TUTV: The rat race is on, folks. This debut is, without a shadow of a doubt, a longplayer that will last for a long time. For its sharp-teethed punkiness (British Racing Green / Won’t Stand For It / Muck And Bullets and the flabbergasting The Wrong Day), for its bloodcurdling execution, and for its overall KO horsepower in 8 rounds.
The Rats, led by vim and vigour by motormouth Emile Dekeyser, offer barbed-wire songs with body and balls, with heart and soul, with vivacity and a jagged joie de vivre. Every uppercut stands loud and proud on its own feet. Striking debut. Hands down.
TUTV: HF do not fuck around. They serve a fusillade of badass EBM jams.
Sonic fuel for the 24-hour party people among us. They alternate pulsating sledgehammers with galvanizing grooves and trancy vibes. Here and there,
they add some vocals, but the boisterous beats are king.
They know all the electro-techno party tricks in the book by now.
No dull moments with these Canadian disco-punk connoisseurs.
Artists: JAH WOBBLE and JON KLEIN Who: The dub bass expert who was co-founder of John Lydon‘s P.i.L.
a zillion years ago, and the former Siouxsie and The Banshees guitarist (1987-1994).
Klein: “Working with Jah Wobble is always an inspiring experience. When I started working
with him in recording sessions, he often quoted the words of Holger Czukay, the bass player of German band Can: “First we play, then afterwards we talk! We like to make things happen in the moment. Often we complete a working draft to a piece of music from scratch in a few hours.”
Wobble: “The music comes from that silent place. It’s pre-existing. You just allow it to flow. Proper post punk. Angry and humorous. Okay, it’s the end of civilisation. But nothing lasts forever right? We shouldn’t take it to heart.”
TUTV: The duo has puzzled an ominous, dark-groovin’ 8-jams record together.
Klein‘s aggressively articulated, Cockney-punk vocals accentuate his
take on our messed-up planet, crowded with bloodsucking politicians.
Wobble‘s dub bass play is still spot-on, and accompanied here
by brutish guitar ruckus, while the tone swells grimmer track by
track.
Overall, Automated Paradise sounds as if Doomsday
is just around the corner. No fiction, reality.
TUTV: It’s the perfect soundtrack for ebullient parties at your local graveyard. It’s an eery garage pop/rock record for your favorite nightmares, stuffed mostly with high-tempered, catchy tunes motorized by freakish guitars, bass/drum frenzy, glowing organ heat, and Laurenne‘s tempting and arousing vocals.
Let’s all get together in the midnight hours, celebrate our spine-chilling life, admire
each other’s psycho outfits, send the war-greedy Bogeymen (you know who they are)
to hell, be sweet creeps, trick and treat everybody with spooky jokes, and never ever
forget to go nuts, all you manic motherrockers out there, with the help of these 13 new smashing Darts pumpkins.
Press info: “It’s a record born from necessity rather than momentum, written during
a period when Hillig had nearly walked away from music altogether, and found himself worse for it. What emerged instead is his most vital and clear-eyed work to date, an
album shaped by collapse, community, and the unglamorous work of staying alive.”
TUTV: KAH’s warm, enthralling Americana voice infuses his mixed-emotions songs with a puissant Tom Petty swagger, a rock-solid John Mellencamp zip, and, at times, a Billy Bragg tenacity. From rock to country to balladry. 12 enchanting tunes.
Hillig‘s versatile songwriting skills shine throughout this highly appealing
and enrapturing record. I’ll have it on my earphones for a long time.
KEY TRACKS: The Horrible Truth / Divorce Of Course Of Course / Jules Can You See Me? / Something Is Different / Our Remaining Pig / We Were Right (‘Til We Were Wrong)
Here are 5 things you should know about the
all-female-fury band, named THE DARTS.
1. They’re based in Seattle, Washington, and are fronted by the ever-charismatic
singer-songwriter Nicole Laurenne, also operating solo as crooning diva Black
Viiolet
3. With the new record included, bat in chief Laurenne has now written/released
6 longplayers in 10 years with her women-in-black turbo, with looong tours in
between (catch them live if you have the opportunity. They’re red-hot on stage,
as I experienced multiple times, so far). A Laurenne day lasts for 48 hours and
she has thrilling music running through her veins 24/7. There you go.
