All the Latest Music News on Nagamag

From Dark EP. Listen it herE: https://open.spotify.com/album/2JWpWUnz9YNsERs3macgZv

Virginia-based, French composer Nicolas Laget releases his captivating new EP, ‘Dark’, out now on all streaming platforms.

Inspired by the likes of Johann Johannson, Max Richter, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Nils Frahm and Olafur Arnalds, Nicolas draws from his combined influences to create his own unique brand of Neo-Classical compositions. Fusing modern classical with electronic beats, Nicolas thrives on being able to experiment with his music and the concepts and emotions he’s able to portray.

Speaking of the EP, Nicolas says, “This is a collection of pieces created over many years. Some were created for films, some are pure musical pursuits. They are tied together by their emotional content. This music explores various states of discomfort, disorientation, angst, oppression, sadness, and tragedy.”

The EP’s opening track ‘Threat and Sanctuary’ laments humanity’s inability to respect and protect the natural habitats of millions of species. Last Night is the bittersweet farewell of a loving wife faced with a terminal disease while ‘Payback!’ and ‘Time Thied’ are from the soundtrack to “Dear Walmart” which documents the corporate giant’s history of unfair treatment of its workforce. ‘Vis Mens Lux Rex’ is about war, domination, and hubris, ‘Hypnosis’ explores losing perspective and a sense of reality.

‘Sensorium 2220’ ponders the future of humanity as machines and software reshape the world we live in, ‘Broken Mosaic’ narrates the fits and starts, ups and downs, small victories and setbacks of the long process that is recovery, and finally, the EP’s closing track ‘The Riots’ is from the documentary ‘Struggle & Hope’ and is about the Tulsa massacre on May 31 1921.

African by birth, European by upbringing, Asian spiritually and American at heart, Nicolas Laget has been a musician since childhood. His early years were spent singing in choirs and playing Baroque chamber music on the alto recorder. In his teens Nicolas expanded his musical horizons by studying the flute, the tenor saxophone and the keyboard. After obtaining a masters degree in composition from the University of Virginia with a specialization in Orchestral music, he seized the first professional opportunity he came across and settled in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

In the last decade Nicolas – aka Kolai - has become a noted producer. His first album, released by the London-based jazz/soul/dance label Chillifunk, was nominated best jazz album of 2003 by London’s Jazz FM. He has performed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas with various bands as a flutist and tenor saxophonist.

In 2003 Nicolas founded the Sweet Spot Studio in response to the many engineering requests he received since releasing his first records. He has helped craft Jazz, Rock, Ska, Neo Soul, Gospel, and Dance records heard across the world.

www.nicolaslaget.com

You know that feeling when you can't be with someone and it kills you? I know it very well. It eats at you. It pains you. It drives you mad. And sometimes you have to dance to let it all out.

https://www.instagram.com/rlaif28

https://linktr.ee/superpoze

The 17 year-old singer-songwriter returns with latest track about childhood friendship

17 year-old London singer-songwriter, Lexie Carroll has released her new self-written folk pop track, ‘Racing Raindrops’, produced by Al Mobbs and mixed by Dan Swift.

Lexie Carroll creates tracks that tell stories from the heart. ‘Racing Raindrops’ is her story of growing up and growing apart from an important childhood friend. The track sees Lexie delicately weaving through carefree memories that evoke the innocence and purity of young friendship whilst also capturing the emotion and longing in reflecting on how time and relationships inevitably move on and change.

Speaking on the premise of the track about a friendship growing apart, Lexie said, “It’s quite bittersweet as although there’s distance and you don’t see each other the way you used to, it’s comforting knowing that they’re still there and the real closeness never changes.”

https://lexiecarroll.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/l.exiecarroll/
https://www.facebook.com/lexiecarrollpage

Collaboration track produced by Achilles from Australia and Nanoviola from

Germany. It's a new style of EDM called Future Rave, it's a mix of Techno and

Progressive House. Nanoviola is known for mixing elements from the genre

of classical music with Future Rave, a very unusual combination. Achilles and

Nanoviola get support from Morten, the leader of this new style in electronic

music.

