Margot Kurtis is late to the party, Mourah lives for today, Papagroove do it one more time, Jasmin Lacasse Roy is exclusively yours 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, make the most of these fine finds:
Papagroove | Encore
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Papagroove delivere high-energy Afro-funk fusion influenced by Fela Kuti’s politicized afrobeat, Parliament’s clever groovy funk, James Brown’s passionate soul flavour, Bruno Mars’ bubbly pop and Jimi Hendrix’s rock intensity. The band return with Les Sabliers (Hourglasses), a new EP where they unassumingly reveal their ability to settle down and embrace fleeting moments in all their complexity. Composed of Sébastien Francisque (vocals), Sylvain Plante (drums), Gabriel Lajoie (bass), Guy Kaye (guitars), Mario Allard (alto saxophone), Jean-François Ouellet (baritone saxophone), Jacques Kuba Séguin (trumpet), Matthieu Van-Vliet (trombone) as well as François Therrien (keyboards), the band picked their go-to weapon a long time ago. For Papagroove, music is and will remain the best and most subtle one of all.”
Margot Kurtis | 4 Ans Plus Tard
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Inspired by her experience, Margot Kurtis writes about her personal life. Each song is like a page of her own private diary. Her first single 4 Ans Plus Tard (4 Years Later) is accompanied by a video directed by Frankie Allio. The song will be followed by a second title in March and then my first EP Les Pansies Qui M’Animate at the beginning of April.”
Mourah | This Is The Day
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mourah is back with a new album, Euphony, his third opus. Euphony inhabits a sound universe between elegantly deep alternative pop and melancholic trip-hop. Here and there are a few inflections of soul and jazz, supporting a bewitching voice which, at times, is reminiscent of one of his musical references, the late Prince. Mourah has sought here to purify his composition on the one hand, and his production on the other. Indeed, at a time when technology offers infinite possibilities, the one-man band has set a limit of 16 tracks per piece. The aim was to create a certain intimacy with the listener. The new single This Is The Day is accompanied by a video filmed between Brazil and Switzerland. This track is a manifesto for freedom and self-assertion, but also for human nature, which seems to forget that it comes from the nature around it.”
Exclusive: Jasmin Lacasse Roy | Melodyvagation
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Neo-classical.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The title of my song Melodyvagatin is a mixture of “melody” and “raving.” The composition depicts a dreamlike, cinematic meditation during a nighttime stroll through the Mile End neighborhood of Montreal. This is the first single from my upcoming album Mile End Meteors, which is a love letter to a neighborhood that deeply inspires me with its relaxed atmosphere and artistic energy. The sights and sounds I hear as a resident are woven throughout the images. The work pours out with an intense, focused narrative force. A deft juxtaposition of imagery and musical ideas come together for an album that sounds like an impressionist painting. I wanted each track to come from a different world and shine with a bright, fleeting glow like a meteor.”
Les Barbiers Dans la Ville Mauve | L’égarement
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Founded in Paris 2019, Les Barbiers dans la Ville Mauve began as a collaboration between Quebec keyboardist Michaël Proulx and French guitarist Hadrien de Blignières. They were soon joined by percussionist Daniel Lunn and began building their sound. The music of the Barbiers exists in a world that reflects the imbalances of our time and adresses our ambivalent feelings toward our wavering civilization. Les Barbiers’ sound is influenced by progressive alt-rock (Radiohead, Archive, The Doors) and French songs (Mathieu Chedid, Jacques Dutronc, Feu Chatterton). Their latest single poses a question: What if the Earth could talk? What would she have to tell us?”
Nahel | Apparences
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Nahel’s songs draw from our daily lives, reflecting our doubts and hopes. Nahel also has training and experience as an actor. This song came about by accident.”
Anthony Serra | Sans Toi
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Anthony Serra is a French singer. His new single is the title track of his EP Sans Toi. The song was written by singer-songwriter Antoine Magro and produced by Vincenzu Lota. Sans Toi is a pop-rock song in which Serra expresses how hard is to let go of someone you still love who has moved on from the relationship.”
Essam | Fukura
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rap.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I have been writing and singing since 1999. I am who I am. Everything I do is from my soul and my heart. In 2022 I am ready to blow up and show everybody how passionnate I am. Are you ready to hear some old-school boombap? Not trap or drill. Fukura is a song from my first EP which will be released in March and features conscious rap on sample-based beats. Simple and effective.”
Rosemika | Fall Into My Love
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Born in Quebec, Rosemika has immersed herself in music, song and dance from an early childhood. Her passion for the arts, her humanity and her life story, make Rosemika sensitive to the fates of her fellow artists. You can hear Rosemika’s pop and R&B vibes on Fall Into my Love. With her smooth yet powerful voice, she will no doubt win you over. Her wonderful energy reverberates and is felt through her songs.”
KNGT | The Countdown
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Inde-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “KNGT are back with our French rock in a brand new song. We wrote English lyrics for the first time to connect more with listeners through the world. We are determined to make the flame of the French rock burn again.”