4. It’s the perfect soundtrack for ebullient parties at your local graveyard. It’s an eery garage pop/rock record for your favorite nightmares, stuffed mostly with high-tempered, catchy tunes motorized by freakish guitars, bass/drum frenzy, glowing organ heat, and Laurenne‘s tempting, and arousing vocals.
5. With Halloween Love Songs,The Darts have turned Halloween into a daily
in your-masked-face event. From now on, all you need is All Hallows’ Eve love.
Get together in the midnight hours, celebrate our spine-chilling life, admire each
others psycho outfits, send the war-greedy Bogeymen (you know who they are) to
hell, be a sweet creep, trick and treat everybody with spooky jokes, and never ever
forget to go out-of-your-mind, all you manic motherrockers out there, with the help
of these 13 new smashing Darts pumpkins.
TUTV: Wham Boom Wham Boom Bam! From the first chord on, you can stamp your feet, spin your head around, and punch your hands in the air. Lip Critic bop to the beastly beat, so does your itching body.
But as the track progresses, the funky ambiance gets ominous, aggressive, and brutal. Vocalist Bret Kaser goes nuts, the band goes bonkers, your stereo goes berserk, and
your ears go bananas. Hallelujah.
Band: TEMPLES Who: The glitzy British glam
rockers from London.
Track: JET STREAM HEART
Lead single from their forthcoming 5th full-length, the first
in 3 years, named Bliss. They will share it with the world
on June 26th.
TUTV: Frontman says James Bagshaw, the track sounds like Kylie Minogue
meets Daft Punk, meets Temples! My ears hear something a bit different,
more like good old T.Rex hanging out with Hot Chip at the disco. Most
important thing: T is back.
TUTV: Jumpy. Bouncy. Zippy. Cacophonic overtones, frolic organ blitz, sinewy vocals,
and psychobilly guitars drenched in an Eastern frenzy, blast out of your stereo. If this is what the Apocalypse will sound like, I wanna be there. Trust me, so will you.
“An energetic, confrontational track about power and the everyday things we tend
to take for granted. No preaching, but something we could all be a bit more aware of. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
TUTV: These Belgian motherrockers trigger your maddest pogo-stick moves and
your insatiable appetite for sweaty moshpits with this fervent flamethrower, fueled
by a bulldozing drum/bass artillery, schizophrenic guitars, and crackbrained vocals.
Consider it a privilege to be able to go out-of-your-mind to this punk dunk.
All together now, loud and proud, La-La-La-La-La-La-La-La-La.
TUTV: Fast forward from the kick-off with squeaky guitars, a cranky rhythm section,
and hurry-scurry vocals. Speedy punk Gonzales for all you sonic sprinters out there.
Band: VILLANELLE Who: Fresh Brit-rock trio led
by Liam Gallagher‘s son Gene.
New track: PLACEBO
Their 3rd one. It’ll feature on their
debut EP, which will land on May 6th.
TUTV: Placebo is a haywire riff wallop. Gene Gallagher doesn’t follow in
his father’s band footsteps. His motto is more like ‘tonight I’m a grunge star‘.
Yep, his band don’t look back in anger at the Nirvana days. They’re
definitely, maybe fans of Kurt Cobain‘s unpolished and unbridled
exuberance.
Band: JENNIFER TEFFT & THE STRANGE Who: A fired-up, energizing outfit who create earthy music
from its roots and breathes fresh, rock and roll life into them.
Tefft: “This song was written during a point in my relationship where I felt like it was
too one-way. Where I really wanted ‘A Little More’ from my significant other, communication, time, emotion, etc. – but I was afraid to say it out loud. I think it is a pretty common theme in relationships.”
Art by Stephen ‘Sharky’ Beccia; design by Jennifer Tefft
TUTV: If I tell you that riff-riveting blues rock duo The Kills are one of my all-time fav
bands, you’ll absolutely understand why I love this amazeballs crackerjack. Jennifer
Tefft voice matches Alison Mosshart‘s warm-blooded one. Both passional and sensual.
