Clou9 does double duty, Juliano is torn, Larissa Tormey shares sweet nothings, Miguel Dias has nowhere to go 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 (and like) 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, take in these international sounds:
Clou9 | Lonely + Home Of The Brave
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Clou9 is an artist / producer / engineer from New Jersey who brings class and substance into a struggling hip-hop genre that is missing morals and value. He stands for truth, authenticity, loyalty, accountability and dedication. Lonely is a folk-style hip-hop song mixed with pop melodies and sophisticated lyrics. Being alone is a feeling some can enjoy while others can find it discouraging, but being lonely is a feeling one can find themselves falling victim to even when in a room full of people. Home Of The Brave is a poltical song designed to get people from both sides of the aisle to reach a voice of reason. The song is not to sway people into voting for one party or supporting another. It’s simply to unify people who are not fully opening their eyes to the issues that are really causing mass oppression.”
Juliano | Torn
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Juliano is a German composer who has been writing music since the age of 18. His sound is influenced by neo-classical piano music and by epic film music composers like Hans Zimmer, John Williams or James Horner. Before composing music, he worked in different orchestras and arranged songs for different bands. His music is for all those people who need a break from the stressful everyday life and like to let themselves fall in music. Torn deals with the inner struggle of a personality.”
Larissa Tormey | Dolce Far Niente
HOME BASE: Ireland.
GENRE: Country-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Larissa Tormey wrote her first song at age four. She made her break onto the music scene in Ireland when she released her first album Perfect As I Am in 2014. Her third album, 2018’s Cowgirls Don’t Cry, came just weeks after she became the inaugural winner of Best Cultural Crossover Country Artist at the Sunday World Music and Entertainment Awards in Ireland. “I am releasing my fifth album Essence of Me on Sept. 9 and just released a last single, Dolce Far Niente. Norwegian producer Frolin invited me to co-write with him and two colleagues from U.S.A.: Randy Morrison and Lindsay Siddall. I came up with the idea of Dolce Far Niente — an Italian term meaning ‘sweet nothing to do,’ which I love. I think it’s very important to incorporate this concept into our mad-busy lives and to learn to enjoy ‘nothing-to-do’ moments.”
https://youtu.be/iB20BGvaXRQ
Miguel Dias | Sans Abri
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am a singer-songwriter. I would like my songs to be heard. I am someone who sings with his heart.”
Maël Isaac | Kingdom
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electro-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m a French harpist, singer, composer and producer. I love making fusion music without rules! I think all is possible in music, you just have to be free! That’s what I’m trying to be!”
Hannah Uzi | Lil Longer
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Up-and-coming musical creative Hannah Uzi is a singer-songwriter from San Diego. Uzi doesn’t limit herself when it comes to making music; she crafts tunes that include jazz, pop, R&B, and hip-hop elements. Uzi’s latest EP is Vulnerable, which she states is “about facing challenges, accepting loss, and understanding love.” This five-track EP includes the fusion song Lil Longer, featuring artist Jamu Da Lion. Lighthearted lyrics will get you grooving as Uzi’s melodic vocals encourage you to ‘Dance a lil longer tonight.’ The mood is always at a steady high, and the duo’s lines integrate well with the song’s catchy instrumental and disco vibes.”
Cekal | Domino Effect
HOME BASE: Czechia.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m a new artist and I’m looking to get my first song some visibility. It took me a few months of work to put this all together.”
JB Lite | Hello
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Hip-Hop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “JB Lite is a rising hip-hop artist driven by the desire to spread the message that life is a journey that is meant to be enjoyed. We have been blessed with a short time on this planet, so it is of the utmost importance that we try to embrace each moment — the valleys and the peaks — to maximize love and the experience for all of us. JB Lite draws inspiration from friends, family, and everyday interactions to infuse a playfulness and lightness into sharp and witty lyrics, creating a unique brand of hip hop that can’t be placed into a single box. Hello captures the soul of the artist, highlighting the amazement and surreal world of finding a deep love in a partner.”
The Fair Attempts | My Frozen Heart
HOME BASE: Finland.
GENRE: Industrial.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The Fair Attempts are the Black Mirror of industrial rock, exploring themes of the future society we’re unwittingly constructing around ourselves. Each song reveals more of the dystopian world first imagined by the artist Friendly Timo. The music has a hard and gritty sound while making you want to dance. My Frozen Heart is straight-up industrial rock banger. However, The Fair Attempts combines various adjacent styles like goth, darkwave and more to make up their sound. We are looking forward to releasing singles every month until the start of 2023, when we will launch our album Lotus Head.”