Steven Lindh | This Song Is For You
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Steven Lindh is a singer-songwriter and producer from Sweden. With over 20 years of experience, he felt it was time to start recording and releasing his own music, instead of playing and producing others’ music. Steven plays guitar, ukulele, bass, drums and some piano.”
Wolf Thomas Kerr | Wisdom Lies
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “With his latest single Wisdom Lies, Victoria’s Wolf Thomas Kerr is ready to leave his mark on the rock world. Wisdom Lies is a combination of grooving blues-rock, bright guitar a la George Harrison and an anthemic rock chorus like U2. The track has a 1960s-’70s psychedelic rock vibe to it and is about the danger of thinking you know everything. “I’ve lost friends, family, and loved ones. I’ve served my country and watched warlords and pigs of war destroy mothers, countries, communities, nations, spirits, and souls. I’ve had mental, physical, and spiritual crises … I’ve lived a lot but that doesn’t mean I have the answers to the universe.”
Heure Bleue | Fais-Moi Mal, Johnny
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Classical Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The vocal trio Heure Bleue unite the talents of three singers — Kate Combault, Elisa Doughty and Lexie Kendrick — and the pianist-arranger Kevin Amos. Their repertoire is a creative mix of various musical genres. Songs by Bizet, Vian, Viardot, McCartney, Rossini, Polnareff, among others, are fused and intertwined.”
King Melrose | Dis-Moi
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “King Melrose impresses with his talent, his infectious energy, his extravagance and his unique signature. Since his appearance on the Quebec musical landscape, he has mastered the art of composing songs that we never tire of humming. With two albums to his credit, 11 singles, more than 800 shows and stage appearances across the province, the charismatic showman continues to meet the public. King Melrose’s new single will have you dancing!”
J. Adams | 6 A.M.
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’ve been putting in the work, it’s time to get heard. This is a 2020 vibe that never really got promoted. But this is one my favorite tracks. Sounds like Joe a little but it’s all J.A.”
IDN | But I Just Wrote Our Love Song
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “But I Just Wrote Our Love Song features a gristly backbeat, funereal organs and gorgeous vocals. I wrote the lyrics about my breakup with my ex-boyfriend, and the trouble I was having going through it.”
Nasty Geographic | Reputation
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Rock
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Nasty Geographic is Chicago singer, songwriter, and producer Joe Blackhurst. Nasty Geographic is the product of funk, blues, and hip-hop twisted into a new kind of pop rock. Every Nasty Geographic album is an exploration into a different and specific musical genre. Joe takes an anti-perfectionist attitude towards songwriting — he writes and records every album in a week. Nasty Geographic‘s 10th studio album Bad Pop is one such album. Combining the driving bass of Royal Blood, the funky guitar of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and female-backed pop vocals, Bad Pop is Nasty Geographic’s most fun album to date. Reputation is the first single, it’s a song about hook-up culture and how it can raise someone’s self-esteem, while also hurting their reputation.”
Hannes Emme | Midnight Breeze
HOME BASE: Sweden.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’ve been playing piano all my life. I listen to instrumental piano music almost every day, which inspired me to create my own. Midnight Breeze is a calm, dreamy instrumental piano song which would go under the category of ambient / classical.”
Alvin Chris | Dernier Move (ft. David Campana)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Through his nonchalance, Alvin Chris reveals his analysis of the modern world. It highlights the hypocrisy of propriety, the superficiality of the digital age and the fear of the gaze of others. Alvin Chris is a complete artist and an outstanding author. The well-felt punchlines full of meaning are flying, the melodies hit instantly, the flow is sharp. Above all, Alvin ignores taboos and barriers. With him, there is no fashion to follow, no image of the rap game or the industry to conform to. The music speaks for itself, and it feels good.”
Ingrid St-Pierre | Ludmilla
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Through her airy and candid songs, Ingrid St-Pierre has quickly become a beloved figure, receiving numerous awards and nominations. As a self-taught artist, she soars through her imagery and dreamy melodies, inviting all into her vibrant lyrical universe. “My grandmother’s house has always been a landmark for me, a real island of sweet calm, where lily of the valley and caramel candles sway as they watercolor the wallpaper,” she says. “Upstairs, a blue room. The one that once belonged to my mother became my peninsula, where I took refuge to sleep on Friday nights. On the flowery quilt, a bunch of cloth characters. My favorite; a cotton ballerina that my grandmother and I named Lumina. It was only 30 years later that I discovered the existence of this ballerina in the real world. Her name was Ludmilla. A great artist born in Latvia of Russian parents, Ludmilla Chiriaeff emigrated to Montreal in 1952. That same year, she founded the Chiriaeff Ballet School, which would become, in 1958, the Académie des Grands Ballets Canadiens. This song is like a string of white pebbles that lead me back to that blue room and its gentle calm that soothes all ills.”
Ylda | Through My Body
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I write all my lyrics. Yelda is an EP of four songs. They have no connection between them, but represent what is important to me: Love, music and family. The EP is named for me because it’s a direct reflection of myself.”
https://youtu.be/L3W1EeEe0Ec
Ras Abraham | River Jordan
HOME BASE: Jamaica.
