You take one weekend off, and what do you get? Another week older — and nearly 80 new 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 200 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 let’s get right down to business:
Miels | Sick
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Paige and J-F are Miels (Honeys in English). Since then, they have been composing together, mixing their two universes to create a unique sound that resembles them. Sexy rock ’n’ roll mixing blues with modern rhythms. A sound that makes you want to hit the road on a whim and forget about everyday problems. A pure, sexy and electrifying sound from the first listening. Sick is an energetic and vibrant frame characterized by an electro-rock atmosphere. The video directed by Erika-Elyzabeth Korzer,follows the story of a person who gets lost in time. Temporary pleasure seduces the pragmatic mind and then they whirl together, out of control.”
Magon | Halley’s Comet
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Just a few months after releasing his third album In The Blue, Magon is back with the first single of his forthcoming project! The rhythmic simplicity and hypnotic atmosphere of Halley’s Comet elegantly brings back everything we love about psychedelia. An echo of the Silver Apples and early Tame Impala, this first single is a strong precursor to A Night In Bethlehem, out this summer.”
Ciao Lucifer | So Slow
HOME BASE: Netherlands.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “When you need mental help, you’ll often end up on a very long waiting list. That can be really discouraging after finally taking the step to seek help. This song is about how having to wait for mental help affected the dynamic in our personal relationships. Our main message is a positive one though: You’ll get through it, don’t give up.”
Blake Morgan | Baby I Would Want You
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Blake Morgan’s euphoric new single Baby I Would Want You is “unintentionally fitting for the times we find ourselves in,” says Morgan. “It’s an apocalyptic love song which declares — in no uncertain terms — that should it all come to an end right now, I’d want to be with you while it does: ‘in a ship that’s built for two / at the end of the world / me and you.’ In truth, what other kind of love song is there, really?” This third single from Morgan’s forthcoming album Violent Delights follows on multiple successes for the artist including his record-breaking concert series in New York, 150,000 miles of touring and sold-out concerts on both sides of the Atlantic, and 20 albums he’s produced and recorded with A-list artists since his own last solo-artist album release.”
Graffiti Welfare | Volume
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My name is George Lattimore. I live in Denver, and I love recording and mixing electronic psych-pop. From my couch to yours, here’s a lucid left hook of insomniac electro. Between layers of contrast, there’s a tired voice reaching out with the reminder: Revolving shores nomad, home is where you’re at.”
The Fixer | Take You Home
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Dark. Sexy. Loud. The Fixer has arrived to bring the darker side of fun on their debut EP The Prowl. Their influences are rooted in the harder end of rock while mixing in subtle elements from industrial, gothic metal and EDM. Their sound combines soaring vocals with big notes and playful hooks, larger than life danceable drum beats, bass lines with a heavy groove, dynamic guitar playing that encompasses big dirty riffs to textured clean tones, and electronics that range from ambient and melodic textures to unsettling and aggressive. This blend creates a package that is unmistakably The Fixer.”
Atria | Antiheroes
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hailing from London, Ont., and founded by singer Tom Emmans and guitarist Tim Ross, Atria began as a studio project in 2017. Their first EP New World Nightmare was released in 2018. After a few lineup changes, Atria are preparing to release their new EP Ground Zero in spring 2022, with the new lineup of Jerad Sterling on drums, Brody King on lead guitar, and bassist Joe Mullen.”
Bantunani | The Next Generation (Disco For Peace)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Disco.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Composer, singer and producer Bantunani offers his own electro Afrofunk style based on heavy bass, funky guitars and wise lyrics that describe our deep feelings and the world state. Lucid, vibrant and very neat, the first singles from Bantunani‘s Cosmogony album hit the shelves like a shock, heralding a break in the singer’s production.”
Alain Syhlvain | Chaque Seconde Je Pense À Toi
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: Alain lets his music do the talking.
Mariaa Siga | Lagne Boote
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mariaa Siga, whose real name is Mariama Siga Goudiaby, is a young artist from Southern Senegal. She released her first album Asekaw (Woman in Diola) in 2019. In this video, Siga invites us in her mother tongue to never forget our roots. If you get lost on life’s path and are afraid of losing the thread, always remember where you came from.”
Mathieu Saïkaly | Pourquoi Tu Me Dis Je T’Aime
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mathieu Saïkaly is an explorer. What stands out in his search are his atypical melodies and choice of arrangements in the French pop scene. Pourquoi Tu Me Dis Je T’Aime, the second single from his upcoming EP, asks: Why do we love the people we love? Can the answer to this question ever be found? The song tells the story of two protagonists who did not know how to grow together, both selfish in their own way. What can they do? They love each other, but they don’t manage to love each other soundly. What is this love then? What is it called? This is the feeling that the song conveys, in the tradition of Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens’ folk, with the help of intertwined voices, an airy guitar to pave the way, empowered by layers of choirs and rhythms that come progressively like the sound of a waterfall approaching.”
Mauvais Sang | Bushman Hole
HOME BASE: France / Switzerland / United Kingdom.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mauvais Sang are a rock band based between London, Paris and Geneva. Combining noise rock, literary songs and classical/contemporary music, they form a unique and unprecedented music fusion. The band is named after the famous film directed by Leos Carax — also known as The Night Is Young — and depicts the creative concept and the uncanny mix of all genres, just like Mauvais Sang’s music mixes daring saturated and nervous guitar sounds and the bright and majestuous voice of the harp. Bushman Hole is the third single from Mauvais Sang’s new album. In an underwater cavity — the Bushman Hole — a diver rushes in search of a colleague who died 10 years earlier. Arriving at the end of this ordeal, he ends up discovering something completely different.”
