Category: Interviews

Sailing the good ship Deconstruction, Diagram of the Heart are Sony BMG’s new electro pop protégé. Signed by Mike Pickering, ex-hacienda resident, Deconstruction founder and all round Dance music stalwart, the London based duo are being pegged as a 2011 ‘one to watch’ by much of the mainstream music media.

With their debut singles ‘Dead Famous’ and ‘Did I’ grabbing rapid attention, Diagram of the Heart spent 2010 building foundations and fanbases. The Birmingham Review caught up with Ant and Kye, aka Diagram of the Heart, to compare this year to last year.

‘A 2010 highlight would have to be the iTunes festival at The Roundhouse in London,’ says Kye, ‘It was full of Hoosier fans who had no clue who we were. By the end of our set we had the whole building jumping, it’s great to win people over like that.’ Diagram of the Heart toured and supported throughout most of 2010, including several high profile performances arranged by their label. ‘Playing Ibiza Rocks with Calvin Harris’, adds Ant, ‘it was a highlight to be on the same bill.’

Diagram of the Heart producer, Ant Gorry met singer Kye Sones after seeing him cover the Kings of Leon ‘Sex On Fire’ on MySpace. The pair started working together and were soon noticed by Mike Pickering, Head of A&R for Columbia Records, and signed to the seminal Dance music label Deconstruction, birthplace of established club classics such as Felix’s ‘Don’t You Want Me’ and Black Box’s ‘Ride On Time’.

‘It’s a real sign that we’re doing the right thing,’ says Ant about signing to Deconstruction, ‘our music is really rooted in big club sound, and to be signed by such a legend (Pickering) is amazing.’ Mike Pickering’s portfolio currently includes Kasabian and Calvin Harris. He is also regarded as a foundation block of the early UK Dance scene. ‘The most appealing thing is that he was an artist too’, add Kye, ‘he gives us great feedback and has been a great person to work with, we’re very lucky.’

With the backing of Pickering/Deconstruction, alongside single remixes from Michael Woods and Riva Starr, Diagram of the Heart have been given the Dance industry stamp of approval, but where do they position themselves on the ever changing sea of musical genres?

‘We’re from Dance music, and influenced by Dance music, but make pop records,’ says Ant. ‘Yeah, I agree,’ adds Kye, ‘I always just say we’re a band that’s influenced by dance music.’

And specifics worth mentioning on Diagram of the Heart’s artistic influence role call?

‘Too many to name,’ admits Ant, ‘but I love Tears For Fears, Massive Attack and Faithless.’ The emotive production of all three reflected in Diagram of the Heart’s current work. ‘The biggest influence in song writing is people in everyday life and your surroundings,’ adds Kye, ‘I always jot something down if I hear people says something interesting, or see a bit of graffiti on the tube and think, ahhh, that’s got a nice ring to it.’

Diagram of the Heart clocked up significant miles throughout 2010 with university tours to MTV on the white isle, with most accolades coming from their live performances. 2011 will continue this momentum with Diagram of the Heart’s first headline tour early in the year followed by the spring release of their debut album, Vital Signs. A make or break year, do the boys ever regret choosing such a precarious profession?

‘Never,’ declares Ant, ‘I left that behind a long time ago.’

Diagram of the Heart headline The Library at the HMV Institute on Feb 6^th. Vital Signs is scheduled for release on March 27^th on Deconstruction Records. For more information visit www.diagramoftheheart.co.uk

The New Emancipation is the latest body of work from Jazz/Hip Hop saxophonist and lyricist, Soweto Kinch. Released on September 27^th The New Emancipation explores just what its moniker describes, with Kinch focused on what he sees as the shackles of modernity.

“It (The New Emancipation) takes its inspiration from the history of emancipation and slavery, looking at it in a very modern way. Things like banking, finance, the legacy of race relations. Some of the things that might seem anachronistic are really relevant and pertinent at this time. Especially in the world of finance.”

The first album released under Soweto Kinch Productions, The New Emancipation also marks an age of professional autonomy for the Birmingham based musician. Previous confrontations with retailers, after the release of his ‘tongue in cheek’ single Jazz Planet in November 2004, left open sores and discussions about the positioning of ‘Urban’ music on the High Street shelves. Kinch’s last EP, A War In A Rack, was titled to directly confront the “monolithic controlling influences” of the mainstream retail outlets.

