Unbreakable by Robots in Love

 

New Zealand based band Robots in Love’s new track "Unbreakable" is a powerhouse industrial rock anthem that captures the electrifying energy of stepping onto the stage. The song is a perfect fusion of pounding drums, driving basslines, gritty guitars, and pulsating electronic sounds with  a hint of 80s nostalgia. From the moment the first chord strikes, you're drawn into an adrenaline-fueled musical journey with beautiful vocals and emotive lyrics.   “Unbreakable” paints a vivid picture of empowerment and the feeling of strength from connection.  The synergy between the traditional rock elements and the electronic soundscapes create a dynamic and invigorating sonic landscape. 

"Unbreakable" is for anyone who has ever felt the transformative power of music. 

Links :

Bandcamp : https://robotsinlove.bandcamp.com/album/unbreakable

YouTube : http://youtube.com/@robotsinlovemusic

The Noise Who Runs

Anglo-French Dark Electronic Rock duo Ian Pickering and Felipe Goes make up the band The Noise Who Runs and although in the future they may recruit more members for the band at the moment they perform as a pair. A literal translation of a French phrase, Le bruit qui court, The Noise Who Runs, chose their band name in honor of a restaurant they frequented called O Bruit Qui Court. When band member Ian asked what the restaurant name meant he was told it meant nothing in English. “I’d been trying to find a name for the band for a long time, since before I recorded Left-Handed Tendencies as Ian Pickering in 2014, band names are the hardest thing about music, genuinely, and when I heard that : ‘it means nothing’ - literally, the noise who runs, I was away with it, everything fell into place like a Big bang movement.” admits Ian. On a personal level for Ian the band name also has significance explaining the name “coincides with me moving to France to be with the woman I love, finally getting sober for good, its been six years now, and kind of late in the day as it is, increasingly demonstrating to myself, my fullest potential, artistically.” Although in’ French, the term hints at gossip and rumors the band interpret the meaning of the name as “voices of the unheard growing louder and stronger and demanding in a better way”.

Although Felipe doesn’t recall when he first got interested in music he admits that his mother would listen to music and sing while cooking and cleaning when he was small. When he was a teenager Felipe picked up a guitar and from there his passion for music grew. Ian always had music as a part of his life but when he turned around eleven or twelve he explains “ I first started writing song lyrics and that remains the most satisfying and pleasurable part of the whole process for me. I am easily at my most contented when I’m doing lyrics”. Ian also credits his oldest friend Liam Howe from Sneaker Pimps as being a fundamental influence on his music and style. Ian explains that he and Liam “started working on our own music from an early age, me writing words, him working on music, sound engineering, production, with whatever we had available , notably an upturned plastic bin and a Casio VL-Tone, then a Roland SH101.” As Liam’s father updated his equipment Ian was able to experiment on the older equipment and foster his music writing. This resulted in Ian and Liam making albums with Sneaker Pumps.

Ian has a casual approach to songwriting and he doesn’t force the process. He describes his songwriting as “basically its like Mr Bump, the accident-prone Mister Man, the blue one covered in white bandages. Basically, he has a nightmare doing anything because he’s gonna break something, spill something or hurt himself (I’m also literally like that, sadly), but eventually he gets his ideal job - apple picking. And he just walks around the orchard not even thinking about apples and every so often he crashes into a tree, an apple falls down, he catches it, job well done.”

The process of songwriting begins like this for Ian “All I do is read, listen, watch, talk, discuss and at some point, all those tiny snapshots and fragments coalesce into a bigger picture that I always feel like has been there forever. And once you get that first step out of the way, the only trick to writing, recording and producing is to devote all your time to it. ALL your time. I don’t think about anything else unless someone’s talking to me or I’m teaching.”

In cultivating The Noise Who Runs’ particular style the band can’t really identify how many genres have influenced the bands sound. Felipe explains that he “listens to all sorts of music but I don’t think of one artist or band in particular every time I make music.” He challenges listeners to discover what the band influences may be by listening to their music. For Ian he believes that a pure genre of music is elusive and and he think that the evolving genres are being named in more and more ridiculous ways in attempt to classify music. He likens it to the children born during the pandemic with ludicrous names given to them by parents hoping in some way to make them seem individual. Ian says “I was born in the 1970s, was a teenager in the 80s and was trying to make it in music for most of the 1990s, before Sneakers took off.” He describes The Noise Who Runs as a “kaleidoscope of everything that occurred in those decades that had an impact on me.” Ian believes that the music that influenced him most in his formative years was anything that he could relate to and was relevant to his life. This is why through the music of The Noise Who Runs the duo are trying to convey “the desperately unfair state of play in the world and add a poetic voice to what I believe is now the growing clamour for fundamental changes to save the chances of a decent future.”

