Featured music selections on Nagamag. Everything you have to listen!

Code Elektro Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Synthwave Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Code Elektro, Interview, Interview (osf), Synthwave|

Code Elektro
Interview

Photocredit: Rolf Meldgaard

Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?

Code Elektro:
Synthwave. Dystopian Science Fiction Atmospheres, Neon Skylines and eternal Cyberpunk Nights with Acid Rain. That’s Code Elektro. And now it’s live with a real band. Code Elektro is characterized by the use of analog synthesizers and sound design. It sounds similar to the soundtracks of movies like Blade Runner, Stranger Things and TRON: Legacy. However, it also takes a step forward to create something new via sound design, visuals and storytelling.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Code Elektro:
I'm an artist, composer, sound designer and musician. I have always been playing in bands as a bass player. For 10 years I was writing music for commercials and TV - and I built my own studio and got into sound design and synthesizers. After some time I wanted to write my OWN music, and that's when I started Code Elektro.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Code Elektro:
Absolutely. Iron Maiden - "The Number of the Beast". That changed my life. I was 10 years when I heard it and it just sounded so awesome. And I have always been inspired by Iron Maidens cover art. Today I try to reach the same level of excitement in music.

Nagamag:
Can you tell us a little about your live show?

Code Elektro:
I played a live show earlier this year at a live venue in Denmark (Radar). The place was packed and it was an awesome night! I recorded the show and it sounded so good that I wanted to share it...so now there's a new single out (N30n). It was important to me to have a live band. I didn't want to be another artist standing on stage with just a laptop playing tracks. So I invited a drummer and guitarist. And it really adds to the groove and gives it an awesome live feel.

Nagamag:
Favourite Sci-Fi book?

Code Elektro:
DUNE by Frank Herbert. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming DUNE movie by Denis Villeneuve. Fingers crossed that it will be awesome.

Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?

Code Elektro:
Rammstein "Deutschland"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?

Code Elektro:
Daft Punk Tron Legacy

Discover & Listen to Code Elektro

Code Elektro on Spotify

Code Elektro's Signature Track

Code Elektro on Social Media

codeelektro

code_elektro

CodeElektro

Code Elektro's Website

www.codeelektro.com

Hugh Klein – Quand C’est Mou (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Chillout Features, Features, Jazz, The Latest|Tags: Chill Out, Hugh Klein, Jazz, Lounge, Neoclassical, Nujazz|

Hugh Klein – Quand C’est Mou
(Spotify)

Melbourne artist Hugh Klein eases into the world on a cloud of delicate piano chords with debut single "Quand C’est Mou" (out via Lekker Collective). Directly translated to "When It's Soft", the track is a delicate, piano-led offering on the borderline of jazz and classical - offering a wonderful simplicity of melody and mood.

"Rebirth & intimacy: the "Quand C’est Mou" theme intends to shine light and sink into the moments of awakening, rebirth and the ignition of genuine intimacy.

Rebuilding, redefining and coming alive into one’s self with ease & delicacy.

Almost certainly all of us will encounter points during our lifetime where we must take steps away or outward, and redesign how we place ourselves in this world. Whilst living in Paris, France, this movement was drenched in passion, excitement and what felt like eyes seeing the world and the souls in it as if they were meeting for the first time. Finding intimacy in more than surface encounters... desire, words, conversation, romance, sounds, environment, expression.. - Hugh Klein

https://soundcloud.com/hughklein
https://instagram.com/hughkleinn
https://fb.com/hughkleinn
https://twitter.com/hughkleinn
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GrUnrSJqyJ82E2q8S1u8c

Who Is Hugh Klein?Raised in Melbourne Australia, following his ongoing career in film composition, Klein found himself living in the city of Paris, and soon giving birth to his loveliest and most realised project yet…

Sourcing inspiration from romance, warm evenings, chilled red wine, floral scents, clothes waving and wrapping the curves of your body, gold and tobacco, "You go your way, I go your way too", low light amongst white flowers, fingertips and of course... the look of love. Hugh directs his musical exploration to his deliberate fascination with intimacy and romance.

With wide-spanning influence from pockets of Blue Note jazz & neo-soul to feature film scores, Hugh Klein is much more than his recorded ideas - rather, an ongoing story to be swept into and carried along.

