INTERVIEW: EazyMan

INTERVIEW:

EazyMan

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WITH his latest smash out there…

I have been speaking with EazyMan about Hurdy Gurdy and its story. He discusses the albums that mean a lot to him and the sort of music he was raised on – I ask whether there will be more material coming later in the year.

EazyMan talks about a new artist he has just found and what advice he would give to new artists; what he wants to achieve by the end of the year; what it feels being backed by DJ Target (BBC Radio 1Xtra); what he does away from music – he shares his favourite memory from music so far.

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Hi, EazyMan. How are you? How has your week been? 

Hi, guys. I’m all good, man! Had a great week; the weather has been 10/10.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please? 

I am a U.K.-based rapper who goes by the name EazyMan.

 

Hurdy Gurdy is your new one. Is there a story behind the song? 

Well. When I was growing up, the Nokia was the phone to have and I always used to rap to the Hurdy Gurdy ringtone back in the day, so I just thought I would get a track built based on it. My friend, Wisper, is a big U.K. underground producer so I went to him and he built this masterpiece. I instantly started writing to it once I heard it and the track just came together.

It is an 8-bit, ringtone-inspired track. It is quite nostalgic in a way. Do you often look to the past when it comes to music influence?

I look everywhere for influence:  the past, the future; old artists, new artists; anything can inspire me. I just listen to the instrumental a few times and catch a vibe. My most important thing is to feel comfortable when I’m making music.

What is it about those Nokia ringtones and the phones of the past that stuck in your mind? Did you have any embarrassing moments where your phone went off or caused blushes?

Well. I grew up with these phones as a teenager, so they will always have a place in my heart. I always keep a couple tucked away for old time’s sakes. I can’t really think of any embarrassing moments that I’ve had with any phone…

Is there going to be more material later in the year? 

Yeah, most definitely I’m working towards a project at the moment and should have something ready by the end of the year. For now, I’m going to keep releasing these singles and continue to give my fans the best version of myself that I possibly can.

The likes of DJ Target (BBC Radio 1Xtra) have supported you. How does it feel having some big names behind you? 

It’s a great feeling, you know! I mean, to know that my music is being supported by some of the most respected DJs and figures within the music business is extremely humbling. It makes me feel confident that I’m doing the right thing and to keep pushing. 

What sort of music were you raised on? Do you have any artists you’d count as idols? 

I grew up in the '90s on Hip-Hop and R&B which, I believe, were one of the best eras in music history so, for that, I am very glad. I listened to so many artists growing up. When I was young, I would listen to Snoop Dogg, Biggie Smalls; 2 Pac etc. and then, as I got a bit older, it was Mobb Deep, DMX and The Lox.

My favourite artist would have to be 50 Cent, because he had a really big influence on my life at a time when I was not coping so well as a teenager. Listening to his music made me believe anything was possible - and I still believe that till this day.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I’m just going to keep putting out quality music that people can enjoy and listen to with a smile on their face. I’m 100% sure that that one banger is going to come and the world is going to recognise me one day for my talent but I’m not rushing anything; it’s one step at a time.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

My favourite moment was, most definitely, last year when I performed at Halo nightclub in Bournemouth alongside Giggs and the crowd really showed me love. The feeling of all those people rocking to my music was just surreal.

If you could select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ would be number-one

The reason would be because it got me through some dark nights - and the drive to go and chase my dreams - and I still live with this mentality today.

Second, would be Mobb Deep’s Infamy

I think that every song on this album is a banger! Havoc and Prodigy are two of the best musicians ever in my eyes and, together, their music just does it for me. They also have that hard street vibe which also helped me when I was out hustling on the roads back in the day.

My third choice would be a few so I can’t choose one, but I would say it’s between Life After Death by Biggie Smalls, I Am by Nas; Gangster and a Gentleman by Styles P or It’s Dark and Hell is Hot by DMX.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through? 

Enjoy the journey, be original and make music that you like. Don’t let anyone dictate what direction you want to go in because music has no limitations.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ambush Buzzworl

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Recently, I have been focusing on my own music so haven’t really been checking out any other artists music that much, but I was on Spotify the other day and I came across a guy called Ambush Buzzworl. I have never heard of him before but he has a track called Blood and I like it a lot so go check it out.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I believe life is all about balance. So, I always mix things up. You know; too much of one thing can be bad for you. I always spend time with my family. My wife likes to watch films, so it’s usually cinema or something. We are also into our food, so we always out eating or clothes shopping.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that). 

Ok. Play 50 Cent - Patiently Waiting

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Follow EazyMan

Official:

https://www.eazyman.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/EazyManOfficial

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/eazymanofficial/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/EazyManOfficial/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/35OXrf6NxkGaTWAH9K7oxM

FEATURE: Spaß Ist Verboten! Are We Getting the Work-Life Balance Right?

FEATURE:

 

Spaß Ist Verboten!

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Are We Getting the Work-Life Balance Right?

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ONE of my biggest faults in life is…

spending too much time on the laptop and not really venturing outside. Maybe that is where I am based at the moment - better designed for relaxation than fun and sociability. That is all well and good because, when things get stressful and busy, it is good to step outside and take in some fresh air. I am looking around music and seeing so many people burning out and stressing about things. This is another topic I have written about before but I feel, more and more, we are not cutting loose and giving yourself some time off. The reason I chose the photos I did to lead the article – the thumbnail and main image – is because it is, obviously, quite arousing and eye-catching. It denotes a mixture of relocation and sex; a chance to let things go and close the eyes – I could have chosen a boring stock photo, but I felt the one above better represents what I am trying to say! Maybe a social life is more expensive than previous years but so many people in music are spending their time working and unable to switch things off. Even those who love music are spending their free time listening to music. I do it myself but wonder whether that is the best advice. Should we always be isolated or busy working; when do we really get a chance to step away and actually have a social life?

The more stress levels rise and mental-health problems exacerbate; the harder it is to discover a common remedy and guidance. So many of the musicians and creatives I know are single or in a challenging relationship. Their sex lives are quieter or non-existent and they are getting out into the world a lot less. My average day – whilst I am not working full-time – consists getting up and switching the laptop on at 7 A.M. I will work until 9 P.M. and have few breaks in that time. I am typing a lot and remaining quite distant from other people. There are a lack of young bodies in close contact with my home but I could get away and take a trip to London or somewhere else – drive down to the beach and amble there. I keep writing about issues like social and work balance because we are becoming more and more enslaved by technology and jobs. Musicians are among the hardest-working and most obsessive people out there. So many are turning to dating apps/sites – such as myself – and we are less confident getting into bars and busy areas and talking with people. Maybe it is a symptom of the digital age but music demands so much time of their faithful. Is it easy to switch from an open-all-hours approach and creating a finer balance?

It is hard to go from that full-throttle dedication to music to stripping it back to a part-time basis. Many people are working full-time jobs and doing music on top of it. The reason for this is simple: keeping the money in and being able to do what you love. I respect that sort of loyalty and passion but I wonder whether there is a human toll that is taking too much out of us. Can we quantify the psychological and physical cost of working endlessly and putting pressure on our shoulders?! Not only are we all self-critical and hard on ourselves; the music industry itself sets ideals and guidelines that we struggle to live up to. Many artists are touring every moment they have spare and, aside from the chance to drink after the show, they are moving to the next town and barely resting. We are watching screens and social media figures; work is dominating our lives and any free space we get involves watching T.V. or spending it at home. I have written about musicians and dating: how many have little time to date and there are few spaces/websites where likeminded artists/creatives can find one another. It is a topic I want to revisit because I feel a lack of physical connection and relationships is having a damaging effect. It does not necessarily mean sex or something casual: how many of us think we have time and energy to commit to something real and long-lasting?!

I am among many who struggle to create any sort of peace and fulfilment away from music – which has its benefits and fulfils me in a different way. A piece written back in 2015 is relevant in 2018 – music and its demands are as pressing and obvious:

“While many may envisage the life of a touring musician to be that of a glorified jetsetter, the reality is far from idyllic. A recent study by charity Help Musicians UK found that over 60% of musicians have suffered from depression or other psychological issues, with touring an issue for 71% of respondents.

Singer Alanna McArdle recently announced her departure from Cardiff punk band Joanna Gruesome for mental health reasons, her statement hinting that the strain of touring may have been a factor in her decision to quit.And when Zayn Malik broke the hearts of millions by pulling out of One Direction’s tour of Asia – leaving the boy band shortly after – a source close to the band told the tabloid press: “Zayn went because he’d had enough. Have you ever been on the road for four years? ”

“The classic image of a touring musician would seem counterintuitive to all we know about well-being,” says Isabella Goldie of the Mental Health Foundation. “Drinking in moderation, avoiding drugs, getting sufficient amounts of sleep, and having a support base of close friends and family nearby. These are the bonds that help keep you grounded ... It’s no surprise that some musicians struggle”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Nash/PHOTO CREDIT: Kelsey Hart/Little Ghost

Musicians are spending hours a day in vans and small spaces and being shuttled between airports. There is that transitory and nomad lifestyle that means there is no stable home and many get time to embark on relationships. It can be hard maintaining bonds with people who work different schedules and do not understand the demands of music – I know more musicians who are single than those in relationships. Artists like Kate Nash have spoken about her early career and how she was overworked and did not give herself a break. She has spoken about body-shaming and how she was called unattractive or overweight online or in the media. The need to ‘conform’ and look a certain way, coupled with the pressures of performing and keeping in the public eye could have had a devastating impact on her. She eventually stepped aside and gave herself a break – she is back in full swing now but a slightly less hectic schedule after that early burst has been a life-saver. Nash, in her early career, was living with her parents and did not have much time and space for a relationship. Many have that problem: not earning enough to be independent or, if they are, they feel they need to be working non-stop and ensuring people do not forget about them. The more competitive and open music becomes; the more artists have to push and promote their work.

Touring and having to play so many gigs – either because they do not pay much or you need to put that graft in – can create routine and give an artist a safe headspace. They know where they need to be and there is some sort of order involved. There is, as the aforementioned article says, a danger of the touring lifestyle:

“For many, the contrast between the highs of a successful show and the anti-climactic low that often follows can be hard to adjust to, a phenomenon that has been termed “post-performance depression’, or PPD. Mental health professional John C Buckner writes: “When the body experiences major shifts in mood, it is flooded with several different neurotransmitters, resulting in a biochemical release that leads to a feeling of ecstasy. After these moments the nervous system needs time to recalibrate itself to prepare for another release. After an exciting performance the body starts to balance out the level of neurotransmitters, and therefore it is not releasing the same level that caused the exciting feelings, resulting in the lingering sadness. In normal day-to-day life, biochemicals are released and rest/recovery follow, causing the typical ups and downs of life. In the case of PPD, the process is more extreme with higher highs and lower lows”.

There is a lot to digest and ponder when it comes to the modern musician. We can widen the remit and apply these considerations to others in the industry – from D.J.s and producers to journalists.

There are dark psychological traps and perils that face artists. They have little stability and work fiercely; relationships are lost/not started and there is that odd danger of stopping touring and having that brutal comedown. I have not even spoken about depression and how anxiety can be heightened when you feel you always have to be out there and working. We know the dangers and drawbacks but I wonder how many people are brave enough to take a stand and lead a fight – whether such a rebellion will ruin a career or be met with silence? I know there are artists who get out and socialise; many have healthy relationships there are many, you’ll be relived, who are happy and would not change things. I know many more who have staggering amounts of work to do and tour every day but like what they do. I guess, if you are satisfied and not feeling the strain, there is no real need to worry and change that habit. One of my biggest fears is we are sublimating true feelings to create that façade of content and happiness. I realise I work too long on the laptop and have that desire to put out a lot of good articles a week. My inbox is always busy and demands come in by the shed-load.

I used the image of a pouting, beautiful woman at the top – and a scantily-clad one below – to lighten the mood and, yeah, highlight the sort of fun, relax and sensuality we need to embrace. I am not going all Zen and Buddhist – even though I am sporting some pretty colourful healing gemstones/chakras. Are we all suffering social malabsorption and becoming anaemic? It can be hard finding contact and sociability if you live outside the city. Even if you are there, the cost of a night out can be quite daunting. I am not suggesting we all spend every night on the piss – a more pragmatic and mature approach to fun needs to be adopted. There is so much talk around mental-health and the wellbeing of musicians. Mental Health Awareness week kicks off on Monday there will be discussions around the rise in mental-health issues and its detriment to the industry. It seems like a perfect place to promote wellbeing a better work-life balance. Look at other nations and the way they approach the working week: fewer days being spent at the office and a more organic and healthy life. I feel we should all find a few hours a day to step away and completely disconnect from all technology. We need to find time during the week to go out and not feel the need to be involved with music and working.

Getting into that addiction where we forsake pleasures and fun and spend all of our free space working is not a good thing. Sure, we may love touring, recording and writing. If we detach and suddenly stop that; you will get that cold turkey approach and rapid detox – realising how dependant we are and what a shock to the system that transition is. I suggest a gradual easing which means the mind is focused on music but more time is found to explore the outside world, social elements and a general relaxation. It does not have to be anything as committed as a relationship or a regime/hobby: dedicating some valuable time to bond with others and not feel chained to your world not only benefits the mind but the body too. It is easy for me to say all of this – and will probably ignore my own advice – but I am worried about the plight of artists/creatives and how much is expected of them. They put so much pressure on themselves and feel guilty of if they give themselves a night off. It is understandable but, the more and more we get into that rut; it will cause long-term problems and make it harder to detach from. Make sure, whatever you do in music, to think about the time you put into work and ask yourself this question: do you really allow yourself…

ENOUGH time to breathe?

FEATURE: The New American Dream: Overcoming Hurdles and the Importance of Fulfilling Ambitions

FEATURE:

 

The New American Dream

 ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash 

Overcoming Hurdles and the Importance of Fulfilling Ambitions

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I have been sending emails out to various people…

with regards a project I am working on. I have talked about a music T.V. show and how important it is to get it out on the screens. I have also discussed the importance of keeping dreams alive and not being deterred by any obstacles. That second point, invariably, comes back to mind. I have been affected, like many, by the death of Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison. Not that this should be a blanket excuse for confession or a re-evaluation but it seems, when a great musician passes, there is a wake-up call and moment you have to look around. Whilst my challenge to transition to Manchester – moving areas and getting a job up there – is ongoing and (slowly) moving forward; music, inevitably, takes focus and keeps me moving in the right direction. A music T.V. show is not the only idea I want to get out there and make a reality. One of the reasons I have been revitalised to fulfil an ambition is an email back from D.J. Chris Hawkins – he presents a weekly early-morning show on BBC Radio 6 Music. I pitched the idea and wondered if he knew anyone (production companies or the BBC) would be interested in it. It is in the concept/early stages but the idea is simple: a show that harks back to The Old Grey Whistle Test and modernises it; keeping the performance element strong and featuring the best and most essential artists of the moment.

The response I got back was positive: to try the BBC – get them to pay for it – as they have commissioning rounds and it is the best place for it. The exchange was brief but it gave me hope that one of the biggest names in radio felt my idea was worth pursuing. I have been questioning the validity and strength of it as, when I pitch to production companies and gauge feedback; they want financing and do not look at unsolicited ideas without all the expense being raised. BBC is different in that they would finance it themselves – getting it commissioning, ironically, usually needs a production company behind it! It might be harder than going directly to the BBC but it seems, in terms of the weight of the idea, it holds plenty of scope and future. I am now determined to see it through to the end and make sure it gets a commission – even if I do not know what the title is of it yet! It got me thinking about other people in the industry that are deterred and deflated at the moment. Mortality and tragedy affect everyone but I think, more and more, the pressure and weight of expectation elevate desire and gets us all thinking loftily. I am seeing many revise their plans and downgrade their ambitions.

It is not the case that only established musicians and radio personnel, for instance, can get things done and make a difference in the world. It is harder for those with less clout/money but it is never lost. We all have to burden a certain stress and self-doubt and it can be hard seeing things through or thinking we are going to make it. What I am noticing is more and more people giving things up and doubting that they are capable of. I think now, in music, ideas and inspiration are needed more than ever. We have a lot of work to do and one is always looking for breakthrough and guidance. Among the plans I have heard from others are businesses to subsidise and keep venues open; a mental-health charity for musicians – some exist but one that is actively going out and helping those in need – and various other schemes. I am always impressed seeing musicians and creative people look beyond what they do and resolve to change things. I, for my sins, are hugely ambitious and want things to happen right away. I have, in the past, aimed to get a music café set up and a music website – which I am still keen on – in addition to a charity and a label. They are all quite lofty and expensive but the reason I wanted/want them to succeed is the gaps in the market.

A music T.V. show ties all of that together in its way and would fulfil all the other dreams. It has focused my mind and, regardless of cost and size, I want to take it step-by-step and keeping on top of it. I am aware other people might be working on similar ideas – just my luck I will get beaten to the punch – but the fact there is clear demand and need has spurred me to reach out and see what can happen. It is important not to abandon ideas and dreams because they seem too hard and appear far-fetched. I have often been downbeat and disheartened by rejection emails or big budgets; people saying it will not happen or there is a narrow market. I will, I hope, realise all the ambitions I have ever had when the ball starts rolling. I know what my first outing is going to be and would give a message to other creatives out there: if you have something in your head, do your research and keep a level head. It can be easy running forward and imagining how things will be and how good it is all going to look. When you do strike a nerve and have that realisation; you want it to be fulfilled and happen right away. I am in that same boat: I have learned to give it time and have faith a good idea will realise itself.