To stay inspired musically Ian says “I’ll tell you what I definitely DON’T do to stay inspired and creative and grow artistically. What I don’t do is buy those fucking Brian Eno bastard Constraint cards and get all fucking pretentious about recording a song using only the door of a broken washing machine, a shaved guinea pig and a raspberry ripple while hopping on one leg to record palindromic vocals backwards. What I DO do is care, very sincerely and wholeheartedly - about people, about the state of things, about the thin end of the wedge and the short-end of the stick, about inequality in society, about the lack of political will to enact change. Staying inspired and growing as an artist, these things come as naturally as breathing - and if they don’t, you should really find something else to do. “ Felipe has developed a love for trying new things musically and admits to enjoying learning new concepts, genres and instruments. Felipe says “Doing stuff other then music also feels helpful to stay inspired, just do not as me to share my drawings !” Ian has promised that he will put some of Felipe’s drawings on the band website.

Unintentionally fostering a dark aesthetic, the duo admit to never actually discussing an aesthetic for the band but instead allowed it to grow through osmosis. Ian explains that they do have control over the growing aesthetic through the very personal songwriting. He says that the fundamental thing for the band is “the hand-prints from prehistory on the cave walls, that mark left to posterity, the clear statement ‘We were here’ calling down through the ages like a slower than glacier kind of social media post.” With what Ian says is an optimistic approach “that’s where the aesthetic for all the visual side begins and that’s now evolving on its own, kind of instinctively.” Ian jokes that’s so much happens for the band instinctively that they “really should sit down sometimes and talk about all these things more often”.

An experienced live performer Ian admits “ I absolutely love playing live and I’ve kind of done it at both ends of the scale - big gigs and festivals with Sneakers and pubs the length and breadth of England with transporter. I don’t like impromptu performances, I don’t like jamming. For Felipe, since we got stopped in our tracks with COVID in 2020, just as we were ready to start playing live, now we’re starting to rehearse again and will hopefully gig before the end of the year, just a few small shows to cut our teeth, I think it will be his first time. So the first The Noise Who Runs gig will be the absolutely first time for Felipe. That’s gonna be quite kind of momentous.”

When asked how they engage with and stay connected to their fans Ian amusingly says “What, Felipe’s mum and my mum? They both said you can ask them directly so we’ll give you their email addresses if you like.”

In the future The Noise Who Runs will be attempting to make new and engaging music by adding and removing various elements to and from their sound. They hope to perform live soon.

For new listener to The Noise Who Runs, Felipe wants people to know that he enjoys making the music so hopes people enjoy listening to it. Ian describes their music “there’s always something more to offer each time you hear it. And it’s possible that The Noise Who Runs is the soundtrack for the times. Smoke something, relax, let the album and the songs work their peculiar magic.”

Links : 

Webpage : https://thenoisewhoruns.com/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/thenoisewhoruns

Instagram : https://instagram.com/thenoisewhoruns?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Youtube : https://youtube.com/@thenoisewhoruns2291

Bandcamp : https://thenoisewhoruns.bandcamp.com/

 

 

 

The Intriguing Mari Dangerfield

 

 Photo Courtesy of Facebook 

For musician, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and artist, Mari Dangerfield, growing up with a dad that played lots of music was fundamental to developing a passion for learning to play instruments.  Having cultured a broad interest in Alternative and Electronic music Mari admits “it came from what I knew and what I had access to mostly; working with my limitations.  As what I have access to develops I hope to move on accordingly.”

At the age of fourteen Mari developed what she describes as “a strong musical obsession” with musician David Bowie.  According to Mari, with Bowie she found that “the more I got to know him the more I felt brave about stepping out of my comfort zone and trying different things.”  Mari also discovered the musical pleasures of the stylophone through Bowie’s work.  Many other artists and songwriters both past and present have been a source of enjoyment for Mari, especially when they create a great melody in their work.

 

The creative process for Mari when writing new music involves a strong concept or melody or at times both together.  Mari’s music usually explores themes such as feeling like an outsider, the intricacies of humanity and love, mental health as well as technology vs nature.  

