Electronic music continues its inexorable rise to the front page of music media, with barriers continuing to be demolished, from set styles to language. Eztain hails from Joodalup in the Perth area of Australia, the country very quietly launching a sustained campaign on the global dance stage. Avoiding the trappings of convenient pigeonholes, Eztain follows the trailblazing lead of fellow Australian, Flume, by exploring Future Bass and Electronica, as opposed to a more generic ‘House’ sound. The result is a multi-layered, technicolor vision of the world Eztain sees around him, as much biological as it is robotic.
Eztain (aka Jake Colson) was inspired to create his own music from a very young age, the inspiration coming via the unlikely form of free software given away with his breakfast cereal! Learning the guitar whilst at school to ground him in the mechanics of melody and structure, he was influenced by the likes of Deadmau5, K.Flay and Amon Tobin, music that, while relying on modern technology, could be created as easily in a bedroom as in a state of the art studio.
The road to his first release has been far from easy. Suffering from mental illness, Jake has used music production as a release – a way for him to communicate with an outside world that has sometimes appeared very alien. By creating his alternative sonic landscapes, he has found a way both to inspire and be inspired, his music is an exploration of his mindset and as a way of conveying emotion. From the guttural, Justice-like permeating bass of Asymmetrical, to the otherworldly seas of Enhanced Vanilla and the throbbing labyrinths of Iconoclast, this could well be one of the stand-out electronica releases of the year.
LINKS:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gXV3e7qRIhBYpTR6OGRv6
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi5XehLQ0GCtYsy_bM3dMBA
https://www.facebook.com/eztain
https://twitter.com/Eztain
https://www.instagram.com/_eztain
http://www.eztain.net
https://www.twitch.tv/eztain
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Michael Rhodes – Feel It (Live At St Lukes Church, Kentish Town)
Born in Nigeria but now based in London, Michael Rhodes is a singer who channels the gospel and soul sounds of the 1960s, bringing joy and vibrancy to his songs, as well as imbuing them with his winning personality. Feel It is a self-composed track which sees Michael in full effect, with his soaring counter-tenor voice and upbeat tempo being hard to resist.
Written by Michael three years ago, Feel It is based on unrequited love which, rather than defeating Michael, sparked something of an awakening and led to him looking for happiness in everyday life wherever he could find it – something he hopes will inspire others to do the same. Though Feel It is rooted in a soul and gospel singing style, the inclusion of electronic horns adds a contemporary feel, without it sounding quite like anything else out there.
To support the track’s release, Michael performed a live showcase at St. Luke’s Church, Kentish Town, London, video footage of which demonstrates Michael’s ease with an audience and ability to express himself through his music. With further tracks ready for release and looking to play live across the UK, Michael Rhodes is a singer with real potential and whose passion and sincerity set him apart from the crowd.
LINKS:
https://soundcloud.com/michael-rhodes-8/feel-it
https://open.spotify.com/album/11qKBGrRcenKGOQc9OWzam
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU4_NvS2aaXrRllOwCmPovQ
https://www.facebook.com/iamMichaelRhodes
https://www.instagram.com/michael_rhodes1 -
She Made Me Do It – Fun And Games
That perfect blend of dark, dirty, dance, and dirt is what you get with She Made Me Do It and their new single titled ‘Fun and Games’. The track grits your teeth as it grabs your gravy and forces you on the floor with moves that may embarrass you but enrapture your entourage. Beauty is a bitch and she made me do it.
‘Fun and Games’ was produced by Will Crewdson and mixed to perfection by the legendary John Fryer (Depeche Mode, This Mortal Coil, Fad Gadget, Love and Rockets).
The single will be released on all major streaming and download platforms on 6th September 2019.
About She Made Me Do It
Stylish and powerfully intense London outfit She Made Me Do It present their new single ‘Fun and Games’. A slamming, instant Electro Rock classic with heavy pop sensibilities.The sultry vocals of Shaheena Dax (Rachel Stamp) underpin the whole 3-minute rush while Will Crewdson (Rachel Stamp/Adam Ant band) thrashes away on guitar as a man possessed.
Shaheena and Will met when they both played in the Rock band Rachel Stamp. Bouncing song ideas off each other in that band it seemed natural to carry on as Shaheena moved from the keyboards to lead vocals and bass. Two albums, various EP’s and singles later they have sharpened their sound into a killer aural punch which is embellished by the addition of Joe Holweger – also from Adam Ant’s band – on drums.
LINKS:
https://shemmdi.com
https://www.facebook.com/shemademedoitpage
https://instagram.com/shemmdi
https://twitter.com/shemmdi -
indifferentMonKeY – God or Machine?
indifferentMonKeY has released the video for the track titled ‘God or Machine?’. A few weeks ago we reviewed the single from indifferentMonKeY and now the video, in my opinion, encapsulates the darkly sensual and introvertedly rhythmic sense of self within the song. Belle’s voice is angelic with a touch of sin and her walk on the beach gives that longing for what once was in this world. Doing that with style is an originality just out of reach from most but firmly in the grasp of indifferentMonKeY. Future funk with a touch of the new reality.
Their debut E.P. ‘Inner Lockdown’ is due for release in April 2021.
About indifferentMonKeY
‘God or Machine?’ starts with a thunderstorm, the rain you can hear is real. The audio is a home studio where the vocals were laid down in a day, a real storm was overhead. Although the rain was pounding on the windows they decided to carry on recording, joking it would add to the atmosphere, on mixing the track, the elements proved to lend themselves perfectly to this brooding, beat-heavy gem. With stunning vocals from Belle and a superb mix/production, you could easily believe ‘God or Machine’ was a hidden track on Massive Attack’s legendary ‘Mezzanine’.
indifferentMonKeY was formed by songwriter/producer Joe Lowe, the sound is drawn from a number of influences and styles but is best described as ‘Heavy Trip Hop’.
The band kicked this year off in style having been played on BBC Introducing with Sean McGinty throughout the whole of January and the track will also be appearing on U.S music publication Relix Magazine’s CD sampler this coming March.
indifferentMonKeY are:
- Belle: Vocals
- Joe Lowe: Writer, arranger, and producer. Bass Guitar, Guitars, Strings, Vocals.
- Luke Wilding: Bass & Guitars
- Keith Ashcroft: Bass & Guitars (Guitarist on “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Gregg Alexander and Sophie Ellis-Bextor). Keith very sadly passed away suddenly a few months ago. RIP Keith Ashcroft. We’ll always miss you always.
- Drums: George Ashcroft-Smith
LINKS:
https://indifferentmonkey.com
https://dazyrcords.com
https://soundcloud.com/joe-lowe-626028563
https://www.facebook.com/indifferentmonkey
https://twitter.com/IndifferentM
https://www.facebook.com/DazyRecords-583724738473361
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCllGh8sArGdof2aQGHbHUPA/videos