There are some big problems in the music industry and big holes that need filling. It would take a dedicated team to decide all the tangles and formalise improvements to make music stronger and more inspirational. From tackling mental-health issues and providing financial support to artists; I have heard of ideas and plans (from other artists) to do something about it and push things forward. I want to see so many things happen but understand why some people lose a bit of faith when things get rejected or shut down. We are told the American dream is reaching a Promised Land and having opportunities and a wonderful life. We know, in 2018, that fantasy is complete bullsh*t: America is ruled by a dictator and its desirability is debatable and waning. Gone are the days of getting a job and being able to do anything you want to do in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I can apply that to music and the dream that used to arrive into our ears through T.V. and print: you can be famous and make a big name for yourself in the industry. Maybe modern-day reality/talent T.V. shows propagate a modern-day version of that ideal. There is something toxic and misleading promising artists fame and fortune is they put their mind to it – some people can achieve that but most do not.

The biggest lesson we should be teaching is that everyone can make a difference; those smaller and personal ambitions are important and should not be downplayed. I have all these heady goals but something like a music T.V. show is quite modest. It will take time and compromise but I am eager to get it all shaking and have things happening. Others, who are doubtful of their chances, are scrapping ideas and feel they cannot make a success of things. The same goes for many musicians out there. There are those who want to get onto the big stages and get into the mainstream but feel the weight of competition and options out there mean they will never get there. Things take time and an instant gratification and realisation does not equate to failure and hopelessness.  There is a need out there and, if something feels right and promising, it is worth taking up and seeing how far you can get. Even if you are unable to realise an ambition or personal goal then set a new one and start from scratch. Things are hard but perseverance and tenacity are vital commodities. Not being defeated by the first slap of reality is a crucial discipline that can get you a long way. I will keep going with my T.V. show dream and will keep everyone abreast of its progress. To anyone out there who has any doubts and feels they cannot get where they want then take a lesson from me. I am one of those people who can feel a bit hopeless when someone says I cannot do it or an idea I have it too ambitious. Now, as I focus my mind, those doubts are still there – I will not let them dominate and influence my course. Keep a resolve and strong head because, even if you do not realise it now, the music industry sorely needs…

YOUR dreams and desires.

FEATURE: Latin Tongues and Exotic Rhythms: The Best Albums to Expect in June

FEATURE:

 

Latin Tongues and Exotic Rhythms

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

The Best Albums to Expect in June

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MAY is still producing…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kamasi Washington

sensational records but, for my money, June is the strongest month of the year so far – if you look at all the quality among the list below. I am, personally, excited to see Kamasi Washington’s Heaven and Earth arrive. It is a double album of Jazz wonder you will not want to be without.

Included in the June rundown are efforts from Let’s Eat Grandma, Father John Misty; Nicki Minaj, Lykke Li and Lily Allen – enough for the hungriest of music fans to get…

IN THIS PHOTO: Lily Allen

THEIR teeth into!

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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PHOTO CREDIT: Pari Dukovic for The New Yorker

Father John Misty – God’s Favourite Customer

Release Date: 1st June

Genres: Indie; Indie-Folk

Label: Sub Pop

Ben Howard - Noonday Dream

Release Date: 1st June

Genres: Singer-Songwriter; Alternative

Label: Island Records

Boy Azooga - 1, 2 Kung Fu! 

Release Date: 8th June

Genre: Alternative

Label: Heavenly

Jorja Smith - Lost & Found 

Release Date: 8th June

Genre: R&B

Label: FAMM

Gruff Rhys – Babelsberg

Release Date: 8th June

Genres: Alternative; Indie

Label: Rough Trade Records

Lily Allen - No Shame

Release Date: 8th June

Genre: Pop

Label: Parlophone

Lykke Li - So Sad So Sexy

Release Date: 8th June

Genres: Alternative; Indie-Pop; Art-Pop

Labels: LL Recordings; RCA Records

PHOTO CREDIT: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Nicki Minaj - Queen

Release Date: 15th June

Genres: Hip-Hop; R&B

Labels: Young Money Entertainment; Cash Money Records

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs

Release Date: 15th June

Genres: Guitar-Pop; Indie-Rock

Label: Sub Pop

Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth 

Release Date: 22nd June

Genre: Jazz

Label: Young Turks

Let's Eat Grandma - I’m All Ears

Release Date: 29th June

Genres: Art-Pop; Experimental

Label: Transgressive Records

FEATURE: By Hook or by Crook: Do Collaboration-Heavy Songs Add Something to Music or Are They Cheaply Commercial?

FEATURE:

 

By Hook or by Crook

ALL IMAGES/PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Do Collaboration-Heavy Songs Add Something to Music or Are They Cheaply Commercial?

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YOU can’t argue against the fact…

IN THIS PHOTO: Rita Ora

Girls, a song that has been in the press recently, boasts some pretty big names. Rita Ora leads the track but is joined by Charli XCX, Cardi B and Bebe Rexha. The single’s artwork (above) is eye-catching and it seems, from the outside, to be a confident and sassy hook-up among four women who at the top of their game. Whilst the song itself is not a complete train-wreck; many have argued it is not worthy of such hype and crowding. I wonder whether Ora could have delivered the song herself or trimmed the numbers you see on the track. I am a fan of Cardi B and she adds a little something to it – the collaborators on Girls seem to be there for the ride. It has been accused, by Hayley Kiyoko of providing a somewhat naïve and ignorant view of homosexuality. Looking at this article in Vulture, you can see her point:

“The topic of girl-on-girl has long been a staple of pop music, but as more openly queer artists make their mark on the industry, the more their perspective complicates the notion of singing about kissing a girl, and liking it, just for the titillation factor. Singer Hayley Kiyoko, whose fans famously call her “Lesbian Jesus,” took to Instagram on Friday to express her concerns about Rita Ora’s new song “Girls” featuring Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, and Charli XCX. The song, Kiyoko says, offers a “tone-deaf” fantasy version of queer and lesbian relationships….

…Pointing to lyrics like “Sometimes, I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls/Red wine, I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls,” Kiyoko says in part, “I don’t need to drink wine to kiss girls; I’ve loved women my entire life. This type of message is dangerous because it completely belittles and invalidates the very pure feelings of an entire community.” Writes the singer, “We can and should do better”.

There are some obvious points to take from this. Chief among them is the rather foolish and commercial lyrics. I am not sure who wrote the lyrics – whether the artists themselves penned it – but there is more besides a tone-deaf view of sexuality that stands in the mind. Whilst offence can be detected and addressing a subject like homosexuality needs to be dealt with (with) greater care; the quality of the song is not exactly sky-high. Here are artists of the mainstream who, between them, command millions of fans and inspire legions of fans. Whilst the message of Girls paints experimental and harmless tones – getting a little tipsy and kissing – there is a concern these lyrics are sending a bad message to the fans –  a clumsy and ill-thought-out portrayal of gender and sexuality. One of my biggest gripes concerns quality and the need for so many people on one track.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

It is more endemic of the streaming age we live in; the fact so many songs have endless names appearing on them. Girls is not the villain and sole culpable when we look at this problem: look at the weekly Spotify playlists – their New Music Friday – and you will see those songs that seem to feature everyone in the music industry! I can see where Girls is coming from: assembled a quartet of confident and popular female artists to perform a song that, in many ways, speaks to the experience of their demographics (the teen and pre-teen audience). I am not a gigantic fan of any of the four singers on the track but I wonder whether feature-heavy songs are a way of racking up Spotify figures and have commercialism in mind. If you were throwing four exceptional names in a song that stuck in the memory for years then you cannot argue: putting together four eminently commercial and of-the-moment artists into one song smacks of money-making and ‘hits’ – seeing how many views and streams we can get for this star-laden song! I guess it would be naïve to mention how commercial artists are more interested in profit, online success and winning the race – they should be more concerned with creating influence and making quality material. Pop music is changing a bit so that new artists are looking inwardly and writing from the pages of their diaries.

Whilst there are fewer collaboration-rich songs around, I still feel the market is too saturated with packed and muddled songs. Look at the greatest collaborations of all-time and one goes to the duet – a big artist brings someone else into their world and has something added to the music. The reason why artists join forces is to maximise quality and mix ingredients that lead to wonderful music. From Eminem and Dido ‘duetting’ on Stan; Elton John and Kiki Dee’s Don’t Go Breaking My Heart; Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox, Sisters Are Doin' it for Themselves – getting that balance right can lead to something exceptional. Fairytale of New York and 7 Seconds have that perfect blend; Don’t Give Up and Crazy in Love – Under Pressure (David Bowie and Queen) ranks as, perhaps, the best duet. It is not only the duet that appeals: you can create a fantastic song by adding three or four voices together. I am casting my mind back to a collaboration that actually stuck in my mind; one from the past few years that has lodged in the brain. There may have been one or two but, when I think of the best songs around, they are recorded by a band or solo artist (or a duo) – they do not rely on other people coming together.

Look at all those legendary duets – most recorded decades ago – and you can see what happens when you have an incredible song and fantastic artists to deliver it. Now, there seems to be the opposite approach: the quality can be so-so but, as long as you toss so meaty names together, it will sell and start trending. A BBC article, published in January, provided some worrying statistics:

“Nearly a quarter of the current UK top 40 is made up of tracks credited to more than one artist.

There's nothing too new about that, but if the first week of 2018 is anything to go by that could soon be on the rise. Rita Ora, Bruno Mars and Charlie Puth are part of collaborations already released this year, while the likes of Justin Timberlake and Mark Ronson are also set to unleash projects”.

You look at those names and a part of you shivers – they are artists who are now renowned for epic quality and are as Pop as you can get. If one-quarter of the charts is based on hook-ups then you have to argue it is not yielding results. Of course; there are collaborations in other genres – again; I cannot think of any that speak to me or have stood out. Why, then, do Pop artists join forces and inflict that kind of thing on the public? The article explains why record labels and bosses join artists together:

“Simon Cowell's Syco label pairing Little Mix and CNCO last year was a clear attempt to expose both acts to South America and the UK respectively.

Keep an eye out for Justin Timberlake teaming up with Alicia Keys as well as long-time co-writers Timbaland and Pharrell on his new album, while producer super group Mark Ronson and Diplo are set to launch their new project Silk City in 2018”. 

“Streaming now makes up over 50% of music consumption in the UK, more than any other platform…With fans all over the world being more accessible than ever, teaming up with other acts makes a lot of sense…Because these are global artists, or artists with the ambition to be global artists, you have to think about it in terms of having the biggest possible reach and streaming lends itself to that," says Gennaro. "With the right song and artist profile, it can cut through whatever the culture...There's a powerful sense that collaborations enhance your prospects of having a successful song".

I cannot argue against the motives at play. What does get to me is what collaborations seem to say about modern music: it is about boosting profiles, getting money in and all about figures. Where does quality and actual songwriting ability come into this?! All of my favourite songs and albums from the past ten years have been by the artist themselves – none of them has featured other acts at all. Aside from Beyoncé joining with Jay-Z; I cannot think of any collaboration that is natural and needed (maybe the Justin Timberlake song, with Alicia Keys, is as close to credible as you can get today).

I get a bit tired of scanning through the Spotify new releases and having to cancel my plans for the day because it takes so long scrolling through all the names on a single song! Pop, Rap and Hip-Hop are the worst offenders: bringing together crews of names that add nothing but the odd vocal, line or murmur. I have highlighted Girls because it is the definition of wasted potential: if you are going to bring four huge names together then I could think of other options; a better song that was not constructed simply to join fan camps together and get the streaming figures up. Many could argue there is no harm letting artists collaborate and making something a bit different. I support that notion but I wonder whether we need to see so many; if any of these efforts have yielded any decent music – and why all the best duets and collaborations from music are back in the past. I live in hope there will be collaborations that genuinely stand out and do what they are designed to do: create a song that genuinely benefits from having those artists involved. I wonder whether cynicism and business has overtaken genuine passion and curious experimentation – or whether there was commercialism involved with some of those huge duets I mentioned earlier. In any case; it would be good for musicians to focus and, if there are going to be these big-name fusions; let’s make sure the end result is something the music industry…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

CAN be proud of.

INTERVIEW: Sam and the Womp

INTERVIEW:

Sam and the Womp

___________

I have been speaking with…

Sam and the Womp about the new single, Posh Ragga. It is a busy and blissed track that gets the body moving and the spirits rising. Sam (who plays alongside Bloom in the duo) talks to me about their Bee Sides E.P. and what comes next; what they want to accomplish before the end of the year – what it feels like being compared to Dance innovators such as Basement Jaxx.

Sam tells me what comes next in terms of gigs; if he and Bloom get time to unwind away from the demands of music; the music they grew up around; how they got together and found one another – they each select a track to end the interview with.  

___________

Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

We good but manic! Juggling various recording projects and deadlines; promoting the new single and E.P. as well as organising gigs and moving house!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are Sam and Bloom, A.K.A., Sam and the Womp - famous for the hit song Bom Bom back in 2012. I (Sam) play the trumpet and Bloom sings. We both write the music and play various other instruments.

We like to dance and make people dance to! 

How did Sam and The Womp come to be? What was the reason behind that name, too?

I met Bloom on my birthday ten years ago and we jammed and loved what each other sounded like! The band came into being after enjoying festivals back in 2009, where we found a love for Gypsy, Ska and Dance music and thought a fusion would be fantastic! The Womp is the sound the bass makes, and the essence of what we do is brass and bass i.e. Sam and the Womp! 

Sam and Bloom. You have eclectic tastes! Which musicians did you grow up around?

We both grew up loving Radiohead and Miles Davis as well as Beastie Boys and Nirvana!

 

Talk about the track, Posh Ragga. What was the story behind it?

Posh Ragga has its roots in Turkish and Jamaican music. Sam met MC Solomon when on tour in Holland with another band called Brassroots (funky brass band) and got on well, so asked him to collaborate on this track and a few others. Solomon has been involved with the band on and off since the beginning. The rapping adds another dimension to the band, especially live.

It harks back to the sort of sound Basement Jaxx were producing around their debut, Remedy. Do you think Dance music has lost that colour and expressionism?

I think a lot of music, especially Dance music, these days has lost true feeling and is very synthetic. We try to bring real live vibes to the recordings. Basement Jaxx also did this - and we have been compared to them often.

Your Bee Sides E.P. brings together some songs many might not have heard. When did you realise the songs featured on the E.P. warranted further airing?

We have been holding back a lot of tracks which were not really singles but great album tracks or B-sides for a number of years and felt, if we didn't release them now, we never would! These tracks always go down well live. 

Are you looking ahead to further material and what comes next?

Yes! We wanted to build a bit of momentum this spring with the Bee Sides E.P. before releasing our brand new, super-fresh summer single. 

What do you hope to achieve in 2018? 

We hope our new music will be listened to, danced to and played out around the world! We are really excited by it all and looking forward to playing at the festivals this year.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Not one but three key moments! Playing at the Secret Garden Party and everyone singing back the lyrics to Bom Bom for the first time was amazing. Going on tour to Australia was even more amazing and playing Wembley Arena to 10,000 kids screaming was unbelievable! 

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Supporting The Prodigy would be sick as they have such an amazing live vibe! Radiohead would be amazing for Bloom's new project or, if we're feeling jazzy, Wynton Marsalis - my childhood trumpet hero! 

I would like a Sunday roast for the rider with all the trimmings! 

What gigs do you have coming up? What does your live show usually entail? 

We have our first festival on 26th May at HowTheLightGetsIn over in Hay. The audience is always very receptive and up for womping! We will perform trumpet, voice and .D.J (Dan - Sam's cousin) for this one. Bloom - artist name: 'Bloom de Wilde' - will also play a separate solo set on piano/guitar.

Lots of other festivals this summer with this line-up and the full live band is coming out in force later this year at Wilderness Festival. This is the real deal! Bloom, Sam and Solomon, - trumpet, sax; trombone, tuba bass/synth; keyboard, drums and FX!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be true to yourself - make the music you want to make, not what you think people will like. Be as live as you can on stage! Have fun! 

IN THIS PHOTO: The Comet Is Coming/PHOTO CREDIT: Fabrice Bourgelle

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Check out The Comet Is Coming – an amazing sax, synth and drums trio!  

Do you both get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Not much chilling happening at the moment as we are parents, but we have really enjoyed the recent hot weather and going to the fun fair - we went down the helter-skelter on Monday! 

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Bloom: Planet Dust - Bad Company

Sam: Dancing with the Moon - Balkan Beat Box

____________

Follow Sam and the Womp

Official:

http://www.samandthewomp.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/samandthewomp

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SamAndTheWomp/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/samandthewomp/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/samwomp

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3tgiOZXeC1DIimfprvfL64

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/samandthewomp/

INTERVIEW: Sylvette

INTERVIEW:

Sylvette

___________

SYLVETTE are a fantastic Manchester band…

who have been talking to me about their latest single, Rebirth, and the inspirations behind their album, Waiting in the Bliss. I ask the guys how they got together and what the scene is like in Manchester; the music they are influences by – they recommend some new artists we need to investigate.

