Von Venn take over New Music Friday with the release of their new single, ‘Constant Girl’.
The new release by the Gary Cox led group is everything we would have hoped for from the band who took us by surprise with their last single, ‘Ghost’. This new delivery further bolsters the band as a name to remember in the indie space, and they further explore their newfound style while keeping true to the world of music around them.
Edgy with plenty of stand-out moments, ‘Constant Girl’ reaches out of the box with a vibe akin to that of Radiohead but with a unique twist that enables it to shine on its own!
With the release of ‘Free Fallin’, Thomas Cole and Nathanael Hall have bestowed upon us an infectiously catchy piece of electronic music. Thomas Cole pushes the box once more with a musical panorama full of zeal.
Thomas makes history with a storyline that provokes thought with ‘Free Fallin’, which is one of the catchiest singles we’ve heard this week. He also talks about what it’s like to feel on edge, especially with those who make us feel uncomfortable, often leaving us having to convince people of our worth.
Hello, Ervin, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘Why Did I Keep Moving On’, what is the meaning?
It tells the story of a man who is beginning to regret going from town-to-town and woman-to-woman breaking hearts. I think he’s getting older and wondering why his life is the way it is. In many ways the main character is my alter-ego.
Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?
I suppose I am most influenced by Paul Simon and The Eagles, but if I had to pick someone more current it would be Ed Sheeren.
Photo Credit: Ervin.
What is the best thing about being a musician in 2022?
I found music to be a way of keeping people together during the pandemic, and bringing people together following the pandemic. People missed live performances. So, we are in demand.
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
I don’t have a place I go to write. In fact, sometimes I write a song at the most inopportune moment, like when driving to the supermarket, or in the bath. So, I must hold on to what has popped into my head, until I can write it down somewhere, or sing it into my phone. An idea can crop up at any time, and usually I have the energy and motivation to pursue it and create. That said, sometimes I set out to write a song without already “receiving” a creative spark. When I do this, I am usually in a room with my guitar or piano.
Hello, Vinyl Floor, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘Funhouse Mirror’, what is the meaning?
Thomas Charlie Pedersen: The lyric has different layers for sure. On the surface it´s about a circus coming to town, trying to push peoples´ limits and slowly changing their behavior and way of thinking. They do so by means of provocative songs and rude poetry. Before the town wakes up and realizes it, it has been taken over by the squad. This is something that came to me in a dream and the three verses were quickly written down in the morning. It´s also the title of our new record and it just seemed to kind of encapsulate what the album is about.
Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?
Probably not very modern choices but Neil Young comes to mind. He´s always followed his own path and couldn´t care less if people like it or not. Also, he´s not afraid of failure. We are inspired by his approach to music and the business. Musically, Wilco also comes to mind. What a great band. Knights of the great songwriting preservation society. Not many left!
Photo Credit: Vinyl Floor.
What is the best thing about being a musician in 2022?
The only good thing about the world going crazy is that there’s plenty of stuff to write about. Running our own label also allows us the freedom we need to write what we want. Also, communication is easier than it used to be. You got all these social platforms and ways of conveying your message. It also frightens me, though.
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
It depends. I almost always prefer to write at home at the piano or with a guitar in hand. All my melodies and chord progressions tend to appear this way when I´m just noodling about. I also carry a lyric book at all times because lyrical ideas seem to come anytime and at random places. But no matter where I do the writing, one thing is certain. I need to be alone. I´m not great to collaborate with because I prefer to at least start out working on basic ideas on my own. I don´t know. It´s kind of a safe haven for me, I guess. And I get to shut out the outside world and allow myself to enter a different state of mind where anything is possible.
What is your first memory of music?
That´s a Bob Dylan record. ‘Infidels’. I was 3 years old when it came out in 1983. My dad bought it and I thought the singer had a funny voice. Also I liked to dance to the great beat from the song ‘Jokerman’. I really dug the chorus so that one song was probably my first love regarding catchy choruses.
Melanie MacLaren and Lorkin O’Reilly leave us on the edge of our seats in anticipation of their new EP, ‘Tadpole Emporium’, due out on the 27th of October.