 

Mari is completely responsible for  the aesthetic of her musical persona.  She describes this aspect of creativity as “another form of expression for me that connects to the music.”  Although Mari acknowledges that its very easy as an artist to keep your head down and create in a vacuum she believes it’s important for her to experience the real world to feed her imagination as part of her creative process.  She also stays off technology for a couple of days a week to further help with her creativity.  “We need to allow that mental space of ‘boredom’ to exist in order to get to that idea where great ideas can be born” Mari believes.  Watching documentaries and learning about the experiences of other artists also serve as sources of inspiration for Mari.

 

Although Mari says that live performances can be “nerve-wracking at times” she really enjoys them and confesses  “I get a buzz out of it and the fact that I get to share songs that I’ve written with strangers in a room and that they actually enjoy them is the coolest thing!”

 

Understanding  the importance of connecting with her fans, Mari keeps herself present on social media.  Of late she has been engaging fans more by asking them for song ideas and then sharing those on her social media and her Patreon.

 

For the future Mari is hoping for some big strides in her music.  “As long as I can keep doing this music thing, whether I can do it every single day or just some days I’ll be happy!” she explains.

 

For new listeners to her music Mari suggests  “If you’re open-minded about what you listen to but like a good tune, I might just be for you!”  The work of this creative, talented and unique musician is well worth seeking out.

 

 Links :

Website: http://www.maridangerfield.com/

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MariDangerfield

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maridangerfield

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MariDangerfield?feature=shares

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MariDangerfield

Instagram: https://instagram.com/maridangerfield?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariDangerfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Josie Pace

 

“Ever since I can remember music and performing were my main goals” admits musician Josie Pace.  Growing up in a family that love music and having supportive parents that encouraged her to learn everything about writing, singing and playing the guitar helped cement Pace’s passion for music and performing.  

 

Even though she performs under the name Josie Pace, there is a band mentality to the music and  performances.  Pace works with keyboardists and producer Ken Roberts in the studio working on music.  The duo collaborate to create music, concepts for music videos, photo shoots and live shows together.  Pace also enjoys collaborations with other artists and creating something unique and different from their styles.  “I’ve worked with my very good friend Sammi Doll of IAMX and Bullet Height on one of my own songs “Perfect Replacement” and on my cover off the Placebo song “Pure Morning” Pace explains.  Having also worked with Raymond Watts of PIG, Pace says “I am always looking for artists that I think will fit well and bring something new to the table with collaborations.” 

 

Pace enjoys writing about personal experiences and she considers writing a form of therapy with song writing helping her to express herself and relieve any pressure she is feeling.  She believes in some ways that writing songs and performing is like a superpower that allows her to reach out to people and make them feel less alone.  “I also love that writing the way I do, in more of a poetic manner, leaves room for the listener to connect with the song in their own way.” Pace explains.  

 

Describing her music genre as Electronic Rock, Pace sees her songs primarily as rock songs.  She writes them all on guitar and then transposes them to synth driven music, ensuring to keep live drums in each song to foster what she describes as a more human feel.  “It isn’t dance music and I think that is what makes it very different from a lot of “electronic” music that is out now.”  Preferring to write alone, after recording the songs on guitar Pace then records phrases and chord progressions on her phone until she finds something she feels is stronger enough to write around.  When Pace is happy with a song she has written she takes it into the studio where she works with Roberts to transpose it to electronic music.  In the studio songs may change a bit lyrically or rhythmically as the duo bounce ideas off of one another.  When the rough track is completed, Pace records the final vocals and the live drum and the song is sent to be mastered.  

 

“The style and aesthetic of everything we do is a magnified version of myself” says Pace.  She considers the visuals to be as important as the song and she relishes the styling of photos, videos and cover art.  Growing up Pace was influenced and inspired by musicians Prince and Joan Jett and fashion icons Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.  

 

Pace’s favourite part of the artistic process is live performances.  “The fact that I put so much into my songs and seeing so many people in person know them and the sing the lyrics back to me 

“ Pace describes as a humbling experience.  The energy of a live crowd and the release Pace gets from performing live is for her an overwhelming and inspiring experience.  Pace also loves to meet fans at her shows. “Because without fans I wouldn’t be able to perform” Pace acknowledges.