Sylvette reveal where their name came from and what they have coming later in the year; where we can catch them on the road; whether they have time to get away from music; what special memories stick in their mind – the guys each select a song to end the interview with.

___________

Hi, Sylvette. How are you? How has your week been?

We’ve been great, thanks. We have just finished our U.K. tour, which was incredible, and now Charlie (our singer, guitarist and main songwriter) is on tour with New Order in Italy and Austria; so we are having a short break from writing. We’re all really excited to get back to playing together and preparing for our gig at Dot to Dot later this month!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are a five-piece Art-Rock band from Manchester, taking influence from the likes of Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel and Jeff Buckley. We’ve been playing together for just over two years and, in that time, we have done a huge amount of gigging across the U.K. - and we have just released our debut album Waiting in the Bliss.

Rebirth is your latest single. Can you describe what inspired it and the story behind it?

When I started writing Rebirth, I had an image in my mind of a man trapped in limbo after passing away. There he faces images of his past life and after working out the meaning of this he can break away and be reborn. I was reading a lot of Terence McKenna and practicing lucid dreaming during the writing process, which got me thinking about the afterlife and the idea of multiple different realities.

It is from your debut album, Waiting in the Bliss. Are there particular themes that influenced the songwriting? What was the experience like of putting the album together?

The album has a mixture of personal and concept based songs both of which were written across a long time period. A couple of the songs on the album reflect on growing up and the transition into adulthood and then a couple of the other tracks focus on the idea of the afterlife, death and rebirth.

I think it turned out this way because I was reflecting on leaving home and leaving that part of my life behind and, also, my relatives who passed away during the making of this record.

I believe you all come from different part of the U.K. and have wildly different musical tastes. How did the band find one another and coalesce into the cohesive unit we find now?

We all met in Manchester at Music College but Pete is the only Mancunian in the band. Although we all have different tastes; when we play together it just feels right - and it has done from day one. We all have a collective understanding of what we are trying to achieve. Artistically, our musical understanding of each other is getting stronger all the time. We all feel very lucky to have found each other.

Tell me about the real-life ‘Sylvette’: Picasso’s muse, Sylvette David. What is it about her that compelled the band’s name?

To be honest, when I named the band I didn’t think too much about the meaning or context of it. I just saw a Picasso painting of Sylvette that I found very striking and thought it was a really cool name. It wasn’t until a year later, when I was researching it, I realised that Sylvette was one of Picasso’s most prominent muses….

Is it true, Charlie, you have spoken to her?! What was she like?!

Yes, it’s true; I have been very lucky to speak to her on multiple occasions. I remember the first time very clearly. I was excited and nervous to speak to someone I had admired so much but she was so personable and kind that we just had a really chilled conversation. She’s an artist herself and we had a lot in common.

I sent her our music and she liked it so much that she gave us permission to use one of her paintings for the album artwork. We couldn’t be more grateful to her for it.

Who, would you say, are the main musical icons of the band? Whose artistry do you yearn towards most?

All of our musical icons have longevity in common: artists like Joni Mitchell, Arcade Fire; Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel; Love, Everything Everything and Buffy Saint-Marie have been huge influences on this album. In terms of artistry; I think that Radiohead have got to be our biggest influence. The have reinvented themselves on every record and never lost sight of what is important (across their twenty-five-year career).

What is the buzz like in Manchester? You guys have quite a fanbase there. How important are the people there to you?

There’s a lot of great music happening in Manchester at the moment and it’s been the perfect place for us to start our band. The people who come to our gigs time and time again mean so much to us. It gives us confidence in our music to see people have such a strong connection to it. Playing to our Manchester fans has been the making of us. 

Can we see you tour this year? What gigs do you have coming along?

We’ve just finished our first U.K. tour but we are in the process of sorting another one for September. Until then; you can catch us at Dot to Dot festival in Manchester on 25th May!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

In 2018, we hope to keep writing music that inspires us and keep steadily introducing our music to new people. It has been incredible to gig in places we have never played before and see how our music connects with people, so we are excited to do more of it!

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Ashley (the bass player) says his favourite memory in music was the feeling playing the 02 Ritz in Manchester. It is the biggest stage we have ever played and it was awesome to see how our sound translated to that scale. Dan’s (The newest member) favourite memory in music was playing to the Folk legend Izzy Young in Sweden.

Charlie’s favourite memory was the first gig he played with New Order. The scale of the set-up and the energy in the room was unlike anything else. I couldn’t help but visualise Sylvette doing gigs like that in the future!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

The advice that I’d give to artists coming through is to have patience and stay focused on making great music. When we first started, we were concerned with trying to ‘make it’, but it’s become clear that it is a long journey and the only way to do it is to stick at it for years and keep making great art.

ARTWORK: Luca Shaw

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Diving Station are a local band we love. We had the privilege to gig with them last year and they’ve released a stunning debut E.P. Go listen!

Other underground bands we love include Mister Twisted, Dave C. Rupert; The Mantis Opera, New Luna and Paige Kennedy. They are all brilliant!

IN THIS PHOTO: Dave C. Rupert

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

We get very little time to chill away from music but, when we do, Pete likes to go to the gym and do martial arts; Ashley is into his gaming and Oz and Charlie love silent films.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Thanks so much! Here are our song choices:

Origami Warfare – Diving Station

10 d E A T h b R E a s T – Bon Iver

The Red Telephone – Love

Streetlight – Dutch Uncles

Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult

____________

Follow Sylvette

Official:

http://sylvette.co.uk/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Sylvetteband

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sylvetteband/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/sylvette123

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1hC6KagQhr0XUOc3XzDnPH?si=CW5BOXwYR5ie6RnS1G1gtA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkxv8q_Sonj97wPe1UHgfg/featured

INTERVIEW: Tatum Rush

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Nora Smith 

Tatum Rush

___________

IT has been a real experience…

talking with Tatum Rush about the stories that go into his E.P., Mini Girls. I ask the songwriter about his music and some of his influences; whether he has a standout from the pack; which artists he grew up around; whether his Swiss and Italian D.N.A. impacts his music and aesthetic – I ask him about gigs.

Tatum Rush revels new artists to watch for; if he gets time to unwind away from music; the three albums that mean the most to him; what advice he would give to artists coming through; what he hopes to achieve before the end of the year – the ambitious and talented artist chooses a song to end the interview with.

___________

Hi, Tatum. How are you? How has your week been?

I won’t be able to complain about my week! I am grateful every morning for making time to do the many things that I love and not much else - I am completely blessed by the Sun God Ra.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I am Tatum Rush: singer, performer; songwriter, producer and video artist; cross-pollinating (a word I detest) through today's musical landscape, from Pop to R&B; over to Latin, back to Pop; not without contraband. I am a sane and decent R. Kelly attending a total-reset Osho seminary in Doha. The un-attentive public might, flatteringly, box me as a typical mainstream artist but, if you dig under the paving stones, there’s the beach!

Your E.P., Mini Girls, is out on 1st June. Can you tell me about the themes that inspired it?

Mini Girls was inspired by...girls. Women, to be politically correct. Every song in this E.P. is a direct conversation with a female counterpart inhabiting my social, poetic and libidinal imaginary. Just like a rich girl's limited edition Barbie collection, you will find the princess from a far-away Eastern kingdom; the evangelical Brazilian bride, the Parisian philosophy student going to the club in a Mini Cooper...it is not easy to deal with these sophisticated ladies, not even for Tatum Rush - that's why you will find both turmoil and bliss in every song. 

Talk to me about the tracks. Is there a favourite you would choose from the pack?

Mini Girls is a fortunate track. Everybody I know likes it (or at least pretends to). It's a very diverse set of songs: each one is a distinct aesthetical experience. My secret favourites are Bahiana, a Pop-Latin novella and Imperial Odalisque, an orientalist Dance painting. Both songs were inspired by my past journeys to places that marked me.

I heard a preview of Bahiana (ft. Nancy Deleuze), your next single (out on 18th May). What is the story behind the song?

Bahiana was inspired by reminiscences of images and sounds caught travelling in Northern and Central Brazil. I had in mind atmospheres like the annual ceremony for Yemoja, the Goddess of the Sea, where women in white dresses walk into the sea offering flowers and champagne to the wind. Passing glances of lovers on scooters in the neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro...

I asked the Swiss-French-Brazilian artist Nancy Deleuze (courtesy of Electric Heroes Records) to help me write it - and I think she did something beautiful.

You have worked with other artists before – directing the video for Fai Baba’s track, Can’t Stop Loving You. Do these collaborations give you influence and energy when it comes to your own music?

Fai Baba is my good friend.

We used to be flatmates until a rare Indian bug infestation forced the demolition of the building. It's funny. When I'm in the midst of creating music, at some point, I always try to imagine the possible facial expression of a good friend such as Fai as if he would be listening to it for the first time. Fai always gives me energy and vitality.

You are a Swiss-Italian composer. How does your background and D.N.A. guide your music and tastes?

I am very lucky; I have both American and European cultural backgrounds, plus, I travel a lot. Ticino or Switzerland has a history as a destination for so many great artists...

As I noted in a previous interview, bizarrely, many came to die in Ticino. For example, George Harrison. Today, it's a very strategic place because it is at the intersection of Paris, Berlin; Milan, Copenhagen or any other continental adult-playground EasyJet-listed city you like and, at the same time, it's full of quiet idyllic retreats on lakes and such. I try to keep my artistic intuition intact, safe from too many influences; so, often I'm happy to be able to chill by the lake and drink a Cosmopolitan.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nora Smith.

Which artists did you grow up around? Tell me who you count as idols…

A reduced list in chronological order: Michael Jackson, Riverdance; Robbie Williams, a bunch of Italian rappers; Cypress Hill, Zap Mama; Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Bossa Nova Friends; Pat Metheny, Pat Martino; Wes Montgomery, Toots Thielemans; The Beatles, Joni Mitchell; Sly and the Family Stone, R. Kelly; Erykah Badu, Claudio Villa; Piero Umiliani, Jai Paul and Joni Mitchell...again and again.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christophe Coënon

Do you have any gigs lined up? Where are you heading?

I'm presenting my E.P. in Paris at the Olympic Cafè on 27th June! I’m working on a South American tour for next fall...

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I really hope something goes terribly wrong with the anthem song they selected for the FIFA World Cup Russia, and that the deciding committee picks my song, Bahiana, to replace it A.S.A.P.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Yes. While working as a stagehand at a Jazz festival, I remember my mission to hail a cab for a lady hooker hired by Buddy Guy, the Blues legend, because his manager wouldn't let her ride in the limo with the crew.

During the wait, she shared with me a very interesting and vivid life story…

PHOTO CREDIT: Nora Smith

If you could select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

A Trip to Brazil Vol.1 and 2 is a freeway-stop Bossa Nova compilation that made me want to become a musician.

Pat Metheny Group - Still Life (Talking) is the album thanks to which I became a musician.

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) gave me the groove.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Stop trying to come through for a month or two; do something else.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Check out Bauchamp, Nancy Deleuze and Dorian Ravallo.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

All the time I get to make music is luxury, so no chillin' away from nothin'. Maybe, I'll take a break to have a sip of a Cosmopolitan.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Arthur Russell - Losing My Taste for the Night Life

____________ 

Follow Tatum Rush

PHOTO CREDIT: Juliette Henrioud

Official:

http://www.tatumrush.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thisistatumrush/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tatumrush/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/tatum-g-rush

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/47p2js8l70JjDWGS0a1hqr

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZSeC8vuHu9CjpW96znivOg

TRACK REVIEW: GAZELLE - Stay for the Night

TRACK REVIEW:

 

GAZELLE

Stay for the Night

9.5/10

 Stay for the Night is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/track/5ujSLrsAoUcnIxDRzDUVQ2

GENRES:

Electronic-Soul; Pop

ORIGIN:

Liverpool, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

8th May, 2018

_________

I am always looking around for artists...

who fulfil all my needs and give me something to get excited about. I will talk about GAZELLE in a bit but, before I come to her, I wanted to address a few things. I want to talk about musicians who have a spark and true personality about them; bonding with sounds and curiosity at a young age; the music and legacy of Liverpool; fascinating stories that compel stories and interest; artists who are the complete and real deal; female artists and embracing sounds that are perfect for where music is right now. You look at GAZELLE and read her story and there is something about her. Not only is she arresting and stunning but there is a command and sense of confidence that leaps out and hits you. I will talk about her current single in a bit but, when you look at GAZELLE’s biography and where she has come from; you are drawn in and hooked. I am seeing a lot of artists come through but, for the most part, they are not staying in my mind. It is hard standing out from the pack in such a busy and crowded market. Every day, we are exposed to fresh artists and expected to take it all in and understand what they are about. I wonder whether the fact music is so crowded means we do not retain as much as we should and move on to the next artist. You do not want to move on from GAZELLE! She has a blend of cheekiness and vulnerability that implores you to finds out more and get behind her. There is a certain look and sound the Pop market looks for from its new artists: more and more; new acts are rebelling against that and going deeper and breaking with convention. We are seeing fewer processed and generic artists emerge; acts like GAZELLE add an original spin to the genre and put in bag-loads of personality. I have learnt a little about her but so much is delivered and revealed in the music.

One of the main reasons I feel GAZELLE is bound for big success is the way she adds her personality and spark into the music. Instead of copying someone else or aiming for a certain market; you get a pure and determined artist who dominates her own territory. Apart from a natural beauty and an immense sense of confidence; there is the music itself – it pops from the page and gets right inside the heart. Although Stay for the Night is new from GAZELLE; she has been around a bit and cut a few songs. In the conclusion, I will look at where she might head and what she can achieve this year. I am listening to a lot of older music because of the character and colour I get from it. I love some of the new artists making their way into music but, more and more, my mind shifts back to the music of the past. I look at GAZELLE and see is someone who wants to go very far in the music industry. One receives a real physical expression and delivery from the young artist. It is interesting listening to her voice and the music being produced…you know there is room for manoeuvre and mobility. I hear her sing and one can imagine a natural step to Hip-Hop or Rap; GAZELLE has that love of Jazz so something smokier and more alluring might be possible; she has the ability to step into club-based music and create a Dance smash. There are very few artists around who are able to step into various genres and project so many nuances. Right now, with her single; you have an Electro-Pop smash that is turning heads and getting into the public forum. Maybe my demands are too high but I am disappointed about the lack of real energy and depth coming from artists now. GAZELLE’s history and her present ambitions mean she is truly unique and bound for greatness.

I will come back to GAZELLE’s past and her story in a bit but, right now, a look even further back. We all get involved with music at different stages in life. For me; I think I heard my first piece of music at around two or three – the sounds of Tears for Fears coming from the radio in my first home. It is a spotty memory but the sound of their biggest hit, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, is lodged in my brain. In fact; those twinkling and evocative introduction notes still elicit magic and kiss after hundreds of listens! From there, I fell for bands like T.Rex and was exposed to a lot of Beatles vinyl – building to where I am now and the passion I have. GAZELLE, like many musicians, got involved with Jazz and greats like Nina Simone. In fact…do THAT many people have that great a taste so young? Even though her music departs from the silky and enraptured vocals of Simone; the musicianship, sense of feel and confidence one gets stems from her exposure to Jazz. I can imagine the young girl curiously sat back drinking in all the beauty and genius of Nina Simone. Simone, when you listen to her being interviewed, is a bold and, at times, spiky presence who certainly speaks her mind. I am not saying GAZELLE is anything like that – she seems incredibly sweet and lovely – but being drawn to such a strong figure has influenced what she does not and how her music sounds. The aspiring artist played piano and clarinet at school and fell for all the liberty and opportunity music provided. In addition to Nina Simone, I can imagine other artists coming into GAZELLE’s life. Not to get ahead of the game, but I feel a bit of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday was there; some Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington. I can hear the sexuality and fire of Nina Simone; I get hints of the vulnerability and emotion of Holiday; the experimentation and brilliance of Ellington and Fitzgerald.  

In terms of my evolution as a listener; I moved from the 1980s best – and the tastes of my parents – the music of the 1990s. The Dance and club classics of the day are the ones that stick in my mind the hardest. Throw in Grunge, Britpop and all the majesty of the 1990s and you have a broad and eclectic palette. I am not sure how GAZELLE developed from Jazz – she is younger than me – but I can imagine some of the 1990s’ best were thrown into the mix. Like me; the young and hungry artist seems discontent doing anything but music. I can see her, as a girl, sifting through C.D.s and listening to her parents’ music; sitting by the radio and listening to the chart rundown. As the new century broke; she must have been excited to see all the changes in the industry – from the rise of British Hip-Hop artists (like Dizzee Rascal and The Streets) and the more emphatic and bold Dance music that was coming along – like Darude (Sandstorm), Spiller (Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) and ATB (9PM Till I Come). That mix is a sweatier and more explicit form of Dance/Electronic than one got in the 1990s (where we had everyone from Dr. Albarn, CeCe Peniston and Basement Jaxx keeping us entertained. If you link the two together – GAZELLE’s love of Jazz and the music she would have experienced as a young girl (looking back at the 1990s, too) then you have a heady and rare brew. What I have noticed with a lot of musicians who pick up instruments young is they often move into other genres and dispense with that earlier teaching. I am not sure whether GAZELLE will go more into Jazz in the future but, seeing the talent she has, it would be possible to create an E.P. with traditional and smoky Jazz songs and sunny, rousing Electro-Pop songs. The world is open for GAZELLE and she has so many chances to rule and command.