Yawiar VLVM | Tiine
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Reggae.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Roméo Alix Irénée (aka Yawiar VLVM) is passionate. His many songs and videos bear witness to the subjects that concern him: Migrants, love, unemployment, racism — in short, the life. Roméo is an accomplished artist, who keeps his ability to dream intact. He would like hip-hop to get better press.”
L.Teez | Waves
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal jazz-rap singer and songwriter L.Teez is a one-of-a-kind artist with a unique style. He mixes sharp rap styles to create a universe of his own, between avant-garde jazz and old-school hip-hop, between Tyler, The Creator, Flying Lotus and Pusha T. “Waves is a song that shows my growth as an artist, both production and songwriting-wise,” he says. “There was a lot of work that went into making it sound the way it does, big live drums triggered with heavy hip-hop sounds around them.”
Fictional Response | Beware The Dark
HOME BASE: New Zealand.
GENRE: Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Fictional Response is Richie Bennett’s independent alternative rock music project. With a background in music production and contemporary art, Richie takes a conceptual and experimental approach to sound design, producing all kinds of structured chaos. A self-produced, one-man-band, Richie explores a wide variety of musical styles from dense heavy metal to mellow-dramatic textures. Drawing on diverse inspiration, he creates a fusion of crashing metal elements and sonic juxtapositions of ambiance and energy. Chaotic to mellow then back again. Pop chord progressions to black metal blast beats — these sudden shifts in energy result in a dynamic tonal palette of textural diversity. Beware The Dark has been likened to bands like Linkin Park. It’s melodic, heavy, dynamic and features guitar solos.”
Skinsitive | Mon Grand Chien Noir
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Between modesty and raw nerves, Skinsitive takes us on a dark road trip where the footprints of Charles Bukowski, Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin burn on a rugged tarmac. Serious vocals, precise melodies and intense saturations accompany us on the journey. The influences are rich and the style difficult to put into a box: From industrial rock to jazz and folk accents, the whole is resolutely romantic. Mon Grand Chien Noir comes from their self-produced album Accidents.”
Croptal | Xtasea + Long Haul
HOME BASE: Israel.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am Tal Yaniv, an Israeli electronic and instrumental musician, acting under my stage name Croptal. My current musical style ranges from experimental electronic to neoclassical. My main instruments are piano and synthesizers and I consider rhythm and sound manipulation as equal as any musical instrument. In March I released my debut album and I recently started performing with my music, playing live on piano, synthesizers and controllers.”
Ramounam | We Die Lo’oh
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Reggae.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Original music — not a copy, a real creation.”
Bubba Brothers | Karma
HOME BASE: Portugal.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: Bubba Brothers let their music do the talking.
Hugo Selles | Papillon
HOME BASE: Spain.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hugo Selles is a pianist, composer and producer born in Santander, Spain in 1988. Hugo’s diverse artistic interests are clearly reflected in the great variety of his musical endeavours. Hugo is a member of many different ensembles and projects, including music for solo piano, chamber music groups and other formations, embracing various musical genres. This is the first track of his new album.”
Robbie Vonn | La La Life
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Robbie Vonn is a musical project that bends and blends genres from progressive rock to electro pop with hints of bossa nova, flamenco, and more into an immersive eclectic soundscape. Merging the purity of analog instruments with a variety of electronic sounds, Vonn’s music is an exploration of art, sound, and evocative lyricism. Robbie released his well-received debut EP Hopeless Memories in October 2021, a collaborative project that brought together artists from eight countries to create an evocative and cinematic production. Expanding on his collective methodology, Robbie will be releasing new music in 2022, working with talented musicians from around the world. His single La La Life is an exploration of bossa nova blended with modern electro pop and rock musicality with heartfelt lyrics about forgiveness.”
AbsolutUnsa | Obéis (À Ta Vie..)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “AbsolutUnsa are the sensual Franco / German duo of Sara and Sylvain, based in Cologne. ‘We love meaning, sound and words. We try to harmonize, to complement each other, to unite in our qualities and our faults. We have common battles that we like to defend: The planet, the polar bears, children, women… Our target is to simply continue to write, compose, because we love doing it together, living our intense history and sharing it.”
Fleabustiers | Edge Of The Town
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Fleabustiers are a collective born out of the pandemic, featuring musicians who have found themselves unable to rehearse, record or perform to a live audience. As they became suspended in time, these musicians realised that they could do away with the rules, hole themselves up in a secret cove and bathe in musical indulgence.”
GKBL | Bella Makossa
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “GKBL are Germaine Kobo and Bella Lawson. A duo of female artists from Marseille, they are both storytellers, singers, dancers, instrumentalists and DJs. From this plurality of skills, perfectly harmonized, the African divas have created a new musical genre at the crossroads of electro. ‘Our music is tribal Afro punk between electro and folk; a music which allows us some freedom, some madness. We make music which is not only the combination of our two universes but also a reinvented culture, reflecting a fantasized Africa which becomes real.’ ”