In this track Nanoviola plays the viola live on top, this tune is infused with

scorching synths and hot and catchy vocals, this release is one of a kind and

will surely set any mainstage or club on fire.

Biography Achilles

https://linktr.ee/achilles

After cutting his teeth in the music industry writing songs for others, ProducerDJ & Songwriter Andrew Achilleos

– better known as Achilles – decided to begin his own artist project, going viral in the process. Hugely diverse in his

musical background, the Australian- born act brings unique light & shade to

electronic dance music, combining multiple influences in his sound.

One of the hottest rising stars to emerge onto the scene, Achilles has already

received support from the likes of Tiësto, MORTEN, Yves V, Dada Life,

Morgan Page, Andrew Rayel, MaRLo, Maurice West, Blasterjaxx, Kryder &

many more.

Biography Nanoviola

https://linktr.ee/nanoviola

Nanoviola a multi-talented DJ, viola player, producer, and composer born

and raised in Sankt Petersburg, Russia. She moved to Germany at the

age of 18 and hasn’t looked back since. Nanoviola is an artist that

epitomizes the essence of the modern era and she is making music that is

thoughtful, conscious, and driven by a desire to motivate, inspire, comfort,

and spread love and joy to all those that hear it.

Nanoviola has extensive experience in performing on stage, from small to

big stages such as theaters, concert halls, Bayreuth Festival, Breminale,

Reeperbahn Festival and many others.

Born Natalia Novikova, the very befitting moniker of Nanoviola is a

combination of her actual name and the word viola. This is because she is

a viola specialist having garnered a degree from the University of the Arts

Bremen majoring in viola.

https://www.instagram.com/easytygermusic/

Easy Tyger (aka. William Nichols) is an American composer, producer, and mix engineer from New York City. Although he released his first music just a few short months ago, his songs have racked up hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify, have been featured heavily on Sirius XM and have been played in the sets of major recording artists such as Sultan + Shepard, Paraleven and Gabriel & Dresden. He’s successfully signed tracks to labels around the world including Smile Recordings, Progressive Vibes, Deer Dear, Digital Empire, and Potential Fun. His music ranges from organic downtempo and deep house to hard melodic techno and everything in between.

https://linktr.ee/FerrisandSylvester

Kicking off the year with a bang, acclaimed British blues-rock duo Ferris & Sylvester release “Golden”, the latest single to be lifted from their forthcoming debut album Superhuman, which is set for release March 11th, 2022 via PIAS/Integral.

The celebratory anthem offers another shade to the band’s already rich palette as they bring pop, soul and roots influences into their already eclectic mix. In the accompanying music video (also available today), the lush, layered harmonies and horn accents are brought to life at the venue where the duo of Issy Ferris and Archie Sylvester first met: London’s beloved Spiritual Bar and shows us their journey from playing solo, to playing together, and finally to a crowded room – “just like we dreamed”.

They say “Golden is a song for the dreamers. For those who are searching for something more and aren’t quite sure how to get there, but fight for it everyday despite the odds. We wrote this at a time of great uncertainty, asking ourselves where are we going? Has anyone else been here? Sometimes those big questions can cloud you, yet your dreams somehow find a way through the fog. We hope this speaks to people and inspires them to dig in and keep dreaming.”

From tomorrow, the pair are back on the road in support of the Music Venue Trust for their ‘Revive Live’ tour. The six-date run will see the duo perform in grassroots local venues up and down the country. They are thrilled to be able to do their bit to support independent venues, especially given how tough the last couple of years have been.

“Now more than ever, local communities and artists need these spaces to be nurtured and kept alive,” they explain, and given their origin story – meeting in a small independent venue, this feels even more special. “Not only were we given a stage on which to grow and develop night after night, it is where we’ve met our dearest friends,” they add, “Music Venue Trust recognise what grassroots venues can bring to a community and strive to protect and celebrate them. We could not be more honoured to be a small part of their story.”

