Saturne & Valfeu bewitch you, Laszlo Jones bares his soul, Birds Over Arkansas are in full bloom, Leopard DaVinci keep the party going 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 Tinnitist 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, make the most of these new numbers:
Saturne & Valfeu | The King-With-Horns
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Witch-Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I was yours maybe before I even saw you,” wrote Marceline Desbordes-Valmore in Elégie. This verse perfectly sums up the love story of Saturne & Valfeu. These two lonesome dreamers saw their feeling born in a fantastic universe of runes, fairies and incantations, on a large flat rock on the edge of an emerald river. They live a letter-writing true love, between prose and poems, without even having met. She calls him Faun, he calls her Shewolf. They change lives for each other, and give birth to this musical project.”
Laszlo Jones | Save My Soul
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The Beirut native’s meticulous attention to detail shapes his EP Beyond The Door, which was prepared in collaboration with his friend, multi-instrumentalist and producer Michael Buyens (The Gathering, Life Of Agony). Jones also assembled an all-star cast of accomplished musicians — including drummer Ralph Sammins (ABBA, Quincy Jones) and pianist Michael Arrom (Steve Vai) — to record the EP’s five tracks in Paris. Argentine arranger Marcos Barilari guided the eclectic EP to life, while Canadian producer Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne) mixed it at Las Vegas studio The Hideout.”
Birds Over Arkansas | Sunflower
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Americana.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Birds Over Arkansas formed in 2011 when Scott Haskitt, Laura Hartshorn and John Mondick discovered that the product of their musical experimentations was greater than the sum of its parts. The lineup was completed in 2014 with the addition of drummer Ryan Berg (Strand of Oaks, Project/Object) and bassist Chico Huff (James Taylor, Carly Simon, David Crosby, Solas). Drawing from influences such as Tom Petty, Peter Gabriel, The Avett Brothers, Ryan Adams and Iron & Wine, their music infuses heartfelt lyrics, infectious melodies, and complex rhythmic structures to create compelling and moving songs like their new single Sunflower. They say: “Sunflowers personify the summers that seemed to last forever when we were kids. As we grow up, those months become a blip in the middle of each year. Slowing down time enough to watch these immense flowers grow fosters a deeper appreciation of them, the season in which they thrive, and our own perception of time. Sunflower is a tribute to summer and the life that flourishes in it.”
Leopard DaVinci | Make The Party Great Again
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Funk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “On stage or in a DJ booth, Leopard DaVinci plays live on his synths, trumpet and machines and improvise solos on his guitar-keyboard. This unique home-made instrument could represent his music on his own: A new electronic formula that comes straight from the dance-floor of the P-Funk universe. Make The Party Great Again is the title track from his latest full-length, a collaborative album with lead singer Ry’m of the band Lyre le Temps. The music video features rapper Mr.E above a banging nu ’80s funk beat and heavy Minimoog bass line.”
Gervay Brio | Summerian Dancer
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Gervay Brio is a French composer, author, guitarist, pianist, singer, DJ, producer and video director. He has released 20 LPs & EPs during his 30-year career. Gervay has also produced 20 video clips and recently published his memoir The Shaman & The Deejay. Intriguing and captivating, his latest single Summerian Dancer marks a whole new chapter in his musical career.”
Elisa Marra | Lo$$a
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Come and discover my musical universe. I am fortunate to have grown up with a family of artists — my father is a producer and DJ manager, my uncle is a breakdancer and singer. You could say that I am an artist at heart. Cradled by urban, R&B, hip-hop and Afro music, I am inspired by a multitude of female artists such as Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Beyoncé. My songs are about women, strong women who are desperate to achieve their goals.”
Limerence | Artemisia
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Limerence were born under the sign of love and psycho-sociological reflection. Being passionate about personal development and a desire to offer more than just sound, the group naturally offer their personal experiences around what binds all people together: Love.”
Jigi | Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
HOME BASE: Israel.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Jigi’s story began in a Tower Records store in 2000. He was eight years old and something attracted him to grab a CD with a blue and orange cover. After he pressed play, his life changed. Around The World by Red Hot Chili Peppers exploded in his ears and from that moment he knew his life goal is to make people feel the same way he did that day. 20 years later, Jigi has moved to Tel-Aviv to fulfill his dream after recording his debut album IM OK, which he has been working on for six years. If The Strokes, Lana Del Rey and Kanye West had a child, it could have been Jigi’s album. Within 40 minutes Jigi takes us to a journey inside his soul, with kicking songs next to soft cosmic ballads.”
Apauline | Des Bouts De Moi
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Apauline is a hybrid artist, author and performer. Immersed in an electronic universe, she mixes poetry and song with a sweet voice. Whether she is shouting out loud or growling low enough to make souls vibrate, she puts vibrations in your ears, fresh wind in your thoughts and velvet in your heart. A hybrid artist immersed in an electronic universe, Apauline sings her poetry to lively electro music that prompts you to dance.”
