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May 10, 2021 Chillwave music producer ford. Shared stripped-down piano performance video

Chillwave music producer ford. Shared stripped-down piano performance video

Grammy-nominated indie-electronic music producer ford. has unveiled a new ‘Bedroom Reprise’ version of his track ‘4:38am’, featuring Brooklyn based artist Barrie, out now.

Combining delicate piano chords with Barrie’s hushed vocals, the Bedroom Reprise’ version of ‘4:38am’ is a sparse, stripped-back take that further accentuates the track’s understated beauty. The touching accompanying video sees the pair performing the track in two separate locations in the confines of a warmly-lit studio and bedroom. First appearing on ford.’s acclaimed recent album The Color of Nothing, the original has already amassed more than 4 million Spotify streams.

‘4:38am’ (Bedroom Reprise) is the first release from ford.’s forthcoming companion package, The Color of Nothing (Reprise). Out May 18th, the new package includes five remixes, two new stripped-back versions and two brand-new tracks “thursday drive” and mid-day [Focus Piece]”.

“I’ve always found a sense of peace and solace when working late at night,” ford. explains. “It allows me to cultivate this state of constant motivation when writing music that only exists in those hours. I wanted to do an acoustic for 4:38am as a way to provide a different perspective on the song and strip it down to its bare essentials in the same way that working in those late hours strips back my inhibitions when writing music.

He continues: “I remember building out this version soon after the album dropped and sending it off to Barrie to see if she was interested in the idea. She sent back some new vocals that felt even more intimate and personal than the original. A couple months later I drove out to LA for a road trip and ended up filming the piano parts, while Barrie filmed her parts in NY.”

At just 21 years of age, ford. has caught the attention as one of the brightest crossover stars with major streaming hits such as “Bedford Falls” and “Craving.”  He’s also produced remixes for major acts including Bearson, Ashe and Kasbo – resulting in a colossal 55 million streams and over one million monthly listeners. The producer extraordinaire has been championed by major tastemakers including Billboard, Complex, Dancing Astronaut, UPROXX, FAULT,  and Acid Stag. He’s landed a coveted Coachella set and in-demand tours with some of the biggest names on the scene including Madeon, Jai Wolf and Maribou State. He also received a Grammy nomination for his remix of Mild Minds’ “SWIM”.

The first release from ford.’s forthcoming project, the ‘Bedroom Reprise’ version of ‘4:38am’ perfectly captures the beauty of the young artist’s music. This fall, ford. will have two co-headliner shows with Elderbrook in Vancouver and Seattle, along with a slot at Life Is Beautiful, and more US shows to be announced soon.

Follow ford. :

Instagram | Website | Soundcloud | Twitter | Facebook

April 30, 2021 Electro soul music producer Ya Tseen announces debut album, Ya Tseen

Electro soul music producer Ya Tseen announces debut album, Ya Tseen

Photo by Merritt Johnson. Art by Christian Petersen and Nicholas Galanin

Sub Pop will release Indian Yard, the debut record from Sitka, Alaska project Ya Tseen. To celebrate the group’s impending release, they have shared an official video for “Synthetic Gods,” directed by Stephan Gray. Hinging on verses from Shabazz Palaces and Stas THEE Boss, “Synthetic Gods” is sonically seductive, a tense reflection on crisis, that summons the pressure needed to ensure Indigenous sovereignty and power to the people. 

Galanin says of the video, “‘Synthetic Gods’ is a response to the violence of capitalism dependent on systemic racism and division; and a narration of the pressure that will be applied to destroy it.” You can watch the new video HERE.

Indian Yard can be purchased on CD/LP through Sub Pop. LPs purchased through megamart.subpop.com, select independent retailers in North America, the U.K., and Europe will receive the standard LP on black vinyl.

The North American deluxe edition on clear vinyl is also available to purchase now. The deluxe packaging will include a 24-page hardcover LP-sized book with covers featuring a sci-fi landscape populated by a toddler-wearing artist Merritt Johnson’s sculpture Mindset, a VR headset woven from sweetgrass. The interior art was designed by Galanin. This deluxe edition will be available while supplies last.

Follow Ya Tseen:

Facebook / Twitter

April 26, 2021 Alt-pop singer Maria Kelly sings about being twenty with new music video

Alt-pop singer Maria Kelly sings about being twenty with new music video

 Maria Kelly premiered the video for her current single, ‘Martha’, on her YouTube channel. Directed by Tim Shearwood, who has worked on projects with the likes of Le Boom, Ae Mak and HAVVK, the video sees Maria playful in an empty room – a visual take on the song’s theme. ‘Martha’ was released on Maria’s label, VETA Music, and heralds her long-awaited debut album later this year. 