I will come back to GAZELLE’s timeline but, before then, I will go to Liverpool and have a chat about the music there. I am, in the next few months, moving to Manchester and leaving behind the South. I am looking for the buzz and excitement of the city and the friendliness of the people. Some people do not look beyond London for new music and quality: eyes tend to be blind and we do not quint enough to see the brilliance available in the North. I will chat about GAZELLE and local exposure – it seems Liverpool is a great place for her to make music. Maybe she will sojourn and relocate to London – when artists get big; so many of them come to the capital – but I hope she remains where she is. Liverpool is a great city that mixes cultures, nationalities and tastes. One can easily see the teenage GAZELLE swaggering down town in some new webs and jibbing off some scuzzy lads; having a bifter and ignore the plazzy girls spitting and giving full attitude (I shall dispense with my attempts at Liverpool slang as it sounds completely fake coming from a southern softy!). My point is she has mixed the realness and character of the city with the beauty and culture that stems from every rose, pub doorway and historical monument. I will tip my hat to romantic exposure and song inspiration but, when I was mentioning musical tastes; I was remiss for not mentioning some of the acts based out of Liverpool. More modern – sort of – acts like The Coral (Hoylake lads) and The Cheap Thrills; Clean Cut Kid and Aystar; She Drew the Gun and Life at the Arcade. There are a tonne of boss (sorry!) bands and artists keeping the pure red of Liverpool gleaming and ecstatic. Look at established and legendary Liverpool acts like Cast, A Flock of Seagulls; The Lightning Seeds and Echo & the Bunnymen and there are obvious reasons why Liverpool holds such merit and reputation.

I have not mentioned the biggest Liverpool band of all time: Atomic Kitten…only kidding! The Beatles MUST have been part of GAZELLE’s early life: not because she is in Liverpool but because it is a unanimous and universal taste! When I listen to GAZELLE’s music and the way she expresses herself; I can hear her native tongue and shades of the mop-haired foursome. That might sound like a stretch – my ears are Vulcan-like! – but listen to an early slice of vinyl like Please Please Me (an underrated work of genius from the boys!) and there is SOMETHING one can compare between the 1963 release and what GAZELLE is doing now. Look at all the experimental bands and acts of Liverpool and the great Pop and Rock being made right now - ALL of this goes into her work and demeanour. I sense the young artist can go in any direction she likes. Her Jazz background, tied to Electro Pop could take her down one path; she could easily score a modern Pop jam or something impossible sensual and smoky; some fierce and knuckles-to-the-ceiling rave; a princely Dance banger that has people jumping and hemisphere shifting - the world, as I say, is her oyster! You look at great venues in Liverpool such as The Zanzibar Club, 02 Academy Liverpool; Kazimer, The Caledonia and The Shipping Forecast and there is a solid local foundation. Whereas many venues are closing in London and other parts; it seems the economy and loyalty of Liverpool is preserving venues – apologies if my local knowledge is flawed and any of these spaces have had to close their doors! I can imagine GAZELLE has played these spaces – or some of them – and is keen to explore everything the city has to offer. Toss in Sound City 2018 (that ran between 5th and 6th May) and it seems, I hope, a lot of eyes are turning the way of Liverpool. The aspiring artist has little reason to leave the people and passion of the city…maybe London’s assets and musical wealth will tempt her down?

I will end the introduction section by looking at female artists but, before I get there; I wanted to look at GAZELLE’s life after childhood and her time in France. I am not suggesting her time there involved a lot of drinking, adventure and wild nights – you picture a young woman moving to a new country and exploring every elicit and sexual thrill – but there was an unhappiness when she first moved there. She studied Chemistry during a university exchange of Versailles. The locally-placed Hall of Mirrors (in the Palace of Versailles) would have been an ironic and vivid revelation: the reflection staring back would have been an unhappy and displaced one. Whilst GAZELLE was acclimatising and trying to settle into a new landscape; the revelation of a desperate cry - Sauve mon âme! – meant she joined an underground art commune. This is what I mean about GAZELLE: she already has the life and characteristics of a Jazz legend! France, inevitably, plays a part in anyone’s life who loves Jazz. It seems the passion and the openness of the people embraces Jazz/Jazz-minded more than anywhere else. I could easily see GAZELLE’s life and upbringing turned into a biopic! She would spend her nights singing in a band and working as an Au Pair during the day. She taught herself guitar and fell for Electronic artists like Jamie Woon and their ilk; captivated by new beats and the language of love. This heady concoction kept her buoyant and satisfied. Rather than the cliché chemical and sexual experimentation one would associate with an underground commune – French, at that – instead; you get musical curiosity and a formative moment for the Liverpool songwriter. When she returned home and got her feet back under the table; that new exposure led her to tackle local bars and play guitar there. Acts like Lauryn Hill and India Arie – Gregory Porter and Erykah Badu, too – were new idols and helped craft that unique vocal style. That sort of takes us to now and where the young artist is. She has had that exposure and rare upbringing; an assortment of experiences that all go into her spectacular and rare treasure chest.

Before I get to the song itself; I’ll quickly touch on song inspiration and female artists. There is an ongoing argument that festivals and gigs are not featuring enough women in their line-up. I agree there is oversight and more needs to be done – are tastes and festivals trained towards men; does music favour male artists?! I feel there is that culture where we assume there are few female artists and the biggest draw will come from men. That is wrong because, as you look out, there are so many incredible female artists ready to explode! I feel there is still that sexism and naivety that means ignorance rules and so many great female artists are being overlooked. There are strong role models working away but is there enough reinforcement?! I wonder. GAZELLE is someone who can add her voice in the market and help affect real change and movement. She can handle the pressures of the big stages and has music that we all need to hear. She is getting some great gigs and opportunities right now but I wonder, when she gets proper-big; will the festivals look towards men?! I hope things change real soon. Stay for the Night is inspired by a friend of GAZELLE and a sort of love at first sight (I do not believe in that so let’s replace ‘love’ with ‘attraction’) experience. In an interview I conducted with GAZELLE; I asked about the inspiration behind her new song:

“…My mate met her boyfriend at Leeds festival a few years ago when we were there together. I find it so much easier to write about very specific experiences. The lyrics tend to be far more descriptive that way.

I think the exact story was that he spoke to her in Welsh in the middle of a crowd and she happened to know one phrase in Welsh which was “Shut up and go to bed”, which she replied with (and the rest was history). Pretty funny. I didn’t manage to get that bit into the song, unfortunately”.

That is a rather charming and lovely story one does not hear too much of! I guess we all have opinions of modern love and how people come together. I asked GAZELLE whether she has had that same spark and festival attraction. She has, like so many, caught eyes and felt that rush – there is that fire but, sadly, nothing materialised into romance. Being at a festival and surrounded by thousands of people; there are countless chances to meet someone and have that blossom of love – or the one night of sex and not going from there. I am glad this story is more than sex and the physical: there is something more material and long-lasting about the festival sweethearts! I am not sure whether the two are still together but it is a perfect inspiration for a song that has a unique eye. It is fitting that a song that could score festivals and summer gigs talks about two people meeting at such an event. Love and relationships often inspire songs and fine moments: maybe, when more material is out, GAZELLE will look at her own lusts/experiences and put them into the music.

I have listened to Stay for the Night a few times now and get a fresh blast of revelation each time I do. I am not sure whether there will be a music video for the track (there should!) but I can imagine GAZELLE and her friends chatting and dancing to the music whilst, across the way, her mate spots the boy – eyes lock and their seduction and connection follows the music. In fact, I can see a Michel Gondry-like video transpiring. The conversations and dance would be in time to the music and it would be a single shot – the camera never loses eye contact – with the sweethearts moving from scenes and locations (at the festival) whilst the night draws in. Rather than leap ahead and pitch the video myself – I might as well direct the bloody thing; such are the ideas coming to mind – you listen to the song and can present your own visions. The track wastes no time getting underway and making its presence felt. There are burbling and bubbling vocals captured under the jar of electronic heat. A warped and processed sound projects images of festival rush and excitement.  The song has that energetic and rousing chest that struts forward and brings the heat. You listen to the first notes and get that view of sunshine and bodies enraptured by the music. When the heroine comes the microphone; you get a soulful and rich voice that has chocolate, sensual entice and commanding tones mingling together. She recounts the story: the girlfriend saw the guy as their bodies were swaying in time to the music. With her lemonade-tinged drink and coffee-brown eyes; the petite woman leapt towards the boy and made her introductions. GAZELLE presents the scene and dynamics splendidly. You get those fine details (the drink and colour of eyes) but are left to explore and wonder other details – which band were on when that meeting happened; where were they exactly. It gives the song a mix of obvious and open-for-guessing that excites me hugely.

The composition is kept fairly unobtrusive as the heroine speaks about that flame and kismet. In the sun, they “started something beauty” and danced the whole night through. That chorus implore – to stay for the night; if only for tonight – comes in and is delivered with intensity and romance. There is less of the cheap thrill – getting your rocks off and having that thrill – and more of wanting to keep the conversation flowing. They have that instant attraction and do not want to leave things. In a way, you have a modern love story that reflects classic films. There are two people natural for one another and bonding over music and common traits. They could go their own way but they do not want to squander something special. GAZELLE, as narrator, reflects this physicality and perfectly articulates the emotions evident from the off. You get funky guitar flecks alongside soulful beats and clicked percussion. The music dissipates as the man kisses the woman on the forehead – they are leaving things where they are but it seems the opposites are attracted. Whereas they danced all night; you wonder whether it was fun in the moment but things are not destined to go past that. It is fascinating seeing all the elements brewing in the song. You start with that Electro rouse and bang before mutating into Soul and Jazz. GAZELLE’s voice is the instrument that stands out the loudest. She has the soulfulness and addictiveness of Lauryn Hill and an instancy that gets into the heart. She can change her tones and projections when the music calls for it – moving from rampant and physical to heartfelt and passionate. Stay for the Night takes the listener into the scene and the dialogue between the sweethearts. In a way; the song is the start of a concept E.P. that needs some answers: did the two remain together (you assume so) and what happened after that first night? Did they start dating soon after and where are they now? The listener will have those questions and want resolve. It is a fantastic track perfect for summer and the busy festival crowds. GAZELLE has entered a competitive market and already managed to stand aside with a stunning and intense cut. Her voice is the magic ingredient that puts the song into the stratosphere! The way she handles and treats words gives the song a realness and sense of personality. You will come back to Stay for the Night time and time again; compelled by various aspects and learning something new each time!

I will end things here and leave you all be – I hope my words have done justice to GAZELLE and what she is all about. I know there have been other moments in her cannon but Stay for the Night is where she is now and her declaration into the world. She has just played BBC Introducing/BBC Merseyside and will be in London on Wednesday for a live Facebook session for Pirate Studios – I might be in the area at the time. GAZELLE has been busy being interviewed and promoting her new track. A lot of new people are turning onto her and the future is very bright. I am not sure what she has planned in terms of touring and material but I can imagine there are those great local gigs and stuff down in London. I can imagine her getting spots further afield and a proper U.K. tour coming together. In terms of material and new stuff; I would like to see an E.P. from her. GAZELLE has such a broad taste and ability – an E.P. from her could be all-Electro or throw in some Jazz and guitar music, too. The striking songwriter is getting ready to attack the summer and, with that, festival demands will be close. I would like to see more people take to her music and give her the stage to shine and resonate. There are wonderful artists out there but none that have the same characteristics and contours as GAZELLE. She is that rare type of human being: fascinating and compelling and born with natural talent and confidence. All of this comes through in her music. I am not sure whether the young songwriter will want to see how Stay for the Night fares before making her next move. Whatever she plans - maybe a quick break to recharge the batteries! – it will be fascinating to see! Stay for the Night is a song that shows GAZELLE, in a good way, is on her bill (sorry – last slang from me!). She occupies a rare space that will inspire other artists and shows, in GAZELLE herself, we have a musician who will…

BE around for decades to come.   

____________

Follow GAZELLE

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/thisisgazelle

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thisisgazelle/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thisisgazelle

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/thisisgazelle

INTERVIEW: MAYPINE

INTERVIEW:

MAYPINE

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AS I type this…

the talented bodies of MAYPINE are traversing the U.K. and bringing their stunning brand of music to the masses. I have been afforded some time to ask the band about their forthcoming (out on 6th July) E.P., Bend/Break, and what we can expect from it.

They talk about their formation and what Brighton (where they are based) is like for music lovers and normal folk alike; what music/artists they vibe to; if there are any new acts we need to get out ears around; if they get any chance to relax away from music – they each choose a tune to end the interview with.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Jase: Very well, thank you! How are you? It’s been a busy week this week. Our new single, Give, was premiered on the Radio 1 Rock Show by Daniel P. Carter! It’s been a dream for all of us for so long so, yeah, it’s been exciting!

Becky: Great, thanks! It’s been amazing to finally release a new song - feels like a long time coming! 

Tommy: It's been great, thanks! Was at Teddy Rocks Festival seeing some of my favourite bands. Feeder and Ash were headlining - my two favourite bands of all time! I discovered so many cool bands, too.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

Jase: We’re MAYPINE; we’re a five-piece Alt-Rock band based in Brighton. (F.F.O: Decade, Thrice and Lower Than Atlantis).

Bend/Break is your forthcoming E.P. Can you reveal the sort of themes and ideas that are explored throughout?

I had a very rough 2017: overcoming some hardships as a result of a house fire. It definitely took its toll on me, mentally. A lot of the pain and anguish and emotions that I felt at the time are explored on this E.P… 

Becky: it’s been great to explore some new sounds to create different atmospheres on the E.P. I feel like these new songs have allowed us to experiment more, sonically, and to use Jase’s lyrics as inspiration.

Jase: Absolutely. We spent a long time tracking guitars for this record, messing about with effects pedals. Neil Kennedy is a wizard! I feel like the experimentation has paid off, though: these are definitely our most mature and developed songs. We’re all really proud of this record - and it’s been very therapeutic for me!

Tommy: We're not as moody in person as we are on record… 

Is it true the E.P.’s title comes from American football parlance?

Jase: It is indeed! I’m a huge American Football fan (the sport, though; the band are cool, too). I even played a bit at university! Essentially, the term relates to the idea that a defence could give up a lot of yardage to the offence but, if they don’t allow the other team to score, they’ve bent but not broken.

As it relates to the record, it’s a metaphor for the strain that I was under for most of last year. Though I struggled mentally, I never gave in and I’m a much stronger person for having been through that experience.

This will be your debut E.P. – despite the fact you had an E.P. out there. Do you think your previous work is not a fair and appropriate representation of where you are and what you do?

Becky: I think it was an E.P. that did reflect us, musically, at the time, as we’ll always create music that’s authentic to us and what we believe in. However, I think, whilst touring that E.P. and growing in our musicianship and friendships with each other, we changed and developed so much as musicians and people - and I feel like Bend/Break is a reflection of that.

Tommy: I'm not shy about our previous work: it got us into shape to put out the record you'll hear in July, which we are all so very proud of.

How did MAYPINE get together? Is there a story behind the name, too?

Jase: Dan and I started writing together for another project. We knew each other from having played shows together as part of different bands. We found James and Becky on Join My Band (other sites are available…). I knew Tommy from an old band way back in the day!

Becky: My girlfriend and I came up with MAYPINE by putting random words together. We liked the idea of having an ambiguous name; one that didn’t tie us to one specific genre, to give us the room to be as creatively free as possible! 

You are based in Brighton. Is it a perfect place for a band like MAYPINE? What are the best reasons to come down to Brighton?

There’s always something going in Brighton, especially when it comes to shows and music. I love how many friends we’ve made through the scene down here and how supportive everyone is - I think Brighton always has an awesome atmosphere and a buzz! 

Jase: The variety of vegan food in Brighton is insane! Definitely, come to Purezza (vegan pizza) or Happy Maki (vegan sushi). The music scene, as Becky said, is great! There are so many cool venues like Concorde 2 and The Haunt, right down to the smaller venues like The Hope and Ruin, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar; The Pipeline and Green Door Store!

There’s also a bunch of festivals like The Great Escape, The Alternative Escape and Washed Out Fest…so we’re a bit spoilt for choice here, to be sure! Shout-out to Sugar Free and Indigo Music for putting on such cool shows! 

Tommy: The Brewdog bar…

Do you all share a taste in music - or is it quite diverse in the ranks?!