 

Pace believes there are some big things on the horizon for her and she always endeavours to keep future music fresh and new.  According to Pace in the future fans can expect “heavier music from me but also some stripped back music as well. “ Pace enjoys showing all facets of her music process.  Future plans also include headlining a tour, a new EP release and perhaps even a new full length album.

 

For a novice to Pace’s music she suggests that they prepare themselves for “hearfelt lyrics and “blow your face off”sound that will have you questioning your entire existence.” New listeners can expect to experience everything that is running through Pace’s head or weighing on her heart in a beautiful and poetic format that Pace believes is “best to relate to the listener and really let them adapt to each song in their own way”.

Links :

Bandcamp : https://josiepace.bandcamp.com/album/iv0x10v5

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/JosiePaceGSM

Kevorkian Death Cycle

 

Formerly known as gRID the American Electro-Industrial band changed their name in around 1992 to Kevorkian Death Cycle because the name Grid had been taken.  While performing as gRID the band who is made up of Ryan Gribbin and Roger Jarvis had written a song about Jack Kevorkian Mecitron Machine.  Fully supporting Kevorkian commitment to humanitarian euthanasia, gRID changed their name to Kevorkian Death Cycle or KDC.

Having met through a mutual friend Gribbin explains that both he and Jarvis had been playing in other bands.  Gribbin began playing guitar for Jarvis’ band Servo Sector, also a project of Dean Whitman.  Not long after they joined up with Ron Robinson.  Whitman and Robinson are working on new tracks with KDC.  

 

Attracted to Electro-Industrial music Gribbin explains that it was completely different music from what he had been doing before which was mostly Rock/Metal.  “I loved the darker stuff like Coil Leaether Strip and Skinny Puppy, and then I heard the music that Roger, Sean and Rob were doing and I was into it.”  Jarvis simply describes his love of the Electro-Industrial genre of music by saying “The first time I heard skinny puppy I knew what my life was missing.”

 

When writing new music Gribbin looks inward deciding where he is at with the world at that time.  Working with pent up angst and current feelings and thoughts Gribbin images a person or setting.  For Jarvis percussion and rhythm are the start for any new music because then he believes “everything falls into place after that.” 

 

Often inspired by movies and literature Gribbin grew up watching all kinds of 80s and 90s horror movies and he believes that’s what his imagination looks like.  Jarvis is sometimes inspired when watching a movie and he acknowledges that “imagery and sound go hand in hand for me.  Landscape translates to soundscape, action transforms to rhythms and percussion.”

 

Although not involved in the aesthetic or creative direction for the bands last couple of albums God I am and I am God, Gribbin was part of the creative presentation of the latest release.  Gribbin says “I really wanted to dive in and try to make something I was really happy with, both musically and artistically, and I am.” 

 

Both Gribbin and Jarvis enjoy live performances in front of an audience. Gribbin admits that pre-show it’s hard to see how much he actually enjoys live performances.  Jarvis describes live performances as a way to all get together and do what they love to do. 

 

Future plans for the band include continuing to make music, neither Jarvis or Gribbin see the band ending anytime soon.  Jarvis explains that “we have no limits or boundaries so anything is possible.”

 

Gribbin suggests new listeners to KDC should realize that first and foremost they are electronic.  Gribbin goes on to say “I feel like there is a message for anyone throughout our catalogue of music because we write our music and message for everyone.”  Jarvis recommends that new listeners “close your eyes and try and sing along.  The more you listen the more it makes sense. “

 

Links:

Bandcamp: https://kdcngp.bandcamp.com/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/KevorkianDeathCycle/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kevorkiandeathcycle/?hl=en

 

 

She 1 . Him 2

Cleveland based duo She 1 . Him 2 created their name, according to band member Evan Nave formerly of Lestat /PKS, to represent a mathematical equation.  She, being other duo member Cassie Bishop of Shymoon and He, Evan, 1 and 2.  The EP they are working on will be titled  “Equals Them“, answering the posed mathematical problem of their band name.  Nave says “I also like to think that you could say the name as a sentence as well, as in She won, Him too!“

After an exhausting second split with Lestat, that left Nave burnt out, he eventually got the itch to start writing music again.  Not wanting to do anything he had already done Nave decided to explore new wave, a tribute to his eighties childhood and what he describes as his “former geek self“.