A Little More is a magnetic mid-tempo turn-on, energized by
a striking drum/bass artillery and sparked by anxious guitars.
Artist: PEACHES Who: The fabulous/controversial/notorious performer/producer and
feminist/gay activist born Merrill Nisker, 58 years ago in Toronto, Canada.
Artist: LEG PUPPY 2.0 Who: Seasoned techno freak from London who has released a ton
of longplayers (so far). Take a day off and move over to Spotify to
check out as many as possible.
TUTV: As my therapist once said: rich company owners are psychos. No morals,
no respect, no tolerance. Workers are tools abused to help them make even richer. Leg Puppy 2.0 translates this ongoing criminality into a brain-breaking midtempo techno club-hammer. It easily could be the theme song for George Orwell‘s yet-to-be-made
‘1984‘ movie.
Jacob Peck (frontman/lyricist): “ The song expresses our frustrations with
middle-class comforts, over-analysis without action, nimbyism, intellectual
cowardice as a stand-in for material change and all too easy deference to
business and power.
TUTV: These Manchester punk dropouts hit hard. All greedy sharks in
our collapsing society better run and hide. Hungry go on a roasting rampage,
powered by a propulsive bass/drum tandem, neurotic guitars, and cranked-up
vocals.
Band: MONT LOSER Who: A deformed creature born from the depths of a late-night Parisian haze, half kamikaze, half blood-drunk bat. ML invite you to dive headfirst into the void of a rock scene that always seems to rise from its ashes, when we sometimes wish it would stay dead.
Track: CONFESSIONAL
The title track from their upcoming
album, out on April 17th.
“It’s only reality tv confessionals — people alone in a booth, crying to
the camera, saying things they probably never meant to say out loud.”
TUTV: Ballistic guitars, chaotic screams, mindbending verve and head-twisting changes of speed combine for a roasting 5-minute rollercoaster. Be ready for a dizzying experience.
Band: GERECKI Who: Art rock ensemble from Serbia, known for blending 60s- and 70s-inspired
rock’n’roll with chamber-pop intimacy, subtle psychedelic hues, and jazz-inflected
textures.
Track: IT GETS DARK
New piece from their upcoming debut album, named Athanasios (Greek word for immortal), out May 7th.
The song draws from a quiet, deeply personal memory: a family visit to the zoo.
Seen through the eyes of a three-year-old daughter — curious, overwhelmed, moved to tears by the crocodile house, then distracted by ducks flying over seemingly empty cages.
TUTV: Gerecki produce a hook-hungry groove, reminiscent of The Beatles‘s classic Get Back jam. No kidding. That’s what my experienced ears (big Beatles fans) told me immediately. A-OK, right? Far and away. It Gets Dark thrives on it and repeats its infectious throb after slowing down here and there.
After the brutal killings, in cold blood, of two American citizens – Rennée Good
and Alex Pretti last month in Minnesota, several musicians called out Trump and
his ruthless Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
So did The Boss.
“I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it
to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of
Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent
immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
Band: KULA SHAKER
Who: British psych rock vets, fronted by charismatic
vocalist/songwriter Crispian Mills. Their 1996 debut LP,
titled K made them instant indie stars.
KAH: “I drew a man on his family farm wading across a river toward the final living pig, knowing he had to slaughter it. You can tell he doesn’t want to do this, but sometimes the
hard thing is exactly what must be done.”
TUTV: Arresting from the start. KAH’s puissant Americana voice and the song’s rock-solid Mellencamp flow merge seamlessly together, resulting in a stem-winding gem. Both electric and absorbing.
Verstegen: “As a songwriter, I have a love-hate relationship with the “blank page.”
As long as I don’t put anything on it, anything is still possible. It’s a promise of everything
song could ever be. But I also find that emptiness intimidating. What if I mess it up?
What if I have nothing meaningful to say?
That uncertainty and doubt reminded me of how I feel after a broken relationship.
