Four More: Computer Magic - Art d'Ecco - Albert af Ekenstam - Brooklyn Doran

Computer Magic - Gone For The Weekend.

Background bio - Computer Magic consists of Danielle “Danz” Johnson. She is based out of Brooklyn, NY and was born and raised in the Catskills in upstate New York (in Woodridge, NY and Rock Hill, NY). She moved to Chinatown in New York City to attend Hunter College. In 2010 she moved to Tampa, FL to get away from city life. There, she taught herself how to make music and put up several EP’s for free online under the moniker of Computer Magic. 

Since then, Danz has released 8 EP’s worldwide and 4 LP’s in Japan. She has written numerous songs for commercials in Japan and tours there frequently. Her full length debut Davos came out on her own record label Channel 9 Records in late 2015. She is currently self-producing her next EP which will be out by the end of the year. Ignacio Rivas Bixio accompanies her for live shows on percussion and on some recordings.

Computer Magic's "Gone For The Weekend" is a unique synth-dance-dream taken from the forthcoming EP, Obscure But Visible due Oct 7th 2016.

'Gone For The Weekend' is an original sounding synth pop song, with a powerful soundtrack and Danielle's vocals immersed within, and occasionally rising above, the melodic wall of swirling sounds.

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Art d'Ecco - I'll Never Give You Up.

Background - Art d'Ecco released his debut album Day Fevers just a couple of days ago. To celebrate the release, Art d'Ecco premiered his new music video for "I'll Never Give You Up". The single is a synth heavy, '80s inspired dance track that's as haunting as it is electrifying. It's a distinct departure from d'Ecco's glam rock inspired single "She So Hot," showcasing his adaptability across genres.

Art d'Ecco's story is anything but usual. After a period of personal turmoil, d'Ecco escaped the city life and relocated to the Gulf Islands of British Columbia to embark on a journey of much needed soul searching and personal rediscovery. He spent the last three years in relative seclusion on the island retooling, writing, and overcoming the obstacles of isolation and regret.

With Day Fevers, d'Ecco peers through a lens of nostalgia with nods to glam rock, classic rock n roll, krautrock, spaghetti westerns, and new wave psychedelia. He sought to deliver an album across different genres with himself as the sonic rug that ties it all together, or rather a playlist. Starting with "Sunrise" and closing with "Sunset," Day Fevers travels through themes of desire, isolation, nostalgia, and personal discovery, taking listeners through all the lows and the highs.

"Formed during the three year period I spent in isolation, tucked away in a cabin on one of the Gulf Islands in British Columbia. I'd fled a bad scene in Vancouver – my life was spinning out of control and I needed a refresh. I was burnt out and over playing music. The scene. The Debauchery. I was emotionally hollowed out. Eventually, I discovered that feelings of alienation and desire were something I could channel into music. I've always been a man of extremes, so it was in this escape that I rediscovered myself as an artist. These songs came from months of writing and from being alone." - Art d'Ecco.

There is most definitely something of a retro 1980's synth vibe running through the hooky and melodic 'I'll Never Give You Up'. The video accentuate's this even further, it's a delight, as are all nine songs on the debut album.

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Albert af Ekenstam - The Devil Bird.

Background - On the 14th of October Albert of Ekenstam’s debut album ‘Ashes’ will meet its expectant audience. Singer/guitarist Sumie Nagano (whose self-titled album on Bella Union is a must for all who love unique voices), drummer/ keyboardist/producer Filip Leyman (who, together with Albert, make up the post-rock constellation Tempel) and trumpeter Max Lindahl (known from a number of jazz bands) have all helped Albert bring it to fruition.

Like Elliot Smith (rest in peace) and Damien Jurado before him, Albert is a brave and straightforward singer-songwriter. His melodies and lyrics are like uncensored and infinitely beautiful letters – without euphemisms and false chords they let you know what’s on his mind. At the same time, they’re universal – if you’ve loved and lost you can relate to them completely.

Albert’s mother died when he was 12 years old and him and his sister had to bring themselves up alone for the most part. Much of the album touches on loneliness and how he had to take responsibility early in his life in order to manage his own future –including his relationships and how he learnt to build a ‘safe point’ from within before relying on others. Songs like ‘The Devil Bird’ tell the tale of fighting to choose the right way you want to live and not living to the standards built up by outsiders.