“We’re using the distributors but whether we’ll be placed in the Hip Hop racks is at the discretion of the independent retailers,” Kinch’s notoriety as a Jazz musician has arguably pigeon holed previous releases, “but to be honest the debate has moved on since three years ago. Now it’s about getting the message out there, getting the word out there, and letting people make their own minds up about what they think the music is and where then can access it.” With online sales challenging more traditional transactions, the music industry continues to adapt to new media and routes to market.

Online or offine, the biggest publicity platform in Autumn are the Mercury Music Prize and MOBO award ceremonies. Kinch’s rise to prominence was spurred by nominations and wins across both for his debut album in 2003. How relevant does he feel these institutions are today? “I still think they have a role to play in terms of making people aware of music which would otherwise be obscure,” a message reiterated by the organisers and challenged by their critics, “but when they just become an event for the industry to pat itself on the back I think they’re missing a trick. Audiences are increasingly suspicious of very manufactured music, they want something with more integrity from the award ceremonies.”

The New Emancipation is a thoughtful combination of “Jazz and Hip Hop influences” that represents “themes of release and freedom” more than any particular musical style or genre. Successfully mixing Jazz harmonies, Hip Hop beats, intelligent lyrics, word play and melody, Kinch’s latest release is a poignant satire over world class musicianship. Songs including ‘Love of money’ and ‘Trying to be a star’ tackle fiscal and fame obsessions, whilst ‘Paris Heights’ confronts the cruelty of debt culture in a bold display reminiscent of The Goat’s seminal Tricks Of The Shade album. An accomplished 13 track collage from a man who clearly has something to say.

The New Emancipation is available from September 27^th. For more information visit www.soweto-kinch.com or www.myspace.com/sowetokinch

Many things happen at the back of a bus. Today it’s where the Birmingham Observer caught up with Lissie, Sony’s new US import, bang in the middle of promoting her debut album, Catching A Tiger.

“I usually know what’s going on a bit more,” jokes Lissie, “but we just flew into England from America.” Lissie is one hour off a long haul flight from New York and 30mins away from a “radio related event” in Bridlington. “I just got into Manchester and now we’re going on this radio show. Otherwise I’d just be sitting in the car, you know, sleeping.”

It’s been a hectic year for the Illinois born singer songwriter. Making heads turn in March at Texas’ SxSW music festival, the breeding ground for many a music executive’s Christmas bonus, Lissie played ten live showcases over four days.

“I went there (SxSW) a few years ago and didn’t really have much of a presence, but this year we brought a lot of energy.” Lissie downplays what the media called ‘a triumphant win’ over the festival. “I think we did play good shows, so those people that might of heard stuff about me were able to walk away knowing what the fuss was about, hopefully”

If they didn’t then it’s now the job of Lissie’s new label. And with three UK single releases, festival dates across the summer and a headline tour set for October, there’s a lot of ink in the diary. “People always say that majors are going to make you compromise, to tell you what to do, but I really like the people I work with,” some of which are no doubt sitting pillion to this conversation, “they saw something worth investing in me and I feel we’re on the same page. Plus they have the resources to launch a pretty good campaign, just me performing a good live show isn’t enough. It’s a team effort.”

Catching A Tiger is out on general release. Lissie’s new single, Cuckoo, is out at the end of August. For more information on Lissie, including her international tour dates, visit www.lissie.com

Synonymous with ‘avant guarde’ Indie Rock ensemble Guillemots, lead singer Fyfe Dangerfield “had a bit of free time” after the band’s second album, Red. Two years later and his debut solo album Fly Yellow River got released into the musical wild alongside a smattering of ‘intimate’ UK gigs. Subsequent interest spawned more dates this September, including the Moseley Folk Festival and the HMV relaunch of the Birmingham Institute. The Birmingham Observer caught up with the man from Moseley before his imminent homecoming solos.

“I wasn’t really trying to make a record,” says Dangerfield, “I just was having a bit of a break from the band (Guillemots). I’d written a bunch of songs so I booked a few days in the studio with a friend of mine Adam (Noble – producer) and we thought we’d just see what happens. I hate having stuff lying around, you know, just clogging up the cupboards.”

Released in January 2010 the bulk of Fly Yellow River was recorded at the end of 2008 in Urchin Studios, the same East London birthplace of Guillemots’ EP I Saw Such Things In My Sleep. Receiving positive reviews from the national and music press, Dangerfield’s solo debut is a juxtaposition of melodic folk and energetic pop rock. Tracks like When You Walk In The Room and Faster Than The Setting Sun are obviously radio friendly, whilst on the other side of the seesaw Barricades and Livewire steady the balance.