You suddenly have to turn the page and write a new chapter. A head full of doubts
and a heart full of hope. And before I knew it, I had a page full of sentences about…
a blank page.”
TUTV: Dim the lights, sit down, relax, and let your thoughts run free. Verstegen will soundtrack it all with this new restful reverie. His near-whispering vocals and acoustic, sepia-colored sonority echo Matt Berninger‘s soft, romantic touch. Candelight music for relaxing moments.
Artist: RYAN THOMAS SMELLE Who: Canadian singer/songwriter with an acoustic approach to storytelling, using
hook-laden songs in the areas of folk, alternative, North Americana and pop.
RTS: “Some songs are stories of moments from our life. As a songwriter, this short
and sweet lyrical tale is a snapshot of a love’s farewell and how we can stew in the
feelings.”
TUTV: Vocally Ryan Thomas Smelle reminds me of The National’s Matt Berninger‘s tranquillising hush-hush timbre, which benefits the heartrending emotions and
the saddening nature of NothingLeft Of My Heart downright.
Acoustic and electric guitar sparks, think Mark Knopfler, paint cloudy images.
This is a melancholic reverie for silent pondering and soul-searching reflection.
A touching and moving ballad.
One of the 23 tracks performed by big-name bands/artists on a new album,
named Help, with all benefits going to War Child. An organisation that shapes
systems that protect and support the well-being of children affected by conflict.
TUTV: Jumpy. Bouncy. Zippy. Cacophonic overtones, frolic organ blitz, sinewy vocals and psychobilly guitars drenched in an Eastern frenzy, blast out of your stereo. If this is what the Apocalypse will sound like, I wanna be there. Trust me, so will you.
TUTV: Kasabian turned from dance-infused rockers into disco-popsters under the leadership of singer-songwriter Sergio Pizzorno. Lots of drum/bass action on this
new one. Shaky stuff.
Artist: LEO VINCENT Who: Brussels-based, failed goalkeeper-turned-painter-turned-cameraman-turned-musician. Some say it’s disco for night janitors. Some say it’s glam-rock for ravers.
Others haven’t found the time to listen yet because they have real jobs.
TUTV: Oh yeah, the vibes! Oh yeah, the beats! Oh yeah, the swagger! Shake your pelvis, bend your knees and jump up and down, left and right, forth and back. This is a workout tune for all you lazy bumps out there. Move! Now!
Band: MONT LOSER Who: A deformed creature born from the depths of a late-night Parisian haze, half kamikaze, half blood-drunk bat. ML invite you to dive headfirst into the void of a rock scene that always seems to rise from its ashes, when we sometimes wish it would stay dead.
Track: CONFESSIONAL
The title track from their upcoming
album, out on April 17th.
“It’s only reality tv confessionals — people alone in a booth, crying to
the camera, saying things they probably never meant to say out loud.”
TUTV: Psychotic guitars, chaotic screams, mindbending verve and headtwisting changes of speed combine for a roasting 5-minute rollercoaster. Be ready for a dizzying experience.
Band: LIME GARDEN Who: British pop-rock act from Brighton, UK.
They released their debut LP One More Thing
in 2024.
Track: 23
New piece from their upcoming 2nd album Maybe Not Tonight, out on April 10th.
TUTV: Yeah! Absolutely yeah! Move your pelvis, move your head, move your feet, move anything that is movable. This resistless dancefloor upper boosts your mood on the spot.
Band: THE DARTS Who: Steamy garage Amazons based in Seattle, Washington,
fronted by charismatic singer-songwriter Nicole Laurenne,
also operating solo as Black Viiolet
Track: MIDNIGHT CREEP
The first single from their forthcoming LP, their 6th, named Halloween Love Songs. It’ll hit our stereos on March 3rd.
TUTV: Midnight Creep is vintage Darts frenzy. Sizzling, blistering, and red-hot-blooded. Laurenne and her sidekick, her organ, lead the hungry troops once again. The piquant buzz and fuzz at play here ignite all of your limbs and make you jump like a kangaroo from left to right and back. From now on, every day is Halloween.