Jase: We’ve all got quite diverse music tastes. I watched a Trophy Eyes documentary about Chemical Miracle; how they all had diverse musical tastes that inspired the album and it definitely inspired me when writing Bend/Break. James and I are quite big Metal fans; Tommy has an eclectic taste ranging from Fightstar to Elliott Smith; Dan is a massive Blink-182 fan... 

Becky: I love Pop and singer/songwriter stuff as well as some Indie-Rock which was what I’ve been listening to loads at the moment. At the time of writing the guitar parts for Bend/Break, I was listening to Julien Baker and Now Now a lot. 

Where are you heading on tour? Where can we catch you?

Jase: We’re in Bristol on 12th May at Mothers Ruin and Guildford on 13th at The Star Inn with our mates, Evertim! We’ve got a bunch of shows in the pipeline, though, so watch this space…we can’t wait to get on the road and meet as many people as possible, though!

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Becky: We’re always striving to play to as many people as possible and share our music with as many people as possible. We always hope that people will connect with our songs and that it takes us to places we’ve never been before! 

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Jase: Definitely, playing The Haunt recently with Silverstein. That was incredible! It was an honour to open for a band as prestigious as them (and they’re all super-nice!). I’m looking forward to making new memories with my best friends on the road! 

Tommy: Definitely, the show with Silverstein! I remember listening to their song, Smile in Your Sleep, on-repeat as a kid. I also remember supporting Fickle Friends with Jason back in 2012 or 2013. They were just starting out but absolutely blew me away!

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Jase: For me, it’d be The Wonder Years! As for a rider...we’re quite low-key: I guess, we’d just like some water - and some vegan snacks for me!

Tommy: Jimmy Eat World. I need to give Jim Adkins a hug and tell him that everything is ok. Best lyricist alive today.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Jase: Enjoy it! Make music you love with people that you love. It can be tough to be in a band at the best of times, so those two things are important!

Tommy: Fresh strings and tuner pedals. I've been through far too many guitars/basses over the years and I've finally learnt to treat them right!

Jase: Tommy always bleeds all over his bass! I’m not so sure that’s taking care of it, but hey ho! 

IN THIS PHOTO: Evertim/PHOTO CREDIT: Gingerdope Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Jase: Evertim! Or, if you like heavier music, Tempest! Both are local bands doing big things right now (R.I.P. Idle Shores). 

Tommy: I recently discovered Lizzy Farrall. She's wonderful.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Jase: We all work full-time around our music so we’re always pretty busy! Spending time with family and friends is important for all of us! We’re all so passionate about music that it even seeps into our free time! We all go to gigs whenever we can! 

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Jase: Pyramids of Salt - The Wonder Years, please!

Becky: T-Shirt Song - Don Broco

James: Rapture - Touché Amoré

Dan: Even If She Falls – Blink-182 

Tommy: A Little Lost - Sufjan Stevens 

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Follow MAYPINE

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MAYPINEuk

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MAYPINEUK/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/maypineuk/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/maypineuk

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5AwwX1P1Saf9dw2nq3oclb?si=1C8To3oCSU2BaynM1PbEhA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEdIDlqdwS4H34UKSc-z3RQ

FEATURE: No Loud Noise Equals a Big Gamble: Should Albums Like Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Be Punished for Being Different?

FEATURE:

 

No Loud Noise Equals a Big Gamble

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Should Albums Like Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Be Punished for Being Different?

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THE announcement of Arctic Monkeys’…

IN THIS PHOTO: Arctic Monkeys/PHOTO CREDIT: Zackery Michael

sixth studio album was met with excitement and relief – it is five years since AM and many have been hankering after something new from the Sheffield band. The release of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino has been met with a mixture of celebration and confusion – people are not quite sure what the make of the record! Look at the collation of reviews so far – taken from Wikipedia – and you can get a sense of the critical impression and thoughts:

“…Thomas Smith of NME noted that the album was likely to be "divisive", describing it as "the band’s most intriguing record to date". He promised the album would "reward deep-diving listeners", concluding that "depending on where you’re sitting, this album will likely either be a bitter disappointment or a glorious step forward".[3] Q described it as "a strange, wonderful album, one that almost feels like Arctic Monkeys have embarked on their own full-band side-project".[23] Uncut praised the album as "low-key but engrossing", but noted that "it can be a little one-paced, and a little withholding".[4] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent described the album as "creative, intriguing and completely different".[21] Spin's Larry Fitzmaurice described the album as the group's "strangest and most alluring", writing that a "sense of heading into the unknown – of charting new and strange artistic territory, accessibility be damned – pervades Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino as a whole, its own adventurousness proving a successful gambit".[9]

 

...For The Guardian, Alexis Petridis praised the album's humour, but criticised its occasional smugness, noting that "a smart guy is sometimes all Turner seems to be", with the album's tracks "feel[ing] like less than the sum of their parts". He concluded that "at turns thrilling, smug, clever and oddly cold, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is only a qualified success" and is "evidence – albeit flawed – of a certain musical restlessness".

 That all seems positive and hopeful but, for the most part, people are saying the same thing: there is a lack of riffs and bangers and, for a band who made their mark (in 2003) with classics and sharp gems; fans and followers were hoping for an update of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. The band were spotty and unknown quantities when they delivered that era-defining record: putting out a record like that twelve years down the line was never going to be a reality. Consider how the band has changed since their debut. They are stadium-sized icons and have amassed a huge wealth of fans – and deep wallets, too. Maybe there is more ego and pretence in the ranks: Alex Turner is not going to write lyrics about kebab shop fights and loose girls shagging bouncers in an alleyway. They documented that side of life for, well…most of their career.

IN THIS IMAGE: The album cover for Arctic Monkeys' 2009 release, Humbug/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The guys are all comfortably past the stage of life where that sort of thing sounds natural and believable. The fact Arctic Monkeys delivered five albums in seven years gave people hope that roll and determination would lead to a 2015-ish-released record that had the feel and sound of AM or Humbug. Although the bang got a little bigger and weirder since their debut – Humbug (2009), Suck It and See (2011) and AM (2013) are more confident and experimental – the template and ambition is still the same. The albums rely on great compositions with bite and meat; lyrics that poke at ill-doers and wittily transpose everyday situations; feature mundane and anxious social situations with great intelligence and memorability – tight and instant albums that showed/show why the band are one of the greatest of this generation. One cannot realistically expect the same sort of sound and vibe from the band after six albums?! The need to change and evolve comes in every great group’s life. Consider every great from music and you can see the point where they took a side-step or tried something different. Alex Turner is in his thirties and not the same guy who grew up in High Green, Sheffield. He has experienced some high-profile romances and seems rather comfortable in the glitz, sun and glamour of Los Angeles. You can hardly blame the man for indulging and spending some well-earned time and money out in the heat!

If you get famous and your band starts accruing celebrity and prominence; you will go with that and amend your life accordingly. It would be disingenuous writing about the Yorkshire streets and local tarts flashing the lads: a band that has flogged millions of records and are proper celebrities have transplanted from that environment and have moved on. The notion they will retain the acne and youthful looks and return to their debut state is a naïve bet. They could have replicated AM and its mix of Classic Rock and darker magic – that would have been formulaic and not a worthy progression. They took five years and, with that time, had a bit of a rethink. Maybe there are fewer standout guitar lines and Matt Helders (drums) is not as high in the mix. The band stated how they enjoyed the experience immensely – recording Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino – and they made a record that sounded natural and right for them.

IN THIS PHOTO: Alex Turner/PHOTO CREDIT: Neil Bedford

In an article by NME, Turner explained the new direction of Arctic Monkeys and why the album was written in the manner it was:

“Speaking to NME as part of this week’s Big Read, Turner said the life he’s led in the five years along with his work with Alexandra Savior and The Last Shadow Puppetsmade him uncomfortable with repeating himself – and compelled to try something new as the artist he is today.

“This is choppy waters in terms of pretentiousness, but I don’t know how much of a choice in that I had,” Turner told NME of the writing of their new album. “This seems like a declaration about retaining my integrity, which I don’t mean for it to be, but this was all I had. I don’t know what else I could have done, truly”.

If the album had been an epic suck-fest of lazy lines and meagre tunes, we could admonish the band and wonder what the hell they had been doing for five years! As it stands; the sixth record from the band is an unexpected, if delightful, revelation. They have produced a string of hook-driven records and owned that territory: they are changing things up and embarking on a natural evolution. Some see Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino more as an Alex Turner solo album: he took more of a lead in terms of recording and direction; it bridges his solo ambitions with the work he is doing with Arctic Monkeys. Read Turner decoding the songs on the L.P. and you can get into his mind and rationale. It is a fascinating album and one that warrants more time and open, curious eyes...

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

What smears my pepper grinder is a lot of the hardcore feeling the band has sold out and let down the side. If they had delivered a quick-ish follow-up to AM – something a couple of years from its release – and produced the same sort of thing, the best you can hope for is an album that replicated AM and really didn’t move things on. That might have suited those looking for something safe, relatable and familiar: those who want the band to stretch their horizons and keep us on our toes have been pleased by the Arctic Monkeys’ newest release. Whilst the concept and vision of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino feel paradoxical and foreign to the ethos that brought them to our attention; you cannot deny that central refrain – Turner’s acute and quotable lyrics and a tight, focused band – are still in place. It is a risk going off the known path and recording an album that sounds a little strange and ‘soft’ – it relies more on lyrics and texture as opposed that quick release and conventional structures.Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is a divisive record and one thing you did not expect from Arctic Monkeys: a ‘grower’. It may take weeks/months before people are fully committed and appreciate what Turner and the guys are trying to do.

I can understand why the band’s biggest fans might feel a little short-changed by the record: expecting something chunky and fierce that tackled the problems of today and unleashed plenty of attack and energy. There are a lot of bands like that today commenting on the sort of things Arctic Monkeys represented back in 2006 – including IDLES, Wolf Alice; Shame, Cabbage and Goat Girl – so there is a risk the slighter older (if experienced) band might seem a little awkward and less relevant when lined up against the competition. The biggest bands of the day – who look at politics and society – have taken inspiration from Arctic Monkeys and carry on their ‘legacy’. If the forefathers continued to write the same music they did on their debut, or on their last album, it would not feel as monumental given the choices we have out there. Maybe Arctic Monkeys’ seventh album will throw the handbook of logic away and see them traversing the Sheffield streets and seeing it through wiser and less rebellious eyes. Whilst we want to see the excitement and raw rush of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not; who among us wants to see anything as unseemly as a thirty-something man pretend he is the same as he was then: a late-teen, early-twenties writer who saw the world through a very different lens?! Many may feel Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is a weird and rather muted album for a band who built their reputation on different foundations. I can see why there is a bit of split and initial uncertainty but, when enough time has elapsed; we will look at the record and realise…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash    

IT was the right move for the band.                                            

FEATURE: Wait 'Til the Morning: Why the Death of Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison Should Lead to Radical Action in the Industry

FEATURE:

 

Wait 'Til the Morning

 IN THIS PHOTO: Scott Hutchison/PHOTO CREDIT: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty  

Why the Death of Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison Should Lead to Radical Action in the Industry

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SOMEONE remarked how it is tragic…

IN THIS PHOTO: Frightened Rabbit/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

we tend to remember certain artists more after their death than we do when they were alive. That reaction came following the death of Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison on Thursday. I am aware of Frightened Rabbit and have been following the Scottish band for a while now. Listen to albums such as Pedestrian Verse (2013) and it brims with emotion, honesty and exceptional quality. Frightened Rabbit were/are one of those bands who won the critical soul upon their introduction – they have been seducing and entrancing music lovers of all values for fifteen years. Maybe that initial statement is true: we tend to notice an artist and dig into their music following their death. There are icons who have died and their level of popularity has remained high – David Bowie and Prince – and was hot when they were alive. There are others who gain increased fame following their death. That is not the case with Scott Hutchison. He is not a man who hid in the shadows and penned some nice little songs to be exhumed following ill-motivated and delayed public gratification: he is a warm soul whose humanity, humility and passion touched countless lives. I use the term ‘is’ because, to many, the news he is no longer here is too raw and unreal – I have a hard time believing he is gone and we will no longer hear music with his voice on it (no new recordings anyway).

I will bring in a touching tribute CLASH wrote but, right now, a word about the effect and shock Hutchison’s death has caused. Although we know his death is a result of suicide; one cannot fathom and truly know what was going through his mind in the hours that led to his death. I have been in a situation (more than once) where I have been in the bleakest place and panicked about my life – whether I wanted it to go on and unable to rationalise existence. Fairly recently, events and eye-opening soberness have caused a similar shock: the black dog barking in the year with a rusted chain around its neck; the rain lashing its weathered and scared face. You can romanticise and distance the sharp bite of mortality and suicidality all you want – the actual starkness of it is not lost on those who have been affected by it. I will not go into my own experiences but I can, at least, emphasise with Hutchison and what must have been going through his head in the days leading to his suicide. Words he spoke in the days prior to his death painted the picture of a loving man who felt unable to ably and proficiently profess love to those dear; a slight sense of detachment and numbness that was causing him immense pain: a gut-wrenching and shocking revelation from somebody who has provided so much incredible music.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

As part of Frightened Rabbit; the frontman delivered some of the finest music of his generation. Although the group will, inevitably, garner new curiosity and increased sales following Thursday’s devastating news; I hope people do not solely seek them out because Hutchison is no longer here – or people do not feel weird or strange investigating their music because he is dead. What makes the songwriter’s death so sad is the testimonies and stories being recounted and regaled so warmly and vividly. Journalists, fans and musicians have shown a unified love and positivity from the now-departed Hutchison. One might assume a man who wrestled demons and disturbed thoughts would be a sullen and isolated figure; emerging from the shadows a few times a year and snapping at anyone who came his way. The truth, really, is this: the sheer presence and force of nature that is (I should say ‘was’) Scott Hutchison charmed and affected everyone he came into contact with. If human beings can be compared to albums, then Scott Hutchison is, to me, Rumours: there is complexities and battles going on behind the scenes but the overt and life-affirming pleasures one gets from him remain in the soul forever. His music and melodic sensibilities were complex, universally adored and unique. His look and demeanour has the nature of a warm and cuddly bear and, in reality, that’s what he was. The man never looked down on anyone or judged another human; he was candid but gentle; human but, oddly, immortal and different from all of us.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The music Hutchison helped to create (as part of Frightened Rabbit) revealed his inspiring D.N.A. and how his mind ticked. Although a lot of the music had a bleak and afflicted quality; the man who helped articulate those sensational moments was not a fatalistic and doomed figure we would associate with that kind of music. If my thoughts seem tangled and contradictory then you will excuse me – piecing this all together and trying to coherently react to such a figure’s death is a hard thing to do. I want to talk about the wake of Hutchison’s death and why more needs to be done. I said I would bring in a tribute from a writer and friend of Hutchison. Robin Murray, writing in CLASH, provided memories and thoughts about the Scottish icon:

“…Everywhere, though, was this radiant, magnetic personality. Everything Scott touched seemed to exude a pure, instantly recognisable, creativity. Trained in visual arts – he studied at Glasgow School Of Art – he drew many of Frightened Rabbit’s album covers and gig posters, before recently illustrating a book of poetry for a close friend.

Some time ago, Clash invited Frightened Rabbit to send the office postcards from a tour of tiny venues in the Scottish Highlands. Most bands were wary of the invite, but Scott leaped to the task, grabbing the naffest postcards he could find and filling them with obscure reminiscences, ribald jokes, and the odd drawing or two. A lesser noted talent was his beautiful handwriting; Scott could make even the most prosaic sentences leap from the page”.

That is a perfect and no-need-for-amendment expression and representation of Scott Hutchinson. Whilst words like this do proud a man who made so many happy; it is bittersweet because we wonder, given what we know, a human who was beloved by so many would take his own life. I am not here to forensically examine his psychology and what triggered the decision he made last week – that cannot change the facts and bring him back. What I do want to see if greater awareness and support given to musicians. I have written about mental-health and how lives are being lost, possibly needlessly – the last time I wrote about it was after the suicide of Linkin Park’s frontman, Chester Bennington. Although there is not a sky-high rate of suicide in the music industry; there are thousands suffering mental illness and struggling with daily battles. The manifesto of mental-health is a rich, worrying and complex one: it is a spectrum that cannot be defined as ‘depressed’ and ‘happy’. Not everyone who has a mental illness is depressed; not everyone who is depressed can be seen and helped. That may sound like a simplistic and harsh assessment of a battlefield that is seeing too many casualties. Great organisations such as the Samaritans and CALM exist to help those in distress…is this enough?

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Those organisations do fine work and tirelessly aid those who need urgent help. Whilst their resources are stretched and vital; I have to wonder whether greater investigation needs to occur. One can say people outside of music suffer poor mental-health so we need to cast a new on society as a whole. Music is one of those industries where mental ill health is acute and well-documented. Barely a day goes by without stories of stress, anxiety and self-harm. I do not pick my contacts on the state of their mind: it is an indiscriminate and irresponsible illness that stalks those who deserve happiness the most. We can see the unpredictable nature of mental illness means we cannot help everyone or force anyone to speak. There are bespoke music/mental-health charities that are open to those in the industry but it is tragic and wrong seeing fine musicians take their own lives. I know Hutchison’s situation and worries are different to other people – it is not obvious why he made the decision he did and whether more could be done. He was love and supported by those around him: the decision to end his life was one he felt he has to make…something that may seem incomprehensible to some. Mental illness is a tough thing to comprehend and each person is vastly different.