“Originally the whole album was going to be in a more folk vein but certain tracks just developed. I suppose I could’ve done something more consistent, either all in a downbeat or an upbeat lane, but I wanted to put the styles together.” A volatile contiguity, one that has historically both embellished and eroded a musical showcase. Was it hard combining the genres? “Everything just felt like it sort of belonged together, although sometimes I have to push myself to write the more upbeat tracks. I could quite happily just write ballads everyday.”

Fly Yellow River served Dangerfield as an interim project between Guillemots’ studio albums, the third of which is currently under production. He also received widespread attention as a solo artist after his cover of Billy Joel’s She’s Always A Woman was used in a prominent department store advert earlier this year. Has Fyfe Dangerfield’s labour of love become a burden, or even a tempting distraction?

“Most of it was recorded so long ago I’m in such a different place now,” says Dangerfield, “but I still enjoy playing the songs live and finding new ways to perform them.” And the distraction? “All the time I’ve been working with Guillemots, writing and recording, so its like I’ve had two things going on at once really. There’s not been an awful lot of work on this one (Fly Yellow River). I’ve done gigs here and there, I’ve got the tour in September but it’s not been an exhaustive promotional trail.” Sounds like Fly Yellow River was the most stress free album in music history? “Yeah, it was pretty stress free really, it all came about very naturally. It’s exactly what I wanted to do at the time and I’m really proud of the record.”

Fyfe Dangerfield performs at the Moseley Folk Festival on Friday 3^rd Sept and the HMV Institute on Saturday 25^th Sept. Fly Yellow Moon is out now on general release, more details at www.fyfedangerfield.com

Punk wars survivor Jah Wobble is “too hot to handle” for the “world music cartel”. But the man who earned his moniker from a drunken Sid Vicious is back on the road, promoting his new Japanese Dub album with a tour of 02 Academy venues and independent European festivals.

Following his acclaimed 2008 Chinese Dub album, Japanese Dub brings Wobble’s love for Eastern culture back in front of a Western audience. Married to Chinese-born guzheng player and harpist Zi Lan Liao, Wobble has been influenced by Eastern culture throughout both personal and professional lives.

“I’ve been exposed to a lot of the culture and I know a few Japanese players,” says Wobble, “For some time I’ve fancied having a crack at merging Japanese music with dub. There’s something unique and unmistakable about it.”

Stealing the show at WOMAD in 2008, Wobble is swapping the fire breathing and mask changing of Chinese Dub for a “high octane” stage show of Ikebana, or Japanese Flower arranging. Accompanying Jah Wobble on stage will be Takashi Sawano, the UK’s foremost designer of Japanese gardens and Ikebana master.

“He (Sawano) is the rock and roll of flower arrangers, he does these big displays whilst we play. He’s bit nutty,“ says Wobble. “It’s all done with a flourish, I believe he’s a martial artist as well. They’re massively complicated flower arrangements all over the stage.”

Recorded in five days, Japanese Dub combines traditional Shinto and Kabuki musical styles with Taiko drumming and “poinant, rather polite Japanese chamber music”. Featuring Joji Hirota (vocals, taiko drums), Keiko Kitamura (vocals, shamisen, koto), Clive Bell (shakahatchi) and Robin Thompson (hikaritchi, sho, shamisen) as The Nippon Dub Ensemble, special guests will also join Jah Wobble on stage at specific performances.

Fighting visa obstructions and a funding retreat from Anglo/Japanese organisations, Wobble’s own label, 30 Hertz Recordings, has been the sole financier of the tour.

“When you’re bringing artists over from a country who’s economy air fare is around £2000, you have to draw the line somewhere. We’ll have between six to eight or nine players on stage at each venue, but not each line up will be the same. Every performance will be clean but unique.”

Japanese Dub was released on April 6^th. Jah Wobble & The Nippon Dub Ensemble will be touring the UK from mid July, playing at the 02 Academy in Birmingham on Friday 30^th July.

For tickets and information on the show visit the 02 Academy Birmingham website at www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk

For more information on Jah Wobble and The Nippon Dub Ensemble visit 30 Hertz Recordings’ website on www.30hertzrecords.com