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Showing posts from January, 2013

IMOGEN HEAP

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Romford, Essex, United Kingdom (1998 – present) Imogen Heap (born December 9, 1977) is a British singer-songwriter / electronica artist from Romford, Essex, United Kingdom. She grew up playing music from an early age, and by her eleventh birthday she was writing her own songs. From the age of 15, she studied at the BRIT School Of Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon, South London, recording three tracks for the school’s annual CD between 1994 and 1995, “Aliens” being the title track of the latter. Heap enjoyed a prestigious live début, performing four songs (backed by friends Acacia) between sets by The Who and Eric Clapton at the 1996 Prince’s Trust Concert in Hyde Park, London. Her début album, I Megaphone (an anagram of “Imogen Heap”) was internationally released in 1998 on independent record label Almo Sounds and garnered critical acclaim. However, as production of the album neared completion, it was announced that the record label had been sold and would be shut

GOTAN PROJECT

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Paris, France (1999 – present)  Gotan Project is a electrotango group based in Paris, consisting of Frenchman Philippe Cohen Solal, Eduardo Makaroff from Argentina, and Christoph H. Müller, from Switzerland and a former member of Touch el Arab). They formed in 1999. Their first release was Vuelvo Al Sur/El Capitalismo Foráneo in 2000, followed by the album La Revancha Del Tango in 2001. Their music is clearly tango, but also uses electronic elements such as samples, beats and breaks. Live material was broadcast on Gilles Peterson’s world music show Worldwide on BBC one in May 2004. Philippe Cohen Solal has also released a DJ set: Inspiracion, Espiracion (P. Cohen Solal DJ Mix) (2004). This album is a compilation of classic tangos from the likes of Anibal Troilo and Astor Piazzolla and Gotan Project remixes. The album also includes a bonus CD with the track La Cruz del Sur - which was meant to be included on La Revancha Del Tango, but didn’t make the cut in 2001. Their las

SBTRKT

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London, United Kingdom   SBTRKT is Aaron Jerome, a producer based in London.  He performs behind a mask every time he plays out.   5 things about SBTRKT:  1) His live show includes his main collaborator Sampha on vocals and keyboards.  2) The name came about to create a musical identity separate from any single person.  3) Much of the music being played is electronic based but some recent material is live.  4) First gig was at fabric in Room 1 at Get Familiar (amazing sound/vibe!).  5) SBTRKT is pronouced ‘Subtract’.   Having just wrapped up remixes for Basement Jaxx (‘Scars’) and Franz Ferdinand (‘Send Him Away’), he’s got the airwaves in a stir with Benji B, Mary Anne Hobbs and Gilles Peterson singing his praises. With releases on the equally anonymous Brainmath label, Ramp and the ever fun Young Turks. SBTRKT sound: “The main thing are the synths, arrangement and syncopation. I tend to play around with chords or pads first, and then start applying some drums to it

SILVERSUN PICKUPS

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Los Angeles, California, United States (2005 – present) Silversun Pickups is a Grammy-nominated American indie rock band which formed in Los Angeles, California, United States in 2005.   The band consists of Brian Aubert (vocals, guitar), Nikki Monninger (bass, vocals), Joe Lester (keyboards) and Christopher Guanlao (drums). The band members are friends who had played together previously or in mutual friends’ bands.  The Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings) Songfacts explains that the name Silversun Pickups refers to a liquor store across the road L.A. rock-scene hang Silverlake Lounge. One of the band’s friends would often arrive at the store late at night to buy liquor, and would be as such making the “Silversun Pickup”. The band is signed to Dangerbird Records.  They released their debut EP “Pikul” in July of 2005. The band has released three albums, 2006’s “Carnavas”, 2009’s “Swoon” and 2012’s “Neck Of The Woods”. The band managed two Top 10 singles on Billboard’s Hot Modern Roc

EASY STAR ALL-STARS

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The Easy Star All-Stars are a collective family of some of the finest reggae musicians in the New York area. The band features a rotating cast drawn from a talented pool of players, meaning that every show has its own nuances and its own life. The masterminds behind the All-Stars are Easy Star musical director Michael Goldwasser (a.k.a. Michael G), frequent production partner Victor Axelrod (a.k.a. Ticklah), and Easy Star execs Eric Smith and Lem Oppenheimer. These four were the team behind the album Dub Side of the Moon (2003), the complete reggae re-vision of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and one of the most successful reggae albums of the 21st century. It has spent over 5 years on Billboard’s Top Reggae Chart and Reggae Catalog Chart. In 2006, the band followed up Dub Side with Radiodread, a complete reggae re-vision of Radiohead’s OK Computer. That record has also been a huge success, sparking great reviews, and even garnering praise from Radiohead. Originally formed

GHOSTPOET

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Coventry, United Kingdom (2010 – present) Ghospoet (born Obaro Ejimiwe, 18 January 1983) is a Mercury Music Prize Nominee from Coventry, UK, raised somewhere between London, Coventry, Nigeria and Dominica. A free EP entitled ‘The Sound of Strangers’ sidled into the public domain in June 2010. Comprising four tracks; three original compositions and a remix of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Electric Relaxation”, it also featured the collaboration ‘Morning ft Micachu.  It gained him a coveted spot in The Guardian’s “New Band of the Day” feature and a record contract with Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings imprint. Ghostpoet dropped his debut single ‘Cash and Carry Me Home’ on 24th January 201, followed by his album ‘Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam’ on 7th February 2011. The 19th of July saw the debut album nominated for the Mercury Prize ‘2011 Albums of the Year. His single ‘Survive It’ was launched in Rough Trade East Record store, on London’s Brick Lane on May 9th 2011