Tag: Massive Attack

Best known by his stage name j. viewz, Jonathan Dagan is a New York-based songwriter, producer and visual artist, who has developed a reputation  for employing analog synthesizers, analog tapes, recordings of nature and sounds sent in to him from his fans to craft a sound that has frequently been described as nostalgic, intricate and detailed as well as collaborating with a number of guest vocalists, producers and musicians throughout his career. But perhaps just as important, Dagan has also had a long-held reputation for relentless experimentation — in fact, the New York-based multi-discipline artist gained attention for presenting a rendition of Massive Attack‘s “Teardrop” on an assortment of fruits and vegetables.

Eagan’s latest experimental project is the DNA Project, a website which, pulls the curtains open by presenting a step-by-step look at the making of his next album slated for release sometime next year — in real time. Fans and curious onlookers can follow Dagan’s creative process in its entirety, providing access to the people, places, and sounds that inspire each song, as well as exclusive videos of his writing process, recording sessions, and innermost thoughts during his creation of new music.

“Don’t Pull Away,” the latest single from the DNA Project and from the forthcoming and yet untitled album features guest vocals by Rhye‘s Milosh and production assistance from Gotye. (Check out some behind the scenes footage of j. viewz and Goyte collaborating together below. It’s actually quite a bit of fun.) The slow-burning track pairs sputtering, creaky and dusty-sounding electronics with soaring strings and gently swirling electronics with Milosh’s unhurried and sultry vocals — and in a way that’s particular reminiscent of Chet Faker‘s work (in particular “Gold” and his collaboration with Marcus MarrThe Trouble With Us“) as the single expresses an aching need and vulnerability.

Comprised of Andrew Poirier (guitar), Anand Greenwell (saxophone), Chris Mackenzie (drums), William Farrant (bass), and Piers Henwood (guitar), the  Victoria, BC-based quintet Astrocolor decided that they wanted to tackle Christmas songs for their forthcoming album Lit Up: Music for Christmas. Featuring guest vocals from Kandle, Rykka, Jets Overhead‘s Antonia Freybe-Smith, and Abi Rose and co-produced by the Canadian quintet and Colin Stewart, best known for his work with Black Mountain, Dan Mangan and AC Newman, the approach to the album was largely inspired by jazz great Stan Getz’s Getz Au Go-Go, as well as Massive Attack, Air and St. Germain. As the band explained in press notes, Stan Getz’s rendition of “Summertime,” ” became a jumping off point for what we were trying to do, taking the classic ‘summertime and the livin’ is easy’  hook and reshaping it into an exploratory piece. We too wanted to create a sense of familiarity and exploration within the context of a Christmas album.”

“We Three Kings,” the first single off Lit Up: Music for Christmas is a noir-ish and moodily atmospheric song that sounds as though it owes as much of a sonic debt to jazz as it does to dubstep and trip hop as Abi Rose’s seductive, jazz standard vocal stylings are paired with a mournful horn line, swirling electronics, angular, funk guitar and bass, and plinking keys submerged in layers upon layers of reverb to craft a rendition of a familiar song that’s hauntingly mournful and cinematic — while being simultaneously intimate and sensual.

I’ve played the song a number of times before writing this post, and every time I can picture the three kings with their gifts riding through moonlit, desert skies to Bethlehem to see the baby Christ. But perhaps more important, it puts a modern spin on to a song that many of us have heard so much that its meaning and importance has been reduced to background music at the mall or in a commercial.

New Audio: We Came As Strangers’ Hauntingly Gorgeous New Single “Eyedom”

Comprised of  Justin Sandercoe (guitar), Tim Harries (bass), Ellem (vocals), and Owen Thomas (production), the members of We Came As Strangers began collaborating together as an experimental pop, side project from the members various professional endeavors. As Sandercoe […]

Comprised of  Justin Sandercoe (guitar), Tim Harries (bass), Ellem (vocals), and Owen Thomas (production). the members of We Came As Strangers began collaborating together as an experimental pop, side project from the members various professional endeavors. […]

Masha Zargarin may have one of the more compelling stories in recent memory.  Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Zargarin grew up with classical training, playing Chopin and Rachmaninoff. When Zagarain was a teenager, her and […]

Born in Coventry, UK and currently based in London, Obaro Ejimiwe is best known across the blogosphere under the moniker of Ghostpoet. His first two releases, Peanut Butter and Melancholy Jam (2011) and Some Say I So I Say Light (2013) were released […]

Born in Coventry, UK and currently based in London, Obaro Ejimiwe is best known across the blogosphere under the moniker of Ghostpoet. His first two releases, Peanut Butter and Melancholy Jam (2011) and Some Say I So […]

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Masha Zargarin grew up playing Chopin and Rachmaninoff. And as a teenager, Zargarin and her family relocated to Los Angeles, CA where she got into electronic music after being […]

Reed Kackley is a Brooklyn-based producer and musician, who originally started Silent Rider as a solo production project that has eventually expanded to a full band. And with Silent Rider, Kackley and company have developed a reputation […]

Bristol, UK-based producer and electronic music artist Matt Preston, writes, records, performs and produces under the moniker of Phaeleh. And as Phaeleh, Preston has developed a reputation for crafting a sound that has a modernist, icy […]

Melbourne, Australia-based act World’s End Press will be releasing their self-titled debut on October 4th through Liberation Records. And once you hear the album’s second official and latest single “Reformation Age” it may sound familiar […]

Innocents, which Mute Records will be releasing on September 30th, marks a number of firsts for Moby as it’s the first time he’s worked with an outside producer, Mark “Spike” Stent, who has worked with […]

Matt Preston, a.k.a., Phaeleh, the acclaimed Bristol, UK-based released his sophomore effort, Tides earlier this year. The new effort continues Phaeleh’s reputation for crafting an electronica that has an icy sheen, while being incredibly cinematic. it often sounds as […]

Matt Preston, a.k.a., Phaeleh, the acclaimed Bristol, UK-based released his sophomore effort, Tides earlier this year. The new effort continues Phaeleh’s reputation for crafting an electronica that has an icy sheen, while being incredibly cinematic. “Whistling in […]