Bantunani gets real, Mat Carlson shares a slice of life, Samanta Liza regrets nothing, Thilo is a flight risk 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 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, sit back, relax and enjoy these fine finds:
Bantunani | The Reality (ft. Mr Mig)
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Dub-Funk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Composer, singer and producer Bantunani offers his own Afrofunk style based on heavy bass, funky guitars and lyrics that describe our deep feelings and the world state. The Reality is an awesome electro dub song which shows off the large sonic spectre of his upcoming album Cosmogony. With the song and clip, Bantunani immerses us in a dark and futuristic universe where hip-hop sounds and reggae dub mix as if to better invoke the violence of our world. The artist appeals to reason and to the gods to save our souls.”
Mat Carlson | Another Life
HOME BASE: Argentina.
GENRE: Pop-Punk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m an Argentinian singer, guitarist and songwriter. My track is a melodic pop-punk song with heavy riffs and melodic parts, reminding you of Queen or The Beatles.”
Samanta Liza | I Don’t Regret You
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Born in Hawaii and residing in Brooklyn, Samanta Liza is a global citizen, having also lived in London, Sweden, Kuwait, Qatar, Florida and Shanghai. She brings this cultural and musical melting pot to her music, which fuses pop, dance, indie and electronic music to great effect. Her new album Days Of E.N.D. perfectly encapsulates Samanta’s purpose: Creating emotional journeys that are transformative for her listener. Exploring how our relationships dictate how we live our lives, the project was predominantly written, composed and produced by Samanta. The album is a glorious melting pot of pop and electronic music with sensibilities across alternative pop, indie pop, dance-pop, melodic house, breakbeats and techno.”
Thilo | Flight Risk
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Thilo joined a local gospel choir at age six and quickly realized that he can touch others with his voice. In the following years, he found success in music and acting, leading up to a pivotal moment at a songwriting camp when David Ryan Harris (former guitarist for John Mayer) introduced him to the songwriting process. Thilo moved to Berlin to grow as an artist and establish an international network. His sophomore EP Run Run will be released on Aug. 12. Flight Risk is his second advance single from the EP.”
MNTR | Victoria
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Alt-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “MNTR are an alt-rock band. They have joined forces with manager and video whiz Liam Holland (Billie Eilish, Muse) to bring their musical and cinematic universe into the limelight. Their debut EP Walls of Sound came out in March 2020. Victoria is the first song of their upcoming EP. Written in 2015 following the Paris attacks and inspired by the overwhelming international support that followed, Victoria couldn’t be more relevant nowadays, at a time where fraternity is so vital.”
Rossi-B | Mbrakata
HOME BASE: Cameroon.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Rossi-B (aka The Fearless Knight aka The Schemer) is a young Cameroonian artist. A body and soul immersed in music, Rossi-B works hard as a gladiator in order to achieve the objectives he has set for himself. “My project is a new concept on the market with a new sound and style,” he says. “I would like you to help me make it heard by the whole world.”
Eoin Jordan | Amber
HOME BASE: Ireland.
GENRE: Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Eoin Jordan is an Irish folksinger, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His debut solo album Hand Me Down The Moon mixes self-penned and traditional material, featuring some of the finest musicians in the Cork area. A former member of The Ceili Allstars, The Diviners and David Hope & The Henchmen, he is equally at home playing contemporary and traditional music. He has performed and shared a stage with John Spillane, Steve Cooney, Mary Coughlan and Ultan Conlon, and recorded with Hank Wedel, David Hope, Street Corner Messiahs and John Leo Carter.”
Brent Mathews | Cincinnati
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Folk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m not supposed to be here, doing this,” was a common echo in my head over the past 10 years as I navigated a corporate 9-5. I came close to the dream of turning this hobby into a profession when I was a kid in college with a guitar and a computer: MTV and Universal were holding a songwriting competition in 2006. I thought ‘What the hell’ and submitted a song that was barely audible and super clunky. Turns out some people liked it and that crappy little recording ended up in the Top 5. Today, I’m grateful I didn’t make it back then. There was a lot more maturing, life, and stories ahead of me. I decided it now was the right time to turn this into a more focused pursuit.”
LinkedOut | Unbound
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Unbound is an indie pop-rock song with a nostalgic feeling. Also a happy love song.”
Princess Ella | Dutty On You
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am an independent Nigerian artist in the United States, working every day on bettering my music.”
