Music Genre

Arkanna Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Electronica Features, Electronica Interviews, Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: , , , , , , , |

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

Arkanna:
At the moment, I would say electronica, trip-hop, downtempo, chill, sometimes with world elements.


Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Arkanna:
I grew up in a musical family. With musicians on both my parents sides. I was brought up listening to Rock n Roll, Motown, Soul and everything in between. The UK charts were always on in my house growing up, hearing bands of the 80's like Bronski Beat, The Human League and The Cure. Also often, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and my Mums favourite, Rod Stewart.
When I was a teenager, I loved Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, The Doors, Nirvanna and lots of dance music like Beats international, The Source, Technotronic and 808 State.

I first picked up the guitar at age twenty one. At the time I started going clubbing and loved progressive house back then and all the chillout stuff around at that time. Before this I was more into drawing and painting as my creative outlet. A number of years later I started writing my own songs and played a few acoustic gigs. I was listening to bands like Morcheeba, Beth Orton, Faithless, Massive Attack,Lamb, Portishead, The Chemical Brothers, The Future Sound Of London, Bjork, PJ Harvey and Leftfield.

Soon I met my partner, who was an MC in a Drum n Bass band at the time, and as a DJ he introduced me to a lot of breakbeat, Techno, Hip Hop and DnB. He introduced me to my first production software and I was hooked.

I started to teach myself production developing my acoustic tracks into a more electronic sound. I put a few of my first productions online. In 2009 I was offered work with London based techno/breaks producers, Elite Force and Meat Katie, recording vocals for 'Fire's Still Burnin' on their Dustbowl EP, released on U&A Recordings.

While still working on my own productions, I was also writing and recording music as part of a collective called Timeshade. This brought about a release in 2010 in which my vocals featured on Bambook's track 'off the system' feat Arkanna, the vocals taken from one of the Timeshade songs.

Later, I collaborated with producers from Nomad Records based in Italy, on a three track EP. It was never officially finished due to some problems within the label at the time. You can listen to 'Love is Timeless', on soundcloud, which is one of the tracks from that EP.

Finally by 2017 I felt happy enough with my own music production to begin independently releasing my music, the first of which was 'All This Time'.

My latest release 'Wonder Cloud' has been supported on BBC music Introducing in Scotland and recently remixed by the very talented Side Liner.


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

Arkanna:
I have always loved music as far back as I can remeber. I was always singing when I was a child. I was given my first keyboard when I was 10 and remember writing lyrics to the songs I made up on it. The Casio SA-1, I thought it was so cool lol. I actually found one a few years ago in a charity shop. I had to buy it haha.
Music for me is about my connection to the unknown mystery, the all or whatever you want to call it or see it as. It is my healer, my passion and a tool for self- reflection and discovery.


Nagamag:
What are your plans for the near future?

Arkanna:
I am currently finishing my EP and plan to develope and release a lot of the music I have written over the past few years, as well as all my current material. I'm also collaborating on a track for another artists forthcoming album, more details on that in the very near future.


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

Arkanna:
Ane Brun "All My Tears"


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

Arkanna:
Massive Attack "Teardrop"

Discover & Listen to Arkanna

Arkanna on Spotify

Arkanna's Signature Track

Arkanna on Social Media

Der Waldläufer – Iris (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Electronica, The Latest|Tags: , , , , , , |

“True, genuine bliss and harmony. These are the first thoughts that will come in your mind you when listening to this new single - Iris - by Der Waldläufer. Drop all negative thoughts. Relax and take a deep breath.”

“Истинное, неподдельное блаженство и гармония. Это первые мысли, которые будут посещать вас при прослушивание данной композиции. Отбросьте все негативные мысли. Расслабьтесь и сделайте глубокий вдох.”

-Nagamag.com

More Infos & links: https://ffm.bio/waldlauf

On the Horizon – Koresma x edapollo (Video)

Categories: Electronica, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , , |

“How often do you think that life is a stream of endless impulses, headed by her Majesty through music. ‘On the Horizon’ invites you to immerse yourself in your sonic vibrations.”