TUTV: Beware, these punked-up bloodhounds bite. They chase you with ruthless racket. They bark like werewolves. They bloody rock! They’re no waste of time whatsoever. Rabid stuff. Arrrggghhh.
“This song is about the endless lists of goals and resolutions we make for ourselves, many of which have arbitrary deadlines attached to them. ‘On Time’ is trying to capture that feeling of being right on the crest of a wave of busyness, the ‘last wave’ where you think surely it will be calm seas after this. But there’s always another and another.”
TUTV: WTF. Riot grrl clamour is back, but dirtier, rawer, and LOUDER.
94 boiling seconds that do your poor head in. Punktastic.
Band: COWBOY HUNTERS Who: Glasgow‘s punk dropouts Megan Pollock and Desmond Johnston.
Track: HAVE A PINT
New single from their upcoming 5-track EP,
titled EPeepee. It’ll hit the streets on March 20th.
TUTV: This is it. Raw and rough punk hysteria at its sharp-cutting best. These two hungry hunters take you on a wham-bam rollercoaster ride, up and down, left and right. Have A Pint sounds like it was recorded in their local pub’s toilet, generating some barbed wire shit, juiced with obstreperous duet vocals that drive you nuts .
TUTV: What the hell is this? Must be the most dancey, vibey, and trippy track
of their sonic canon. A Shift Of Perspective has an irresistible pelvis-energizing
swing spiced with wah-wah guitar sparks and, of course, Kate Arnold‘s
spoken-word panache.
“Lee is a guy that we never want to become, let’s make that clear! This tune goes out to all the blokes who keep it blokey and delve too far into the cretin side of the internet, dudes that base their entire lives around some bonkers right wing conspiracy. When it comes to Lee, what you see isn’t a what you get, and what you get is much darker than you’d expect.”
TUTV: Hit! Hit! Hit! Need an upbeat upper to get you through the day? This Adult DV
one, right here, will do the job, with striking Chemical Bros echoes and other electronic pyrotechnics.
TUTV: Alert your limbs, folks. Some boom-boom Basement Jaxx e-cstasy
is coming your way. Techno blitz in quadrophonia. Chemical beats and
underworld heat. Insane, right? You betcha.
TUTV: These dance-inducing Belgians do what they did before in other bands. They move and groove with a slow-burning intensity, like a snake sneaking up on its prey. Alright, all you nightclubbers out there, get your lazy ass off your couch and shake your booty to the guitar-motorized beats.
TUTV: A brisk, sprightly, and tremendously catchy guitar pop gem
peaking on its splendiferous chorus. A tantalising slice of music.
The repeat button was invented for tintillazing tunes like this.
Ali Lipman (guitarist/vocalist) channels an inner strength as she details
the pressures women face to be emotionally regulated when everything
is overstimulating.
“We’re known for our upbeat power-emo songs, with big leads, big harmonies, and big refrains. This song perfectly encapsulates what we do best. There’s plenty of surprises to come on Place Memory, but ‘Calm & Delivered’ is the perfect definition of a Cape Crush anthem.”
TUTV: A kind of those tunes that puts a blissful smile on your face right away.
Guitar fireworks from the kinetic kick-off, working their way to the heartening
chorus. Sinewy indie fuel to get you going. Sensitive vocals. Punchy girl power.
Band: LIP SERVICE Who: Electro pop outfit
from Belgium.
Track: SLOWLY
Piece from their upcoming album Swalman, out early next month.
TUTV: Electro-pop at its funky and vivifying best. A lazy tune that makes you hum/whistle along on the spot. A dreamy ditty, jaunty and breezy. A perfect sonic companion on your earphones while strolling in slow-mo in the city.
Artist: SIMON LE MA Who: Belgian singer-songwriter
with an eclectic musical taste.
So far, he has 2 albums under his belt.
Track: NEW RELIGION
New single from his upcoming 3rd album,
named Get Sweaty, out next September.
TUTV: Expect brassy Motown vibes. Glamorous, soulful, and uplifting. New Religion energizes all of your limbs. You can sing, whistle or hum
along. Early spring fun, folks.