Tifaine | Le Tournet De Tes Vagues
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Behind every artist there are stories, painful experiences and pieces of life. Some of these trials become their strength. This is the case with Tifaine, a mysterious artist who thinks and acts outside the French pop box. The young singer opens the doors of her unique universe with J’Veux Être Un Enfant, a five-track EP that oozes mysticity while revealing some of her features in a trickle. Far from the clichés of current trends, Tifaine offers a cocktail that is both melancholic and explosive thanks to meticulous work of composition and arrangements chiseled with a scalpel. Le Tournet De Tes Vagues (The Torment Of Your Waves) is a personal experience for men who call only to satisfy their desires.”
Helaine Vis | Destiny
HOME BASE: Poland.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Helaine Vis is a singer-songwriter from Kraków. Her songs are memories, thoughts, stories, pages from her diary from the last decade. Although she takes inspiration from alternative music, pop, soul and R&B, Helaine often comes back to pure singer-songwriter acoustic sounds. Destiny is a lead single from her debut album Pretty Cliché. It’s a song about finding your destiny in life and using your talents, but also taking inspiration and learning from all that’s bad. It’s a groovy, energetic, powerful song. Her captivating voice and unique perspective offer a poignant window into a young girl’s emotional journey to womanhood. Helaine, like so many others of her generation, has dealt with deep insecurity and depression along her road to self-discovery in the age of social media.”
Klezmhear | Türkische Suite
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Klezmer.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The group explore klezmer music from the East and draw on the influences of the members — including jazz, classical and Latin music — to bring a personal touch to tradition. Their songs ignore borders in order to access the universal: The emotional moments of life, transmitted by instruments which become voices, singing, exploding with joy or tears, laughter, whistling or whispering. Marked by strong contrasts between celebration and deep melancholy, between dance and meditation, Klezmhear’s music summons extreme emotions and invites the soul to travel.”
Johnny Blue | Levitate
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian hip-hop maestro Johnny Blue showcases his skills with buttery smooth lyrics and calm dynamic beats in his newest single Levitate. The Toronto artist is no stranger to wielding multiple genres to his advantage, as Levitate evokes the sensation of a moonlit cruise down city streets while bumping R&B and jazz dynamics take the wheel. Blue’s introspection shines through in this track, blending reflections on the world and his personal struggles with his desire for a serene and purposeful life. The track doesn’t shy away from Blue’s past, alluding to the type of person he was and his brushes with the law, while emphasizing the individual he’s trying to be now. Levitate offers a glimpse into the mind and soul of Johnny Blue, with the whole picture coming together on his soon-to-be-released EP Until Then.”
Samuel Avossey | J’Avais Entendu Parler De Toi
HOME BASE: Togo.
GENRE: World.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “A songwriter, singer and producer of Togolese nationality, Samual Avossey has been composing since 2012 in a variety of styles, including pop, rock, disco and more.”
Dzasko | Golden Hour
HOME BASE: Peru.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: Dzasko lets his music do the talking.
Mac Summer | Web Of Life
HOME BASE: New Zealand.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mac Summer’s meteoric rise through the international dance music scene can be traced back to his days as an ambitious young artist in his native Auckland. Since then, he has led a prolific career, both as a collaborator and as a genre-bending solo artist. His signature brand of liquid drum and bass has found fans in every corner of the globe and earned praise from the genre’s most prominent critics. As he enters the third decade of his career, Mac Summer shows no signs of slowing down, as he continues to set the standard for adventurous, high-energy dance music.”
Julo | Ombre
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “This song was composed in the studio. First the piano, the soul of the song. This song is about a person who lets himself be surprised by his body and in particular his shadow. The latter pushes the individual to meet and discover an impossible love. Let yourself be suspended for a few moments, and bewitched just as much by this timeless piano.”
Garrett Neiles | Stumblin’ Home
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Garrett Neiles, the Entertainer of the Year of the Winnipeg Nightlife Awards, drops his first single Stumblin’ Home, a pop-rock track about taking accountability for your actions in a relationship. “This single was birthed from Friday nights spent having way too much fun in a small city with my closest friends,” Garrett says. “It is powerful and energetic, but very down to earth and honest. I want this one to be sung out loud, late at night, and in the closest of company.” Garrett has been capturing attention for more than eight years with his definitive and rare vocal talents. He wants his upcoming EP to be a lifeline for people in times of love and pain. “If I can help, heal, encourage, or influence even one person, my life is changed for the better.”
Stemin | Our Universe, Our Galaxy
HOME BASE: Netherlands.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Born in Switzerland and raised in Italy, Stemin is an award-winning singer-songwriter, musician, and performer based in Amsterdam. His debut album #tellyourheart was released in 2020. His new album Unspoken Dreams is introduced by the single Our Universe, Our Galaxy. In Unspoked Dreams, Stemin explores the dissociation of keeping feelings hidden from ourselves and others — and the liberation of speaking them aloud. The album uses dreamy synthesizers, sharp vocal harmonies, and strong synth-bass lines to create a galactic vibe that bounces, soars, and explodes like the birth of a new star. “Allowing your inner dreams and desires to see the light is always a struggle, especially in a society that still struggles with tolerance,” said Stemin. “As a queer artist, I want to tell stories about overcoming prejudice, conquering fears, embracing our true selves, and most of all, celebrating queer love. Our Universe, Our Galaxy is an invitation to look inward to our dreams, the safe, magical places where we are free. In our dreams, as with falling in love, everything glitters and glows with thrilling intensity.”