“Как часто вы задумываетесь о том, что жизнь – это поток бесконечных импульсов, во главе которых её величество музыка. ‘On the Horizon’ предлагает вам погрузиться с головой в свои звуковые вибрации.”

-Nagamag.com

On the Horizon’ is the second track from Koresma & edapollo’s new EP. The tune contrasts the first single by delving into a pool of downtempo bliss. ‘On the Horizion’ features detailed guitar layering, ear candy synths, fresh vocal cuts, and a blend of textures arranged around the pulsating and hypnotic rhythms.

Naturally all this external influence came as a strong motivator to create some positive music that reflects on the past events as well as how our actions can impact the future of our environment. To push this further, both producers will be splitting the Bandcamp revenue for the first month of sales between two charities supporting fire relief in Australia and California. The charities are:

www.wwf.org.au/contact-us
www.calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund/

Danya Vodovoz – Flourished (Video by Christopher Hunt) (Video)

Categories: Electronica, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , |

“Light and impressive track which captures the listener from the first seconds. This time Danya joins forces with Vodovoz to deliver their “flourished” magic in a very positive way.”

-Nagamag.com

About this video:

Christopher Hunt is a London based writer and video director, with an interest in semiotics, symbolism, surrealism, graphics, and photography. It was for this reason that he was compelled to write, direct and shoot “Flourished” in collaboration with German-based music producer Danya Vodovoz.

The use of VR (virtual reality) is similar to a lucid dream where a person can be immersed into a world of unreality, meanwhile believing that it is true. It was a converging of these two ideas that Christopher wanted within the script and to find ways of exploiting them visually.

Interestingly, while most people report dreaming in color, there is a small percentage of people who claim to only dream in black and white. So to produce “Flourished” in black and white was an alternative away from normality.

Dreams are apparently, an accumulation of things we experience during the day as stored information. However, we can also benefit from dreaming because it acts as a filter for defining reality. Ideas can flow from the process of what happens after sleeping because the subconscious is in the background processing the data and filtering the rubbish from the good. That is why people are known to say “let me sleep on it”.

We are unique because we can live what we conjure up from our thoughts or ideas that have been processed during sleep, although we may not remember what we dreamt most of the time. “Flourished” is about the positive way we manifest our ideas, thoughts, dreams, desire, and things we may have on our minds and finally bring them to life the next day.

The work was the inspiration of Russian filmmaker, Tarkovsky, and shot in black and white with elements of dark and light scenes because he knew how to captivate the viewer. Also, the aim was to have more than just a meaningless music video, and the idea to overlay Shakespeare quotes on selected imagery helped to encapsulate meaning.

The more you look when you replay the video, the more meaning one might find. For example, the flowers on the table at the beginning of the scene, the leaves blowing in the wind, the actress entrapped in budding flowers, and her struggle to touch reality encased in a virtual world.

Our brain is very capable of reading between the lines, and this is probably the reason why we can construct preconceived ideas and ignore the truth. Knowing this fact helps to exploit many possibilities in the video. It is not until further analysis and evaluation over time that we can find the truth. Combining all these elements in the video is a culmination of synchronization, movement, and emotion.

Credit goes to the Actress Giulia Cipriani, who put her soul into each scene, down to shedding tears on cue, and Emelia Millar, age 5, in her first role.

https://danyavodovoz.bandcamp.com/

Borey – Hyperborea (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Electronica, The Latest|Tags: , , , |

“Borey is the project of the young St. Petersburg producer , and his new track 'Hyperborea' is an amazing symbiosis of classical chillwave and experimental idm. This work is a vivid example of how crystal clear sound and harmonious synth-wave melodies are intertwined with rare inclusions of field recordings, vibration of strings and live, mesmerizing guitar.”

