Amy Winehouse-inspired pop/neo-soul artist Felixity releases her debut album ‘Love Sick’ on May 1 via Komplex Recordings. The latest single ‘Twisted Love’ also gets a swank powerhouse video featuring (and jointly choreographed by) Felixity herself with dancer Joshua Jung, who has performed with Mabel at The Brit Awards and appeared on ITV’s The Greatest Dancer.
Felixity recently released the Oberkon Remix of her debut single ‘You&Me’, created by a trio of heavy hitters: Andy Spaceland (a.k.a. Andy Jenks), part of Alpha and 5 Billion in Diamonds, together with Butch Vig; Jay Reynolds, notable mixer for the likes of Dua Lipa, Liam Gallagher, MIST, Fred Again, Gabrielle, Paloma Faith, and Pixie Lott; and producer David Francolini.
This collection of 10 deeply personal songs is part confessional, part exorcism, and all infused with her extraordinary voice and street smart lyrics. These songs, which were written at the very end of last year, taking the listener on a poetic journey to the heart of the singer. Felixity’s music is also influenced by The Weeknd (Trilogy), Etta Bond, J Cole, Anderson Paak, KAYTRANADA, and Jhene Aiko.
“On the whole, ‘Love Sick’ is a full stop on a part of my life. Written about personal experiences and laid over heavy drums and lots of strings, I wanted people to know that we all feel the same things and the hardest stuff never lasts. I wrote this about my past and the things that have happened. Sex, drugs love and addiction, it’s all in there,” says Felixity.
This album was recorded in London, Bristol, Brighton, Berlin and Geneva. Mixed by Cenzo Townsend (U2, Ash, The Strangers, The Wedding Present) at Decoy Sound and mastered by Brian Lucey (Katy Perry, Shania Twain, Liam Gallagher, Hatchie, Green Day) at Magic Garden Mastering, this album was produced and engineered at Komplex Studio by David Francolini, drummer for Levitation, Dark Star and Dragons. Francolini has been operating Komplex studios out of Bristol, UK but has now moved operations to the French Alps.
“Given the confessional nature of Felixity’s lyrics, it was important to create a dramatic soundscape; a cinematic and lush harmonic bed on top of which her wonderful voice could sit and her stories’ meanings are amplified. I have shapeshifted the feel of the songs throughout the record so it feels like the emotional journey that the lyrics portray. All quite conceptual really, but always keeping it uncluttered, funky, simple, and the groove deep,” says producer David Francolini.
“Fusing old school soul music with more contemporary textures, color, rhythms, and tone, I brought in some of the best musicians I have had the pleasure to have met for the album recording: Dekel Shula Adin (bass), Dean Frechtman (guitar), Ziv Sobelman-Yamin (Rhodes piano) and Adam Coombes (piano). We also have guest guitar from Angelo Bruschini (Massive Attack) and Alex Lee (Goldfrapp). The strings were worked on together with the soulmaster Martin Eden. I played all the drums and percussion myself and also myriad other synths etc. Was a fukkin labour of love!”
This collection of songs of love and loss is just the tip of the iceberg of what is to come for Felixity, who has several albums planned for 2020. The ambitious songwriter is already in the studio completing the second one. As for many artists, live shows planned in support of this album have been postponed. Nonetheless, Felixity is hoping to perform again later in the summer, current environmental permitting.
Featured image by Steve Gullick.
CREDITS
Written and performed by Felixity and David Francolini
Produced and engineered by David Francolini
Recorded at Komplex Studio in November/December 2019
Mixed by Cenzo Townsend at Decoy Sound
Mastered by Brian Lucey at Magic Garden Mastering.
All songs were written by F. Abbott and D. Francolini, except ‘You&Me’, written by F. Abbott, D. Francolini and S. Clines
‘Twisted Love’ video directed, produced and edited by Alex Rozerot Kirkwood
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Felixityx
https://twitter.com/felixity_x
https://www.instagram.com/felixity_x
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtqvgVRDF_xKKzWNNYnRVmA
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/felixity/1497518825
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rrpwcxiKQNAtpsU3e4q7V
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Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius – Hysteria
‘Hysteria’ is a Wagnerian/Queen-esque cover of Muse’s 2003 hit. The song is going to be on the upcoming Stratospheerius album, ‘Guilty Of Innocence’, out September 29 on Melodic Revolution Records, the leading North American progressive rock record label. Directed by musician Dave Milone (of the band Radio 4), the video for ‘Hysteria’ features a dramatic performance of the band punctuated with explosions. Deninzon says the explosions represent “Someone who has had enough! Feeling hopeless frustration with the current state of the world, breaking out of a bad relationship, or someone held back from their dreams and ambitions, a prisoner in their mind or in a literal sense…or both!”
