All the Latest Music News on Nagamag

Artist shared few words behind his song inspiration with Nagamag:

"I often work with field recordings but generally in abstract ways where the shape and texture of the sound is more important than its general context or meaning. For this project in particular, it is the meaning of what you are hearing that matters — the mood created by the sonic environment and the message of the words being spoken. One person stating a fact is less convincing than witnessing the reality, even if it’s indirectly.

I’ve always loved the sea, both being in it and on it. I’ve spent many happy days diving, snorkeling and being among sea creatures in their environment, and I value aquatic life as highly as I do life on land. Thus it saddens me to learn of the extent to which marine life is treated as nothing more than a resource to exploit, with no concern for what is impacted in the process. This project spurred me to not be complicit in this exploitation, and to instead call it out when I see it." - Banco de Gaia

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Banco De Gaia has been performing and releasing for over 25 years now, along the way becoming one of the music industry’s most maverick innovators. His legacy is as glittering as it is diverse, ranging from Hollywood film sound credits to the critically acclaimed ‘Last Train to Lhasa’, first released in 1995 to a rapturous reception. His live act still packs out venues and festivals all over the world, with audio-visual performances renowned for their explosive, cutting edge quality: from sampling wizardry fused with haunting vocals and poignant acoustics to genre-hopping musical instrumentals, all accompanied by socially engaged visuals.

Georgia Cécile is at the helm of an exciting new wave of UK female jazz talents, however her new single ‘He Knew How To Love’ sees her explore a more broader pop sound. The track comes with a beautifully crafted music video by Rianne White as the two pair up with PRS Women Make Music Foundation (to increase the profile of women, trans and non binary artists who are creating new music in the UK). This November she will be opening the prestigious London Jazz Festival, off the back of dropping her debut album in September.

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GEORGIA CÉCILE returns with her boldest release to date, the emotional ballad ‘HE KNEW HOW TO LOVE’. Teaming up with film director RIANNE WHITE and in association with PRS WOMAN MAKE MUSIC, the cinematic music video represents two young women at the height of the game.

“Vocalist of the Year” Nominee Jazz FM Awards 2020

“Her voice is spectacular. Cécile & Stevenson are a songwriting pair to watch out for” Jamie Cullum (BBC R2)

“Her clarity of tone, creativity and ability to sing with genuine emotional depth will take her a long way” Jazzwise

One of UK Jazz’s hottest new prospects, Georgia Cécile is at the helm of an exciting new wave of UK female jazz talents. Tipped as ‘One To Watch’ by BBC Introducing and Jazzwise Magazine, Cécile’s stock has been rising on the strength of her live performances and her songwriting partnership with award-winning pianist/composer Euan Stevenson. She has an accessible approach to jazz (with pop to soul influences) which is key to her crossover appeal as she cites contemporaries such as Celeste, Melody Gardot and Gregory Porter as influences – as well as old favourites like Stevie Wonder, Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone.

Her new single ‘He Knew How To Love’ is perhaps her most accessible release to date, as the jazz-flavoured beginning builds into a full blown pop ballad at times. As a piano guides the instrumentation, a cinematic soundscape of strings help create pictures with sounds, as the track ebs and flows, mirroring the ups and downs of life. As her vocals take centre stage, Georgia recounts stories of her father’s love and devotion through the years, as she takes stock of her journey into womanhood. Georgia explains the personal message within:

“This song is my most personal as it was written about my Father. I wanted to capture the essence of him – his presence, spirituality, and the ways in which he nurtured and shaped my world and how his personal sacrifices allowed me to pursue my dream.”
“The fruition of those dreams are felt in the song too; moments of self-realisation and the journey of evolving through adolescence into womanhood. It is my hope that others feel moved and empowered to realise their destiny.”
“My paternal grandfather was also a renowned jazz pianist in the 1960’s, who is the key inspiration behind my vocation to music – this song is also in honour of him.”
About the music video: In collaboration with Scottish film director and choreographer Rianne White, the pair have delivered an elegantly rich and movie-like music video to accompany the release. Rianne has gained recognition as one of the UK’s most exciting young film directors, having directed films with Young Fathers, Ellie Goulding, Aurora and Kate Tempest. This project, supported by PRS Woman Make Music, marks the unity of two young women at the height of their creative ambition – bringing female collaboration and support to the forefront of not only their personal but collective visions. *press release attached for more info.