Lux Mundi | Ignition
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Lux Mundi is the drum & bass duo of producer/songwriters Derek de Lang & Keith Larsen. Having spent the majority of their careers in the L.A. alt-rock scene, the duo joined forces in 2018, and began developing their take on the genre, combining live instruments with breaks and synthesizers. Inspired by U.K. acts like Pendulum, Chase & Status and Roni Size & Reprazent, the duo hope to share their sonic perspective in both DJ sets and live band performances. Featuring pulsing basslines and a guest appearance from Pendulum’s guitarist Peredur ap Gwynedd, Lux Mundi fuse the best elements of their rock roots with modern drum & bass for Ignition. They say: “This new single solidifies where we come from, but also shows a preview of where we’re going. We’re proud to have co-written this tune with Perry and to have had the opportunity to work with him again.”
Silver Lining | Heading To The West
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Roots-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Silver Lining are a Parisian band founded in 2015 . We play folk-rock/pop-rock compositions, with touches of country and blues. Sometimes groovy and catchy, sometimes dreamlike and soaring, our songs navigate between reverie, nostalgia and hope, and aim to caress the scars that mark our lives. Heading To The West is an invitation to let go of your fears and stop chasing time. We chose it as the first single of our debut EP Among The Waves. While it stands out from the rest of the tracks with its piano / guitar arrangement, it remains very representative of our musical universe and the themes that drive our songwriting.”
Bar II | Let You Down
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: Blues-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In our present urban times — over-saturated by electro and hip-hop, dominated by showoffs and pretenders — Bar II keep their mysteries to themselves. They won’t abide by the dictatorship of imagery, vowing only to focus on pure, raw, dark deranged rock music. May they raise the bar, too.”
Tres Nada | Gata Fina
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Reggaeton.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Reggaetón artist Tres Nada hails from Monterey, Mexico and has been rocking Latin American dance floors for the past few years. His latest release Ella Me Dice Cosas highlights his fun and sexy beats, featuring underground guest vocalists that are poised to be tomorrow’s superstars.”
Cee | Making The Move
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Cee relocated to Canada a decade ago. After charting in Canada and Australia with his debut solo album, Cee is back with his followup Relentless. Produced by Toronto’s Myer Clarity, Relentless is Cee’s first sample-free project, with cello, violin, keys, drums, guitar, sax and more. Featuring The BLK LT$ (formerly Andreena Mill), it’s his most important body of work.”
The Official Christian Rapper, Mr. Raj | Covid World
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “COVID-19 has taken lives, caused severe stress and separation of families and loved ones. I can speak from experience; my fiancée lives in the Fiji Islands, and we have been separated for 20 months. COVID World tells the tale of the current world we live: Gloves on, masks up, and keep your distance. But now I am beyond excited, relieved and teary-eyed to say that I will finally unite with my fiancée and be married this month. My whole life will change. We all have a story in the pandemic; do not be afraid to share yours!”
Patrick Ussher | A New Dawn
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Patrick Ussher is a self-taught composer from Dublin. Entirely created by ear, his music is characterized by simple, heartfelt and emotive melodies. With a background in academia, he is also the author of books on philosophy and health, but his real love since childhood has always been composing music.”
10,000 Before J.C | Kiekergaard
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “One track is worth a billion words.”
Sub Lights | I Wanna Start A Riot
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Electro-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “New York City duo Sub Lights (Stephen & Meredith Duncan) launched their indie electronic psych-pop project out of the bedroom and onto the stage in the fall of 2021. Freely sharing songwriting, instrumental, and vocal duties (along with heavy doses of political consciousness), Sub Lights is the expression of a deep musical and life partnership. After a lot of experimentation, late nights, early mornings, deep meditation, and variously enhanced psychic explorations, they just released their first album Medicine. The lead single I Wanna Start a Riot was inspired by the #metoo movement.”
Faaime | Garden of Love (ft. Leee John)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Faaime is the explosive meeting of four young Parisian artists. They draw their source from the rock of the ’70s, soul music, jazz, world music but also traditional and current music. They met in 2018 during memorable jam sessions in clubs. As these improvised concerts progressed, their friendship prompted them to meet regularly in the studio and give free rein to their creativity. Songs were born; they realized they have something precious. Recording their first songs for a self-produced debut EP, they asked Leee John, the singer of the group Imagination, to sing on their track Garden of Love. Enthusiastic, Leee John accepted, doing them the immense honor of appearing on this composition.”