Joe is a huge Muse and Queen fan, and pays tribute to both bands in their version of this song, “The original was so perfect that we wanted to reimagine the song entirely!” The single features singer Melanie Mitrano, the first time Stratospheerius has ever had an operatic soprano guesting on any of their recordings.
Fusing influences by artists as diverse as Tool, Tom Morello, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Jack Bruce, Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius are contenders for being the biggest deal in prog that you’ve never heard! Writes Cleveland.com’s Peter Chakerian, “He may not be a ‘household name’ (yet) but he’s kind of a big deal.” Adds Progressive Rock Central’s Angel Romero, the group “combines solid songwriting and tradition with extraordinary electric violin work and the sounds of the future.”
Special guests on ‘Guilty Of Innocence’ include guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament, TSO), keyboardist Rave Tesar (Renaissance), and vocalist/guitarist Randy McStine (The Fringe, Stu Hamm).
Joe Deninzon-electric violin/lead vocals/mandolin
Aurelien Budynek-guitar/backup vocals
Jamie bishop-bass/backup vocals
Lucianna Padmore-drumsLINKS:
http://stratospheerius.com
https://www.facebook.com/stratospheerius
https://twitter.com/joedeninzon -
The Silence Factory – High
Windsor, Ontario rock band The Silence Factory has released the Official Video for “High,” the second single off of their upcoming EP due out later this year. Produced by Juno award-winning and Grammy-nominated producer Gavin Brown (3 Days Grace, Billy Talent) and the video directed by Jendo Shabo from Moonjump Productions.
The band formed in October of 2015 and has been playing shows across Canada ever since. The band entered a number of competitions in 2016 and placed in the top 10 for their region in CBC Searchlight and took first place in the Windsor/Walkerville Fringe Festival Battle of the Bands. Notably, in June of 2016, the band took first place in Rocksearch sponsored by 97.7 HTZ FM out of Niagara. This prestigious contest helped launch the careers of many rock bands including the Standstills, Glorious Sons, My Darkest Days, The Trews and Finger Eleven.
Their debut CD released in February 2016 has received critical acclaim from Canadian Beats magazine and the Windsor Independent magazine. Canadian Beats had this to say about the album:
Drawing on modern rock acts Reignwolf, the Living End, Billy Talent, Our Lady Peace, and Matthew Good, mixed with the classic sounds of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, NM&TSF are helping usher in a new wave of emo-rock with the listenability of pop, the intensity of emo, and the power of hard rock. This band has a sound that the riff aficionado, the hip dance, and the tortured writer can go to on a date together and all enjoy the show.
In music cinema and folklore, audiences appreciate the story of the long term musician plugging away for decades until finally making it, are awed by the suddenly risen star, the musician who is discovered and instantly famous, or, through a series of fortunate musical events, creates a spontaneous and rapid name for themselves.
NM&TSF fall into the latter category, a group who, since forming last November, has had a series of serious commercial accolades including winning the 2016 97.7 HTZ-FM’s Rock search, being a Regional Top 10 finalist for CBC Searchlight, and being the 2016 Windsor-Walkerville Fringe Festival Battle Winners. NM&TSF carries a mighty rock and roll axe drawing serious blood with each swing.
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The Neighbourhood @ Lollapalooza Brazil 2018
0:54 Prey
5:23 You Get Me So High
8:37 Afraid
13:04 Wires
16:46 24/7
21:14 Wiped Out
28:55 Daddy Issues
33:41 Scary Love
37:52 Stuck With Me
42:16 Flowers
45:52 Cry Baby
50:06 Void
53:48 Sweater Weather
58:03 R.I.P 2 My Youth