Friday's Alternative Take: Ezrato - Max Cooper - Totally Dubwise

Ezrato - Noir (ft. Stella Rhymes).

Background - ‘Noir’ is an upbeat jazz/house hybrid track from the young Australian producer Ezrato. Incorporating musical elements inspired from the neo-noir film genre, the song revolves around the dangers of having an addiction to a person one admires and the grave consequences that can occur when things don’t work out. Ezrato (born Eric Christopher) begun his musical journey through taking up piano at age 4.

After developing an interest in electronic music during his teenage years, Christopher grew a passion for producing covers of popular EDM tracks, recreating the sound design elements from scratch and collaborating with local vocalists. The young producer also gained an online following through regularly posting self-arranged piano tutorials for popular new music on YouTube.

Growing up in a family of musicians, Christopher later decided to utilize his musical experience as a pianist and producer to write his own original compositions. ‘Noir’ is an original track by Ezrato featuring vocals from Australian singer, StellaRhymes. Production first started towards the beginning of 2016 in Tasmania, Australia and after being developed intermittently for almost a year, the track was released in December 2016.

“‘Noir’ is a combination of two of my favourite music genres - jazz and house. The idea came to me when watching one of my favourite TV series - Gotham. Centering around a detective assigned to dispel crime from an anarchic city, I was transfixed by the edgy, Chandler-esque and slightly anachronistic atmosphere of the show’s setting. This inspired me to try and embody this neo-noir film approach in a song. Lyrically, I drew from my own experience of addiction with both love and lust. To create cryptic layers and fit with the neo-noir theme, I utilised metaphors using terminology often found in the murder-mystery genre of film and other media. The result is an ambitious and somewhat sultry jazz/house hybrid that sets a very specific atmosphere,” says Christopher on the inspiration of the track. Facebook here.

The introduction of the above promo piece possibly says it all by stating "Noir - is an upbeat jazz/house hybrid track". Well maybe everything, I would add that, the song really does mix these genres and very cleverly, as if both styles have been put in blender and perfectly mixed together, vocally and musically.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Max Cooper - Order From Chaos.

Background - Emergence is an epic, operatic, ambitious amalgamation between audio-visual show, scientific research project, art installation and IDM record, the debut release on Max Cooper’s Mesh label and his second full-length release.

The record was conceived as a soundtrack to a new series of 11 pieces of video art, each exploring a different facet of the concept of ‘emergence’. The full A/V live show will premiere on the road with the Autumn dates below, including Mutek in Japan. Together the work is a marriage between the cosmic awe of a Carl Sagan film and the musical wonderment of Sigur Ros, made for meditating on the mystery of our emotional connection to fundamental natural form.

Cooper collaborated with film composer Tom Hodge and vocalist Kathrin deBoer to put together a rich piece of music that incorporates post-rock, Warp-y brain-dance, hi-def digital techno and shimmering neo-classical.  Few musicians are as qualified as Max to tackle as profound an idea as ‘emergence’ through electronic music. Emergence is the story of the development of the universe, the way in which, very complex things like human beings where created from the immaterial by the action of simple laws.

Max received a Ph.D in computational biology in 2008 with research on the evolution of gene regulatory networks and was a geneticist at UCL before he switched to music. To this end he collaborated with artists Andy Lomas, Nick Cobby and Henning M Lederer plus mathematician Dugan Hammock from the University of Massachusetts. In each chapter of the AV, the focus is on the beauty of the natural laws and processes in operation, with a mixture of real data visualisation and films. It interprets the deep structures and principles that give rise to the familiar physical universe, such as symmetries, the distribution of the primes, waves, spatial dimensionality, and the action of the physical forces on matter. Later films tackle the emergence of biological forms, thought and eventually a darker turn into the structures and systems of human civilisation.

Max has synthesised his skill as a producer and his deep interests in science to create a Hadron Collider-grade ambient techno world, in the lineage of The Future Sounds of London’s ‘Lifeforms’ for 2016. It’s also one of the most beautiful records you’ll hear all year. Website here.

With 'Order From Chaos' we get a fabulous video that matches the intricate and beautiful music. One of the best examples of music and art (and more) coming together, that I have seen and heard this year. Emergence has become a must have for me.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Totally Dubwise - "Riddim Up-Rewind & Come Again" (Label: Totally Dubwise).

Skarra Mucci, Sugar Minott, Mr Williamz, Clinton Sly, FleCK, Marcus Visionary, Tippa Irie and more.

Background - With the amazing response we had to "Riddim Up" last year we decided it would only be fitting to sign the year off with another heavy weight LP!

The release features music both old and new as well as a few new remixes of our back catalogue.

Featuring a wicked selection of Producers & Artists from up & comers to straight veterans, making for a refreshing mix of sounds and perspectives on the Roots sound we all love. Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

'Riddim Up-Rewind & Come Again' is a melting pot of  reggae and dub styles and ideas, that lovers of these genres really should check out. To help, you can get a taster of each song and the new remixes below, enjoy!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BeeVids: David Luning - Bloom Twins

David Luning - Gonna Forget About You.

