Carrousel, Sue Style, Baschi Dürr, Reptile Youth

Carrousel are a Swiss-French duo who play French chansons mixed with pop and who are renowned for their lively concerts. They combine a touch of Paris, poetic lyrics and catchy melodies. Jen talked to Sophie and Léonard at the Gurtenfestival last weekend about the Eurovision Song Contest and their upcoming show in Basel at the Im Fluss festival on August 15th. Listen to the interview again here.

Sue gave us a taste for some great iced soups - fresh, cool, and, best of all, no cooking, perfect for this steamy weather. All you need is a few basic ingredients (tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers & co), a blender and about 5 minutes of your precious time. Whack everything in the blender, whizz to a smooth puree and chill. Done. Recipes are here.

Ciarán spoke with Baschi Dürr, who is the local minister for security and police affairs in Basel City. Mr. Dürr explained the importance of language in integration. Basel-Stadt has organised a series of talks on Swiss naturalisation. Basel-Stadt residents can check the requirements for naturalisation here. Note these requirements may change as there is a referundum later this year on this subject.

And finally, Jen caught up with Reptile Youth. Reptile Youth are an exuberant post-punk-electro-indie band from Denmark. They have catchy songs, an eccentric dress sense, and a singer who likes to launch himself into the crowd. Jen talked to Mads and Esben of Reptile Youth about sitting in a dark studio and the wonders of touring China. Have a listen to the interview here.