Having already decided to create music out of his comfort zone, while Djing at the Chamber in Cleveland, he decided to team up with someone who was also new to electronic music.  Nave had known Bishop for awhile and approached her to participate in a collaboration which according to Nave “Luckily for me , she said yes and here we are.“

Bishop describes the main themes of She 1 . Him 2‘s music as “whatever emotion I am feeling at the moment I manifest it into lyrics on the fly“.  Bishop explains that whatever she is feeling the most passionate or inspired by is what she writes about.   Her creative process involves stopping wherever she is and writing when inspiration hits.  Bishop explains “There are times I schedule to work on music, which may or may not work out depending on how I am feeling in the moment.“

Finding inspiration in electronic acts like Sir Sly and Big Data, Nave feels that the resurgence of 80s bands touring and releasing new material has also been tantamount to the music they are creating.  Nave admits to a similar creative process to Bishop saying that at times he sets up for creating a song but he can’t necessarily switch into creative mode.  Nave mostly writes the music and Bishop then adds the lyrics and melody.  They look forward to also trying to have Bishop write the lyrics and melody and then have Nave add the music.  

Nave is involved in the aesthetics for the band.  For the first two singles, “Split The Line“ and “Spoken Words To Light“ Nave had the idea of creating  abstract representations of himself and Bishop.  It was his first attempt at painting and he was really happy with how the image turned out.  He also made choices about whether to go with words or logos or let the art speak for itself.  His decision for this project was to let the art do the talking.  For “Fame“ and the upcoming single “Stuck Inside“ the band employed the skills of photographer Ryan to capture an evocative image of a wall with dripping paint and a mix of red and blue lights.

In terms of live performances Bishop has a love hate relationship.  She enjoys it when she is on the stage and performing but has accompanying stress.  For Bishop live performances are successful when she is able to express her music and connect with the audience.  Nave says “If I could live on the stage I would.“ The instant gratification of people connecting to his music is everything to Nave.

She 1 . Him 2 would like to see their music in the media being used in movies and games.  They also have the new single “Stuck Inside“ due for release.  They are then going into writing mode with the hope that their EP “Equals Them“ will be released soon.  

Nave describes their music as “fun, danceable and a nice marriage between the New Wave movement of the 80s and some of the more recent EBM dance stuff“. The band encourages everyone new to the genre to just give their music a chance and have a listen.  

Links 

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/She1Him2/

BandCamp : https://she1him2.bandcamp.com/

She 1 . Him 2 - Fame

 According to Evan Nave of the band She 1 . Him 2, when asked about the bands recent release of David Bowie’s “Fame“, there is a very personal reason for the choice .

“As a kid, my mother and I would dance to that track every night. My mom was a huge David Bowie fan, and especially the Ziggy stuff. Her was her hall pass (laughs). I’ve heard covers of the track before, and I always wanted to take a stab at it. I tried so hard to find an electronic sound to make up for the wonderful guitars on that track, but it wasn’t happening.  One night, I got up the guts to ask Steven Seibold (Hate Dept./Pigface), who is a dear friend, if he wouldn’t mind tracking guitars for it. I jumped out of my chair when he agreed to and I knew we were onto something. He did a fantastic job and really made it more special than I even I imagined.“

 

A fitting tribute to and excellent reworking of the Bowie classic, She 1 . Him 2 have managed to put a fresh electronic spin on the song.  The vocals by both band members Nave and Bishop have an almost mischievously ominous air, accompanied by enhanced synthesizers and the excellent guitar work of Steven Siebold.  With extremely positive responses to the release She 1 . Him 2‘s quirky and enjoyable rework of Bowie‘s Fame is well worth a listen.  

Links :

Bandcamp : https://she1him2.bandcamp.com/track/she-1-him-2-fame-feat-steven-siebold

Dual Analog Lust, Worship and Desire

 

“I’m a bit of a late bloomer; didn’t have a serious girlfriend until I was 26 years old.  I was overweight growing up and women really weren’t interested in.  Growing up for years without any attention from females, I got pretty comfortable with the fact that it would never happen for me.  Then, one day, when I least expected it, I totally got made out with by a woman I’d only met once before.  For the first time, someone was into me.  This really shattered my whole self-image, idea of who I was, and the entire world that I had built around me up until that point.  That’s what inspired the concept behind the album, learning that you are worthy of love and affection and journeying to try and achieve it.  It’s a story of self-actualization, of enlightenment.”  Is how Chip Roberts, from the band Dual Analog, explains the inspiration for the bands new album Lust, Worship and Desire.