Upcoming record ‘No Plans, No Rules’ moves through themes of intimacy, adoration, the rebirth of desire and genuine romance, engaging each mood with floating vocals and guitar, brushed percussion, lush string arrangements and rich Rhodes & Wurlitzer’s.

Buy/Stream: https://ffm.to/quandcestmou

Chris Hyson – Spoons (Spotify)

Categories: Ambient Features, Audio, Features, Neoclassical, The Latest|Tags: Ambient, Chris Hyson, Cinematic, Soundtrack|

Chris Hyson – Spoons
(Spotify)

A deep, atmospheric and lush ambient track of analogu synth textures spiced with field recordings. A track from the due to be released soundtrack 'Castle in the Ground'. Starring Alex Wolff, Neve Campbell, Imogen Poots, Keir Gilchrist and Tom Cullen.

The story: "After the untimely death of his mother, a teenager befriends his charismatic but troubled next-door neighbor and becomes embroiled in a world of addiction and violence just as the opioid epidemic takes hold of their small town. "

Few words about Chris Hyson:
Chris Hyson is a London based multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer. He studied at the RWCMD and the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he developed his keen sensitivity and creative flair for composition, indulging an appetite for writing that has since led to a professional portfolio spanning performance, composition, and production.

As a performer, Chris has shared the stage with various acclaimed artists across genres, including English singer/songwriter Mara Carlyle (EMI), renowned Drummer/Producer Richard Spaven (José James and Jameszoo), Mercury Prize nominated Folk artist Sam Lee, Mercury Prize nominated British Rapper TY, three-time Grammy Award winning artist Bill Laurance, project of Australian-born London-based Singer/songwriter Jamie Doe ‘The Magic Lantern’, Rough Trade Records artists Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker, and Sony artist & Texan Jazz Singer Hailey Tuck, with whom Hyson appeared live on Jools Holland in 2018.

Chris’ talent and creativity truly take center stage however in his steadily growing collection of self-produced solo instrumental music, now spanning a notable 5 EP’s; ‘Little Moon Man’, ‘Alive With Closed Eyes’, ‘Paradise’, ‘Human Error’ & ‘Still Life’. This impressive body of work has not gone unnoticed, collectively reaching over 1 million streams online, and gaining recognition and radio play across major UK stations, including BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM and Classical FM.

Chris is the composer and producer behind ‘Snowpoet’, a hugely successful collaboration with Jazz FM's Vocalist of the Year (2016) Lauren Kinsella. Tracks from the band’s self-titled debut album, ‘Snowpoet’, were championed by BBC 6 Music and Snowpoet’s stunning second album, ‘Thought You Knew’, a unique & fresh offering that was dubbed by Clash Music as ‘a multi-faceted jewel’ drawing influence deeply from jazz yet imaginatively and ‘wonderfully retrained’.

Chris has recently branched out into the world of film composition, a landscape beautifully suited to his effortlessly enigmatic and emotive composition style.

He has composed several noteworthy film scores; Richard Raymond’s ‘A Million Eyes’, ‘Pink Wall’, starring Tatiana Maslany & Jay Duplass - which premiered at SXSW Festival 2019,‘Castle in the Ground’, starring Neve Campbell, Alex Wolff & Imogen Poots which premiered at TIFF in September 2019 and ‘Hailey Alien’, directed by Hannah Arterton, starring Gemma Arterton & Karla Crome.

Chris has also worked as a producer, lending his sensitivity, imagination & dynamism to the music of contemporary Jazz Vocalist and composer Emilia Martensson, Alternative Folk Singer/Songwriter Laura Fell and, most recently, Ninja Tunes emerging talent Jordan Rakei; holding true to Clash Music’s celebration of Hyson’s ‘ability to stretch towards virtually any style placed in front of him’. Indeed, it seems clear that there is no creative field in which Chris fails to excel, impress, delight and surprise.