Background - David Luning was studying film scoring at the Berklee College of Music when he first heard the music of John Prine. As Luning recalls, "A couple of friends invited me over to share some songs at their apartment, and that was the first time I'd ever really listened to Americana music or folk or country or whatever you want to call it. They showed me John Prine, and it just resonated with me so much. I was like, 'Oh my god, this is what I have to do with my life.' I just figured it out in that moment." He subsequently dropped out of school and took to the road as a troubadour, performing at open mics and eventually opening for Dave and Phil Alvin, Jackie Greene and other artists.

Says Luning, "Originally, this song was actually going to be a happy party song... 'Gonna shine my shoes and go out on the town'... But I never finished it in that vein. A little while later, when I was in a low place, I revisited this song and rewrote it from the perspective of a man who is trying to convince himself that he is moving on, though it is clear that he hasn't."

John Prine forced David Luning to drop out of college. Not at gunpoint or anything-the two had never even met-but the effect of hearing the songwriting legend's music for the first time had an equally compelling effect on Luning, who was studying film scoring at the Berklee College of Music in Boston at the time. Now an accomplished artist in his own right, Luning is preparing to release his most dynamic and gripping collection to date, 'Restless,' and he can trace it all back to one fateful night that changed everything.

"A couple of friends invited me over to share some songs at their apartment, and that was the first time I'd ever really listened to Americana music or folk or country or whatever you want to call it," remembers Luning. "They showed me John Prine, and it just resonated with me so much. I was like, 'Oh my god, this is what I have to do with my life.' I just figured it out in that moment."

His self-released debut album, 'Just Drop On By,' garnered acclaim from both critics and fellow musicians alike, with country megastar Keith Urban hailing Luning's "staunch originality." Songs from the album landed numerous film and TV placements, most recently on NBC's 'Grimm,' and Luning's reputation for exhilarating live performances earned him dates with luminaries like Jackie Greene, Dave and Phil Alvin, and Elvin Bishop, along with a slew of festival performances up and down the West Coast. Website here.

With the John Prine references in the above promo, I hoped David Luning would live up to expectations and with 'Gonna Forget About You' I reckon he does. His vocals are just so right for Americana type music and the soundtrack is gentle and understated making this a very addictive song.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bloom Twins - Set Us Free.

Background - Born and raised in a small town outside of Kiev in the Ukraine, 20-year-old identical twins, Sonia and Anna Kuprienko, were both classically trained. After releasing their debut track ‘Fahrenheit’ in 2013 Bloom Twins had a double impact on both music and fashion, opening the doors to profile pieces in publications such as Vogue, i-D, Wonderland, Hunger, The Guardian, Daily Mail, and The Sunday Times.

Over the last two years, Bloom Twins have continued to build their global presence in both music and fashion, playing live shows around the world and releasing a number of tracks – the most recent of which, ‘Amnesia’ was championed by The Independent. Bloom Twins also completed arena tours of both the UK and Italy with Duran Duran in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and – newly signed with Models1 – they have just returned from Tokyo where they completed fashion shoots for Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazaar and Numero Japan.

The exciting plot, which takes the viewer through a series of breathtaking extreme sports scenarios, features Go-Pro headcam footage from skiing, bungee jumping, scuba-diving and zip-wiring to name a few, and was shot in several countires around the world including the USA, UK, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, the Maldives and of course, Ukraine.

20-year-old identical twins, Sonia and Anna Kuprienko co-wrote this track with talented Fiona Bevan and Max McElligott, then handed it over to Greg Fitzgerald for some production magic. It was the first track they wrote after returning from Ukraine where they got stuck for half a year during the uprise. The track is not political at all, rather a call for freedom, but it was certainly influenced by everything that was happening in Ukraine and the fact that they couldn't return to their new home - London.

On the making and narrative behind the video, Bloom Twins say; "We tend to forget about the simple pleasures in life that make us happy. The world is our oyster. It’s only needed to be prized open to be enjoyed, with the pearl as the prize. Life should be about love, peace, happiness and freedom, and a home for it all is our beautiful planet.”

Their debut album, which has been recorded and produced by Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes, will be out in 2017. Facebook here.

'Set Us Free' is a fine electro pop song that like the twins, is already getting a lot of attention. Vocals are good, however for me it's the soundtrack that makes the track a little more special and worth a share (honest!).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Double Take: Pink Milk - The Vernons

Pink Milk - Drömmens Skepp.

Background - Hailing from Sweden, Pink Milk are a captivating rock concoction. Influenced by the dreamy shoegaze and gothic minimalism of 90s acts like The Jesus and Mary Chain, Cocteau Twins and Cranes - as well as cult movies and series like Twin Peaks and True Romance - the band’s gloomy, glittering sound casts a languid, moody spell that invites addiction and demands repeated listens...

