Ukraine | VIA Gra - "Rodnikovaya voda"

BRAND NEW

Sounds European! remeets Ukrainian group VIA Gra. They have just released a new single. And we cannot stress it enough: "Rodnikovaya voda" is a great pop song! The melody is well-paced and catchy and the chorus is strong and marking.

Slovenia | Samantha Maya - "Sanjava / Runaway"

BRAND NEW

Slovene singer Samantha Maya has just released a new single. And it's already becoming a hit in the country! It's "Sanjava / Runaway", a smooth song with cool beats and a very enjoyable ambience.

Denmark | RoseeLu - "Fuck with my feelings"

BRAND NEW

We are now landing in Denmark, to listen to a great new release by RoseeLu! It's "Fuck with my feelings", a song which offers a great mix of R&B, pop and grunge. It's all wrapped by one of the most talented voices to be rising in the Nordic music scene.

According to RoseeLu, the song "is about the insane state of mind you are in when you are in love – but also the addiction which I know way too well from past relationships".

United Kingdom | Hatty Keane - "Club 69"

BRAND NEW

Hatty Keane has promised us lots of new music this year. And the British singer is not only keeping the promise, but she is also doing it in style! Her new release, "Club 69", is another sample of that: it's a funky song with an irresistible groove. We are listening to it nonstop!

Updated on July 22nd, 2021, with the official video.

Turkey | Madrigal - "Bambaşka"

BRAND NEW

Madrigal is a band formed in Kocaeli, Turkey, in 2007. Currently formed by Anıl Erdem Cevizci, Ceyhun Kaan Karakaş, Kaan Buyer, Sanli Akgun and Burak Emir Kamaci, they are promoting their latest album, "Neogazino", with a great single: "Bambaşka" is an entertaining trip through alternative sounds with a touch of retro taste.

Portugal | Tomás Adrião feat. Elisa - "Infinito"

BRAND NEW

Portuguese singer Tomás Adrião has just released his debut album, entitled "Perdoa se há em mim pressa para ser feliz". And he is promoting it by releasing a new single, which features fellow singer Elisa (Elisa Silva, born in Madeira in 1999). "Infinito" is a tender track which plays between traditional sounds and contemporary ballads, blending the artists's voices beautifully.

Commenting on the song, Tomás explains: "It's the first time I sing something that is not about me, but about everyone and everything that surrounds us. It's about my questions with no end and no answer".

Finland | Titta - "Elämä on nyt"

BRAND NEW

It's been some time since we heard from Finnish artist Titta! She is finally back with us for a beautiful single: "Elämä on nyt" brings an uplifting sample of synthpop that will have you dancing in no time!

Denmark | Tim Schou feat. SOWFY - "Mad love"

RECENT

Tim Schou has a new single! He's featuring SOWFY (stage name of Sophie Darum, a singer hailing from Assens, Denmark) in "Mad love", a pop song that is driven by infectious guitar riffs and in which their voices match beautifully.

Norway | Carina Dahl - "På frifot"

BRAND NEW

Norwegian singer Carina Dahl returns to our site with another fun new single! "På frifot" brings together synth, electronic, country and pop in an explosion of sounds!

10 Questions For: Arde Bogotá

INTERVIEW

They are one of the most promising bands in the Spanish rock scene. Their previous singles wowed us with their mind-blowing power and moving beats. And, just last week, they released their much awaited debut album (which you can listen here). We had the pleasure to talk music with a band who lives and breathes it 24/7. These are our 10 questions for Arde Bogotá:

Sounds European!: Let's begin the interview talking about the origins of the band. How did you meet? When was the band formed? Where does the name, Arde Bogotá, come from, and what does it mean?

Arde Bogotá: Pepe (bass), Dani (guitar) and Jota (drums) met playing in different bands from the Cartagena local scene when we were teenagers. By the end of 2017, we decided to get together to make music, but we missed a voice. It was then when, in one of the old nights, Antonio (voice) and Dani met talking about the status of rock in the country. One said he sang and composed; the other, that he had musicians. A WhatsApp talk in the early hours with a primitive version of "Antiaéreo" convinced us to give it a try, and it was a success. After testing many names, one of the band members traveled to Colombia and, while still feeling the jet lag, he was invited to a party in a very crazy Bogotá night. After telling us about the adventure, someone said "¡Arde Bogotá!" ["Bogotá's on fire!"], and we thought it was powerful and fun.