They also stir the internal movie projector. With “Ashes” on the stereo and eyes closed, memory fragments, glowing emotions and pure dreams fly and stir through your soul. Filip’s production (which you’ve heard on Anna von Hausswolff’s two latest albums) is both intimate and grand at the same time, making this personal cinematic experience even more sensational.

First of all there are the vocals of Albert af Ekenstam. Genuine, intense, powerful and so good for the ears. Follow this with a song as pleasing as 'The Devil Bird' and you know your listening to something very special. Fabulous voice and song!

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Brooklyn Doran - Say The Words.

Background - Brooklyn Doran is an indie folk songstress, originally from Kenora, Ontario who is now based in Toronto. The singer-songwriter’s music presents a unique and harmonious blend of traditional folk and contemporary pop. Her live show weaves song and storytelling, from humorous anecdotes to emotional ballads, to delightfully folk-infused love songs.

Brooklyn Doran’s music has been featured extensively on CBC and radio throughout Canada, featured in music publications worldwide and Her debut 5 song EP “There’s A Light On” (2014) received a nomination at the Toronto Independent Music Awards for Best Adult Contemporary.

Brooklyn’s debut full-length album “These Paper Wings” was recorded at Catherine North Studios and is due for worldwide release September, 2016.

Brooklyn Doran's new album “These Paper Wings” was released last Friday, which seem's a good enough excuse to feature another track, from what is a finely crafted and produced collection of indie folk songs.   'Say The Words' is the final song in the collection, you can find out more on her Website here.

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Genre Wander: Tanya Gallagher - Computer Magic - Lion Sphere - Otis Redding - Lion's Den

Tanya Gallagher - Virginia.

Background bio - A little town in the Florida panhandle may be the only true home to Southern songstress Tanya Gallagher, but her music spans the country from the coastal plains of the Gulf of Mexico into the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. Born and raised near the Florida-Alabama line, she spent her formative years along the Gulf Coast studying environmental science and working odd jobs whilst fine-tuning her song-writing skills. Her 2013 release, Oh My Love, reveals beautifully crafted melodies and thoughtful folky refrains, enough to garner the attention of both her US and Canadian peers. 

Collaborating and performing alongside fellow wordsmiths and fans, like James Adkins, Logan Vath, and James Dupre, her song-writing conveys the honesty and wisdom of a woman who is beginning to establish a musical identity all her own, yet one still rooted in the soulful folky crooners who have paved the way before her. With her voice as smooth as whiskey and an acoustic guitar, Gallagher uprooted and moved from Pensacola, Florida to Vancouver, BC in the fall of 2013 to pursue a PhD in Landscape Ecology and continue song-writing. Her latest album, Virginia, is set to be released September 30th, 2016.

The first of seven songs 'Virginia' gives a good taste of the folky and refined music Tanya Gallagher creates. Her songs tell stories and conjure up mind pictures, whilst the music and harmonies, add melody and atmosphere. Understated and yet full of feeling, it's a really fine collection of songs.

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Computer Magic - Dimensions.

Background - "Danielle Johnson, is a Catskills-born producer and recording artist who makes music as Computer Magic. She spent years as a fixture on the NYC nightlife scene as a teen DJ going by the name Danz, then dropped out of college and started making music withe her midi controller and her computer. She's particularly revered in Japan; she likes to wear NASA space suits. Since 2010 she's released a bunch of EPs and last year's debut LP Davos (Gary Numan fans get involved!) and below is the premiere of her new song, "Dimensions," lifted from her forthcoming EP Obscure But Visible. "Life is short but love is long / Take a breath and carry on," she exhales wistfully over canned beats and dancing synth lines. There's a pinch of "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots."

"The song 'Dimensions' was inspired by my recent time spent in upstate New York—the intense skies at night, the infinite green fields," she explains. "When you're lying on the grass in the middle of nowhere looking up at the stars, you realise how small your place is in the universe, and in turn your current problems tend to fade away if only for a moment. I suppose the lyrics are about this, the feeling I experience looking up at the stars."

'Dimensions' is a dreamy, melodic and totally catchy, synth pop song. Danielle Johnson has some very real creative talent. Why say more?