“Проект молодого петербургского продюсера Borey, чья музыка являет собой удивительный симбиоз классического chillwave и экспериментального idm, выпустил в свет свой новый трек 'Hyperborea'. Данная работа яркий пример того, как кристальный, чистый звук и гармоничные мелодии synth-wave, переплетаются с редкими вкраплениями полевых записей, вибрацией струн и живой, завораживающей гитары.”

-Nagamag.com

https://borey.bandcamp.com/

Borey - the producer from Saint-Petersburg, Russia presented his second single - Hyperborea.

Continuing to delve into ancient Greek mythology, this time Borey decides to voice the story of Hyperborea, a mysterious Northern country, the ancestral home of mankind, where groves and forests were people's dwelling, where they did not know what is disease and strife.

Even death came to the Hyperboreans as a release from the satiety of life, and, having experienced all the pleasures, they threw themselves into the sea, but at will could be reborn after death.

Having replaced the synth-wave aesthetic with an acoustic sound saturated with live instruments and various percussion and glitches, Borey steps on the ground of ethno-fusion and significantly expands the boundaries of his own creativity.

Hyperborea is a musical eclecticism in which you can hear both dub and art rock, atmospheric soundscapes and analog synthesis. Special attention should also be paid to the string section, which adds even more dreaminess and cinematography to the composition.

https://www.instagram.com/borey._/

Noé Solange – Bound (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Electronica, The Latest|Tags: , , , , |

“-Noé Solange- with her new song -Bound- , the opener of her new same titled album, invite us to her ethereal vocal style through minimal assets of beats and harmonies, which are the right one into this laid back trip hop. Giving the right space to enjoy the dreamy places the vocal atmosphere engages here. ”

-Nagamag.com

The track explores the topic of toxic infatuation, contemplation and freedom. The chorus depicts escaping someone’s toxic nature, through words such as “ice melting thin, which you let me sink into” and “warmth coming in, when I float up without you”.

The rhythmic backdrop of sinister synths and shards of silvery electronics with Noé Solange’s serene tones depict a search for light amidst the darkness.

https://noesolange.bandcamp.com/

Noé Solange is a London based producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist that delves into the realm of downtempo electronica. From her Dutch/Indonesian heritage and being raised around the world, Noé pulls cultural threads from her upbringing that she blends with electronic elements and harmonic vocals to create a rich tapestry of sounds.

https://www.instagram.com/noe_solange/

Kick Bong Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Chillout Features, Chillout Interviews, Features, Interviews, Psychill Features, Psychill Interviews, The Latest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |


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

Kick Bong:
It's not easy, if we stay within the codes of electronic music, I would say electronica, chillout, down tempo but also electro and techno sometimes or house and even pop, I have a lot of influences! I listened to a lot of funk, acid jazz, new wave, punk, rock.


Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Kick Bong:
In 1985 I met friends with whom we started a band and at 20 we signed an album at Barclay it was crazy! afterwards I played with a lot of groups on drums and percussion in different styles, recordings and concerts.
Well much later at the end of the 90s I discovered electronic music and I had another revelation so I started to buy equipment and at the beginning of 2000 I created Kick Bong it will be 20 years in 2021. I also have another Triptone project which is more pop, trip hop, electro with a lot of vocal features.


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

Kick Bong:
my dad listened to a lot of music and he introduced me to a lot of different artists and styles, so I started buying records very young when my mom was willing to give me some money, I started with 45rpm and albums later.
every time I listened to music I felt like I was on stage and like that every night I listened loudly and mimed the guitarist, the drummer etc ...
When I was 12, I started playing drums, it's an instrument that I already liked, I can't really explain why even though I loved playing the air guitar; )


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

Kick Bong:
The Cure "A strange day"


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

Kick Bong:
Trentemoller "Moan"

Discover & Listen to Kick Bong

Kick Bong on Spotify

Kick Bong's Signature Track

Kick Bong on Social Media

Itona – (Baby) Just Let Me Know [OFFICIAL AUDIO] (Video)

Categories: Electronica, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , |

“Baby, lets skip this day, not do anything today. Lets stay warm under our blanket, laid back to our sofa, enjoy a hot chocolate, and stare out of the window the city movement. We are together now. Itona with most beautiful beats and atmospheres becomes your favorite laid back theme for your hug moments. ”

-Nagamag.com

A stunning piece of chillhop inspired downtempo electronica, (Baby) Just Let Me Know’s melodies wash over you like a wave of bliss.