Hanna Kekäläinen | Alchemist
HOME BASE: Finland.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I grew up basically with my hands on the piano. Music is my core, part of my soul. One day a friend of mine asked if I had ever tried to improvise or compose music myself. I hadn’t even thought about it, but I decided to try what would happen if I just put my hands on the keyboard and let go. And wow, what happened! That improvisation session changed my life. Luckily, I recorded the sessions so I was able to write down the songs I played. The writing process of Alchemist was as dramatic as the name. I was hoping to compose something meditative and beautiful and gentle. Well, the universe must have had a good laugh — instead they brought me this; the most dramatic song I’ve maybe ever written! The term Alchemist represents something so powerful to me.”
Malvill | Comment Fais-Tu?
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “We all know a mother, a daughter, a sister, a spouse or a girlfriend who is totally devoted to those around her. I want to pay tribute to them in this song.”
Sbir | CJ
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Rap.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Sbir, whose real name is Patrickson Innocent, is an urban music artist, author and performer. He began to write in 2007 and he recorded his first piece with his group Unis Sons. In 2010, Sbir decided to start a solo career. At the beginning of 2020, Sbir released his new project entitled Le Chimiste.”
Yaya | Habibi
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: World-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My name is Yaya, I’m a groover at heart, and I have three titles to my credit. Today, I present to you my new track Habibi, a pop sound with warm colors.”
Mavidaci | Canto Arjacho
HOME BASE: Chile.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mavidaci is a sound Engineer, composer, user of electroacoustic sound and modern music. Here is the ethno-house sequel to his EP Sureño.”
Eternal Frequency | Breathe In, Breathe Out
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Heavy Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Established in the early spring of 2018, Eternal Frequency are an award-winning, female-fronted rock band from Central Pennsylvania. They follow in the footsteps of acts such as Spiritbox, Halestorm, Evanescence and others, blending metalcore, hard rock and more behind vocalist, songwriter, and frontwoman Emelle. In just under four years, they have released several singles and videos. “Depression and anxiety are very real issues,” they say. “All of us are battling them to some extent every single day of our lives. Throughout the pandemic, many of us had to face it all head on. Some of us became stronger and were able to rise up from the rubble, but some were unfortunately not so lucky and became a victim of the challenging times. We wrote this song as an anthem of hope to bring peace and escapism to those who needed it most while also dedicating it to those who lost their battle. We hope this song can bring some sort of comfort and to help you realize that you’re never alone. No matter how close you are to the edge, there is always time to turn around. Whatever you are going through — find strength in believing in yourself.”
Emmrose | The Feeling’s Mutual
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Emmrose is an 18-year-old songwriter whose career began three years ago when she wrote her first single in her eighth-grade math class. Years later, she is working on her second EP while going to college in New York City. Sometimes, friendship breakups can be even harder than relationship breakups. The Feeling’s Mutual talks about a toxic relationship from which Emmrose was able to pull out. The track resonates with her generation while helping her proudly finding closure for a very painful time in life.”
Mauve Grove | Creepy Crawlies
HOME BASE: Canada
GENRE: Rap-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Mauve Grove are made up of CJ Hall, David Jones, Donnie Drain and Spencer Bridgwater. They arrived on the Toronto scene with their debut LP Hot Laundry, released in 2018, followed by Lush in 2021. Mauve Grove blend a mixture of styles, including hip-hop, funk, jazz and prog. They’ve been compared to a combination of A Tribe Called Quest, Anderson .Paak, Rage Against The Machine and Badbadnotgood. They are working on their third full-length, with singles from the record releasing throughout 2022.”
Night Talks | On And On
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Night Talks released their sophomore album Same Time Tomorrow in February. Lead singer Soraya writes: “The song On and On came from my realization that though relationships will come and go throughout your life, they often follow similar paths. The relationships I had with friends and family when I was a kid have changed considerably in my adult life, but they have a lot of the same rhythms. The phrase Same Time Tomorrow represents a willingness to show up and put in the work to fix or maintain a relationship, especially when you’re in a rough patch. Things might be difficult, but that doesn’t mean you’re done — it just means that you’ll show up the next day and try again.”
Rocketball 007 | When I Know
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Syhtn-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “This is a song about a new relationship where he can’t quite say the three words yet. I found a keyboard setting that acts as a rhythm backup, going into a Moog sound lead on the chorus. Short and simple. Strings at the end.”
Welan Edvee | Kungpao
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Reggateton.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Born in a small village in Burkina Faso, Welan Edvee has lived an unusual life. Music cradles him, awakens him, soothes and enlivens him. It is omnipresent, a total power. Edvee often fancies himself in a film, a series or a parallel life; his mind is in a dream, a fairyland. His five albums and four EPs are as different from each other as they are original, flying you to unknown lands. This piece was created for the summer during the first lockdown. I hope with all my heart that this music will allow you to escape. So crank up the bass, turn up the volume, and welcome.”