Band:THE TWILIGHT SAD Who: Scottish romantic indies who have
been earning a loyal fanbase since 2003.
Track: DESIGNED TO LOSE
Taster from their upcoming album, named It’s The Long Goodbye.
They’re 6th overall, and first in seven years, written in the wake
of frontman James Graham losing his mother to dementia.
Out March 27th.
TUTV: Sad story, sticky tune. Great bass riffage, bouncy
drums, expressive vocals, and an overall orchestral resonance.
TUTV: Need some day-night-dreaming stimulus? This near-whispering reverie is what you’re looking for. Soothing and chilling. Lovely duet vocals. Starry-eyed chorus. You
won’t feel lonely when Dreamager touches your soul.
Artist: WINONA OAK Who: The musical moniker of engrossing Swedish songstress Johanna Ewana Ekmark.
Track: HORSES
The 2nd single from her upcoming,
sophomore album (details TBA).
TUTV: Oak‘s velvety voice makes me think of superstars Lana Del Rey and Billie
Eilish‘s heartfelt tenderness. Melancholic reverie Horses is a nostalgic lullaby. She
revisits childhood memories of riding, a time when she felt safe, free, and deeply connected to the natural world.
Artist: BLACK VIIOLET Who: Alter-ego of American garage punk ‘n’ roll
turbo The Darts‘ front Amazon Nicole Laurenne.
Track: DARK BLUE
First single and title track of her upcoming
new full-length, 2nd in 2 years. Pre-orders
from January 29th on.
TUTV: I’m sure bootylicious Nicole Laurenne‘s days count 48 instead of 24 hours.
Only last week she announced the 4th LP in 4 years from her riff-racing band The Darts, and shared the first taster, Midnight Creep. Now comes the news of her 2nd Black Viiolet full-length following last year’s debut After You (part of TUTV’s best albums of 2025).
Oh, let’s not forget the endless touring with her gang and now with her alter-ego too.
That said, BV’s lead single Dark Blue echoes the overall flirtatious ambiance of After You. Jazzy and trippy-hoppy vibes in slow mo. Her slightly hoarse, whispering vocals fit the nightclub’s contra-bass/trumpet/drum melodiousness like a glove. Music for the midnight hours, away from the brutal reality we have to endure.
Band: THE DARTS Who: Steamy garage Amazons based in Seattle, Washington,
fronted by charismatic singer-songwriter Nicole Laurenne,
also operating solo as Black Viiolet
Track: MIDNIGHT CREEP
The first single from their forthcoming LP, their 6th, named Halloween Love Songs. It’ll hit our stereos on March 3rd.
Press info: “‘Midnight Creep’ started as a surprise curveball when ‘rythm section bitch’ Lindsay brought Nicole a demo called ‘Phantom Creep.’ Nicole was already quietly writing a Halloween-themed album and immediately heard a chance to chase something different.
An honest-to-ghoul old-school monster dance, the kind that might’ve aired on a haunted Shindig episode taped in a basement full of fog machines and paper-mâché bats. She rebuilt the tune into a slinky, organ-driven earworm; Lindsay created a simple, go-go-friendly choreography; and suddenly The Darts had a Halloween banger that felt both brand-new and weirdly familiar.”
TUTV: As a longtime fan, news of new Darts music puts a big smile on my face,
and lately it happens every year. I actually don’t know what Nicole Laurenne eats
or drinks, but her production flow is off the charts, with the band and solo.
Look, I’m smiling again. New album in March, new single today.
Midnight Creep is vintage Darts frenzy. Sizzling, blistering, and red-hot-blooded. Laurenne and her sidekick, her organ, lead the hungry troops once again. The piquant buzz and fuzz at play here ignites all of your limbs and makes you jump like a kangaroo from left to right and back.
The always black-dressed glam she-devils look sexy, play sexy, and sound sexy
(on record and on stage), and thanks to them, it’s Halloween every single day of
the year, from now on. This new smashing pumpkin is perfect to open and end
all creepy midnight parties. Bullseye!
American pop punk fury THE DARTS are one of my favourite live bands of
the past decade. Their sultry, inflammable gigs are an exciting pleasure for
ears and eyes.