The two artists have already released two new singles, and judging by their audience’s positive response; it appears like they have a hit on their hands with this collaboration. Mel, from the United States, and Lorkin, from Scotland, shine from the beginning by infusing a folky-pop texture into their creations. Additionally, they infuse the scene with newfound charisma, bringing a captivating spark to the stage.
The duo will be performing live in the United Kingdom in November. If you haven’t already purchased your ticket, you should do so as soon as possible because there is a high likelihood that tickets will sell out quickly as the performance dates draw nearer.
When folk and pop combine, undisputed magic compels, as exemplified in Ervin’s new single, ‘Why Did I Keep Moving On’.
The new release by the singer-songwriter, born in London, is captivating at every turn. The emotive texture of the acoustic guitar and Ervin’s vocals cut through to the listener’s emotions. Ervin’s vocal is strong and engaging as he opens up honestly about his life while reflecting on a wide range of feelings throughout the song.
There is a newfound energy that arises in the concluding section of ‘Why Did I Keep Moving On’ with a beat tap and an echoing whistle that stands out with vigour!
Denmark-based indie two-piece, Vinyl Floor welcome us into their creative realm with the release of ‘Funhouse Mirror’. The new single is from the band’s latest album of the same title.
The brothers unleash a compelling quality that we cannot deny and the new single sheds light on the brilliance emerging through the ranks in Denmark. Furthermore, ‘Funhouse Mirror’ creates a captivating sound in this day and age by taking cues from the most successful artists in the game while incorporating new components. The vocals are illuminating, and the underlying music has a hefty feel that pulls us back in for more once it ends.
Hello, An, Let’s talk about your new album, ‘ConTempoRary Violin’, where did you find the inspiration?
You know, inspiration is a very “dangerous” phenomenon. An artist may have an inspiration, but it is never endless. I have been used to working hard since childhood. And the violin is the instrument that itself gives inspiration to those who love music. In his youth, a violinist must practice every day for many hours, regardless of the weather, mood and surrounding events.
I made many concert programs of music for solo violin, I experimented a lot in this field. I have more than 200 works for violin solo in my repertoire, including pieces written by different composers especially for me and my own music. But I wanted to make this album special and not like what prevails in the music industry in this genre. It took me a long time to choose the right music for this album.
A few months before the recording of this album, I released several songs in different genres as a singer-songwriter. I also worked on several new concert programs for the Philharmonic as a solo violinist. Finally, I chose one of the most difficult works by Johann Sebastian Bach for solo violin – Partita No 2, consisting of 8 movements. This, perhaps, could be called “the first side of the reel.” For the “second side of the reel” I chose works that were written in the 21st century: the mystical “Starless Nocturne” by Jay Reise, the delightful oriental “Heyran” by Jan Tamzejian, a real musical “mini-series” about Space “The Birth of the Universe” by Colette Mourey and the mysterious Sonata No 2 by András Derezckei, movements of which are called “Amorf” and “Nervus”. I also remembered that I wrote one piece in 2019 in one night. I made a new version of this Fantasy “Cranes” and this work completed the album “ConTempoRary Violin”.
I decided to take this project entirely into my hands, so I was fully engaged in recording, sound engineering and production of the album. The album came out in August, and my two music videos for tracks from the album “Starless Nocturne” and “Heyran” came out in September. These music videos have already received official selections and nominations at several international film festivals and music awards.
Which composers in the current industry inspire you the most?
I am inspired by those composers with whom I am well acquainted. My teacher, composer, and professor at the Conservatory Alexander Koblyakov is a very important person in my musical life. I was a student in his composition class and in a few years I found my own “language” of instrumental music, and later I transferred this knowledge and experience to songwriting.
I am very glad that my friends-composers whose music I performed at the Philharmonic this year became Grammy® winners and nominees. Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Nadeem Majdalany, Tom Nazziola, as well as John Finbury (Latin Grammy® 2020) and other composers that I know – all of them are a true inspiration for me.
