Now That’s What I Call… The Extended Eurovision Universe
As Eurovision fans (and some who aren’t) know, Eurovision neither starts nor ends with the main contest. From National Final season introducing the world to new and exciting artists, to former Junior Eurovision artists, to the big- and small-name songwriters and producers that work behind the scenes, people from all over the music industry make Eurovision the amazing thing that it is. Here is some of the best new music by Eurovision-adjacent acts.
Baltos Varnos – “Sidabru išlieta” (LP)
I love Baltos Varnos. Their beautiful voices mesh beautifully with their music, which depending on the track walks the line between singer-songwriter, indie pop, folk, and even world music. “Sidabru išlieta” (Silver-plated) is the name of their new album, and it is astounding. The title track especially just blew me away, just such a mesmerizing track. Album of the month!
Chrust – “PRZED ZMIERZCHEM” (LP)
“PRZED ZMIERZCHEM” (BEFORE DUSK) is the title of the new album by Chrust. 12 mostly new tracks await, all as atmospheric as the also-included Polish national final entry “TEMPO”. That is not to say that every song sounds the same, far from it. While the title track feels familiar in the best way possible, there are also songs like “EPITAFIUM DLA SAMOBÓJCÓW” (EPITAPH FOR SUICIDES) which rocks hard and feels much more tense, or the opening track “JESIONY JEZIORA” (ASH TREE LAKES) which features an almost shimmering bass, just to name a few things. A truly excellent album and in almost any other month would’ve been album of the month!
TAYANNA – “ДО ВОДИ”
A slightly different take on the still-ongoing electro-folk-pop craze is offered to us thanks to TAYANNA. “ДО ВОДИ” (TO THE WATER) has a beat that hits you like the small waves at the edge of a windswept lake, and is just a mesmerizing track. More airy but no less haunting than many of the offerings in the genre, and I think this song also is one of the best showcases of the singer’s voice we got so far.
NIGHT TAPES – “babygirl (like n01 else)”
Iiris Vesik has tried three times to represent Estonia in Eurovision, going back to the days that Eesti Laul was stilled called Eurolaul in 2008. Now living in London, jam sessions with her housemates led to the creation of the band NIGHT TAPES. Their atmospheric sound blends different styles together, and this song is no different. The dreamy “babygirl (like n01 else)” takes trip hop and other influences to create a thoroughly modern blend of 90s sounds. If you like this kind of music as much as I do, then consider checking them out at one of the many festivals across Europe the group will perform at.
Raul Ojamaa – “we miss u”
We continue in Estonia for some very different electronic sounds courtesy of Raul Ojamaa, who competed as part of Miljardid in 2018 and also co-wrote Gram-Of-Fun’s 2021 attempt. This is just a gorgeous piece of electronica, with a broad range of feelings and soundscapes all combining into this mesmerizing whole. And here is a fun little fact about the song: the music is based on the sounds of people disposing glass! Song of the month? Yeah sure, why not. Song of the month!
While I don’t have the space this month to get into it deeper, it also is worth checking out “Bumerang“, the song Raul’s band Miljardid dropped at the end of this month.
Meelik – “Särin”
My favourite Estonians are hearing a “Särin” (Crackle). It’s another energetic piece of DYI-feeling rock that I just immediately vibe with.
INGER – “Armastatuna” (LP)
We close off with what seemingly was TES Estonia Month with Inger and his new album “Armastatuna” (Beloved). We covered the excellent pre-release singles in previous round-ups, so I am very happy to report that the full album is also very good. If you like any of INGER’s songs, this is well worth checking out in full.
Elis Mraz – “nebudu odpovídat”
She was one of the artists of what many (okay, maybe mostly me) are calling the best national final of all time. One of the queens of ESCZ22, Elis Mraz once again graces our eardrums with party-ready beats and a mix of rapping and singing. “nebudu odpovídat” (i will not answer) is a lot of fun, and feels like a throwback to something although I have no clue what it might be to as I write this.
BigMama – “San Junipero”
Black Mirror, well the first three seasons at least, is among my top three tv shows of all time. So seeing that BigMama released a song with the same title as one of the show’s best known and received episodes definitely made me raise my eyebrows. And how’s the song? Pretty damn good! At times a bit too loud and just too much, but that is just the BigMama experience and overall this track is just a good time.
MAIAA – “Ecstasy”
Over in Iceland, MAIAA is in “Ecstasy”. The song starts a bit slow, but as it continues it just sweeps me away on a little emotional journey. Nothing extraordinary about this, just a very good singer and solid songwriting combining into something really, really nice. Great late night listening material.
Beatriz Pessoa – “A PIQUE C’EST CHIQUE”
“A PIQUE C’EST CHIQUE” (SPADES ARE CLASSY), Beatriz Pessoa wants us to know. This is a very cute faux-70s electropoprock track written, of course, entirely by herself. The beginning of this song dates back a fair bit, as the chorus actually was originally part of a track that Beatriz had written for a fado singer that went unreleased. With the chorus stuck in her head, Beatriz added references to Brigitte Bardot, Footloose, and more to create a unique “party as the world falls apart” kind of song.
Minimal Wind – “Armageddon” (EP)
And we close things off this month with an EP that was released on the very last day of the month. thanks to the ever amazing Minimal Wind! Their new EP “Armageddon” is, as always, absolutely excellent and obviously our pick for the EP of the month!
Listen to all the songs above and more
We’ve made a handy Spotify playlist of the songs in this article and all other new music from Eurovision artists this month, including remixes and other special releases. So get ready for everything from MEGARA, Voyager, and Nemo to Hooverphonic, Daði Freyr, Alessandra, and many more. The playlist gets updated every month, so don’t forget to follow it to always stay up to date. Did we miss anything? Then send Angus a message over on your social media of choice.
What was your favourite new music this month? And whose music are you looking forward to next month? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for all the latest Eurovision news and more!
News Source: That Eurovision Site / Various
Photo Credit: Abor & Tynna / EBU / RTL / Linh n Guyen, Nemo, Baltos Varnos, Sarah Bonnici. Collage by That Eurovision Site.
Thomas James