205.Ghee | Lexus
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My name is 205.Ghee (my real name is Christian). I am a 19-year-old hip-hop/pop artist from Dallas. I am a classically trained jazz and classical singer. I have plenty of stage experience and hope to one day share my unique sound and image with the world! This is the leading single off my newest album Redrum.”
Andros | My Heart
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: R&B / Soul
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “My Heart was written the moment I started to develop strong feelings for my girlfriend. I had been in my room listening to the instrumental of the song and it just came out so easily for me. I hope the song captivates the listener and allows them to get closer to their special someone. The song will be the intro for my first EP, which I am creating. My goal as an artist is to allow the listener to feel deeply and connect with themselves and others, exploring the intricacies of the heart.”
Famous Fox | We Had It All
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Famous Fox are Tim Clark, Luke Benson and Tom Latimour. We combine vocals, guitar, bass, keys, saxophone and trumpet. Our music is a melting pot of pop, soul, jazz and funk, influenced by Tom Misch, George Benson, Jordan Rakei, FKJ, Elton John, Maroon Five, Lawrence, Will Heard and more. We are three Kiwis living in London, combining authenticity and musicality to bring you our own unique brand of pop music. Wake up slowly, grab a coffee, stretch, and slowly turn this up. It will play with you, slowly delivering a sense of nostalgia alongside a few moments of hot horns and sexy vocals. See you on the other side.”
Connie Lansberg | Deep Dark Down & Blue
HOME BASE: Australia.
GENRE: Jazz.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Connie Lansberg is a singer-songwriter and published author who collaborates with brilliant jazz musicians. Her unique artistry is found in the freshness and variety of her original works, her natural talent as a storyteller, and her ability to hold an audience’s rapt attention. Themed around secrets, heartache, dreams and the buzz of the unknown, Lansberg’s compositions are intimate and uplifting. Through poignant lyrics and intelligent vocals, she taps into both the rawness of loss and the transformation of new beginnings. Born out of her musical roots in classical church music, country, and folk, her music has been arranged for a jazz quartet. Deep Dark Down & Blue is the title track from her new album of the same name. It features world-class Australian pianist Mark Fitzgibbon, Connie’s long-time collaborator. The full album is out on Sept. 1.”
Dr Souc | Coin Toss
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Dr Souc has six albums and two music videos. His father Tim Soucy plays the guitar in the intro and ending on every song on his new album, while K Swisha made the beats.”
Dxrren | Southside Living
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Up-and-coming Birmingham artist Dxrren is setting his mark in stone as a versatile and creative artist. As a youngster, he gradually discovered an aptitude for writing lyrics and poems, which naturally led to rapping. With dreams and aspirations to be the best from his area, Dxrren looks to inspire his peers along the way to the top.”
Maximilian Wentz | Your Silhouette
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Heavy Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Maximilian Wentz is an indie singer-songwriter, heavy metal artist and multi-instrumentalist from Haverhill, Mass. He combines heavy rock, metal, and Latin music to deliver unique songs that capture dramatic and extreme emotions. Maximilian also sings for the metal bands 51st State and Synco. His growing catalogue of music earned him a 2021 nomination from the New England Music Awards for Top New Act of the Year. Wentz’s lyrical content often speaks about the darkness of the human soul, overcoming struggle and the state of the world. Your Silhouette is about wanting to save someone from their own darkness despite knowing you could get hurt doing so. It is also about prevailing over traumatic circumstances by understanding that if you can survive what you’re going through, you can survive anything. It centers around the true strength and the incredible ability to overcome what lies within each and every one of us.”
Sgt.fiasco | I Can’t Get Used To What I Know
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Reggae-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m a real nowhere man, sitting in my nowhere land, writing all my nowhere songs for somebody. I Can’t Get Used To What I Know is my 12th single since March. It’s a rock steady / reggae-pop tune that shares how one can feel from time to time about our modern world.”
Van Deyk | Avignon
HOME BASE: Germany.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Hamburg artist Van Deyk released his debut Happy People in 2016. He just released his album To Cut A Long Story Short. The influences of artists like Beatenberg, Coldplay or The 1975 on his newer material cannot be denied. Avignon is a love song that reminisces about love, but without a broken heart. Everything is fine as it was then, only different now.”
Robert Samuel | Cut Me A Deal
HOME BASE: Australia.
