OakTownSoul, Kashi – For Dilla (Spotify)
This instrumental is a tribute to J dilla and the sound he left behind. It features a boompap type of beat and laid back guitars. It's less laid back then most J Dilla type of beats though. This one has that bounce.
Aatraus – Haven (Spotify)
This orchestral instrumental is inspired by loss and acceptance. In the story arc of an expedition-inspired album it will come to inhabit, Haven is one of the last songs, stopping us to dwell in a gloomy sense of acceptance of loss before we head towards Transcendence, its natural follower in the album.
Mette Dahl Kristensen, WHO KILLED BAMBI – EVA (Spotify)
It is a hymn written by our viola-player Mette Dahl Kristensen. It is dedicated to her daughter EVA, and the first woman on earth. It's celebrating womanhood and motherhood. It's about love, anxiety and frustrations. From pregnancy, giving birth, post partum depression and unconditional love.
Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?
Thomas Lemmer:
Electronic, Ambient, Downtempo, Chillout, Trip Hop, Deep House
Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?
Thomas Lemmer:
Thomas Lemmer is known as an Electronic/Ambient music producer. With 9 albums, 7 EPs and 17 singles and multiple appearances on top-class Chillout/Electronic compilations, Thomas Lemmer is considered one of the most active and established artists of his genre. His two albums STILL and ZERO GRAVITY reached the iTunes Electronic Top 10 in Germany. His album PURE reached the Top 10 of the iTunes Electronic Charts in Switzerland and #2 of the Album Top 10 in the official German Chill Out Charts (Deutsche Chill Out Charts). His album AMBITRONIC was a considerable success and held a position in the official German Chill Out Charts – Album Top 10 for 36 weeks. His music is played worldwide on established radio stations focusing on Chillout, Ambient and Electronic music. Thomas Lemmer loves collaborations. Together with Christoph Sebastian Pabst, he produced the album MEERBLICK (sea view). A concept album with a focus on the sea. The album was a great success for both of them and they are already working on a follow-up. With Andreas Bach, he produced the album NIGHT TRAVELLERS. A very organic instrumental album that is highly regarded in the scene. Currently, Thomas Lemmer has focused on the piano. He fulfilled a long heart wish with the EP “In Silence”. Ambient piano music at the highest level.
Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?
Thomas Lemmer:
I grew up in a very musical family. My parents bought me a piano when I was 5 years old. I remember smaller audition afternoons as a child and I was always allowed to attend the rehearsals of my father's band. That really affected me. Then, fast forward, I think I started composing at the age of 16. At that time, I had a pop duo and we started writing our own songs. So my first writing experience was together with a singer. As we now had our own songs, I played them for my piano teacher at that time. He then asked me when I would like to record these songs in a studio as he was a producer as well. So that was my first experience with producing music. After that, I started with two cassette players to record my own demos at home. Musically I was influenced mainly by pop music at that time. I loved and still love for instance Phil Collins, Genesis, The Beatles or Michael Jackson. That was the music I listened to. I still remember listening with the headphones to all the musical details a Michael Jackson production has or how Phil Collins's "In the air tonight" fascinated me. But I was also influenced by playing a lot of classical music on the piano which helps me a lot today when writing music. I think what really drew me to music production was that I was simply fascinated by music production. I bought so many records at that time and listened to every little detail of each production and dreamt of doing that myself.
Nagamag:
You seem to love collaborations. Tell us about it.
Thomas Lemmer:
Absolutely! I love collaborations and enjoy working, writing and producing with other artists. I have worked with various singers on my albums and recently released two full-length instrumental albums. With Andreas Bach, I worked on Night Travellers. With Christoph Sebastian Pabst, I worked on Meerblick which is German and means "sea view".
Nagamag:
What are you working on at the moment (Jan. 2020)?
Thomas Lemmer:
Since I have just released a Neo Classical / Ambient EP called "In Silence", I wanted to focus a little more on the piano. So I decided to work on my own interpretation of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies.
Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?
Thomas Lemmer:
Phil Collins "In the air tonight"
Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?
Thomas Lemmer:
Boards of Canada "Reach for the dead"
Thomas Lemmer on Spotify
Thomas Lemmer on Social Media
Thomas Lemmer's Website
The Holy Knives – Always Gone (Spotify)
Always Gone is a trip hop influenced love ballad with vocals in the style of Leonard Cohen. The song is the title track of our forthcoming EP, the other 3 songs to be released as singles once a month followed by a collaborative remix of track Always Gone by Jamie Hince of The Kills. The song was released today 1/17 and was premiered by Impose Magazine, who said "pensive guitar chords, simmering synths and Kody's mesmerizing baritone conjure dreamy, transfixing vibes that would feel right at home at the Roadhouse from Twin Peaks."
Mithunder – Wisps (Spotify)
A mellow lofi track with a sax solo and shoegazey guitar textures. Off of his new EP, Reverie
Nagamag:
What are the genres that describe better your music style?
Dario Forzato:
Evocative organic music, a blend of acoustic and modern instrumentation with ambient atmospheres and a cinematic feel.
Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?
Dario Forzato:
I am an Italian-born composer and music producer based in Los Angeles. Having toured with RapScallions and singer-songwriter Kathryn Dean, I started writing music for visual media. My work has ranged from writing and performing the theme for Ubisoft’s best selling videogame ‘Rocksmith’, to scoring a variety of television shows, independent films, and documentaries. My ever-evolving music can be heard across a variety of entertainment media outlets worldwide.
Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?
Dario Forzato:
I certainly do. It was the first time I realized music has an impact on me: I was about 6 years old and I was on vacation with my parents in Camargue, France. In that period I used to suffer some pretty bad stomach pains and that has been going on for the whole trip until one day I heard a fantastic guitarist playing flamenco guitar in the street and the pain "went away" (it didn't completely go away, but at least became bearable). And that happened multiple times during that trip. Don't know if it was just the music distracting me from the pain or something on a deeper level happened, but I know that after that I decided I wanted to start learning music and guitar. I have always associated music with traveling, since I would listen to a LOT of music in the car with my parents during our road trips and my mind would start going free with the notes. I definitely see those 2 factors playing an important role in how I write and create music.
Nagamag:
Which artists influence your music?
Dario Forzato:
I grew up listening to rock music, from Led Zeppelin to Sting and The Police, to Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I have always had a sweet spot for film music but never pursued that career path until I listened to composers like Gustavo Santaolalla, Hans Zimmer, John Powell, and Ennio Morricone. In this very moment I am a big fan of Nicholas Brittell, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Ramin Djawadi, Billie Eilish and all sorts of independent artists.
Nagamag:
Most artists have a favorite song from a different music genre than the one they are producing music for... Which is yours?
Dario Forzato:
Billie EILISH "Bad Guy"
Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which track from a similar artist you admire?
Dario Forzato:
Gustavo Santaolalla "Iguazu"
Dario Forzato on Spotify
Dario Forzato on Social Media
Dario Forzato's Website
Cosmicleaf Records and The Psychedelic Muse go back a long way
Label News
Le Twan – ReverenceVideo
Le Twan, aka Antoine Gautier, with a background in rock, performed and recorded drums in the Los-Angeles indie rock and metal scene. In 2003, he began producing and DJing electronic music at LA parties and events in the Californian desert.
Mocean, Kirsa Moonlight – Dear Me (Spotify)
Mocean’s new single Dear Me - a sincere song about self-esteem and the the thousand doubts that go with it