Featured Artists, Songs and Posts

Photo by Huba Adorjan

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

Peter Aries:
I'm quite "genre-fluid", but I mostly identify myself with electronic genres such as synthwave and trance, which is why I chose "This is the 80s" as my signature track. I do however mix in other genres, and have been incorporating quite a bit of classical themes in some of my tracks. Which for me made it feel quite natural to try out a classical only themed release. Thus "Stories" came to be.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Peter Aries:
I've been playing the piano since I was 10 and I started making music on the family's first computer when I was 14 (I used Fasttracker back then). My first official (or known rather) release was in 2006, an EP called "Finally" which was only released on CD. Since then I've released over 100 tracks in various genres and styles. I've mostly worked by myself, but I have also made some collaborations with artists such as MarsTv and Social Ambitions. My most streamed track of all times is currently "When All Things End", a collaboration I did with the very talented vocalist and artist Karin My. She has recently released a new album, so definitely go check it out.
Unfortunately the music doesn't pay the bills yet, so I work as a product manager as my daily job. I have great colleagues and it's quite a challenging job. I still feel like I learn new things every day. However, if money was not an issue, if I'd have to choose occupation between music creation and product management, music would win every day of the week. :)

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

Peter Aries:
For sure. It was at my day care, when I was 4 or 5 years old. Someone played Super Mario Bros 1 on Nintendo while at the same time someone else played something on a keyboard in the room. I thought the sounds I heard were so incredibly cool that it sparked something within me. So there and then I knew I just had to play the synth when I got old enough. So it's my one true call in life you could say.

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

Peter Aries:
Vangelis "Tears in Rain"

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

Peter Aries:
Pylot "The Return"

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

4am Kru:
4am Kru grew from a love of old school jungle, hardcore & early 90s rave. We take inspiration from all sorts of music, from R&B slow jams to 80s film soundtracks. Our favourite Jungle tunes from back in the day often reinterpret great bits of existing music in homage & we like to do the same! From the beginning there's always been so much variety within the framework of the 94' Jungle sound.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

4am Kru:
4am Kru is a duo at the core, plus a number of talented collaborative artists. Howie & Stu are at the production helm. We both met years ago touring in different bands, cutting our teeth in the London live scene. Jungle is the point where our tastes intersect & we started 4am Kru to bring that sound to the stage & feature some incredibly gifted artists we've met along the way.
Right now we’re working with super talented singer Layla Sibelle, and continue to work with superb vocalist SHANTÉH. There’s a whole extended family of artists who are part of our writing and live performance crew and we're excited to take 4am Kru to the stage.

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

4am Kru:
Howie: When I was a kid I remember being given jungle mix tapes that had been passed down from some older kids we knew, they were actually going to these raves, whereas I was too young. These tapes featured Shy FX, DJ Rap + all the gold from early Lucky Spin and Kemet releases. At the time I was learning to play bass guitar; then suddenly Jungle entered my world and it changed my whole thought process. It really pushed me in so many ways and still does.
Stu: I'm the same, some '92 hardcore tapes made their way to me when I was a kid and I remember listening while playing with my Star Wars toys in the bath and being blown away by this music I knew nothing about other than it just sounded otherworldly and cool.

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

4am Kru:
Paul Giovanni "Corn Rigs"

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

4am Kru:
Decibella "Outta London"

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

Maria Grönlund:
Neo-Classical, Modern Classical, Contemporary Classical

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Maria Grönlund:
You may know Stockholm’s Maria Gronlund from her weekly live stream ‘Meet Me At The Piano’ on Facebook. Or from her debut album ‘Songs of a Sad Sailor’, which was a Spotify Classical Pick. Or even from her short collection last Autumn called ‘Colors of my Mind: Pt. 1’, which was the first of three releases that will go to make up her next LP ‘Colors of my Mind’. Part 2 of the collection is nearly upon us with three pieces of neo-classical imagination due later this month.

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

Maria Grönlund:
There was a lot of music and singing in my family, and I was five or six years old when we inherited a big, black, shiny piano from my grandfather. My mother had always dreamed of learning how to play the piano, and she found us an Austrian piano teacher named Helga, who taught us both to play in her house. I was tiny, and I got my lessons at a brown piano in her basement, and then I stood and peeked into the living room with the two grand pianos standing opposite each other, while my mom got her lesson. I was totally fascinated by the instruments and imagined they were like fairy tale ships to another world, since they gave out such amazing sound. I've been in love with the piano ever since.

Nagamag:
Tell us more about the project you're working on right now!

Maria Grönlund:
I'm in the midst of a project called 'Colors of my mind', which will culminate in a full album released both digitally and physically, and with an online album experience which will feature the creation process of the music and all the art involved. Artwork merch will also be an important part of this project.
It all originates from a lengthy, filmed joint improvisation I made together with an artist, Madelene Egerfält, where she painted what she heard me play and i played what I saw her paint. We both came into a state of flow and had a really intense experience. The painting is just amazing, and I feel it depicts both her and me, and the situation it was created in.

I've used the musical material from this occasion and built it out to ten piano pieces that I release in three rounds. EP Colors of my mind Pt.1 was released in the late fall, Pt.2 now in March, and Pt.3 and thus the full album is planned for late spring/early summer this year.

Nagamag:
What's the ethos behind your music?

Maria Grönlund:
I feel so rich having music in my life. It helps me cope with stress and difficulties. I often play to calm myself down and to sort my thoughts and feelings out. My vision is to share the feeling of relief and joy I get from playing with people who might need it.

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

Maria Grönlund:
Imogen Heap "Earth"

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

Maria Grönlund:
Poppy Ackroyd "Time"