<

Some beautiful tributes here 💖 ⚡️ “Why Scott Hutchison and Frightened Rabbit meant so much to fans” https://t.co/VKKYQuMPKv

— Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne) May 12, 2018

I would like to see more money spent offering help to musicians and raising more awareness. The campaigns and posts on social media – following Hutchison’s death – are heartening but, in a few weeks; have we made progress and sent a message to those in the government. Funding is coming but it is not enough – it is not fast enough. A huge and adored human such as Scott Hutchison had legions of fans and countless admirers. There must have been something going on he felt he couldn’t control. Every notable and tragic death raises questions as to whether music is too demanding or we are lacking necessary resources and focus. I feel we have got to a point where more artists will take their life and nothing will be done. The army of voices out there is not as powerful as the potency of financing, movements and real change. Whatever form that takes, we have to make this declaration: something needs to be done. Hutchison’s music and memory will last forever; his spirit and personality are present in the blood and bones of those he met; his influence and legacy will affect and drive the next generation. There is no doubt the bonny and bright songwriter will fade from public consciousness at any point – let’s hope his death leads to action and proactive change. I, as I have said, have been affected by the worst grip of depression and came out the other end – nobody who suffers poor mental-health is immune and safe from its devastating sting. I, like everyone, want to see improvement and a proper response to the epidemic. It should not take a single person to get the government into action and taking a stand but if the death of Frightened Rabbit’s lead gets the ball rolling to a revolution then…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

SOMETHING good will come out of a tragic and horrible loss.

INTERVIEW: Laughed the Boy

INTERVIEW:

Laughed the Boy

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A most international interviewing day finds me hopping from…

Iceland over to Canada – having started in New Zealand! I have been settling down with Laughed the Boy and chatting about their new single, Halfway. They reveal what comes next and why video game music is important to them – they tell me whether they plan on coming over to Britain in the foreseeable future.

I ask the guys how songs come together and how they hang away from music; what they hope to achieve before the end of the year; the sort of music they all grew up around – the guys each pick a song to end the interview with.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

We’re good! After months of extended winter, we’ve finally gotten nice weather this week, so we’re trying to get out and enjoy it.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We’re called Laughed the Boy, which are three guys from Whitby, Ontario who now live in Toronto. We like to make honest music that captures a variety of moods but is also fun to play and listen to.

How did Laughed the Boy get together? What was the reason behind setting up the band?

It started as a recording project for myself (Chris) and my friend, Taylor. It later ended up as a solo project I worked on while I was unemployed - and had a lot of time on my hands. I eventually went into the studio with my brother (Sean) and recorded our Out of the Blue E.P. A few months later, we were accepted into Canadian Music Week and needed a live line-up, so we added my friend Brennan to the band and began playing shows.

I believe video games play a part in the decision to form Laughed the Boy! Tell me more about that…

Yea, we all love our video game music. Haha. We actually did a video game music cover album a few years ago. When I was writing the music that ended up being on our first album, I was splitting time between writing songs intended for video games on my MIDI keyboard and songs for my solo project. I ended up combining them: the song, Bell Rock, is a good example of that.

Halfway is your new track. What is the story behind the song?

It came together very quickly. We had been demoing a bunch of new songs then, one morning, I came up with the rhythm of the song and played it until it was structured into a song. We went and recorded it a few days later. The lyrics were based on personal notes and thoughts I came up with while at work.

Did it come together quite naturally? How would a song like that get written? Will one of you bring an idea to the rest of the band?

It usually depends on the song. This one was a pretty rhythmic song; Sean already had a good idea of what the drums would be. Sometimes, I’ll have a song entirely figured out before we even jam it, but other times, if it’s a fresh idea, we’ll jam it out until we all feel happy with it. Sometimes, I THINK I have something figured out, then we rehearse and I realize we have to completely change it.

Can we expect any more music later in the year?

Absolutely. We’re looking to record an album this summer and, even if that’s not out this year, we’ll be putting out at least another single or E.P.

What sort of artists did you grow up around and are influenced by?

I grew up in the '90s, so a lot of one-hit wonders and female singer-songwriters. I think that influenced me into having to have good melodies and hooks to keep a song going. Songs from video games and T.V. shows were also a pretty big influence. I’d make up words to them even if they didn’t have any.

Are Laughed the Boy hitting the road? Where can we see you play?

We probably won’t do a big tour until after the album, so we can focus on that. In the meantime, we’ll be playing a lot around Southern Ontario.

PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Panacci

Might you head to the U.K. at some point?

We’d love to! I’ve been there three times and we always enjoy it. I’ve played some open mic nights in Glasgow and London.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Release our album and, hopefully, show some more range in terms of our sound and what we can do as a band. The new album will have more instruments on it and will take more time than Here Is Fine - which was recorded in one weekend.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

For Sean and I, probably our last show with our other band, Busker Bros. where we played the last big show at a Toronto venue called The Central before it was demolished. We went on at 1:45 A.M. on a Sunday night and it was still a rowdy capacity crowd; pretty wild show. Brennan says our album release show for Here Is Fine or, on a more general note, the first time he listened to Hemispheres by Rush.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Tera Melos seem like they’d be fun guys to tour with. My rider would be a charcuterie board with at least five types of cheese and some Gatorade for after the show.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Spend a lot of time around, not just your own shows, but other band’s shows. It’s great to make new friends with other musicians in the same music scene!

IN THIS PHOTO: Blankscreen/PHOTO CREDIT: Tavia Christina

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Blankscreen, Dizzy and Luna Li.

IN THIS PHOTO: Luna Li

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I watch sports, Brennan and I play video games; we all like being outside at parks and such and hanging out with friends. I always enjoy a good hike…

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Chris: Staring by Viva Mars

Sean: Franks Kaktus by Dungen

Brennan: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - End Credits (Wednesday Part 2)

____________

Follow Laughed the Boy

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/laughed_the_boy

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/laughedtheboymusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/laughedtheboy/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/laughed-the-boy

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/43wcEPmyhNHvjA4CnEW6mW

BandCamp:

https://laughedtheboy.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: When 'Airy Met Fairy

INTERVIEW:

When 'Airy Met Fairy

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MY curiosity for international music of the highest quality…

takes me to the shores of When 'Airy Met Fairy. The duo tells me about their new single, Until Your Season Dries, and what its story is. I ask how they got together and whether there are any gigs coming up in the U.K. this year; what the music scene is like in Iceland (where they are based now); what we can expect from their album, Glow (out on 22nd June) – they choose highlights from the record.

I ask Mike and Thorunn if they have prizes memories from music; what advice they would give to new artists of the moment; if there is a new musician we should watch out for; how they unwind away from music – the duo select a track each to end the interview.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Mike: We’ve had a terrible week. Our computer is driving us nuts! We’re currently working on a new live set - and this week our MacBook is on strike.

Thorunn: We thought the digital world was meant to make life easier?!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?

We are When 'Airy Met Fairy. We make music for music lovers.

Mike: We write melancholic Pop for the longing.

What is the story behind the new single, Until Your Season Dries? How did the song come to mind?

Thorunn: Until Your Season Dries is an attempt to turn the end of a relationship into a poetic death.  It’s a song about the beauty and the calm after the storm. Two warships sink; one saves himself in a lifeboat to shore, while the other starts looking for dropped off treasures beneath the ocean concrete…

Mike: …Either way, you’ll be fine.

Glow, your debut album, is out on 22nd June. What sort of themes and stories go into the songs?

Thorunn: On this album, we’re trying to catch emotions like apples in a tree. We poured our hearts out while writing these songs and then, in the studio, we stripped it all down to almost nothing.

Mike: The overproduced music environment made us feel like we had to...

PHOTO CREDIT: Tania Feller

Is there a track from the album you both would select as highlights?

Thorunn: I personally love Penniless; Mike’s favourite is Girl. Two completely different songs, but I guess that’s cause I’m female.

Mike: We do keep Sanctify You as the last song when we perform live. So, if we had to agree on a common song, Sanctify You would definitely be our choice. We’ve played it hundreds of times and still like it.

How did When 'Airy Met Fairy get together? What was it that attracted you to one another?

We met at a festival. I was there with another band. I asked myself: ‘Who is that girl who is playing after us?’ When I heard her sing I thought to myself: ‘Wow, that has got to be the most beautiful voice I have ever heard’.

Thorunn: When 'Airy Met Fairy took such a long time to start off because we’ve had so many band members… and now we’ve ended up here, just the two of us…now more electronic than ever, hence the MacBook problems...  

You are a Nordic duo. How does the music scene where you are differ to that of, say, the U.K. or U.S.?

Most connoisseurs can hear that I’m Icelandic. What most don’t know is that I live in Luxembourg. I miss my home country so much that I feel I have to sing to my people in order to fill that geographic gap in between us; a bit like whales do underwater.

Mike: She’s a killer whale for sure! But, music is not a country to me: it’s a universal form of expressing yourself. Nothing more or less.

Can we see you tour this year? What gigs do you have coming along?

We’ve just come back from Portugal and we’re planning a ‘behind the session’ gig at Rockhal in Luxembourg. After that, we’ll be playing at The Finsbury in London.

Thorunn: We’re super-excited about that as we had such a great experience at The Great Escape two years ago. A wonderful audience that can only be matched by the Japanese.

Will you come and see us in the U.K.?

Mike: Yes! At The Finsbury, 7th June. Come see us!

Thorunn: We’re Great Britain lovers. I always dreamed of buying a cottage in the North of England, getting some sheep and selling wool. English people are the friendliest, most polite and helpful in Europe. They’re the only ones apologizing when you bump into them.  

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Mike: Tour the U.K., perform on KEXP in Seattle; sell millions of records, business as usual.

Thorunn: …I’m in!

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music - the one that sticks in the mind?

The first time I performed, I covered an old Elton John song at a cinema in Reykjavik. I was so nervous-bad but the crowd cheered and gave me a standing ovation. It was out of pity but, in a weird way, I felt warmth and respect.

Mike: The first time I played at a birthday in a pizzeria. We performed in the bowling area, Big Lebowski-style. It was amazing. We ended up not getting paid: the bill at the bar was bigger than the fee we got.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

Thorunn: Radiohead! Huge Thom Yorke fan.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Mike: Never give up. It’s not over till it’s over…

Thorunn: …The wisdom of Lenny Kravitz.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Mike: My head is blank…

Thorunn: GOSTO from Amsterdam! Such a talented guy.

IN THIS PHOTO: GOSTO

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Mike: We play tennis and ride our bicycles.

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Mike: My Lady's on Fire by Ty Segall. Thank you!

Thorunn: Please play Heart It Races by Architecture in Helsinki

____________

Follow When 'Airy Met Fairy

Official:

http://www.whenairymetfairy.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/WAMFmusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/WAMFmusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/when_airy_met_fairy/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9RL6hBG5NsfTUa4GqLtWUQ

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0gZcwIpx8SmDEPhnoGuw0s

INTERVIEW: Louis Baker

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Parsonson 

Louis Baker

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THIS might be the first time I have…

featured an artist from New Zealand. There might have been others but, for the life of me, I cannot think of any right now! Louis Baker talks about the New Zealand scene and why his new song, Black Crow, came together so quickly.

I ask whether there are tour dates ahead and which artists he counts as idols; what comes next for the songwriter; what advice he would give to new songwriters coming through; if he gets chance to relax away from music – Baker tells me a favourite memory from his time in music.

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Hi, Louis. How are you? How has your week been?

Doing well, thank you! The week has been super-busy with interviews, but really exciting to see my new single, Black Crow, go out.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Louis Baker. I am a singer-songwriter from Wellington, New Zealand and I love what I do.

It has been a year or so since your last single, Addict. Was that gap down to the need to create something worthy of following such a strong song?!

I appreciate that, thanks. To be honest, the time frame wasn’t planned. It was just about writing until something struck me…

Is it true that Black Crow was written in six hours in Sydney?! How did it come together so fast, do you think?

I don’t know. Some songs are like that and you can’t understand why.

Steve Rusch produced the song. What was it like working with him?

Steve is the man - super-relaxed and open to ideas. He’s a proper mix engineer, with a huge knowledge of using outboard gear, or mixing in the box, not to mention an absolute ninja on Pro Tools (and a top producer).

I do not get to speak with too many New Zealand-born songwriters! Is there quite a large and varied music scene in the country?

There absolutely is. I think because of N.Z’s geographical positioning, we seem to take on a little piece of everything. There’s no doubt that there is a huge diversity here.

Which artists do you count as idols and guides? When did music come into your life?

Music came into my life at four-years-old. My idols include The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix; Michael Jackson, D’Angelo; Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley; Al Green, Marvin Gaye; Allen Stone and Jamie Lidell etc.

Might we see an E.P. or album coming later this year?

Definitely.

Do you have any gigs lined up? Where are you heading?

I’m at the airport now. I’m heading to London to do nineteen dates through U.K./E.U. and finishing my new record in L.A. on the way home.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

A new record (released) later this year; two tours through the U.K., E.U.; Australia and N.Z.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Meeting Q-Tip in N.Y.C. at the Red Bull Music Academy.

If you could select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Electric Ladyland - The Jimi Hendrix Experience; Grace - Jeff Buckley and Voodoo - D’Angelo

I picked these three because they have all equally influenced me to be the artist I am today.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Work hard, find management; practice every day, write down your goals; learn and listen from the best, have a clear and tangible idea of your message and the kind of artist you are; know your audience, take care of your friends and family.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Leon Bridges (Bad Bad News) and Allen Stone (Unaware).

IN THIS PHOTO: Allen Stone

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Not really. Netflix and chill.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Leon Bridges - Bad Bad News

Much love; thanks for having me x Louis.

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Follow Louis Baker

Official:

https://www.louisbaker.co.nz/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/louisbakermusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/LouisJBaker

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/louisbakermusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/louisbaker/tracks

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/louisbaker

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6cKB91cRebrHboAUTx5uUy

FEATURE: The May Playlist: Vol. 2: Chaos and Tranquility

FEATURE:

 

The May Playlist

 IN THIS PHOTO: Childish Gambino 

Vol. 2: Chaos and Tranquility

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THIS week has been a rather big one…

IN THIS PHOTO: Arctic Monkeys/PHOTO CREDIT: Zackery Michael

and raised some surprises along the way! I am still getting over the incredible video from Childish Gambino – This Is America has been doing the rounds and dropping jaws! In addition; there is a new – and much-discussed – album from Arctic Monkeys. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is dividing fans and critics but one thing is for sure: there is nothing boring about their new one!

Also included in this Playlist are new ones from Jordan Rakei, LUMP and Anne-Marie; Johnny Marr, YONAKA and Miles Kane – plus, some good cuts from Justice, Years & Years and Beach House.

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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Arctic Monkeys – Golden Trunks

Childish Gambino – This Is America

LUMP – Late to the Flight

Jimmy Eat World – Love Never

Anne-Marie - 2002

Carrie Underwood – Cry Pretty

Ina Wroldsen – Remember Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Mitch Lowe

Justice – Stop (WWW)

Maisie Peters – Worst of You

Beach House – Dive

Christina Aguilera - Twice

>

Jungle – Happy Man

>

Miles Kane – Loaded

Jordan Rakei – Wildfire

Greta Isaac – Undone

Wye Oak – It Was Not Natural

Years & Years – If You’re Over Me

Sea Girls – Too Much Fun

YONAKA – F.W.T.B.

GOAT – Friendzone

Ruby Francis – Twice

Meghan Trainor - Can't Dance

PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Saccenti

Chromeo – Bad Decision

Tallia Storm – Girls Are Changing the World

Chasing Abbey – Choices

Johnny Marr – Hi Hello

Girlhood – Milk & Honey

Rita Ora (ft. Cardi B, Bebe Rexha & Charli XCX) - Girls

Skepta – Pure Water

Delta Goodrem – Magic

Luke Haines – Oh Michael

Bastille – Quarter Past Midnight

RuthAnne – Take My Place

Nina Nesbitt – The Sun Will Come up, The Seasons Will Change

THE HUNNA – NY to LA

Kara Marni – Love Just Ain’t Enough

Alice Boman – Heartbeat

TRACK REVIEW: Hollie Haines - Except for You

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Hollie Haines

Except for You

9.3/10

Except for You is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/hollie-haines/except-for-you

GENRE:

Alternative-Folk

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

30th April, 2018

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THIS review…

holds significance as I am in a similar position to Hollie Haines. I will talk about her relocation and the doubts she has. Before I come to that, I want to look at artists who bring sunshine and can lift the mood; making amendments to Pop and Folk; concepts and artists doing something interesting in music; why we need music like Haines’ in the market right now; where the talented songwriter can go from here – I will also touch on influences and evolving music. I want to start by looking at sunshine and a more optimistic mood in music. One cannot accuse Haines of lacking spirit and optimism. Sure, there are songs that are a bit more downbeat and contemplative but, for the most part, her glass is half-full. Her track, Keep Moving On, was lauded because of its infectious tones and joyous nature. Although Except for You is not quite as radiant as that effort: what we do see is a musician who always brings something redemptive and forward-looking to the plate. I will come to the song in time but find it interesting that there are very few musicians out there who bring anything positive into their sounds. I am seeing Pop artists coming through but I am looking at the lyrics are there are few who keep things light and offer anything happy. That might seem like a natural state of affairs: most of us have troubles and music is a natural and easy way of getting it out to the people. I can understand the confessional nature of music and why it acts as a comfort and shoulder. Those who go further and provide a sense of shine in their lyrics should be commended. Hollie Haines is a young woman who faces all the same tribulations as her peers: she will/would have had her heart broken and goes through stressful times; challenging situations and doubts about her career and self.

