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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Vile Assembly – Gone
Vile Assembly is Mark Wainwright, Mark Webb and Paul Mason, a tight-knit trio of songwriters, musicians, and producers. Spiralling from the success of their debut single earlier this year, the Liverpool based Punk trio spark anarchy and debate with the release of their follow-up single and the debut album out this Autumn.
The trio garnered global media acclaim as far reaching as Japan with the release of their debut single ‘Suicide Feast’ earlier this year. Now they’re back with a bold serving of anarchic Punk with the release of their follow-up single, ‘Gone’, on 6th October, taken from their debut album ‘Fattened By The Horrors Of War’ which is out on October 20th.
The band were created solely to be the whistleblowers on unjust society; their purpose to say what needs to be said through the universally understood medium of music. With their bold, beat-driven, brazen melodic style, they defy you not to take notice.
Fusing the classic 70s Punk vibe of The Clash and the Sex Pistols with a more considered Bowie-esque lyrical content, ‘Gone’ points the judgemental finger at the mighty conglomerates. This single puts the spotlight on the harshness of our system, blatantly exposing the fact that if organisations want you to disappear (whether it’s from work or expelled from the country), then they will act that, without any remorse or hesitation. Do not mess with the powers that be is the message here. Smartly creating a catchy melodic hook and an addictive ‘gone, gone, gone’ chant, all woven around stoic Punk lyrics, ‘Gone’ was created so that it could be easily digested by the masses.
Vile Assembly wants us all to wake up and realise that, whilst we’re a medicated nation, the corporates will always have the ultimate power and control. If anyone speaks out against the corporates they won’t wait, they won’t hesitate, when they want you gone, you’re gone. Free from fear, the trio is using their musical muscle to speak out and they won’t stop screaming until they’re heard.
Listen, absorb and make a change!
LINKS:
http://www.thevileassembly.co.uk
http://twitter.com/vileassembly
http://soundcloud.com/user-27892933/suicide-feast -
Syteria – Revolution
Syteria premiered their video for “Revolution” from their debut album “Rant 0 Bot”. The video was directed by Andrew Staley, while the concept and production were created by Syteria’s vocalist Julia Calvo. Also on board are Drop D Films and Restless Focus, to augment guitarist/composer Jackie Chambers composition. Editing Guru Mike Brierley had the task of making it come together on the screen.
“The major corporations have had their say too long and the people are starting to fight back. Then from among the shadows, a hero is rising!” says Syteria.
Syteria is the stroppy offspring of British heavy metal rock band Girlschool with the talented lead guitarist Jackie Chambers leading the pack. Jackie has been lead guitarist of Girlschool since 1999, but when you are taking Syteria into account that is where the similarities stop. For those of you that were lucky enough to see their far to a quick tour of South East Asia or their Friday night UK headline gig in the V Lounge in Great Yarmouth, these girls and boys rock, but in a different more urgent way than Girlschool. The band is more Runaways/Joan Jett Solo than Iron Maiden or Saxon.
Syteria’s album Rant 0 Bot itself starts off with the anthemic “Revolution.” The video and song sound exactly as the title suggests, music to start a revolution too!
Cover photo by Yellow Mustang Photography.
Syteria is:
Jackie- Lead guitar and Backing Vocals
Julia- Lead Throat
Kiera- Bass guitar and vocals
Pablo- Drums and VocalsLINKS:
https://www.numberonemusic.com/syteria
https://www.facebook.com/syteriagirls
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxhTNvKJfLjHNV0FzdrIlCw/videos
http://syteria.co.uk -
Novanta – Lovers
Highlighted by the contribution of Stella Diana’s Dario Torre (vocals in “Outside noise”) and Marco Barzetti, aka True Sleeper (vocals in “To realize”), “Some are stars” is a four-song EP whose making took no less than three years. During this time Manfredi Lamartina, leader of the project, has radically changed his composition approach. Novanta is no longer a solo project, but a duo that also includes drummer Agostino Financo Burgio (Nicolò Carnesi, Hank, Moque). The sound is no longer lo-fi: cleaner, with more impact, also thanks to the work of Lucantonio Fusaro, Claudio Piperissa and Luca Ferrari, who recorded and mixed the album at Faro Recording Studio (Varese, IT).
What kind of music is “Some are stars”? Manfredi Lamartina, founder and leader of Novanta, likes to call it “ceiling-gazing”: a mix of dream pop, post-rock and synth-wave to listen to at very low or very high volumes. No middle ground.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/novantamusic
https://novanta.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/novanta
https://twitter.com/novanta_
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAP0yD_6tWlCP1XgeJMKN0Q
https://lapaurafanovanta.wordpress.com/