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Lion Sphere - Sisters.

Background promo - Berlin based four-piece Lion Sphere are one of the most exciting bands to come out of Germany this year. The release of debut single 'Sisters', and accompanying visuals, set the boys on a trajectory of nationwide shows and increased demand.

The band blend thumping electronic fragments with heavy hip-hop grooves, spacious guitar licks and raw, soulful vocals to create a mixture of genres which don't quite sound like anyone else, and this is what sets them apart in the German musical landscape. The music is a mesmerising fusion of dreamy melodic detail, airy synths, jazz infused drums and a satisfyingly throbbing bass presence.

Their modern and unexpected song structures are strung together by hooky melodies that range from delicate falsettos to smoky powerful vocals. Lion Sphere break with the conventions of overused pop palettes and create their own synthesis of each members unique musical and cultural background. "Sisters" is the first taste of their debut EP The Infinite You to be released in October 2016.

The soulful vocals on 'Sisters' are matched almost to perfection by the equally superb musicianship. Produced with layers of beautifully blended sounds this is one encouraging introduction for the EP.

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Otis Redding - Mr Pitiful.

Background - Stax Records and UMC, are pleased to announce the release of Otis Redding – Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings. In chronological order, this six-CD collection presents the entirety of Redding’s historic performances over three nights at the famed Sunset Strip venue. The seven sets, recorded Friday, April 8th – Sunday, April 10th,1966, feature the singer’s popular songs of the time, including “Respect,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and his cover of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Several of these recordings--all remixed and remastered from the original 4-track analog tapes--will be made available for the very first time on October 21. In fact, this collection will be the first to offer fans the chance to relive all of the sets in their entirety, including between-song banter by Redding exactly as they were performed. Rounding out the package is a poster, plus new liner notes from Los Angeles-based journalist Lynell George and box set co-producer Bill Bentley.

By the spring of 1966, 24-year-old Otis Redding was a bona-fide star on the R&B and soul radio waves. The singer was enjoying the critical and commercial success of his third studio album, Otis Blue, and was watching his singles cross over to the (typically very white) pop charts. Redding had yet to be fully embraced by a white audience, and this weekend-long gig in Hollywood, booked at a venue known more for hosting hippies, and launching bands like The Doors, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, was a shrewd move to introduce Redding to a new market. In fact, Redding would be the first major soul act to perform on the Whisky’s stage. In her liner notes, Lynell George adds context: “The Strip, like much of 1960s Los Angeles, had invisible but tough to permeate dividing lines...Redding began to see this three-night run as just the right spark to help him jump over all those many lines, from star to superstar, from R&B/soul to pop, from all-black rooms to arenas…” In the end, these Whisky sets (with Otis' nine-piece band) did prove to be an important step in Redding’s career, and introduced him to the emerging counter-culture of the 60s. Of the Whisky shows, The Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger said, "I remember standing right in front of the stage for the whole show. I never heard of Otis Redding before and I was amazed at the energy that he created on the stage.”  A year later, Otis would be the star act at the Monterey Pop Festival, sharing a lineup that included Jimi Hendrix and The Who. Tragically, just as his career was reaching its peak, Redding’s life would be cut short in a plane crash, in December 1967.

'Mr Pitiful' is all I have to hear, for a compulsive need to own the entire six CD collection. Otis Redding, soul master, what a tremendous experience listening to all of this is likely to be.

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Lion's Den - Scars.

Background - Stockholm based Lion's Den, including members from bands such as Wild Fangs, Holograms, Mind Traps and Martin Savage Gang, release a new single from their forthcoming debut album!

Lining up to the album the band has released singles "Nothing's Fine" and "Timetimetime" receiving great praise from blogs all over the world. "Scars" is out now and the debut album will be here on August 31st.

Tour Dates (more tba)
2 sep - Debaser Strand, Stockholm - w Föllakzoid
29 sep - Grand Öl&Mat, Malmö - w Growth
30 sep - Koloni / High Time, Göteborg - w Growth, LA Hell Gang




Uncomplicated it may be, however'Scars' has all the vital ingredients for an indie garage/pop/rock or whatever you decide it is song. Hooks galore, a lively upbeat soundtrack and vocals that add some rock'n'roll edge.

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