GENRE: Reggae.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Ras Abraham, ex-singer of The Slickers, was born in Jamaica. He collaborated with Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly and Robbie and many other Jamaican singers. He returns today to present River Jordan, a French collaboration composed by Greg Milan aka Nature Man and produced by Olivier Gangloff aka EasyRiddimMaker, drummer for Lee “Scratch” Perry.”
Red For Stop | I Visualize Her
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Red For Stop have won the yearly KR Home Studio Discoveries contest.”
Jiggy Talib | I Don’t Wanna Talkin’ To You Bitch
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “God is the greatest and He made me the Realest. So let’s get it. Chasing blessings with no limits and wishing everybody to praise. New Drip, new style, new vibes on everything — my first album keeps going.”
Londner | Freedom
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am a French composer and producer. After my first release in 2019 (Make Amour Great Again), I have decided to dedicate my next album to an important notion: Freedom. In this way, I’ve transformed my sound by linking electronic textures to acoustic instruments such as clarinet, guitar, piano, melodica and percussion. The EP Let’s Go to the Moon invites you to dance on the moon in a chill-out and positive atmosphere. Written and composed as an energetic hymn, Freedom breathes new perspectives into the listener, thanks to its deep basses and transcending clarinet.”
ZiZa | Careful
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am, a singer, songwriter and producer in the south of Germany. My music is influenced by a wide range of genres and vibes, from pop and jazz to electronic music, combined with sounds of Central Asia. Since the first lockdown I’ve been producing my own music in my home studio. My new song Careful is a chill pop song with electronic production and a story behind it.”
Tradition Man Wolo | Book Of Rules
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Reggae.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The song Book Of Rules on my new album Reggae Man is my rendition of the classic Heptones title.”
Woolley | Asha
HOME BASE: Monaco.
GENRE: Prog-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Asha is one of the six tracks of my Ashawan album. Ashawan is a place where pure hearts beat. Come visit Ashawan with Mister Nowhere! Ashawan is a pastoral trip tinged with rock, folk and tenderness.”
Josie Bellow | Resilience
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Josie Bello is an Americana artist from New York. Her songs combine strong vocals and meaningful lyrics with a hybrid of folk, rock, country and blues. Resilience is the title track of her new third studio album. The album contains eight new original tracks of pure Americana that combine intelligent lyrics with pristine female vocals to tell relatable stories and convey deeply personal feelings. The title track is a tribute to all resilient women who have faced gender and racial discrimination.”
Dan Zimmerman | Carry You
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Dan Zimmerman is an independent queer singer-songwriter in Brooklyn. His music details his own coming-of-age experience as a young LGBTQ+ adult in New York City — exploring lust, loss, and loneliness in an urban dreamscape. Dan’s music captures the energy of adolescence and radical self-discovery, marrying his soaring vocals with catchy electronic arrangements. Carry You is a vocally driven piano/string ballad on grief and mourning, featuring nostalgic lyrics and a soaring string arrangement. Lyrically, the song focuses on deep friendship and the pain of losing a loved one. Carry You was written shortly after the passing of Dan’s first songwriting partner, who died of cancer at 26.”
Panther Hollow | In The Cut
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m Nardo. I write, perform, compose and produce as Panther Hollow. I’m based in Philadelphia and New York. I also play with Daisy the Great, Ackerman, Charlotte Rose Benjamin, Dig Nitty, JessX, On the Farm, Modern Diet and more. I scored the short film Chaperone by my friend Sam Max. This track isn’t loud and flashy. I play with a lot of different musicians; often times I find myself in places that are extremely stimulating. In these places, we hold our anxieties, our fears, our sadness at bay and perform. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But I think I wrote this to carve out some quiet. To carve out some space for my sadness and exhaustion.”
Estella Dawn | Salt
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “New Zealand-born, U.S.-based pop artist, singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Estella Dawn has the skills to have a creative vision and guide that process to a cohesive, fully formed song. Her songs are often about empowerment and confidence and span various genres, reflecting the artist’s skill and diverse output. She has organically grown her career and following with a consistent release of music that resonate with the personal reflections on life as a mid-20s woman in a complex, sometimes overwhelming world. Her music has been compared to Pink, Billie Eilish, Halsey, Sia, PVRIS and other strong, independent minded artists.”
PLO | Novocain
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: Soul / R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “PLO is an artist with roots in Switzerland and a strong connection to London. PLO’s music is a mix of hip-hop / rap and R&B. PLO listens to a wide area of artists like Kendrick Lamar, Brent Faiyaz, Wizkid and many more. He’s steady trying to discover different sounds and integrate them in his own music. PLO dreams of making himself a name around the globe and living off music. “I made this song while going through a rough breakup,” he says. “The girl who left me was like a drug to me, my own novocain. I couldn’t get her out of my head to a point where I almost got obsessed. Months passed and now I’m feeling numb to any feeling like happiness, anger or sadness. I don’t want to be like this, that’s why I’m singing, ‘I don’t wanna be numb again.’ With this dark R&B track, I wanted to explore the emptiness inside of my mind and share it with people who’ve had the same experience.”