Perfect for rest and reflection, the track features an R&B inspired vocal sample reminiscent of Drake at his most heartfelt – but with more intricate percussion driven production. This tune is set to gear Itona up for the stratosphere.

https://itonabeats.bandcamp.com/

Itona is the new alias of James Vine, aka ENiGMA Dubz.

Meaning ito – love, na – summer in Japanese, the Itona project was inspired by the UK lockdown due to COVID-19. In response to these difficult times, James set about creating uplifting, dreamy and authentic electronic music to help people escape the difficulties, but still deep and thought provoking.

First outing, Dusty City, is a stunning piece of reflective downtempo lofi electronica, with a chillhop groove and sparse yet infectious vocal samples, that takes you on a dream-like journey as you float in a bubble of bliss.

Watch out for more from Itona, with a series of singles leading to his debut EP – Reverie – out later this year on UK independent label Morii Records.

https://www.instagram.com/itonabeats/

Ricia Rae – How Do We Get out of Here? (Video)

Categories: Electronica, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , , , |

“In the ocean of music we listen daily and selectively pick to blog about, there is a part of artists who know how to tell a story, with the right flow, the right selection of sounds. Ricia Rae here with her dream vocals and a minimal asset of groove/melodic lines that help the vocal performance to do her magic, provide us a wonderful atmospheric chill electronica. How Do We Get out of Here? We discover good music!”

-Nagamag.com

ABOUT THIS SONG

This is a pretty dark experimental electronic song written during one of the pandemic lockdowns. A good song to listen to when you’re feeling trapped by anything – a job, a zoom meeting, a relationship, a prison cell, the world.

ABOUT THIS ARTIST

An experimental electronic project out of Montreal Canada fronted by singer-songwriter Ricia Rae. Combining sometimes strange and haunting lyrics with layers of mixed beats, and analogue and digital synths to create an electronic soundscape experience.

Henry Blaeser – Ghost II (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Electronica, The Latest|Tags: , , , |

“Henry Blaesser teams up with CoastialDives for their new single -Ghost II- under No Problema Tapes.A slow progression of electronica minimal layering which tends to hypnotize you into its chill out feeling until the beats erupt and provide the right energy to keep on more groove and atmospheric, harmonies and sounds smartly placed under a solid mix. ”

-Nagamag.com

Columbus-based electronic artists CoastalDives and Henry Blaeser team up on Ghost II, a haunting and warm slice of electronica landing on Chile’s renowned No Problema Tapes imprint.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, CoastalDives made his musical debut with the original film score All Small Bodies, a project that explored minimalistic synth compositions contrasting harsh, brooding soundscapes. He has since released music ranging from highly evocative ambient and pulse-driven electronica to synth-heavy neo-classical. The dreamy quality of his music has attracted the attention of filmmakers, several of whom have used his work to soundtrack short films, one of which was made for Hulu and another which premiered at MOMA.

Also based in Columbus, Henry Blaeser is an eclectic record producer/vocalist, one half of experimental pop duo, .boy, and has worked with artists like La Poré, Ale Campillo & Mungbean.

After several independent releases since their split 7” vinyl release, Divey / I Stay via Terrible Cloud Records, CoastalDives and Henry Blaeser have now teamed up on Ghost II, another unpredictable twist in their catalogue, and first joint effort for vaporwave’s reputable No Problema Tapes.

Dense, dark and intricate, Ghost II merges Blaeser’s cold, skeletal rhythmic & textural architecture with CoastalDives’ all-encompassing, haunting synth-scapes.

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