The Turbowave band’s new album takes the listener on a journey of what is essentially enlightenment with  a realization that living in the present, with an appreciation that things are fleeting, leads to a more fulfilling existence.  

The first track “Among the Living” has an adventurous soundscape, with a hint of Asian influence and melodic vocals.  With sonic combinations and a fast tempo “100 Disciples” is rousing and anthemic.  “Dynasties’ transports the listener back to the 80s with a science fiction spin and chant-like vocals.  With a lively tempo that breaks into a rich layered sound “Golden Temple” is intermingled with beseeching vocals.  “Portal of Jade’ has a fusion of Asian music and synthwave reminiscent of the past.  ‘Pantheon” combines fast tempo and a heavy layered guitar evocative of a computer game soundscape from the 80s. With a heavy and fast guitar “Into The Unknown” takes the listener on a fulfilling and resonant sound journey.  The title track of the album doesn’t disappoint with “Lust, Worship and Desire” providing the listener with a stratified soundscape populated with a myriad of delights.  “Go Alone” has more of a heavy metal slant with a hypnotic beat.  The last track on the album “Emptiness Now” has distorted industrial sounds with somniferous harmonizing vocals.  

The album is a retro dreamscape journey with a fascinating dark twist and a hint of Asia.   

Links:

Bandcamp : https://dualanalogofficial.bandcamp.com/

YouTube : https://youtu.be/GkPq5VtIdqc. 

Lia Hide The Missing Fourth Guest

Borrowing its title from the opening line of Plato’s “Timeaus”dialogue, where Timeaus gives a slightly obscure excuse for an unnamed fourth guest who is inexplicably absent, Lia Hide’s new album, The Missing Fourth Guest, magnificently explores some very universal and modern emotional struggles.

“I think the world would be a better place if we were all educated on the writings and ideas of Plato’s Academy”according to Hide.   Using the ideas explored in Plato’s dialogues Hide “hopes that listeners will do some research and understand and use the ideas for themselves.”  

Delving into themes that are topical and far reaching such as Covid 19, lockdowns and prolonged enforced isolations, human mortality and the place of humans in the universe The Missing Fourth Guest is a fascinating musical journey.

The first track on the album, “Birthday”,  lulls the listener with its poetic lyrics and doleful, mesmerizing sound.   “Uterus Will” is a more structured track which features entrancing trumpets by Stelios Chatzikaleas.  “Niobe”has jazz fragments and engaging lyrics.  “Row, Row, Row” with a childlike dark sound is at the same time beautiful and menacing.  “Proposal” sees Hide use an ethereal and haunting voice that seems in juxtaposition to the repetitive, industrial hypnotic sounds in the layered music.  “Cloud” has a delightful glitchiness to it that erupts into an alluring distorted cacophony .  “Dinner” has smooth and entrancing vocals gliding across a gnarled and distorted sound scape.  “Wynnona” captivates the listening with melodic music and beguiling almost staccato lyrics.  

Overall The Missing Fourth Guest is an intelligent and satisfying musical adventure well worth the journey.  

Links : 

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/SnW057t3RGw

Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/4zWPD7xHkdp4s6mO39wqdk?si=1h-2vguNTyCG4cFomG78Rg 

Lia Hide

 

Greek dark avant-garde progressive musician Lia Hide has a long spanning collaborative background in electronica which she feels in some ways was a good thing and some ways was not.  From 2005 – 2012 Hide kept busy contributing to more then a dozen compilations and creating six full length albums.  Although she acknowledges that it was a wonderful experience she also felt as though she may have lost herself a little in the process.  The popularity of Electronica at the time saw Hide invited to MTV galas and glittering soirées populated by the rich and famous.  She says however that despite that she kept “feeling smaller and smaller” which resulted in her using her voice less and writing lyrics she didn’t really feel were important.  

Classical music and voice training as well as years of teaching has meant that Hide’s already enduring, strong and loud voice allows her to sing anything she wants to.  Although she acknowledges that her classical training, which she sought to enhance her knowledge and skills in music, has helped to shape her as a musician she is also a perfectionist and this has resulted in her being a polished and accomplished artist. 