Dantès | Quand Les Grosses Song De Sortie
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Upbeat little music.”
Kasper Nova | Let It Go
HOME BASE: Netherlands.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Kasper Nova is a 28-year-old singer, songwriter and producer from Amsterdam. His music focuses on uptempo beats and catchy hooks, resembling artists like Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake. With catchy lyrics and soulful vocals, Let It Go is reminiscent of Timberlake or Pharrell. But the track has more: Acoustic guitars, swinging basslines, and a funky Latin feel. Listen carefully and you can even hear the fun of a garden party. It’s a beautiful summer evening, packaged as a pop song.”
nasmore | When Will I Learn
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “It was early in 2021 when nasmore chose to turn his dreams into his daily reality – permanently. Throughout the course of a truly groundbreaking year, he released a series of singles that took his songs all the way around the globe. As he continued to morph, shape, and refine his talent, he made another pivotal decision by reaching out across the Internet to recruit guest stars, and began a collaborative process that soon became an essential part of his creative realm. He says: “Some songs make you cry, and some songs you just skip forward, but some songs motivate you enough to join a crowd of thousands holding out their lighters and singing along in celebration. Hope this is one of them. This song is back-to-basics for me and a result of collaboration with Cris Hodges and Neil Taylor (Tears for Fears, Robbie Williams, Tina Turner). The track is a part of EP that immerses the listener into a world full of mystery, wisdom and feelings.”
Richard Orofino | Superstar
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Meet 23-year-old Richard Orofino, a Brooklyn singer-songwriter and producer, in possession of a broad palette of musical skills and inspiration. He began writing and producing music in 2013, starting on piano, moving to drums and later guitar, all while honing his production skills. His 2019 debut Bella Notte incorporated diverse influences including Sade, Elliott Smith, New Order and Cocteau Twins. The evolution continued with 2020’s Spell and 2021’s Chimaera. Inseparable love, painful romance and beauty within darkness are frequent themes in his world.”
Rus | Golden Hour (ft. Harry Lyon)
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Piano-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m Rus, a pianist, composer and producer from Paris who is currently in Manchester. My music is influenced by genres from classsical to hip hop, and my favourite genre is jazz-funk, with artists such as Jamiroquai, Earth Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder shaping my.”
7eme Vague | Envol
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Breton artist, 7eme Vague (7th Wave) finds his inspiration in what he holds most dear: The ocean. Connected to Mother Nature, today is the time to fly over the sea with Envol. Have a nice trip.”
Jun Parker | Embracement
HOME BASE: Australia.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Jun is ready to kickstart a new wave in music. When he arrived in Australia from Tokyo many years ago, he brought a large collection of Japanese ’70s and ’80s music. This was when his sonic foundation was laid down. The track was recorded in Port Fairy, Victoria and in Yokohama, Japan. He says: “I’d like you to imagine this to set the scene for the song: In your mind’s world where dreams, memories, past and present are intermixing, there is a lady with a blue scarf walking down the street. Why is she wearing a blue scarf when the cold winter has already passed?”
Medilöme | Clipoll
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Elecronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Independent electronic producer Medilöme fiddles with software to assuage his thirst of sounds. Influenced by glitch, soul, hip-hop and sometimes classical, he blends genres as an alchemist. The psychedelic landscape of his production are a perfect trip through time. He released his first tracks online in 2011, followed by an EP in 2014 and his first album in 2018. His latest title Clipoll is a groovy/jazztronica instrumental. Its glitchy vibe is the artist’s signature and is a perfect gateway to his universe.”
Jay17Honcho | Time Is Up
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Jay17Honcho is an incredibly talented writer, producer and vocalist. He is looking to share his music with others with the hope that he will be able to make meaningful connections.”
Den-Paq | Profezia
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Prog-Rock.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Time comes and death, without counting. There are the prophets in their great habits. Who is this witness who see and announces?”
Artis | Go Away
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My name is Artis. I am an EDM producer and DJ. I started mixing and composing music a few years ago. I like to travel and share my adventures with chords and melodies. I like the music of Martin Garrix, Chainsmokers and Lost Frequencies. With this title, I wanted to have a lively track so people can dance and have fun. I used a xylophone for the drop to give it a more percussive side.”
Kyere | 17
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’ve been making music for about a year now. For this song, I was going through a tough time and I reflected on myself and how I’ve been idling by. I wrote this song on my birthday, which was why I called it 17. I put me reflecting on myself into an R&B song with female vocals that showed some of my most vulnerable thoughts and emotions.”