That is to be expected but, rather than lay it out all there like a dead cat stuck in a heating vent; she assimilates those harder questions into the mix but sprinkles in plenty of vitamin C, chocolate and alcohol into the potion – sounds like a disgusting mix but, for the purposes of metaphor and the visual, let’s go with it! I am impressed that someone so young has that desire to improve the listener and put them in a better frame. It seems rather explicit but, as I am writing about him this weekend, Scott Hutchison (of Frightened Rabbit) is in my mind. There has been a lot of sympathy and condolence following his suicide. Few knew about his state of mind – it came as a huge shock to many when news of his death was announced. It goes to show there are those in music – and life – who are struggling and need assistance. Music, to many, is a sense of therapy and help. In a rather difficult and sobering time; I am looking out to the world and looking for something that comforts and aids me. That is what one gets from Hollie Haines. Her music provides a perfect time to escape, reflect and feel better. I have been listening back at her material and finding the sunshine, smile and hug needed to get through things. One cannot underestimate the power and potency of having music like that in the world. I am not suggesting something as basic as positive music would have helped Hutchison in his darkest hour: what we do have, in songwriters like Haines, is a ray of light and someone who speaks for us. She has endured harder times and obstacles along the way. Her words are deep and redemptive; her voice pure and passionate; the compositions are stunning and nuanced. I have been looking for a songwriter who gets every box ticked and make me think. I get a relief and happiness listening to her; a way of easing any burdens and channelling all those negative thoughts somewhere safer and far-off.

Let us look at the genres of Pop and Folk and where they are right now. I have written about both over the past few months and seeing artists do something different and exceptional. Pop, to some, has the image of this sugary and commercial thing that is all processed vocals, inane lyrics and forgettable moments. Folk is seen, by some, as rather plaintive, boring and tame. I do not agree with those assumptions and have a lot more affection for the genres. I do agree there are flaws in Pop at the moment. Too many artists are going for streaming figures and something popular – rather than expending any effort and doing something different. Folk is not as integrated into the mainstream as it should be; there are artists pushing boundaries but dominance is still quite a few years away. Hollie Haines’ music is Alternative-Folk and mixes in Pop elements. I feel there is a lot to love about her music and what she is doing with the genre. Rather than present and play the rather tepid and beige form of Folk that we can hear out there – all finger-picking and calm breeze – she adds something energised and affecting. I have been following Haines for a bit and seen the way her music has evolved. If we keep genres stiff and do not move them forward then that means we are in danger of seeing them die out and lose their inspiration. Pop has had its moments and great times – right now, things are changing and it is becoming more mature and self-reflecting. Folk is challenging for attention and moving away from the one-dimensional and simple sounds we associate with the form. Haines is a bright and engaging songwriter who grew up around music and sprinkles in different elements into the fore. You get classic Folk strands alongside modern Pop and her own D.N.A.

I am always looking for artists that go beyond the predictable and offer progressive and fascinating music. I am a big fan of Folk music and have been following it since the 1960s – musicians from there; I am not THAT old. What I have noticed is how it has mutated from the acoustic-led and calm sounds we jump to a more expansive and broad fabric. Now, in 2018, we have Folk artists pushing boundaries and integrating other genres together. Haines is getting stronger with every release and putting her own identity into the market. I have been looking around and trying to align myself to artists who do something different and go out of their way not to follow the pack. Haines is an artist who could easily negotiate and compromise. Rather than parrot the masses; she is creating unique music that stays in the mind long after it has been heard. I will move on to other topics but I wanted to look at the changing nature of Folk and Pop. Looking forward; I know Haines will continue to make fantastic music and seduce audiences. It is difficult easily defining what Haines does. She plays Alternative-Folk but there is so much more at work. One gets soulful vocals and something spikier; there is that sunny Pop brew but you even get some little kicks of Reggae – not explicitly but in nature and vibes. I am interested seeing where she goes now and what the future holds for the talented songwriter. Not only is Haines’ music addictive and stunning; she will inspire others to get into music and show what you can do with genres like Folk. Many are put off from exploring a genre because artists do the same thing and do not add their own personality into the music. Hollie Haines is different: she goes further and ensures not only is the listener stunned and hooked; other musicians are giving direction and an idea of what can happen if you truly push yourself.

One of the reasons I wanted to look at Haines’ newest song is because it forms part of a song arc. It is part of a concept that has intrigued me. Like the stages of grief – ‘acceptance’ and ‘depression’ are in there: I forget the rest! – there is something real and relatable about Haines’ mission. She is addressing loving, losing; hurting, missing; healing, letting go and loving again. It is a story that is bookended by love and finding something positive. Keep Moving On showed what Haines was capable of and how her music could lift the spirits. Her story arc begins with love and finding someone in the form of Except for You. It is a hauntingly beautiful and crystal-clear song that finds the heroine putting her heart out there and finding something pure. Maybe it is not as vibrant as previous material but there is that aspect of moving forward and looking to the future. Songs along the way will look at loss and hurting; missing someone and having to let go – before coming back to a new love and discovering fresh hope. Haines is putting out a new single each month: Except for You is the first step and a chapter that begins a remarkable and everyday reality. Many people would have gone through the same experiences as Haines. That is what I mean when I said she speaks for other people and brings something hopeful into the music. Although things will get a little darker down the line; the way Haines writes is to find some hope in the shadows and move forward. Even though her current single prides beauty and entrance over serotonin and rush; you have a song that puts your mind somewhere beautiful and relaxes the tensions. Everyone will be able to understand where she is coming from and what she is going through. I have seen a few songwriters try something ambitious when it comes to single releases and concepts. The completed album, that will include all seven songs, will be interesting to hear. Having the introduction out into the world gives you a flavour of what to expect: knowing Haines’ music; one realises you can never predict and assume the next track will be exactly the same as the last.

Many artists try concepts and get ambitious with their music. That might take the form of something unusual and everyday. If you have a concept in mind and want to do something different in music then it can be hard convincing the listener. I have seen new artists release E.P.s that run the mind through a story of a narrative arc. It is fascinating seeing musicians who take a risk and go that extra step. It is fine releasing singles that form part of an album – with no cohesiveness in terms of their themes – but I like those acts that do something new. I know many albums are defined by a certain tone or story: how many artists do something like Hollie Haines and release singles in the same manner? Not only does the listener gets a nice teaser and is compelled to follow the story all the way to the end; we also get a different vibe and sound with every track. I wonder who it is Haines is talking about when she looks at that new love and finding something pure. I have been thinking about other forms of discovery and revelation when it comes to Except for You and what it stands for. I will come to that in a bit when I look at the song itself. One other reason I wanted to look at Haines and her newest track is that of where she has come from and what she is tackling now. I have heard previous work like The Walls I Built (E.P.) and can see how far she has travelled. She is in a different space right now and looking to the future. Not only has her confidence increased and her songs strengthened; she is taking risks and doing something genuinely exciting. That rate of progressing means, in years to come, she will be tackling the mainstream and mixing it with some of the biggest artists out there. I cannot wait to see what form her singles take as we follow the story through the coming months.

We need to celebrate artists like Hollie Haines in the market because she is doing something new and resists the temptation to do easy and obvious music. I know she will want to get along and succeed in the business but that is not coming at the expense of limiting her scope and narrowing her mind. I have seen some promising acts come along and show early signs of promise. Haines has been tipped by the media and (her songs) have resonated and connected. That boost and backing have given her the confidence to conspire and take big steps with her next venture. Because of that celebration and faith, we have seen Haines explore new ground and set her sights to the future. I want people to back Haines because she has that perfect blend of ingredients one does not find too often. The vocals are wide-ranging and have so many different emotions within them. Her lyrics are personal and meaningful but they can be appreciated and understood by everyone who listens. Rather than push away the public and create something that is only meant for limited enjoyment; Haines writes from the heart but puts it out there for everyone to investigate. You can hear one of her songs and feel like it was written for you. It might not be about love or losing someone in a relationship. You can extrapolate meaning and familiarly whatever you are going through. The ‘complete package’ is something you hear linked with a few artists. I hear that said and wonder whether it is exaggerated or a bit premature. The fact Haines can have that applied to her is no exaggeration. You have the sumptuous and extraordinary voice that can convey sadness and loss but get right into the heavens and bring the sunshine out. There are those changeable and interesting compositions that move from pure Folk to something approaching Pop. One also gets lyrics that step into the avenues of love and loss but can angle into other climbs. Her personality is bright and bold; she has an energy and passion that is infectious and endless – everything you want from a modern-day artist.

I will get to reviewing Except for You soon but, before then, a look at taking a leap and moving to a new area. I am in the process of doing the reverse of Hollie Haines: moving from the South and going to the North. She had questions and doubts when she moved from Leeds to London. I can understand why she was reticent about leaving Leeds and going to the capital: many have spoken fondly about the Yorkshire city and its people. There is great music up there and plenty to love. It is hard getting rid of all that and moving somewhere different. London is bigger and more packed than Leeds; it is a long way away and it is a gamble moving somewhere to make it in your chosen field. For me; I am moving from the South and hoping to get myself to Manchester. London has always been my first choice but I have found few opportunities arrive. It is difficult being able to afford life there and remain sociable. It is hard finding the money to remain there and balancing that work-life agenda. Haines is in a stronger position and is doing great in the city. For me; moving to Manchester has all the benefits of London – the music and energy – but it is a more affordable option. Aside from having to balance things and transition there – finding a job before I get there and being able to spend as little money as possible scouting – it is an interesting and needed move. Haines moved because she wanted to get her music into the spotlight and find more chances. There is a great scene in Leeds but it is a long way from London. A lot of the best artists from Leeds have moved to other places and looked for greater focus and audience. Hollie Haines had great local appeal back home but now, when she is in London; there are those bigger venues and new horizons.

Many people will be thinking of moving and want to find a new life. For those in the music industry; you need to go to other places and where the action is. Haines has realised most eyes are in London and that is where most of the chances lay. Many have gone to the capital and found life a bit hard and expensive – they have left and moved to other areas. Haines has seen her music taken to heart and realised how far it can go. Now, down in London, she has the chance to get into the mainstream and get under the radar of the big labels and venues. I am not sure how many gigs she has coming up but I know the summer will be busy for her. It is exciting looking at Haines and where she is heading right now. I can see her going very far in London and taking advantage of all the city has to offer. Right now, she is penning her album and getting songs out there. Venues will come calling and fans will want to see her perform and put the songs into the ether. I am not sure which part of London she is based in but I know every corner of London will take her to heart and celebrate the music. The coming years will be the most interesting. Now she has relocated and is settled somewhere new; there is that curiosity and desire. Haines is a hungry performer who wants to put her music out and connect with her fans. I know she will be looking further than the U.K. when it comes to gigs. I see no reason why she cannot get her music to European audiences and, soon enough, get some U.S. gigs lined up. I can see the Americans vibing to her sound and really getting a kick from it. The future is bright for Hollie Haines and it seems she is determined to take her music as far as is possible.

Ahead of the next song in the cycle; we have the exceptional and stunning Except for You. It begins with yearning, gentle and rousing strings. The guitars rumble and there is a sense we are walking through town in the night. Things are still and the brooding strings get the mind thinking of imagining. The soft and inviting mood is a warm water you immerse yourself in and wonder what happens next. There are possibilities and visions that come to the mind. Maybe it is the symbol of the heroine embraced in a passionate moment or sitting on a window ledge and looking out at the horizon. The composition conveys so much feeling and passion from the opening seconds. It is interesting hearing the vocal come in because it has a rather distance and haunting quality. Rather than being polished and top of the mix; the vocal is a little further down and sounds like the heroine is singing from a distance. It gives the song a lot of gravitas and sense of the physical. You can imagine her calling from afar – there is a dream-like quality that has a haziness and sleepiness. Our heroine is talking about everyone else leaving and that one person being faithful. It is challenging keeping love and finding true companionship. It seems friends and those close to her have departed or let her down. Rather than give up hope and assume that is the way things are; Haines has found that loyalty and trust. Maybe the love is established and enduring: it might be a fresh romance and something that has come at the right time. Haines is reacting to that faith and glad she has someone who is sticking with her. Lamenting at those who have fled and why people are leaving; you wonder why this has happened and where she is heading. Maybe the heroine has been through some bad relationships and been scarred in the past – a look at those who have abandoned her and broken her heart.

Those ethereal and spectral backing vocals give the song shiver and a rare beauty. I can see why some have compared Haines to the likes of Laura Marling – there is a bit of Enya in there, too (in a good way). The heroine has given her heart to someone and that has been repaid. Rather than run when things get hard and leave her in the cold; the sweetheart has remained true and provided that rock. Everyone else has left and they have caused Haines hurt. Her love has stuck loyal and there are signs things are going to ensure. Knowing how the story will develop and end – the heroine losing that love and having to deal – you cannot help feeling a little bit sorry at how things will go. In the moment itself; Except for You is a moment of serenity and passion that gets into the head. It is amazing to see how Haines can switch mood and the variation she has. She has produced intense and energised moments before but here, on her latest offering, there is a stillness and beauty that still manages to have that hope and uplift. Rather than cheapen the sensation with fiery choruses and chirpiness; we have a song that digs deep and gets into the bones. Strings dive and weave; there is a romance and sense of elegance that causes shivers and smiles at the same time. It is wonderful hearing how the background impacts the centre. The ghostly and tender vocals fuse with the strings and push the heroine forward. The lead vocal has that seduction and beauty that is hard to shake off. The fact everyone else has left and her lover stays true gives her hope things will work out well. It is almost like a cliff-hanger in a way: Except for You has positivity but you know things are going to change. I have loved experiencing Hollie Haines’ latest release and how far she has come. It is an impactful, stunning and deep offering from an artist who keeps getting stronger and more ambitious.

Many have compared Hollie Haines to the likes of Marika Hackman and Laura Marling. There is a little of those artists in her own tones. You get the depth and intelligence of Marling with the verve and youthful ambition of Hackman. It is always hard comparing artists to other because the music is always changing and few musicians stand still. Haines has her own sound and it is delightful seeing how she progresses and what comes next. I have said how Except for You is the start of a seven-song cycle that looks at love and new hopes and then has to accept the breakdown and coping with loss. Things will end with the positivity of a fresh love and new starts. In many ways, that story seems to reflect Haines moving from Yorkshire and settling somewhere new. She has experienced loss and change and it has affected her greatly. It is hard leaving somewhere/someone you love and having to start anew. What is most daunting is losing a life that seemed stable and full of potential. Her story and music will reflect in other people’ eyes and give them heart. I have mentioned how Haines is someone who keeps the mood up and always looking forward. Even when she has to tackle loss and cope with being alone, there is never the sense she is in a pit of despair and things are hopeless. You get that desire to get out of the rut and find something positive. Previous songs have shown she can mix explosive and sunny with something a bit more emotive and moonlit. That is the sign of a songwriter with a broad and developed sound. I am compelled to see where Haines goes from here. It will be a very exciting and prosperous time for a young talent who has already won hearts. Get behind Hollie Haines and follow her every move. She is a rare songwriter who has come a long way but…

PLANS on going a lot further still.  

____________

Follow Hollie Haines

Official:

https://www.holliehaines.com

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/holliehaines

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/_hollieh/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/holliehainessongs/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TmWI5f479FgFtRzEcs6DA

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/hollie-haines

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPCi6Ka9bo-25VmJavrNxg

PHOTOS OF HOLLIE HAINES:

Mara West

INTERVIEW: JØUR

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Alyssa Justice Photography 

JØUR

___________

IF one wants an exceptional and unique artist…

PHOTO CREDIT: Mariah Crabb Photography

with a passion that runs deep, then I know someone who ably fits the bill. Rather than being a songwriter du jour; JØUR is someone who will remain in music for years and inspire many others to put pen to paper and get their feelings onto the page.

I have been speaking with her about the new single, American Nightmare, and what she thinks of America under Trump; which albums and songwriters have influenced her; what her next steps are; if she has any tour plans lined up – JØUR tells me what she hopes to achieve before the year is through.

___________

Hi, JØUR. How are you? How has your week been?

The sun is shining and I’ve finally put my winter coat away this week, so I am doing great.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Yes, hello. My name is JØUR!

American Nightmare is your new song. What is the story behind it?

