As I write these words, my mind is still fucking fried from last night. My neurons feel on strike, like my brain is being staffed by Tube drivers.
The parties to blame: Beardyman and his Dream Team.
Over the past year, Beardyman has evolved from a show-owning beatboxer to a bandleader with his sights set on musical revolution. Take it from me: Beardyman is well on his way to achieving that goal.
The Dream Team are one eight-headed, one-minded improvisational collective comprised of Read more…
Live music can be a harsh, unforgiving world. Every time a band steps onstage, anything could happen – and they have to deal with it in the moment, right there in front of an audience. On paper, this was already a risky show for Submotion Orchestra, as they prepared to present old and new tunes alike in a totally new way.
Colour Theory collaborators Catching Flies (87%) did a great job of warming up punters coming in from the cold. Concorde 2 is situated right on Brighton’s seafront – and walking from chilled sea air into waves of deep bass and soothing jazztronica is a great way to start an evening off. Slowly the gently grooving crowd grew, and I’m sure Catching Flies made a few new fans before Submotion Orchestra (97%)…
…completely, completely nailed it.
With SubMo vocalist Ruby Wood taking time off from touring to focus on Read more…
Submotion Orchestra’s new album Colour Theory is one of the albums of the year. Granted, it is only February, but I can very safely say that Colour Theory is going to take some beating. Seriously.
Colour Theory has been on near-constant repeat at TMMP HQ after hitting a 100% home run in this full-length review. It’s a genuinely spectacular album – and for this interview, TMMP got SubMo keyboardist Taz Modi talking about the story behind Colour Theory as well as stage invading DJs, keytars, onstage livestock and spaceships… Read more…
A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.
Over the course of three stellar albums (2011’s Finest Hour; 2012’s Fragments; 2014’s Alium), Submotion Orchestra’s signature sound has been explored in detail and depth. A peerlessly idiosyncratic mix of bass-heavy dub, soul, classical and jazz influences, it’s never been less than spellbinding, immersive, and classy. Since day one, the Submotion Orchestra sound has won over an ever-increasing mass of critics, fans, and tastemakers.
On paper, it would have been very easy for Submotion Orchestra to play it safe on Colour Theory. The normal thing for established bands to do is Read more…
Where have all the real rock stars gone? Those unique individuals capable of capturing the imagination of a mass audience without dumbing down the fruits of their labours? The musicians who can spin your head around, widen your horizons, and still meet with large-scale acceptance?
On Blackstar – his twenty-sixth album – David Bowie inspires, provokes, bewilders and bewitches as only he can. Taking the scenic route through Blackstar‘s title track, full to bursting with Read more…
2015 has been a big year, soundtracked by a slew of spectacular albums. Picking an overall favourite was a pretty stressful task – and in the end, Jon Gomm’s gorgeous collection of live fan picks and what is, in my opinion, the definitive modern-day Joe Satriani album both had to go on top.
Deciding who would ultimately top the tree was made infinitely easier by putting them in alphabetical order by surname; if you put a gun to my head and demanded I choose between Jon Gomm and Joe Satriani in terms of quality, you’d just have to shoot me. They’re two sides of the same coin, Jon Gomm representing the acoustic world, Satriani the electric. Put together, these guys represent almost unparalleled guitaristic virtuosity.
In joint second place, you’ll find a whole host of alphabetised winners who would each be done a terrible injustice were they to be placed in a lower position. From legends with glittering careers spanning decades to stunning comeback albums and a fair few brand new names facing bright and hopeful futures, TMMP’s top albums of 2015 are all here.
Dive in – there’s a lot to get stuck into – and follow TMMP via Twitter for more from the world of world-class music in 2016!
One of the keys to creativity is a generous attitude. You can’t be stingy when it comes to putting something out there – you have to give it all you’ve got, holding as little back as possible. This interview reflects Julia Biel’s adoption of said attitude.
With a fantastic album (Love Letters And Other Missiles) behind her, a MOBO nomination in the present, and the MOBO Awards and an awesome remix EP on the horizon, TMMP caught up with Julia Biel to discuss writing, memories, and more…
You’ve been nominated for a MOBO Award, and you have a new remix EP out next month. Sounds like a busy time! What thoughts and feelings are going through your head right now?
It’s been a really busy year, yeah! Loads of touring abroad to lots of new places, and then the MOBO nomination and now getting to release the remix EP feels like the icing on the cake.
At the moment, I’m mainly feeling really grateful for all of it. I feel very privileged to be getting these opportunities.
While you were writing and recording Love Letters And Other Missiles, what was your creative process like? What did you have to do to make your ideas a reality?
I was writing songs at the piano late at night without really having an album in mind, but just letting the songs emerge as and when they did.
There was no pressure, no label to hurry me, no one telling me how they had to sound, just total freedom to write how and what I wanted. It was a great time as it was also the first time I was Read more…
Right now, The Aristocrats are one of the most infamous fusion-oriented bands on the planet. If you’re a regular TMMP reader, you’re probably well aware of them by now – but if you’re new and curious, or your memory needs refreshing, click here for many a reason to become a fan.
Besides being generous with their notes, these noble gentlemen are also generous with their time. With a four-month European tour kicking off in Cologne on November 16th before winding its way across the continent, TMMP talked to The Aristocrats about fistfights, touring, coffee, and robot pigs…
You’re three of the hardest-working musicians on the planet, and you have a hectic European tour running from November until February! How do you keep yourselves gig-ready amidst such a chaotic schedule?
Bryan Beller (Bass): Lots and lots of coffee. And naps. And then more coffee.
Guthrie Govan (Guitar): I always thought that being gig-ready should actually be easier if you’re gigging constantly, and that “rust” would be more likely to kick in after taking a long break from playing.
Marco Minnemann (Drums): Comfortable travel schedule, good sleep and good food. That helps. After the show…whatever happens.
What are your pre-show rituals?
Bryan: A nap. And then coffee.
Guthrie: Finding a secret smoking area.
Marco: Reclusiveness.
What’s the most awkward onstage situation you’ve ever had to deal with?
Bryan: I once got in a fistfight with the drummer from the band going on after us. 10 people jumped in. It happened onstage and Read more…
A great remix is a beautiful and rare thing. Now that the technology needed to mash up and rework the works of others is easily affordable, the number of people diving into the world of digitized sound manipulation has mushroomed.
Unfortunately, not everyone with a DAW and fancy plugins is an instant genius. Getting good at any art takes time – and on Licence To Be Cruel, five outstanding producers have taken four fine tracks from Julia Biel’s recent album Love Letters And Other Missiles and given them Read more…
Since the release of third album Alium last year, Submotion Orchestra have become firm TMMP favourites. Their expensive-sounding and ultra-modern combination of dub, jazz, classical, soul, and electronic elements has soothed, calmed, stirred, and inspired an evangelical fanbase for the past six years. On this instrumental EP, a set of three precision-honed tracks, Submotion Orchestra show no signs of slowing down or holding back.
Whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool muso, casually curious passer-by, or just Read more…