Recently, I joined the project of an amazing composer with a difficult fate – Mehdi Rajabian. Just google his name and you will understand that this is a true warrior of art who lives for music. Of course, his life story might inspire anyone.
Photo Credit: An Vedi.
What is the best thing about being a composer in 2022?
I’m not sure if this is the “best”, but, as in past centuries, being a composer is not enough today. Now we have a lot of tools for creating digital content, including music, and, theoretically, every person who has downloaded DAW can call himself a composer. But let’s remember how the composers of the past lived. It seems they never slept or ate. Bach, Handel, Mozart and other composers of classical music created hundreds of works during their lifetime. Tons of music paper, ink. Years of rehearsals. Decades of live performances. And they had to go somewhere every day so that people could hear them. And no sound recordings. Of course, we do not know how the fate of digital content carriers will turn out in 100-200 years, but in the present and foreseeable future, every composer can be sure that almost every person on our planet can hear everything that he has composed and recorded.
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
It may be like the story of the violin. Sometimes I “need” to compose, at least a little. And here the environment plays little role. But, objectively speaking, I visited many countries and cities for my musical affairs, I was in many palaces, museums, and exhibitions. I have many memories of beautiful places on our planet and this inspires me.
Sometimes it inspires me that I just see a piano or a guitar and I urgently need to play one of these instruments and write something down in a notebook.
But there were also some rather strange cases. Once I was at a jazz big band concert in a large concert hall with several thousand seats. And I suddenly had a desire to write down one song and even an arrangement for it. And it was not a jazz song, but something like an anthem or a chant. Since I was sitting on the balcony and there was almost no audience next to me, I wrote down the music and lyrics on a sheet of music paper, while the well-known jazz melodies of the 20th century sounded on the stage.
What is your first memory of music?
When I was 2 or 3 years old, my parents (they are not musicians, but they love music) bought cassettes with popular classical music. Most of all, I remember fragments from Symphony No. 40 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the ballet “Swan Lake” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which were performed by some famous orchestras and recorded on these cassettes.
My later musical impressions, around the age of 7 or 8 – I first heard the music by “Queen”. Apparently, that’s why I work in many musical genres as a violinist, composer, singer-songwriter and a conductor too.
Hello, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘Moving Clockwise’, what is the meaning?
Time is elusive. It proceeds swiftly in a straight line, always forward and without waiting for us. Being on this continuous and unstoppable path, leads us to ask ourselves many questions about the present and the future. But as far as we go forward, everything, meant as what shapes all things, is also a cyclical trajectory. It returns, never the same as before but always ready to come back to itself. Just as the hands of the clock move swirling towards their origin and then overtake it again and go beyond it countless times. Life proceeds inexorably forward too and in a circle, retracing each step and acquiring new form.
We wanted to address this issue and explore its complexity through music.
Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?
We are influenced by many genres. For sure our favorite artists in the game today are Moderat and Bonobo for the “Elegant” electronic, Bicep for the ethereal atmospheres, Boards of Canada for the ambience, but there are many many more…
Photo Credit: Wicked Expectation.
What is the best thing about being a musician in 2022?
Surely the possibility to work by distance. We rarely compose songs during rehearsals. Most of the time we start by ideas and we structure the track by ourselves in our “home studios”.
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
Everyone has his own place, but the ideas are built together in our studio in Milan. This is also the place where we tune the live set.
What is your first memory of music?
Everyone of us have different approaches to music, especially when we talk about music genres. From alternative rock to math rock, electronic and also metal! This variety has helped to build our own style, as a band.
Kingdumb is putting the pedal to the metal with his latest single, ‘Drive With Me’. A ferocious electronic hit that braces itself for what is likely to be a long and winding ride across the electro scene! The Swindon-based producer has no limits, as evidenced by the fact that he is reaching for his toolkit again soon after releasing ‘Basic.’
‘Drive With Me’ boasts an infectious groove that plays alongside a synth loop that descends and ascends while a bass line plays next to it. The song has some interesting turns, and Kingdumb’s vocal contribution is ear-catching.