The rest of 2022 is set to be similarly busy as Ferris & Sylvester continue their path to their debut album. This Spring they’re set to head out to SXSW for their first US shows since 2019 with more live shows and appearances to be announced soon.

Ferris & Sylvester’s debut LP shrewdly documents the talented pair’s creative and personal journey with one another. The 12 track album – recorded in Seattle USA with Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, The Strokes), and Cornwall UK with Michael Rendall (Pink Floyd, Youth) – holds 10 brand new songs and takes the listener on a journey through the duo’s world where genres intertwine and emotions are stripped down to the core.

Superhuman came together when Issy and Archie escaped to the countryside. As lockdowns began, they discovered a life away from touring, where writing and recording was sandwiched between hiking, knitting and growing their own food.

Hailed for their “immaculate harmonies” and “rich, fully realised sound” (Rolling Stone), Ferris & Sylvester fuse folk and rock’n’roll sensibilities into an undeniable sound that has previously landed them comparisons to everyone from Simon & Garfunkel to First Aid Kit, and gigs with Mystery Jets, Robert Plant, George Ezra, Jade Bird among others.

DEBUT ALBUM SUPERHUMAN / OUT MARCH 2022

PRE-ORDER ‘SUPERHUMAN’ NOW

https://pias.ffm.to/qe37bl7

https://www.instagram.com/ferrisandsylvestermusic/

https://www.facebook.com/FerrisandSylvester

https://twitter.com/FerrisSylvester

Dear Karma tells the story of being wronged in the past and taking revenge. It's my start to a new era starting in January with a fresh and darker sound, trying to be more unique and personal.

https://www.instagram.com/felicialuofficial

Pophop's treasure chests filled with black gold and glistening silver, capturing a vast collection of acoustic tales… Being a buccaneer, Pophop is right in his element when cruising through the sound waves of that endless ocean named music, always in search of new melodies.

At the turn of the year, Pophop now releases his second Essential Mix on Acker Records and takes us on a magical journey.

https://www.instagram.com/konimusik/

https://www.natalieclarkmusic.com/
https://twitter.com/natclarkmusic
https://www.facebook.com/natalieclarkmusic
https://www.instagram.com/natalieclarkmusic

Scottish singer-songwriter Natalie Clark, who has reaped plaudits from Virgin’s Richard Branson and BBC Radio 1’s Nick Grimshaw was selected as a Mercedes Benz KTLA “Artist to Watch” after moving to the US. Natalie was featured in the Mercedes Benz commercial campaign which also included performances at the famous Roxy on Sunset, and The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. She was handpicked to open for the Grammy award winning Indigo Girls tour and has been recording in L.A when not busy touring the US. Natalie received acclaim from multi-platinum artists such as Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton when she appeared on NBC’s The Voice, who praised her voice as ‘cool and powerful’ and ‘incredible’.

Since moving to the States, Natalie has opened festivals, toured the country, and was recently named a ‘Hot 100 Live Artist’ in Music Connection Magazine. She is also an official JH Audio featured artist. Her recently released Livewire E.P has already received considerable attention in the sync licensing world, with tracks being featured in several Netflix shows and an international commercial campaign.

After giving up her teaching career in Scotland to pursue her dream of writing and playing music, the rising indie-pop artist made headlines in the U.K. when Richard Branson invited her to sing on-stage at a BBC Radio 1 Academy session in Glasgow. Natalie accepted his impromptu challenge, and sang ‘Weakness’, from her debut EP. It prompted Branson to proclaim: “That was absolutely and utterly stunning – no backing band, no musicians, no forewarning.” He later called her “inspiring”. Grimshaw, who was hosting the BBC Radio 1 Academy event, played ‘Weakness’ and further sang Natalie’s praises on his BBC Radio 1 show the following day. Branson has since written several articles about Natalie, including a recent commentary on her record release on virgin.com