They always have eye-catching posters to announce their
shows. Like this one for 4 gigs in Hawaii early next year.
Laurenne: “The songs were written in the style of vintage jazz standards, but are then drenched with Rhodes piano and sparkling horn parts, with upright bass and triphop beats holding down a groovy, downtempo feel underneath. The vocals are the polar opposite of my garage rock sound in The Darts – in Black Viiolet, I am quietly telling you secrets in the dark.
After You was recorded by nine producers on two continents with fourteen French and American jazz musicians – including Digable Planets drummer Conrad Real – and contains thirteen original tracks that I wrote all the parts for and arranged, plus one special cover song, “My Baby Just Cares For Me.” My influences include spy movie themes, Nina Simone, Portishead, Budos Band, Lovage, Nouvelle Vague, Digable Planets, Propellerheads, Sneaker Pimps, Forniquette, Nick Waterhouse, Hooverphonic, and even cartoon character Jessica Rabbit!”
TUTV: Imagine Nicole Laurenne‘s sultry alter ego coming from behind a curtain
on a stage in a smoky nightclub, leg by leg, with a bright spotlight on her and
making all spectators go ‘sigh‘.
From there on she becomes Black Viiolet. A femme fatale that entertains us with
bouncy trip-hop vibes à la Portishead (AboutA Woman / Never Know / New Day / Drop),
jazzy candlelight musings (Don’t Leave Me On The Dancefloor / Not It / Stayin / You Can’t Afford Me) and a seductive version of 1930 jazz standard My Baby Just Cares for Me
made immortal by the late great soul diva Nina Simone.
The record is subtly, yet richly orchestrated. The instrumentation at work here – contrabass, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano – serves the overall mood perfectly.
On top of it comes Viiolet‘s near-whispering, hoarse and sensual voice to complete the arousing sonic picture with a saucy sensuality. The ambiance is spellbinding and ravishing.
After You is delectable music for the midnight hours that massages your ears for
40 minutes. The most sexy record I heard in a long time. It transfers you to a place
where you can dream away, far from today’s depressing outside world.
Dim the lights, relax, sit down, have a bottle of your favorite wine at hand, close
your eyes and let Black Viiolet enter your spicy fantasy of choice. Trust me, you’ll
love the tantalizing trip.
Last July jaunty garage rock punkette/singer-songwriter Nicole Laurenne of Phoenix hit team The Darts suprised with her self-tiled solo debut EP. Why? Because, with her new alter ego Black Viiolet, she came up with, sonically, vocally and lyrically, a totally different musical approach than we’re used to from her band’s fervent fireworks.
TUTV said: Black Viiolet‘s EP with its four sultry, seducing candlelight melodies appeal instantly. Her sexy, near whispering voice and her attractive film noir appearance fit the mood just perfectly well. It wouldn’t be out of place in David Lynch‘s dark movie Blue Velvet or on a Sade record.
STREAM/BUY
. Laurenne‘s 24/7 musical creativity already led to a full length.
It’s baptized After You and arrives on February 1, 2025, on Adrenalin Fix Music (Bordeaux, France).
Nicole: “The songs were written in the style of vintage jazz standards, but are then drenched with Rhodes piano and sparkling horn parts, with upright bass and triphop beats holding down a groovy, downtempo feel underneath. The vocals are the polar opposite of my garage rock sound in The Darts – in Black Viiolet, I am quietly telling you secrets in the dark.
After You was recorded by nine producers on two continents with fourteen French and American jazz musicians – including Digable Planets drummer Conrad Real – and contains thirteen original tracks that I wrote all the parts for and arranged, plus one special cover song, “My Baby Just Cares For Me.” My influences include spy movie themes, Nina Simone, Portishead, Budos Band, Lovage, Nouvelle Vague, Digable Planets, Propellerheads, Sneaker Pimps, Forniquette, Nick Waterhouse, Hooverphonic, and even cartoon character Jessica Rabbit!”
TUTV already had the privilige to listen to After You.
It’s one of the most sensual records I ever heard. Fact.