Although she seems like a social and fun person she credits her traumas, including a rough childhood, bad relationships, people that put her down and inner loneliness as themes that she has felt compelled to explore in her music. She often felt like no-one truly understood her.  These themes fed her first two albums.  When the economic crisis hit Greece, her home country, she like many Greek people started to feel a lack of hope for the future.  Her music proceeded to deal with more social issues like injustice, minorities and crimes and punishment.  Hides more recent music has begun to explore universal themes such as our place in the cosmos.  

“ Its like I went from my private microcosms to being a useful citizen of the world, and now I discuss global and universal themes” Hide explains.

The creative influences of films and books have had a huge impact on Hind as a musician. “I cannot think of living in a world without film or literature” Hide admits.  She says that she loves the art of storytelling which she employs in all her music writing and cites such films and literature as Matrix, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Inception, Gone with the Wind, Monty Python as well as the works of poet Sylvia Plath and Dickens Great Expectation as being just some of the literary works and films that have helped shape her as an artist and musician.

In 2013 Hide formed a trio with musicians George Rados on drums and Ali’Base on bass with Hide on piano and vocals.  Hide’s talents are not just in the creation of music.  She serves as the graphic designer for her album covers, editor of the press pictures, creator of videos of her shows as well as  music videos for her music.  Those she doesn’t create herself she still directs.  Her and her co-musicians Aki’Base and George Rados work together to curate the bands image.  

When Hide is inspired she is usually hit with an idea, an almost complete song, which she records as quickly as she can in a rough form on her computer or phone.  “I either grab a hold of that or it’s gone forever” she points out.

When performing live unless a large venue has perfectly aligned sound and lights, with zero tech problems Hide prefers smaller, more intimate venues.  Although she loves to perform for an audience Hide still has anxiety that can at times make live performances feel a little overwhelming.  

“Performing is a very giving procedure on my part” admits Hide though this is because she gives everything to her performances and describes performing in front of a live audience as feeling like

 “ inviting all the audience into our living room for dinner so everything has to be just right.” 

If you like the music of Kate Bush, Depeche Mode, Tori Amos, Bauhaus, Son Lux or Radiohead, Hide says you “will feel mostly safe” with her music.  Although at times demanding and a little dark, the music may also be emotional and personal but ultimately Hide’s music will feel liberating and healing. If listening to her music for the first time Hind recommends you listen to a song twice and take your time.  

“I am most confident we are worth your time and interest” Hide explains.

Links

Website : https://www.liahide.com/

Nahja Mora

“Unpredictable” is how Josef Saint from Nahja Mora, describes his creative process when writing new music.  With no hard and fast rule Saint suggests that his music is conceived by experimentation and just sitting down and writing.  

Baltimore based band Nahja Mora finds inspiration in the things that people do to one another.  They like to explore the ways in which people communicate what they have done to others and delve into their reasoning for such acts towards another.  Language is a core conceptual obligation for the band and Saint acknowledges that “there is a War of Language all around us in all things”. 

Saint describes himself as having created music since he was born and in fact enhanced his understanding of music in college by choosing subjects that supported his musical wants.  His wide and varied understanding of music and the arts has lent itself to Nahja Mora resulting in the bands output being a more multi-media experience.  

Although he doesn’t believe that his educational background has been tantamount to the creation of his musical voice he does acknowledge the importance of his lifelong habit of keeping journals.  Saint’s journals contain music on staves, illustrations, poetry and rants.  He uses his journals for some ideas but his preferred method is just a conscious stream of his feelings put on tape.  

Saint is also the force behind the creation of artwork and the aesthetic of Nahja Mora.  The only exception to this is the band’s album Trees See More which has a painting by Hemlock Wargrave on the CD face and an illustration on the cover done by S. Stadelmyer.

Nahja Mora’s live performances are an opportunity for the band to give the audience a cathartic experience, provide a distraction or grant them a joyful interlude.  The feedback and energy that the audience provides to a band is “real” according to Saint.  The more engaging the audience the more the band wants to interact, a feeling that Nahja Mora describes as addictive.

With a serious interest in saving the world from itself Nahja Mora are looking forward to touring globally in places like Australia, Japan, North America, Europe and Central and South America.  Saint describes Nahja Mora’s music as not stagnant but the honest “soundtrack for a splintered consciousness” and as such suggests that a newcomer to their music should approach it with that in mind.  

Links : 

Website : http://www.nahjamora.com/     

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/nahjamora/

Bandcamp : https://nahjamora.bandcamp.com/music/ 

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nahjamora/