This latest track ‘Drömmens skepp’ (Ship Of A Dream) is their tortuously dark take on a traditional Swedish folk song…(Staffan Percy’s 1979 version of a Bo Setterling poem). Originally commissioned by Swedish Television, Pink Milk's natural first interpretation was deemed too unhinged, too subversive for prime time consumption and thus was banished to the realm of the underground before resurfacing today to bewitch listeners once more…

Swirling and crashing like a twisted fairytale lullaby or a mermaid siren calling from the cavernous ocean, the band have managed to transform this sweet, traditional song into an apocalyptic assault of syrupy, existential noise. The song describes a heavenly, ghost ship glimmering on the horizon and Pink Milk themselves take a devilish turn across thunderous waters with this one, their first since finishing their Swedish tour and the first before playing a number of select UK shows in early 2017. Website here, and Facebook here.

'Drömmens Skepp' is just something else. Dark and brooding does not come into it, and to describe it as atmospheric would be a case of over simplification. I just love this uncompromising song, they have observed their influences in detail and taken the music further, more please.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Vernons - She's Not Mine.

Background - Fresh off the back of a return run of shows, Gold Coast blues rockers The Vernons have just unveiled their video for pensive new single 'She's Not Mine'.

While the clip paints an expressive picture of love gone wrong, this isn't your ordinary break-up song. Front man Jonny Nyst explains, "A break-up can spur a roller-coaster ride of emotions and that's really what the song is all about. One minute you can feel completely regretful and the next minute you can feel utterly betrayed. She's Not Mine really emphasises the darker times of all of that."

First hitting stages in 2012 and quickly notching up a well deserved 2014 Big Day Out slot, The Vernons have since supported the likes of Hoodoo Gurus, Wolfmother, Stonefield, The Rubens, Gang of Youths and more. With three EP's under their belt that include the Queensland Music Award winning track 'To The Sky' and sizzling single 'White Wine' (which is now set to crack 300,000 YouTube hits), The Vernons are crafting a genuine catalogue that offers up classic feeling modern blues.

Bunkered down in the studio for most of 2016, writing from a darker palate as first taster 'She's Not Mine' showcases, The Vernons are set to storm into 2017 and release their most focused material to date in the form of EP #4. 'She's Not Mine' is out now via all good digital retailers. Website here and Facebook here.

With a funky and feisty feel throughout 'She's Not Mine' packs a whole load of power and energy, in what is one very cool and unpretentious piece of rock music.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday's Two: Quiet Boy - December's Children

Quiet Boy - Redeem.

Background - Redeem is the first single to be revealed from Quiet Boy’s debut EP Earwig, due for release in Spring 2017. The track showcases a bold song writing and vocal approach that comes directly from the heart. It's hooky, infectious, heartbreaking dream-electronica.

Quiet Boy is a solo project produced by Nick Trepka. Envision Scott Walker soundtracking Stranger Things: This is a visionary reimagining of childhood led by one of the UK’s finest musical creatives. Quiet Boy's multi-instrumentalist band are: Russell Ditchfield, Emily Sills, Alexandra Braithwaite and Stuart Roberts.

Quiet Boy describes his music as a ‘coming of age symphony’. Drawing on his vast musical memory from nursery rhymes through to contemporary electronic music, he chews up and spits out influences, creating something utterly new. Quiet Boy is a project born out of nostalgia, but far from throwback. Website here, Facebook here.

'Redeem' mixes intricate music with more rhythmic vocals and just unfolds from there. Changing tempo and style along the way kept me intrigued and leaves me looking forwards to more.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

December's Children - Waiting Room.

Background - “Waiting Room” is a re-imagining of Fugazi's hardcore classic in December’s Children’s unique Americana style. The Waiting Room EP has received strong early support from commercial and public stations in the U.S. that supported the last album, radio play in the UK and Canada, and regional print press coverage. The band has two television appearances scheduled for 2017, including a full episode feature on Prairie Musicians on PBS. A tour in support of the new album is scheduled for spring of 2017, building on their very successful 2015 tour in the upper Midwest.

December's Children saw tremendous success in 2015 with their debut album, Skeletons with over 100,000 streams and downloads, airplay in over 20 states and three foreign countries, and is still growing at a progressively faster rate. Waiting Room follows it up with a wide ranging EP that is led off with an Americana style cover of Fugazi's seminal classic. The album also includes four originals - "Suit of Gold", "Dogs of War", "Infinity + 1", and "Fallout". The group's third Brink Records release will be out next summer. Thank you for your support of this truly unique group!

Two versions of the video for "Waiting Room" were produced. One has been released and the other, a colorized variant of the original, came out on December 16, 2016. The video for "Suit of Gold" comes out in January. Website here and Facebook here.

If your going to re-imagine a song then an Americana makeover seems as good a place to go as any. December's Children have done just that with 'Waiting Room' whilst retaining the energy and passion of the original.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------