‘an exceptional musician’ TIME OUT

‘His music exhibits a remarkable self-assurance’ - New York Times
https://www.instagram.com/chrishyson

Daniel[i] & Purl – Tesseract (Bandcamp)

Categories: Ambient Features, Audio, Electronica, Features, The Latest|Tags: Ambient, Daniel[i] & Purl, Drone, Experimental|

Daniel[i] and Purl – Tesseract
(Bandcamp)

The long days of summer are well upon us, and along with them comes Tesseract, a beautifully expansive and immersive dub techno odyssey from Daniel[i] and Purl. Shimmering figures echo into infinity and vaporous plumes of texture dissipate into clouds of warm mist, while vapour trails of melody gently emerge from sunlit pools of radiant dawn.

Join us and swim in the unexplored depths of consciousness and through the rippling undercurrents of the universe.

Aftrlyfe, Rider Shafique, Silke – Dive Deep (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Features, Hip-Hop, The Latest|Tags: Aftrlyfe, Electronica, Leftfield Bass, Rider Shafique, Silke, Trip Hop, Uk Garage|

Aftrlyfe, Rider Shafique, Silke – Dive Deep
(Spotify)

With a powerhouse collaboration with UK-based artist Silke, blending in perfectly with a post-rock production and Rider’s rootsy vocals, this EP is nothing short of hip and groovy. The three heavily synth-based tracks seem to be telling a series of chronological stories, starting with the contemplative and atmospheric ‘Dive Deep’. The second track ‘Babylon a Burn’ furthers the theme with a more upbeat cinematic music, leading to climactic crescendos in its penultimate track ‘Rise from the Ashes’.

Aftrlyfe’s music is reminiscent of the trip hop vibes of Massive Attack, and his influences also include FKA Twigs, Run the Jewels, and 6Lack, among others. When asked for a defining album that influenced him, he answered Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’, which was a sonic illustration of emotions that made him feel beyond what was known before.

Kepa Lehtinen Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Neoclassical Features, Neoclassical Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Cinematic, Classical, Interview, Interview (osf), Kepa Lehtinen, Neoclassical|

Kepa Lehtinen
Interview

Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?

Kepa Lehtinen:
Classical, cinematic

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Kepa Lehtinen:
I was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1971 and began studying music in childhood, eventually learning to play piano, synthesizers, theremin, and drums. I went on to study Sound Design at Finland’s Aalto University and I have since written music for many films, commercials, and TV productions. My work has appeared in award-winning Finnish titles such as Kimmo (TV series), Almost 18 (feature film), and A Stone LeftUnturned (short film). I released my first solo album, Playing Theremin, in 2018. In 2019 I released Helsinki in November and 2020 album “It Is OK To Be Sad And Dark”.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Kepa Lehtinen:
As a child, the Queen was the biggest. Seeing live aid on tv and year after that seeing band live (on Stockholm). Point of no return.

Nagamag:
Does your music have any underlying messages in it?

Kepa Lehtinen:
Strong melodies over anything else.

Nagamag:
Is music political? Should it be?

Kepa Lehtinen:
I have been on some political projects, including "I Have Only Just Begun,” a song for gay rights in Russia. It made Boy George cry and Madonna said it is something Putin should hear.

Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?

Kepa Lehtinen:
Placebo "Running up that hill"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?

Kepa Lehtinen:
Ryuichi Sakamoto "The Sheltering Sky"

Discover & Listen to Kepa Lehtinen

Kepa Lehtinen on Spotify

Kepa Lehtinen's Signature Track

Kepa Lehtinen on Social Media

kepalehtinenartist

KepaLehtinen

Dale Nichols – Flauto Magico – Piano Reprise (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Features, Neoclassical, Neoclassical Features, The Latest|Tags: Dale Nichols, Neoclassical|

Dale Nichols – Flauto Magico – Piano Reprise
(Spotify)

Dale Nichols, a Canadian musician based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, deliver us a sentimental piano solo reprise of an electronic track originally composed for an award-winning VR dance production "Eve: Dance Is An Unplaceable Place". Performed with right balance between harmonies and silence which allo listener get into the story quick and enjoy the flow.
http://dalenicholsmusic.com/

Emil Smith Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Cinematic, Emil Smith, instrumental world, Interview, Interview (osf), middle eastern|

Emil Smith
Interview

Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?

Emil Smith:
Cinematic, instrumental world (middle eastern).