This year, Georgia marked International Women’s Day by performing live for the BBC’s Jazz Nights show and she was included in Jazzwise’s ‘Women In Jazz’ feature that day. Also around that time, her single ‘Always Be Right’ was featured by Wonderland Magazine, and was playlisted on Jazz FM. ‘He Knew How To Love’ is the second single taken from Georgia’s debut album which is due for release early September. In November she will be opening the prestigious London Jazz Festival with the Guy Barker Orchestra and will be recording at Abbey Road this summer.

Previously, her track ‘Blue Is Just A Colour’ premiered on BBC Radio 2’s Jamie Cullum show, following sell-out shows at UK jazz festivals including Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. She was championed by The Scottish Sun, The Herald, The Scotsman and The Sunday post after picking up ‘Best Vocalist’ at the 2019 Scottish Jazz Awards and a nomination for ‘Vocalist of the Year’ at the prestigious 2020 Jazz FM awards.

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Following the success of his debut EP, ‘Off The Bat’, Liverpool alt-folk hero, Mason Owens will release ‘Stoned in the Vallies’ the first single from his hotly anticipated follow up EP, ‘Early Hours’, out now.

The track, along with the rest of the EP, is produced by Glaswegian electronic pioneer Hector Barbour, better known as Denis Sulta, who is renowned across the world for his electric DJ sets spanning house, techno, trance and disco.

The former Mixmag cover star and BBC Radio 1 Residency Broadcaster won DJ Mag’s Best of British DJ awards in 2019 and has turned his attention to the world of acoustic music for this exclusive side project after hearing Owens’ play ‘Stoned in the Vallies’ during a jam session.

Mason Owens, said: “I had a jam session a few months back with Hector and he said, ‘play me a track you haven’t got out yet’. I played him the tune and he related to it - he wanted to be part of it. He understood the sentiment and the meaning behind the song.”

Barbour, who has released music on influential labels such as Ninja Tune, Numbers and his own Sulta Selects and Silver Service imprints brings production techniques that he has nurtured through his impressive career to date.

“I never thought it would sound as good as it did, and a great deal of that is down to the quality of Hector’s production” Owens continues “Recording the track with him was a great experience.”

‘Stoned in the Vallies’ was penned by Mason two years ago, just after a short stint behind bars. It comes as no surprise that themes of freedom run through the lyrics.

“Stoned in the Vallies is about wanting to be free. It’s about the feeling of being caged up and not being able to remember what freedom feels like,” explains Mason.

“My head wasn't necessarily in a bad place at the time (though the spelling of ‘Vallies’ does give a nod to a well-known anti-depressant). I just wanted to get out there and get my life back on track.”

Taking a departure from his previous work, Owens draws on inspirations including John Martyn, Nick Drake and Tracy Chapman, to produce an altogether different sound.

Moving away from the raw sound of his debut EP, “Off The Bat”, Owens introduces intricate guitar work, sentimental lyricism and folk-infused melodies to his latest release, in what he is calling a “new phase” in his artistry.

“It’s closer to what I want to be doing; the music I naturally make,” Owens said. “The style is completely different. It's a lot more mellow, a lot more melancholy and more emotional.

“Off The Bat is a fast paced aggressive one to get you up in the morning, whereas this is made for chilling out to and make you think and reflect.

Owens burst onto Liverpool’s contemporary folk scene in 2020 with releases such as ‘Waiting For You’ and ‘Dock Road’.

He has racked up over 100,000 streams on Spotify alone and earned the attention of BBC Introducing Merseyside and fellow Scouser, Jamie Webster, who topped the Official Folk Album Chart last year.

Owens “could go down in folklore with some of his tunes”, Webster said.

He has since gone on to perform at some of Liverpool’s most popular venues, including the O2 Academy, Art Club Liverpool, Studio 2 Parr Street and Eventim Olympia as well as playing the hugely popular BOSS Night events at the first ever Everton Sessions for Everton Football Club.

As the country emerges from lockdown, Owens is preparing for a number of live shows in the coming months ahead of the release of ‘Early Hours’ including supporting Jamie Webster on several dates on his UK tour, playing the Main Stage at this year’s Liverpool Sound City Festival and his own headline show at the Arts Club, Liverpool with I Love Live Events.

For more information about Mason Owens, visit: http://www.niftyrecords.com/mason-owens

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Blending an ethereal atmosphere with dynamic yet driving rhythms, the beautifully hypnotic soundscapes of "Doppler" simultaneously move hearts and feet.

