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.
Minna Ora provides a gift with her new single ‘Wind’. It is a single that breaks away from the mould, bringing with it a fresh charisma and an exciting spark.
‘Wind’, which is built on a folk-rock base, describes a life filled with struggle, during which the protagonist eventually achieves peace of mind. Minna makes deft use of words to express her experiences, perceptions, and surroundings, and the congruence between her poetic vision and musical inclinations is impeccable.
With his brand new single, ‘Here And Now’, Michael Lukes has left us in awe. Savine is also featured on the track. The two of them are a match made in heaven, and their collaboration has resulted in the creation of a folk-pop treasure that exudes an air that is everlasting!
Michael, who is influenced by some of the most successful folk bands of the past few decades, combines the aspects of the genre that he enjoys the most into a concoction that is uniquely his own, and we cannot get enough of it! The zeal is contagious, and the sincerity of the words makes this song one that you’ll want to listen to over and over again.
With the new album ‘ConTempoRary Violin,’ An Vedi gives us a classical performance that is unlike any other. The strength of the violinist’s playing demonstrates that sometimes this space is all that we require, and the new release from the violinist gives the instrument some much-needed room to breathe.
Cover versions of well-known songs are presented on this disc; however, unlike the original versions, these versions are not in their standard format. It is easy to get lost in each track, and it is invigorating to hear how passionate An Vedi is about the violin and classical music as a whole.
Hello, Michael, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘Here And Now’, what is the meaning?
The single came to me at the moment I realised I was not living my life consciously: I was simply living another life, according to all the rules, in which I did not understand the full meaning of my existence. Everything was a bit standardised.
It was a moment of ‘rupture’ between past and present, perceived when I became aware that I was living someone else’s life only to please today’s society. Here and now marks the beginning of a more conscious life: it is a constant dialogue in which I speak to the old Michael and the new me, in which the old thinking of the past speaks to the spiritual present.
Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?
Definitely The Lumineers! After releasing my EP, during Lockdown, I worked hard to shape my own definitive sound identity and they have been my main source of inspiration. With Stevepad, my producer, we meticulously studied every one of their songs from the sounds to the lyrics; it was through them that we came up with the idea and story for the new album.
Photo Credit: Michael Lukes.
What is the best thing about being a musician in 2022?
Definitely having the opportunity to relate closely with your fans. Social media can sometimes be very dangerous if we overuse them, they can really distort your reality! But if we used them sparingly they are that direct connection with the people who support us. To have that direct contact with them, to hear that one of your songs helped them out of a sad time, giving them a smile or an emotion, that’s priceless. At the end of the day, they are the fuel that drives us to be music.
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
I don’t actually have a specific place, I learned that you never know when an idea might hit you. Many have come to me while I was cooking and others while I was walking.
For example, the idea for Here and Now came to me while I was on a plane. I assure you that my cell phone is the one that has saved me many times. Before I forget, I immediately mark it in my notes or record an idea on the fly. Today I have more than 1,300 notes, definitely a lot of material for the next two or three more records.
Hello, AJ, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘You Won’t Hear Me’, what is the meaning?
The inspiration for the track was thinking about those places that make us happy and when we go there, the world seems a better place and we forget the annoyances in life. For me it’s the wild places of the UK where, as the song says, I can walk, climb and camp, away from hustle of everyday life.
Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?
I love the music of Laura Marling and the places that it take the listener. I really admire George Ezra for his unpretentious approach to music and melody. Saskia Griffiths-Moore has been hugely inspirational as a mentor.
Photo Credit: AJ Whyte
What is the best thing about being a musician in 2022?
The ability to easily connect and share with other musicians from all over the world. And of course that in 2022 live venues are open again!
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
I have a small room at home where I do the serious writing but I can find myself landing on melodies or lyrics almost anywhere – in the car or train – which I’ll record straight onto my phone.
What is your first memory of music?
I was given a very basic second hand record player on my 5th birthday. I was so excited that I played my Dad’s Beatles LP on it continuously for days on end. Unfortunately I wasn’t too careful with it and scratched it beyond use in that time.