GENRE: Americana.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: Robert Samuel lets his music speak for him.
Fior | Serotonin
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Miami alt-pop singer Fior is a relative newcomer, but her relatable lyrics and alluring vocals make her sound like a seasoned pro. On her latest single Serotonin, she continues her thoughtful lyricism with an emotional and authentic delivery. “There’s been a theme in the four singles I’ve released this year, about breaking free from the cycle of a toxic relationship,” she says. “The journey of writing these songs was very therapeutic for me in getting over my first real love and relationship that I invested more time and energy in than it deserved because I was always being lured back to just be let down again. Young love is confusing and challenging.“ Influenced by a wide range of artists such as Amy Winehouse, Billy Joel and No Doubt, Fior blends alt-rock with elements of R&B, soul and pop.”
DJ G-String, TC5Official, Honey B Sweet | Old Town Road
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “DJ G-String is a rising artist in Chicago. She makes the crowd dance and creates an atmosphere where the music feels like it keeps evolving and becomes alive. She can loop, sample, mashup and beatmatch manually on the fly. This version of Old Town Road has been transformed by DJ G-String, TC5Official and Honey B Sweet.”
Rocketball 007 | You Take My Breath
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Synth-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “This is a straight beat synth tune with an easy theme. He really likes this girl. It builds to a crescendo at the second chorus an walks out on a good note. Overall, there’s a good vibe to the song.”
The Independent Sound | Undeniable
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The Independent Sound is meant to be heard, not seen. The Independent Sound is the stage, not the star. Undeniable is an acoustic R&B love song. Undeniable was composed by The OBC and performed by Roderick Chambers.”
Dans Le Kosmos | Pardon My French
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Bobo or hick ? They prefer bobick. In Kosmos, it’s a colorful journey. Composed of six members, the band create a quirky and bewitching universe which will vibrate hearts big and small. Pardon My French is their first single, but others are coming soon. An EP is also being recorded to be released early next year.”
DeusExMaschine | Only You
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: House.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “DeusExMaschine is a French producer who cross-breeds classic disco house with elements from other electronic subgenres like tech house or deep house. He surprises us today with his track Only You. This is the sound that will make you dance this summer with a voice that makes us think of parties at the water’s edge.”
Bokkieult, Noom, Cuebur | Beke (Extended)
HOME BASE: Switzerland.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Noom is an artist guided by his heart and soul. He travels from city to city in search of the next collaboration that will get him high. He asked us to give you a message: “Listeners, artists, composers, we’ll see you soon, there’s no need to prepare, you’ll know when I’ll be there and you’ll just have to be yourself.” Courageous, friendly, creative, sensitive, respectful, Noom says that limits do not stop at the sky, nor at the galaxy. Noom pursues the mission for which he is here: to make you laugh (sometimes cry) and dance!”
J.J. Ann | Tout D’Éscappe
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “J. J. Ann, whose real name is Juliette Jeanne Ann Sineux, is a French singer-songwriter and musician. Hailing from Paris, she is passionate about sound design and synthesizers. She composes, accompanies and sings for various bands and artists, shifting between styles ranging from rock, folk and hip-hop to jazz, French variety and electronic music. These varied experiences have helped her broaden her technique and strengthened her desire to explore new sounds. She has also begun composing music for film and other artists and has been involved in a number of audiovisual productions. Her first EP Contemplations, which will be released soon, invites listeners on an inner journey where melancholy and dreams combine with theatrical effect.”
Bubba Brothers | Bass
HOME BASE: Portugal.
GENRE: House.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “The Bubba Brothers are techno and house DJs Eliseo Correia and Justino Santos, a couple of friends from Portugal who started in 2015 and have become a regular and popular presence in clubs and festivals. They have produced multiple dance-floor hits throughout time, making their careers grow at a strong, fast pace.”
Bye Bird | I’ll Fly Away
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Alt-Country.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: Bye Bird want their music to do the talking.
Neon Gory | Beyond
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Neon Gory has been producing electronic music since 2021. He draws his inspiration partly from the synthwave genre but also from pop and soundtracks. Since his 2021 debut EP Reflections, he has released the albums Insomnia (2021) and Eclipse. ‘My inspirations are diverse (synthwave, ambient, electro pop, rock), but I always try to bring my dough not to mimic a style,” he says. With Eclipse, I wanted to draw a landscape, a journey towards the imagination, trying to leave emotion in the foreground but always bringing a catchy rhythm.”