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Emil Smith:
My background as a music producer, sound engineer and singer/songwriter has shaped my approach to how I currently work with soundtracks and instrumental compositions. I have a deep interest in shaping timbre and working with transforming textures.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Emil Smith:
My first head dive into music was when my brother introduced me to grunge rock. I started playing guitar and instantly connected with the genre and subculture.
A few years later I met a guy who did recordings and synth programming. I was intrigued by the creative process behind sound manipulation and using the recording studio as an instrument and a compositional tool.
Since, I've played in many small bands as a songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and drummer and gradually I've been leaning towards creation and less towards live performance.
I love storytelling, and I think music is a great tool to tell a story. I bring my own story and my love of art, fiction, world music and creativity into my music.

Nagamag:
What is the idea behind the Middle Eastern instrumentation used throughout the EP?

Emil Smith:
The EP is a conceptual soundtrack for an animation project called 'Aetherreach' (in development). It's set in a desert wasteland: As the rivers are polluted by toxic waste, the drought-plagued desert tribes rebel against the tyranny of the advanced tech-nation of Aetherreach.
I wanted the soundtrack to sound middle eastern, without pointing towards a specific culture of traditional music, as the story is set in an alternate universe. This is why the instrumentation is so eclectic - I've borrowed a bit here and there: Syrian kamancheh, Armenian duduk, Turkish saz, North African percussion and kalimba - besides neoclassical strings, dark synths and glitch drums presenting the sci-fi elements from Aetherreach.

Nagamag:
Do you have any new projects coming?

Emil Smith:
I'm sketching out my first ideas for a collaborative project with world influences and dark cinematic bowed textures.
Besides that, I'm working on the score of a short documentary. In August I start a Film Scoring master degree on the National Film School of Denmark.

Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?

Emil Smith:
Sudan Archives "Oatmeal"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?

Emil Smith:
Madar Ensemble "Silence"

Discover & Listen to Emil Smith

Emil Smith on Spotify

Emil Smith's Signature Track

Emil Smith on Social Media

lydsmedjen

lydsmeden

Muidas – Aria (Video)

Categories: Features, Neoclassical, Neoclassical Features, The Latest, Video|Tags: Cinematic, Muidas, Neoclassical, Piano|

Muidas – Aria
(Video)

Aria (Italian for Air) is Muìdas’ first single. The song is characterized by a melancholic yet soothing mood, evoking the sensation of taking off and being up in the air, among gray and menacing clouds. A well performed cinenamtic theme which goes bit further the usualy solo piano design of neoclassical and explores deeper the harmonic boundaries, spiced with tickling sound layers.

For more info visit:

www.muidas.com/blog/aria-1

https://muidas.com/blog/how-it-started-1

Boeuv Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Boeuv, Dance Pop, Future Bounce, Future House, Interview, Interview (osf)|

Boeuv
Interview

Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?

Boeuv:
Future House Future Bounce Dance Pop

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Boeuv:
Giannis Gkoutzioulis (Boeuv) is a 20-year-old artist from Greece. He has signed tracks with dominating labels such as LoudKult, Loud Memory, MILKSHAKE. His tracks have been supported by Bolier, Lost Frequencies, and many more. Since the beginning of 2020 Boeuv has already achieved having more than one million streams across all streaming services.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Boeuv:
I was 14-years-old when I first got into Electronic Dance Music by listening to Hardwell and coming across to some of the Tomorrowland live sets on YouTube. That light the spark to get into EDM. Since then, I started producing many genres with the help of countless tutorials from the internet and after a while, I started releasing my own music on some small labels. 6 years later, my alias is taking the structure that I like by achieving new goals and having releases on some of the biggest labels.

Nagamag:
What is the part that you give the most attention when you producing a track?

Boeuv:
Most of the time, I tend to give more detail to the atmosphere-ambiance of the track and the vocals. Another important part of a production is the melody of the track which has to be as memorable as possible since that's one of the main reasons that will make the listener come back to your track again and again.

Nagamag:
What is your main goal for 2020?

Boeuv:
My main goal is to release as many tracks as I possibly can and try to experiment with even more genres. I feel like trying new techniques in your productions is one of the greatest things that a producer can try since music has no limits.

Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?

Boeuv:
Agnes Obel "Fuel to Fire - Deezer Session"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?

Boeuv:
Josh Bogert, Laust, Um41K "Can't Say Why"