SE!: We imagine each of you brings different musical influences. What artists did you listen to when you were young? And who inspire you nowadays as a band?

AB: We come from genres such as hip-hop, Spanish and Anglo-Saxon indie, arena rock or even singer-songwriter music. We still listen to those bands we love, such as Héroes del Silencio, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Foals, Second, Viva Suecia, Carlos Cano, Camarón, Metallica, and others. When composing the album, we were sure that we wanted to tell a story in a rock key, which is what we can do best. However, we allowed ourselves to experiment and be flexible, listening to artists like Kanye West, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, and others, from whom we got beats and melodic lines more related to hip-hop and mainstream music, which allowed us to experiment a lot.

SE!: You have a very characteristic sound, but we would like you to explain it yourselves. If you had to, how would you describe your music genre?

AB: Arde Bogotá plays rock. No disguises, no surnames. We intend to give it a fresh touch without letting power and dancing aside. We play rock for people who forgot they liked rock.

SE!: You are releasing your first album, "La noche". How was the recording process? What would you like your fans to feel when listening to it? What differences did you notice compared to recording your EP?

AB: The process of creating "La noche" was very choral. Someone brought an idea, and we developed from it. There was a point when we saw we could establish a connection with stories that can happen and have happened to us in nights like before. To such a point that we decided to tell a story and work on a concept, which made the composing process more interesting.

Pre-production was just like with the EP. We were many hours together with our producer, Lalo GV, who knows us and is a friend of ours. We recorded with him at the Neo MusicBox studio in Aranda de Duero. During the two weeks we were recording, we finished composing some songs under the pressure of recording them immediately, but we work quite well under pressure. The EP was all artisanal, but so is the LP. We don't know another way of working.

SE!: We feel the lyrics of your songs are very relatable. What inspires you to write? What topics do you like talking about in your songs?

AB: We like using direct and unyielding language, but that doesn't mean our songs would lack meaning. We believe it's a way of conveying a message that works well and is ear-catching. We eventually talk about topics that we all went through as a generation. We talk about love, future, uncertainty, all kinds of relationships, sex, what makes us angry.

"We play rock for people who forgot they liked rock" (Picture: Peter Walters)

SE!: The scene of Spanish rock is quite competitive, but it seems to be in a down slope compared to other genres. Do you agree with this? What's your experience with making rock music nowadays?

AB: Rock went through the same phase as jazz when the latter was replaced by rock. There are also urban genres that grew, developed and evolved pretty well, and set on the market. We believe this made rock gain a different meaning somehow. And let's not kid ourselves: everybody likes rock, and releasing anger and energy at some point. Making rock music is what we like, and what we enjoy the most on stage. It's easy to bring it to the public because it transmits a lot, and the audience feels it that way. It's something that must be lived live, and you can't beat that experience.

SE!: How is your experience when playing live? What can we expect in a show of yours?

AB: An Arde Bogotá show is rage, passion, dancing, sweat and a lot of energy. We compose and rehearse as if we're playing live, and that is passed down to our songs. In our concerts, we can tell the same stories we offer in "La noche", but in a more striking way. Missing a live show is not an option.

SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Spanish and international artists you would like to collaborate with?

AB: Miley Cyrus, Sen Senra, Dani Fernández, Maren, Rayden, Second, Mark Ronson, and anybody who makes us get out of our comfort zone.

SE!: What are your projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you for the remainder of 2021?

AB: We're releasing the album we wanted to do, a full album that tells a story in the rhythm of pure rock. We'll defend it and get it on the road with all our energy, wherever we're allowed to, in a series of concerts that will go on through the year.

SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by Arde Bogotá, and why?

AB: We all have our favorite songs, and some of them are not singles. But the song that started it all, and with which we made a deal with the devil, was "Antiaéreo". Some things just can't be explained.