Listen: Narrow Band Of Happiness by Bulgarian Cartrader

Following up on his excellent alt-pop record Guestlist, released last month, Bulgarian Cartrader is back with new single Narrow Band Of Happiness.

Bulgarian Cartrader, or BCT for short, is the musical project of Danial Stoyanov, and where Guestlist was a wilfully unique take on indie R&B, Narrow Band Of Happiness is something else entirely. If the former has hints of Jai Paul, then BCT’s new single is his take on Jack Antonoff — walls of guitar employed to create something unapologetically pop. This is the first song that Stoyanov is looking to push to a broader audience, and that is reflected in the sound at play.

And yet, whilst Narrow Band Of Happiness is clearly a step change in the sound, Stoyanov is still demonstrating his technical ability and his creativity. As the song moves towards the chorus, it gradually builds, adding additional vocal harmonies. The chorus itself is a marvellously energetic cacophony of melodies that invokes Low and Lust For Life era Bowie. The bridge in the song’s final third is basically perfect — a ridiculous guitar solo being granted bags of space, yet still refusing to acquiesce, even as Stoyanov delivers the song’s final lyrics. Bravo, BCT.

Listen: Guestlist by Bulgarian Cartrader

Bulgarian Cartrader, or BCT for short, is the musical persona of Sofia-born singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Daniel Stoyanov.

In his first year as Bulgarian Cartrader, Stoyanov has made appearances on stages and at festivals across France, the US, Bulgaria, Austria, and Germany. Ahead of his first European headline tour, and as a prelude to a forthcoming EP that is scheduled for February 2024, BCT is unveiling his latest single, Guestlist.

Self-produced, and mixed by the Grammy-nominated Stephen Sedgwick, who has worked with Gorillaz, Lana Del Rey, and with Amy Winehouse, Guestlist glistens with a distinctive energy. With the kind of experimental-yet-glamorous drama that reminds me of alt-indie-R&B of Jai Paul, Guestlist is built around the interplay between a simple synth refrain and classical guitar. Fluid drums and rapid hi-hats give the sound a modern feel, as Stoyanov belts out a clearly personal vocal about his experience of guest-listing music industry professionals.

The resulting song is a little staggering – the creative briefly on display during Guestlist’s short two-and-a-half-minute duration is impressive. Bulgarian Cartrader has engineered a distinctive sound, accessible and yet wholly his own, and in doing so, hints at the potential for great talent for the future.