I wrote bits and pieces of American Nightmare over a year or so, as a general reflection on my feelings towards the classic ‘American Dream’:  go to school, get a job; get married, buy a house; start a family, grow your kids, so they can do it all over again. It felt really contrary to what I wanted for my life and it seemed like that lifestyle would be more of a nightmare than a dream to me.

Meanwhile, my country unexpectedly elected Donald Trump; Black Lives Matter has been fighting for justice in our generation’s fight for Civil Rights; gun violence is at an all-time high in the U.S. and the #MeToo movement has forced a reckoning for men’s treatment of women across the globe.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the song has taken on new meaning for me in the last two years since I originally wrote it.

How do you see the current situation in the U.S.? Do you think the nation is heading for disaster?

The current situation in the U.S. has, perhaps, already arrived at the point of disaster. I don’t say that sardonically, as much as I recognize that we are in a state of severe imbalance and polarization that has created a lot of unrest.

Rather than heading for disaster, however, I have more hope than ever that our country can break out of the stagnant status quo that has defined it for so long and truly believe in the power of our people to surge forth and create a change in the paradigm that favors our citizen’s well-being and safety. We are in a unique moment as a nation, with the potential to turn the tide with our collective voices.

PHOTO: CREDIT: Hillary Olson Photography

Do you think it is important to fight against oppressors like President Trump?! What does American need to do survive and evolve from this nightmare?

Although I’m not a fan of Trump as President, his leadership has unveiled the true state of our nation. Hate crimes rose when he was elected and after the protests in Charlottesville, we could no longer hide from the truth that there is still systemic racism and hate in our country. Like I said before; we are in a unique moment and hate is largely unfiltered while he is in power...

It’s important for us, as a nation, to see where people’s attitudes truly lie so we can begin to shift the paradigm with this next generation of young people. I think that is possible. These old veins of hate may not ever be eradicated, but many of the people who embody that hate will die soon and our generation is going to be the one running the country with a new vision for what it means to experience freedom in the “Land of the free”.

What is the future looking like in terms of material? Might we see an E.P. later this year?

I can promise you there will be more music coming in 2018.

Which musicians inspired you to get into music?

I distinctly remember obsessing over Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard record as a young child. One time, I was in the bathroom singing one of her songs into the mirror and, when I came out ,my whole family was standing outside of the door and applauded. I was so embarrassed. I think I was eight.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alyssa Justice Photography

Do you have any gigs lined up? Where are you heading?

I have summer gigs lined up locally in the twin cities of Minnesota. Currently, I have some other ideas in the works but nothing confirmed.

Are you coming to the U.K.? Do you like British music?

That would be a dream come true. Yes. Let’s say that is on my list of goals. Regarding British music, yes, I have a few favourites. I’ll take the heat but I will always love Oasis and truly one of my favourite bands of all time is Led Zeppelin.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope to continue down a path of creativity. I create more than just music and I want this year to be (the year) where I can say I gave myself fully to my creative potential in all areas, be it dance, painting; photography, design; music, writing or other mediums.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hillary Olson Photography

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Yes - I used to tour with HALEY (Haley Bonar) as her synth player and background vocalist and we had an outrageous time in the U.K. Every show was sold out and the people were so kind and supportive. We got to play on Jools Holland with The Temptations, which was a really special experience.

If you could select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Feist – Metals

This record taught me how to use my voice like a paintbrush to make art. It changed the course of my music entirely. I learned that everything matters in a song, even the space between the notes.

Brooke Fraser - Brutal Romantic

Brooke Fraser is a poet. I have always found her music inspiring and this has influenced my lyricism. Additionally, the production on this album is nothing short of brilliant.

Led Zeppelin - BBC Sessions

This set of albums made me understand music as something spiritual.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Find your strengths and use them, then build a team to fill out your weaknesses. You’ll never follow exactly in someone else’s path, so your best friend is yourself. Know yourself, know your strengths and know your limitations.

IN THIS PHOTO: Jessica Manning/PHOTO CREDIT: Jazmayne Lynn Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Two dear friends of mine: Jessica Manning (What If I Run) and Andy Cook (Modern Man). Their latest records are lovely.

IN THIS PHOTO: Andy Cook

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I am a power cleaner...

My whole world feels brighter when the dishes are done and the floor is mopped. Otherwise, I knit clothes and listen to podcasts. No T.V. in my house.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Feist’s Anti-Pioneer OR Brooke Fraser’s St. Petersburg (IV Fridays). When I heard both of these songs, I felt like they were the last songs that ever needed to be written. I can listen to both on-repeat for hours…

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PHOTO CREDIT: Alyssa Justice Photography

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INTERVIEW: GAZELLE

INTERVIEW:

GAZELLE

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WITH the weather brightening and people…

in a better mood; we are all looking for music that grabs the senses and elevates the soul. GAZELLE has released the exceptional and alluring Stay for the Night into the world. I ask the Liverpool-based songwriter what it is about and whether there is going to be any more material arriving later in the year.

She reveals what the scene is like in Liverpool right now; which new artists we need to get involved with; the sort of music she grew up around; if she gets any time to relax away from music – GAZELLE shares a great memory from her time in music.

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Hi, GAZELLE. How are you? How has your week been?

I’m really good, thank you. This week’s been filled with a lot of music: two festivals in Liverpool at the weekend and then, finally, the release of my track yesterday.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I’m a singer and writer of soulful Electronic tracks. I think that’s the best way I can describe it for now…

Stay for the Night is out. It is a powerful and potent introduction. Did it take a while to put together – or was it a natural and instant creation?

It was very natural. I invited my friend round, who isn’t a musician, but I remember being particularly good at writing at school, to help me write a new song. I figured I could do the melody and guitar chords and she could help with the vocab. It all happened pretty quickly from there really; then, I got into the studio and converted it into what it is now I suppose.

I believe there is that love at first sight sensation. Is it true it is based on a friend and an instant click with someone at a festival?

Definitely, yep. My mate met her boyfriend at Leeds festival a few years ago when we were there together. I find it so much easier to write about very specific experiences. The lyrics tend to be far more descriptive that way.

I think the exact story was that he spoke to her in Welsh in the middle of a crowd and she happened to know one phrase in Welsh which was “Shut up and go to bed”, which she replied with (and the rest was history). Pretty funny. I didn’t manage to get that bit into the song, unfortunately.

Have you experienced that buzz and sensation yourself? How much of your own experiences go into the song, would you say?

Yeah, absolutely. Festivals are a magical thing. I’ve met many a people I fell in love with at a festival. I never saw them again, mind! But, we were definitely in love in that moment anyway.

Do you have other material in the tank for this year or are you keen to let the single get out there and make its mark?

I’m working on a few different songs at the moment. Just working out what’s best to follow Stay for the Night. Hopefully, my next song will be out in about a month. I didn’t release a song for six months - and I’m never doing that again!

You recently played The Secret Place. What was that gig like?! How were the crowd on the night?

That was an interesting gig. The crowd were really great. They always are. We weren’t too far from a chef, who was ringing his bell in time to the music. Everyone was getting involved.

I am interested to know when you got into music. Did you from studies to music – or was that flame alight from a very young age?

Well. I played piano and clarinet from an early age; at eight, I composed a song called ‘Jazzy Chocolate’, and had a few singing lessons, too. I then stopped music for a long time and went to university to study Chemistry. It was during a research year abroad during my degree that I decided to take a gap year and moved into an illegal underground arts commune in Paris (long, crazy story).

I then taught myself guitar, started a band and my love for music was reignited then and there. On returning to Liverpool, I decided to immerse myself in music and it's been onwards and upwards since really.

Can you give me a taste of the artists you grew up around? Which musicians compelled you at a young age?

My biggest inspiration has been Nina Simone. We used to listen to her on the way to school and back. I could have sung you the one-minute piano solo note for note in My Baby Just Cares for Me. Since then, it’s artist’s like Erykah Badu, Jessie Ware; Jamie Woon, Rhye; Tom Misch and Jorja Smith.

Liverpool is your home. Is the city still alive and teeming with musical talent? Do you pick up inspiration from the people and sounds of the street?

Liverpool is unbelievable for talent.

You think you’re just about getting to grips with the scene and all the people at the top of their game, then you’ll discover a load more you’ve never heard of. I’m really lucky to be from Liverpool; there’s so much going on and the Soul and Jazz scene is slowly but surely expanding too.

Can we see you tour this year? What gigs do you have coming along?

Mainly (just) local gigs coming up in the next few months: 19th June, Camp and Furnace; 22nd July on at Liverpool International Music Festival; BBC festival of firsts on the BBC Introducing stage in August.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Ideally, I just want to release an E.P. that I’m unbelievably proud of and introduce people to the type of music that makes me so passionate about music itself.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

I supported Soul II Soul about a year ago, which was amazing. They’re one of my dad’s favourite bands and he came to soundcheck and saw them sing Back to Life. I think that made his life and in turn made my life.

Which three albums mean the most to you, would you say?

The Internet – Ego Death

Miles Davis/Robert Glasper – Everything’s Beautiful

Jamie Woon – Making Time

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Do your thing: don’t do what anybody else wants you to do. You gotta be you.

IN THIS PHOTO: SG Lewis

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’ve recently developed an obsession with SG Lewis - also, Yellow Days. I saw them at Sound City this weekend. Also; listen to XamVolo. He’s the king of Electronic Soul in Liverpool and his voice is insane. Listen to him.

I could go on…one more! KWAYE!

IN THIS PHOTO: XamVolo/PHOTO CREDIT: Robin Clewley 

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Yoga is a big part of my life at the moment. I’ve recently realised how important physical and mental-health is and how both are so deeply connected. It took me a while but I really make sure I get a good balance and try not to party toooo much!

Trying my hardest to be sensible anyways…

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Oooooooh. It’s gonna have to be SG Lewis – Aura.

I just can’t cope when the bass line comes in at the start. I have to do a lil dance when I’m walking somewhere every time. Whole track is just effortless

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INTERVIEW: Sean McVerry

INTERVIEW:

Sean McVerry

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THE rather spiffing Sean McVerry has been talking…

about his latest work, Private Lives. It is an E.P./mini-album and one I was eager to learn more about. The New York-based songwriter talks about the area and its vibe; whether more material will come later; which albums and artists are important to him – I ask whether he is coming to the U.K.

McVerry tells me how he spends time away from music; which new artists we should get behind; why he takes influence from the 1980s; when music came into his life – he provides a rather excellent song to end the interview with.

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Hi, Sean. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey, Sam! I’m pretty good for the most part. Currently on the brink of over-caffeination, which is a state I find myself in almost every day. It’s been a few weeks since the release, so I’ve been on a steady regimen of biking to Prospect Park, writing a few songs a week and trying not to slip into existential dread!

Also, a pipe burst in my apartment so currently there are a few dudes sawing a big ol’ hole in my ceiling. It’s sweet.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

Nice to meet you. My name is Sean McVerry. Do you want a sip of this iced coffee?

Tell me about the E.P., Private Lives. What themes and ideas inspired the song?

When I finished Hourglass Switchboard I and II (feel free to google those by the way!) I was kind of all over the map, stylistically-speaking. I’m turned on by so many corners of Pop music and never really committed to any sort of genre to focus in on, for better or for worse. When I moved to Brooklyn, I found myself kind of living in these New Wave records and more current-age Dance records from DFA and the like.

I pretty much set out to write a record with the same sort of themes I talk about normally in my music but, through the lens of a late-'80s-inspired Dance record. It really was a creative constraint; perhaps the most fun kind I could think of. 

There are influences of the 1980s in the songs. Is it a decade you are particularly affected by? Why do you think so many new artists are looking back to the 1980s?

Well. I think there are many factors leading to this '80s wave. I could really talk about how genre/aesthetic/style is all this big cyclical nostalgia wheel, but who wants to hear about that?! I think some of it coming down to this resurgence in analog synthesizers and the wave of bedroom producers and artists that have come out with the advent of home-recording in the last decade. I think synth and drum-machine-driven records are having a moment because those two things are so readily available to people.

I’m no exception to this - when I moved from music conservatory to Brooklyn bedroom I was given a smaller and more finite number of tools to create with. It just so happens that I bought Songs from the Big Chair on vinyl when that happened and took a dive into New Wave and Dance records from that era. 

For the next one, I may just jump over the '90s and head straight for early-2000s Pop-Punk. 

Is it true your third album is coming soon? What can you reveal about its progress?

Oh, nice; that last part was a nice accidental segue! I definitely will be putting out more music this year. Album? Maybe not? I don’t know. I am sitting on an ever-expanding pile of songs and ideas that something will happen with. To be honest, with how much everything has changed with streaming (I swear I’m not about to go on a tangent about the state of the ‘industry’), releasing single songs just may be a more efficient way to do things and get music into the ears of your fans.

An album is always on my mind and I have a whiteboard and handful of journals amassing and sculpting some larger concept for that at all times. In the meantime, though, expect more songs. 

How do you think your work has developed since 2016’s Hourglass Switchboard 1 and Hourglass Switchboard 2?

The craziest thing about those first two records was that some of those songs had been around and finished since, roughly, 2013.

I think, at my core, not a lot has changed in terms of how I write (or aim to write). I find myself constantly seeking a more efficient way to create. That’s been a journey I’ve been on since I started writing and one that I don’t think I’ll ever be totally completed. My taste has changed I guess? My pace in which I write has changed as well - and I’ve stepped in more as a producer now as well. I’m still learning so much or putting myself in a position where I can learn. 

Which artists did you grow up around? Who inspired you to get into music?

I grew up in a small town in Connecticut called Middlebury. I’d say it’s like growing up in a bubble but that would be an understatement - so I’ll say it’s like growing up in a bubble that is inside of a hyperbaric chamber. Until the internet came along, I listened to whatever I heard on the Classic Rock stations, or a few choice selects from my parents (who have great taste, thank God).

As soon as I had the know-how to set up my dad’s record player, I would listen to my mom’s Jethro Tull records, (Bruce) Springsteen and a bunch of British Invasion bands. My mom is also an incredible pianist and got me into piano when I was in elementary school. My dad sang in college and VERY loudly in church growing up, much to the dismay of my sisters and I - I was lucky to grow up in a very musical household, though.

I distinctly remember having Kazaa and literally typing in ‘indie music’ when I was like a seventh grader and downloading the first ten albums I saw. That’s how I got into Spoon, Kaiser Chiefs; The Shins and The Strokes. I also, simultaneously, had an affinity for Hip-Hop. I think the first C.D. I ever bought with my own money was from this Def Jam rapper Keith Murray (it holds up still). Going to SUNY Purchase, though, opened me up to a whole other realm of incredible music I probably wouldn’t have found otherwise. Freshman year of college was transformative for what I was listening to. I’ll take the time in case she read this - that my friend Ashley Sosa was responsible for hipping me to great music.  

Brooklyn is where you are based. Can you describe what it is like for a songwriter there? Do you take a lot of strength from the people and neighbourhoods around you?

You can ask my girlfriend and she will tell you I am literally a walking commercial for the borough of Brooklyn. I love living here. I’ve been in my apartment for a few years now and am lucky enough to have neighbors that don’t hate music. Obviously, there are so many great bands to see around the city and I feel like we are always subconsciously listening to each other. I do believe your environment will always a find a way to influence or make its way into your art.

As I bike around on a Sunday and hear a handful of church bands, the guy biking through Von King Park blasting Sam Cooke, and music coming out of every window, I feel like I got the pretty ideal environment to create. 

Do you have any gigs lined up? Where are you heading?

Setting up a few shows in May and June, currently. Playing in Asbury Park on the 23rd, opening for Tor Miller; then, May 29th at Pianos. Lining up a little tour up the East Coast for the end of June - more on that you can find at my site. 

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

Tour a lot, meet a lot of new folks; write some great music and make some big, incredible stuff. 

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Being an independent musician comes with its particular brand of anxiety and it’s easy to overlook the positives. I will say that I’ve been fortunate enough to have a pretty incredible last couple of years filled with memories.

Touring the first E.P. is pretty tough to beat; particularly the show in Toronto at the Drake Hotel. That show was electric and one of the few times I felt truly present and grateful in the moment. 

If you could select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Oh, man. Uhhh...

I’m going on my Spotify right now because I feel like this answer is always changing. In my mind, right now, I would say:

Talking Heads - Remain in Light  

David Byrne’s career arc is my goal. 

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

I could say the same for Sufjan, but this record has such a gentle power to it. It lasts about a million years, but I’ve listened through to it probably more than any other record. 

Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

I’m seeing, now, the theme with these records is that I am drawn to people who push the boundaries of what Pop music can be…

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Write every day. Listen to yourself/body. Stay off the internet. Wear earplugs 

PHOTO CREDIT: Denitia/PHOTO CREDIT: Kat Slootsky

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Oh, yeah; check out Denitia. She’s an amazing artist I’ve been producing with. Also, this artist, Lady Wray (listen to the song, Guilty).

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

Famously bad at unwinding, but I try to stay on a consistent exercise schedule. Also, since we are FINALLY coming out of winter in Brooklyn, you can catch me biking anywhere/everywhere/all the time. 

Also, cooking. Oh boy, do I love cooking. 

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Yeah. Go listen to Sick Beat by Kero Kero Bonito 

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