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Blinding neon light and the urban jungle of Zurich are the stage on which the musical drama of Sayved unfolds: Rufus and Billy conjure up electronic rock songs that are equal parts disturbing and beguiling. The tools that they make use of are analogue artifacts and digital devices, which serve to counterbalance the pathos and pop appeal of Rufus’ haunting voice.

This blend of analogue and digital also extends into their on-stage incarnation, in which two voices are joined by electric guitar and vintage gear. All of these organic sounds are further augmented by contemporary digital tools and gadgets.

Ecstatic and electrifying, their live-performances are exorcisms of the demons of modern metropolitan life.

Currently, the duo is moving further away from conventional song structures to maximize the impact of their music clubs and on stage

After the first releases on quite noticeable imprints Lump Records and MIR Music, the Brazilian producer Leichsen comes to Polyptych with his new EP 'Lost', made in collaboration with LUANA. A two-track EP that has the unique ability to immerse yourself. An incredible atmosphere and a little mysterious note permeate both tracks.

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Solitude is a tune that can be described as a warm embrace from Mother Earth or some other matriarch, the beats imitating a heartbeat and while you’re back in a womb like place, the vocals serve as comfort. You’ll find it hard not to take a deep breathe and feel the peace and comfort of this beautiful tune.

Produced in Vancouver BC
Samples from Orca Whales in salish sea

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QUIX returns to Steve Aoki's Dim Mak imprint with his new single "Make Up Your Mind," featuring Nashville singer/songwriter Jaden Michaels, a drum & bass gem with QUIX's signature emotive punch. The heavy DnB influence pays homage to QUIX's homeland New Zealand, where this dynamic music genre has always had a powerful following. "Make Up Your Mind" opens with a heartfelt, soulful voice by Jaden and rides on a steadily building bassline that culminates in a high-energy, goosebump-inducing drop. The track follows QUIX's earlier release "IDK Vol. 2" from earlier this year and is his second collaboration with Jaden Michaels, after 2018's "Giving Up" who released recently her solo single "Every Last Thing." Read on for QUIX's story on how "Make Up Your Mind" came to be.

"I actually started writing this beat last year during a twitch stream; funnily enough, Jaden had already sent me the topline months before. Essentially, I mashed up the beat with her vocal and surprised myself with how well they worked together. I've never made a DnB song like this before, and I wanted to challenge myself to incorporate the mainstream style with my signature style. Thank you for listening, and hope you enjoyed yourself, especially on that last drop" - QUIX

Hailing all the way from New Zealand, QUIX initially traveled to North America in 2017 for 10 shows and finished up doing an astonishing 42 stops. He has been tearing up the trap scene ever since, continuously shaking the new ground with his unique sound design. Coming off three headline tours in 2018, including Coachella and support on Steve Aoki's Kolony tour, QUIX had a break-out year with his "Illusions EP" on Dim Mak. It has racked up millions of plays and creatively merged genres with powerful vocals while staying true to QUIX's signature sound. He has also been honored by Spotify to feature on the cover of their two biggest international dance playlists, "Mint" and "Dance Rising," and officially remixed the likes of Steve Aoki, GASHI, RL Grime, and more. Jaden Michaels is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. In her career as a songwriter, she has collaborated with some of pop music's biggest stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, Carly Rae Jepsen, Robin Thicke, and more. In 2012 and 2013 Jaden co-wrote one of the songs performed on the season finale of American Idol. Her songwriting work on Carly Rae Jepsen's album "Kiss" received the 2013 Juno Award for "Album of the Year." Stay tuned for more music coming from these exciting and talented artists very soon.

More info on QUIX / Jaden Michaels / Dim Mak:

QUIX: http://instagram.com/quixofficial

Jaden Michaels: https://www.instagram.com/jadenmichaels/

Dim Mak: https://www.instagram.com/dimmak/

Chafa is an emerging pianist, producer, and composer based out of Los Angeles. He is currently preparing to launch onto the global music scene with his first two singles ready to drop imminently.

https://www.instagram.com/shaynechafa

Massachusetts roots and Nashville based by way of San Francisco, Eva brings elements from both coasts to her unique sound. Eva marries raw and transparent lyrics with an authentic pop vibe brought to life on an acoustic guitar with over 20 years of performing experience. She credits Maren Morris, Halsey and Julia Michaels as influences to her music which can be identified in her brutally honest lyrics layered on gutsy melodies.

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