Since its release just under a fortnight ago, on the 7th of April, the Westport alt-folk singer’s new single has surpassed 30,000 streams on Spotify, been played on Irish radio over 60 times, has been named Track of the Week on 2fm, been added to the coveted RTÉ Radio 1 Recommends list and received high praise from music journalists across the country. 

Of the video, Maria says: “‘Martha’ is all about feeling stuck in that part of your early twenties, where you’re not who you were and not quite who you’ll be yet. And it’s about dealing with all of the change, restlessness, and confusion that comes with that. There are so many difficult parts of that process, but I wanted this video to explore the fun that still exists in that period of time – feeling stuck and unsure, but finding ways to make yourself laugh anyway.”

Maria Kelly’s world of delicately woven alt-folk is laced with a sincerity that cuts to the bone. Finding comfort in the confessional styles of artists like Regina Spektor, Daughter, and Lucy Rose, she soon transferred her own introspections to music, developing a sound that is as delicate as it is disarmingly frank.

A number of critically acclaimed releases on Veta Records have been accompanied by shows across Europe supporting the likes of James Vincent McMorrow, KT Tunstall, and Paul Noonan (Bell X1). Maria quickly became known for her heart-wrenching live performances, unassuming humour, and a ‘pin-drop’ vocal that is impossible to ignore. Maria’s work has continued to gain momentum internationally, rallying support from Mahogany, Consequence of Sound, and The Line Of Best Fit along the way.

After laying a foundation in the Irish music scene, Maria relocated to Berlin in 2018, a life-changing move that inspired her four-track EP, ‘notes to self’. Her stint in Germany saw her join All The Luck In The World on a month-long European tour, followed by her debut TV appearance on Other Voices Ballina. Maria finished up the year with two sold-out shows supporting Villagers.

2019 saw the release of ‘i leave early’ – a captivating track that showcases Maria’s continued development as an artist and one which quickly garnered more than a million streams on Spotify.

With the world at a standstill, 2020 saw Maria retreating to a small cottage on the south coast of Ireland. During this quiet in-between, Maria has found space to write and record her eagerly anticipated debut album – a blank canvas and an open sea with which to take stock and reflect on her 20s so far. 

Follow Maria Kelly:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Youtube / Spotify

April 21, 2021 Soul musician Dallas Tamaira share relatable music video, ‘Spider’

Soul musician Dallas Tamaira share relatable music video, ‘Spider’

Image credit: Nick Paulsen

Vocalist, musician, producer, illustrator and actor, Dallas Tamaira shares soulful new single Spider Stream ‘Spider’ here. Watch ‘Spider’ video here

Spider follows on last year’s lockdown single No Flowers’ which marked Dallas Tamaira‘s return to his roots as a solo artist after Fat Freddy’s Drop, of which Dallas is the founder member and vocalist, had a two month UK/European tour ground to a halt during the first COVID lockdown in March 2020. The acclaimed Kiwi band was forced to cancel the 14 sold out arena shows and return home facing a largely uncertain future. Dallas turned the potentially negative experience of self-isolation into a positive and productive time.

The brand new singleSpider’  represents the peaceful, slower pace of life Tamaira fell in love with during his confinement at home. Produced with friend, musician and producer Devin Abrams (Pacific Heights/Drax Project), the single late-night summer vibes, dark guitar and heavy bass contrasted with large sweeping layers of vocals are brought together with soulful piano flourishes. The result is smooth, lush, low-fi slow soul, delivered by arguably one of the world’s most gifted soul vocalists.

Talking about the track Dallas says; the underlying message in the lyrics is that life can be hard sometimes and that’s ok. For some people it’s more important to see the world for how it is rather than maintaining a constant positive outlook. We are all built differently and that’s a beautiful thing. Whether you choose to be present in the now or escape reality completely, do it on your own terms and don’t let anyone else tell you how to live your life.” 

Under the moniker of Joe Dukie Dallas rose to international acclaim as the velvet smooth vocalist for Fat Freddy’s Drop, a band considered one of the finest live draws worldwide. Dallas is of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Pakeha descent, born in Ōtautahi / Christchurch and raised in the small coastal town of Kaikoura. Music is in the blood, his Freddy’s stage name is inspired by his father singer-songwriter Joe and paternal grandfather, a musician nicknamed Dukie after Duke Ellington. 

Dallas has fronted Fat Freddy’ s Drop powerhouse from the early underground days in Wellington to headlining sell out shows across Europe, UK, Australia and back home in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2005 Dallas was awarded Best Vocalist at the bNet NZ Music Awards, and he also illustrated Freddy’s iconic cartoon characters for HOPE and B.O.A.T.S’ albums.

As a guest vocalist Dallas worked and recorded tracks for international acts such as The Nextmen, Gentlemen’s Dub Club, Eva Be, Recloose and Boozoo Bajou and New Zealand artists including Pacific Heights, Tubbs and Shapeshifter.

Follow Dallas Tamaira:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Spotify