for Kepler Object of Interest. There may be a more welcoming place, but you will have to go far to find it. I compose all my songs. I also record and mix all the tracks. I only use real instruments or analog machines — no computers, neither for playing nor for mixing.”
Arimatea | Life Can Be Easy
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Italy.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In the eternal search to find freedom, change, and the courage to simply be oneself, Italian singer songwriter Arimatea has been circling the globe to find her true purpose in life after her debut album A Sentimental Journey…from Italy to USA received critical acclaim. Now back to amaze her fans with a whole host of singles, Arimatea is set to deliver on all the promises she has ever made. Currently based in New York, her pedigree in the industry is undeniable. Like every seasoned professional, she has learnt the lessons of a life that has been lived in the light and the dark. Inspired by some of the most legendary singers that have ever graced the microphone, including Whitney Houston, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Alicia Keys and Randy Crawford, she embraces everything she does in a voice that simply soars above her productions. Her music is authentic, meaningful, adventurous, and full of the beauty, love and joy of a woman that has come to believe in herself. Her pain, struggles and failures are what have moulded her into such an incredible artist today.”
JaRon Marshall | Yesterday
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “JaRon Marshall is the keyboardist for the Grammy-nominated American band Black Pumas. He also has a solo project as a beatmaker and producer, and just released his next EP The Prequel. For The Prequel, Marshall has collaborated with Brian Donohoe (who composes / produces with Snarky Puppy and Okkervil River) and Justking Jones (who works with Mos Def, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Talib Kweli, Theo Croker). The mixing was done by David Davis (who worked with Frank Ocean, The War On Drugs, Miguel).”
Merunisa | No Longer (ft. Zuka)
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Merunisa Ahmed, 22, is taking over the U.K. alternative R&B scene. Following up her latest single Jet (ft. Diamanda), her new record No Longer sees Merunisa taking on an ominous vibe, pushing her artistry to new depths. No Longer explores new, cinematic avenues inspired by the 2019 film Joker, the track’s original name. She said: “I think the best part of this track is how it’s constantly moving forward melodically. It’s constantly changing and becoming bigger and engaging just like how Joker did in the film. The tension, suspense and harmonies is what really pulled the track together. I haven’t heard something like this come from someone in the U.K. yet.”
Cabou Casadino | Assez De Faire Semblant + Ma Fleur
HOME BASE: France
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Cabou Casadino (real name: Mucuenda Cabundo) is a composer-performer, Franco-Portuguese-Angolan philanthropist of urban pop, R&B and hip-hop. My new album Ma Fleur is designed to convey to people how much they are worth. If every human being knew the value of self-confidence, of self-love, no one would depend on anyone. People would suffer less than they suffer today, because self-confidence is a super power with which we can almost anything we want. The song Assez De Fair Semblant speaks of hypocrisy in relationships and in couples. I was living in disguised hypocrisy in my relationship, it was the main cause of my indescribable anxieties. I had a disgust, a rage at the duality of the intentions of my partner — in front of people she pretended to love me but really she hated me. I the song My Fleur, I speak of love and forgiveness. I understand that my happiness depends only on me. Having personal love means loving yourself enough that you can move forward when you are left behind.”
Roll Roxx | All My LIfe
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie Rock.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Roll Roxx are an electro-pop rock trio from Lyon. Formed in 2019, they have released two EPs. Their album is due in January 2022, and All My Life is the first single. They plan to release one song per month until the album is released.”
_telemaque_ | December Sun
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Based in the South of France, Pierre makes sensitive and energetic pop. A guitarist and composer since his childhood, his influences include folk, indie rock, hip hop, jazz, contemporary classical and electronica. With his first EP June, he makes us discover an intimate universe to which he lends his voice. December Sun is a taste of the album he recorded in 2021.”
Klëkit | Midnight Cigarette
HOME BASE: Ukraine.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Klëkit is a young electronic music project from Ukraine. When I started producing music I experimented a lot, trying different styles. However I can’t define my current style, as each track is result of my current state (my thoughts, mood etc.) and it also represents my current music picture of the world — who I’m inspired by, which musician has an influence on me. I keep experimenting, but my main goal is to create music both danceable and listenable, so people would like to move hearing it but, as well, could sit and listen, getting some good portion of emotions I’ve tried to express. Midnight Cigarette is such a track.”
Low Gear | Mexican Radio
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Formed in Dallas for the purpose of delivering loud heavy metal music to the world, Low Gears deliver a loud, rhythmic sound and animated live shows. Their CD Siktunes Redux has just been released. The first single release Mexican Radio is a cover of the ’80s band Wall of Voodoo.”
Blind Season | City Tonight
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Rock ’n’ roll and turbulent relationships have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. The origins of Blind Season are no different. The ragtag group formed through the coincidence of owning instruments and an evening that involved smashing a mutual friend’s car. Blind Season went through five different incarnations until founding guitarist Shane Sigro was faced with the ultimate decision between succumbing to normalcy or proving previous members wrong. Choosing the latter, he doubled down by taking vocal lessons and penning music that would breathe life into the new era of Blind Season. Their upcoming album is an ode to loneliness and toxicity that feels ripped from Billy Corgan’s diary and featured in a film by Tim Burton.”
Vazco | Changer
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: R&B.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am an independent artist who self-produces. Happy listening.”
https://soundcloud.com/user-715977159/changer-1/s-p5r3NYpNvMx?si=f447f980f13c47a7ba36e3b4a48d9fcb
Ale Riatti | Old Irish Dawn
HOME BASE: Italy.
GENRE: Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Ale Riatti is a professional folk musician. He lives in Italy. He sings and plays guitar, Greek bouzouki and Uilleann pipes. Ale has played in the best folk festivals and clubs in Italy, Ireland, Hungary and France. Now he is engaged in the promotion of his new LP Amethyst. Old Irish Dawn is about the hard life of the fishermen of the Aran islands at the beginning of the last century. Their hard life was very simple, but at the same time these people were happy. In the song, I wonder if we are happier today with our comfort or if we have lost some spontaneity of the past. The song fits into the tradition of Irish ballads but with a more modern and international approach.”
Mathieu Saïkaly | Respiration #1
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mathieu Saïkaly, former French Idol winner, is back! His new EP Respirations is composed of five tracks which revolve around Breathing, as the title suggests. It is an EP which softly mixes genres, in the manner of Atoms For Peace, Bon Iver or Lali Puna. It relies on vocal harmonies, ethereal synthesizers and an electronic percussive base. We find ourselves immersed in a luminous and airy atmosphere, something that both elevates and soothes and takes us elsewhere.”
The Official Christian Rapper, Mr. Raj | King
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am The Official Christian Rapper, Mr. Raj. I wrote and rapped to a very catchy and poppy tune to bring an upbeat vibe to my lyrics telling the world that I am not a materialistic person and there are no bondages from my past. King has four hooks and three verses which will be over before you can say my whole name backwards!”
