Interstellar Fantasy

Stasis Loop

All The Same

Nubiyan Twist and Ria Moran - All The Same

If ‘After The Dawn’ was the hors d'oeuvre to Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne’s next chapter, ‘Colours & Light’ serves up a slice of the main course. Heralding the official announcement of Paul’s sophomore album under the same name, the title track further showcases the sonic palette listeners should expect to sample across the forthcoming album.
 
Garnering a deluge of BBC 6 Music plays and a brilliant reception, ‘After The Dawn’ sparked excitement around the prospect of a new LP from Project Gemini. Breaking through the winter gloom, the second single ‘Colours & Light’ further spotlights a refinement in Paul’s sound. Talking of the origins of the track, he states that it wields a “UK folk-rock sound with a breakbeat-like rhythm section, partly inspired by a live version of Pentangle’s ‘Wedding Dress’ from a 1973 TV performance”. A psychedelic trip through time and emotion, hazy hues and wistful horizons.
 
Paul’s reverberating vocal refrains draw you in from the get-go, with the cauldron of folk-flavoured guitar, earthy bass and ethereal organs providing a ritual of resonance. Jack Sharp of Wolf People/Large Plants fame stands front and centre, leaning into that rock-tinged feeling with an expertly constructed, wah-wah fuzzed guitar solo. Creating the breakbeat foundation, Sababa 5 drummer Raz Man and percussionist Paul Elliott from Eleven 76/Call Sender work in unison to conjure up a captivating groove.
 
‘Colours & Light’ gives an alluring insight into what’s to come on this much-anticipated follow-up LP. Moving deftly between light and shade, through folk, psych and hazy funk, whilst being artfully enveloped in Paul’s signature cinematic style.

Project Gemini - Colours & Light

Laid back soul sounds as the inimitable Andrew Ashong joins forces with Albert's Favourites label founder Jonny Drop. 

Sultry vocals compliment the yearning sound of horns (courtesy of former Funk Lovin' Criminal, Brian "Fast" Leiser) and mellow, warm bass movement. A magical combination dropping hints of what's to come on the full length LP in April.

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Jonny Drop • Andrew Ashong - The Puzzle Dust

Here Comes The Night

Rising Sun

‘Entre Chien et Loup’ is the third single and final taster of Project Gemini’s much anticipated, forthcoming second album Colours & Light. A Francophile-flavoured waltz through the depths of emotion, anguish and escape, served up through the lens of Project Gemini’s cinematic style. Featuring the vocal elegance of Gloria’s Wendy Martinez and guitar solo grit of Wolf People/Large Plants’ Jack Sharp, the beauty of the music is also wrapped up in the pain of its context. Shades of darkness, studded with pockets of light.

Having gained a great 6 Music reception with the title track and second single, Colours & Light, Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne presents one of two album cuts that Lyon-based Wendy Martinez features on. Having sent through the instrumental of ‘Entre Chien et Loup’, Paul mentions: “When Wendy sent me back the beautiful vocal parts she’d written, I was completely blown away. She’d totally elevated the track to another level. Lyrically, it documents an individual escaping a destructive relationship, and the song title (‘between dog and wolf’ a well-known French phrase used to describe dusk/twilight) was absolutely perfect. Jack Sharp added the finishing touches with his mesmerising guitar solo.”

Sweeping and celestial, the Francophile touch is heightened by Paul’s analogue saturated, Mellotron playing and the percussive tactility of Eleven 76/Call Sender’s Paul Elliott. A wandering bassline and the expert drumming of Sababa 5’s Raz Man, anchor the track further to its earthly nature.

Project Gemini - Entre Chien Et Loup

Meet Tamasene with ‘Beaches’. The british musician Elliot Ellison is also part of Cousin Kula accompanied by the well known label Rhythm Section, practices with his solo project Tamasene to introduce us to a hypnotically colorful universe. ‘Beaches’ is the perfect gate to Tamasene's musical world. A bit of melancholy, a hint of retro in every sense of the word, and Elliott's destructively sweet voice. The whole is a well of delicate beauty that is sure to stir the soul.

Hangin In or Hangin Out

Beaches

Tamasene - Beaches

Finn Rees, one of the key members of Melbourne’s bubbling music scene, announces his debut solo album, Dawn Is A Melody on Mr Bongo with the first single, ‘Looking Up’. As part of 30/70 and Close Counters his previous work has found form in its groove, Dawn Is A Melody instead places the piano and arrangements centre stage, embracing a timeless warmth infused with bittersweet melodies and saturated textures.
 
The lead single ‘Looking Up’ is a divine dose of uplifting, soul-rousing optimism that kicks off the album. A blank canvas for Finn and a whole host of Melbourne’s finest talent to fill with colour. Sitting between spiritual and cinematic, the track instantly envelops you in a swell of vintage hues, Lucky Pereira feathering the drums as Blakely McLean Davies riffs on the double bass. Finn’s fingers flow across the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano, delicately dancing around Siwei Wong’s stunning harp playing as the track builds and breaks. A sublime string section made up of Chloe Danger, Eunise Cheng, Nils Hobiger and McLean Davies, alongside shimmering vocal harmonies by 30/70 bandmate Allysha Joy, lift the track to limitless heights.
 
Finn’s layered synthwork on the Moog and Prophet provides a contemporary touch to proceedings, but one of the beauties of ‘Looking Up’ and the rest of the Dawn Is A Melody is its inability to be placed by age or era. A blend of inspirations from Arthur Verocai to Alice Coltrane, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson to Kamasi Washington, tied together with recording and mix engineer Henry Jenkin’s vintage recording setup warmth.
 
Just as the swell washed in at the start, the tide draws ‘Looking Up’ to a close, fading back out across the horizon as the sun sets another story.

Finn Rees - Looking Up

‘Expansion’ is the second single from Melbourne-based, Finn Rees’ forthcoming debut album, Dawn Is A Melody. A Brazilian-inspired, spirit-embracing jazz immersion, that nods to greats like Luiz Eça, Dom Salvador and Cesar Camargo Mariano yet showcases the vibrancy of Finn’s contemporary palette. 

Further illuminating the microcosm of colour that is Dawn Is A Melody, ‘Expansion’ explores the connection between the worldly and those cosmic realms that float in between, with the help of some of Melbourne’s finest musicians. Igniting the track, Lucky Pereira’s exquisite drumming marries with Blakely McLean Davies’ strutting double bass playing, as a Latin touch shines through Dom Kirk’s percussion. 

Sitting at the helm, Finn’s signature mastery across the keys from the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano to the warming tones of the Rhodes, elevate your mind to a weightless dimension. Enhancing those earthly measures, he taps into the cosmic-channelling Moog to add an undertone of interstellar electronics.  A foundation that gives ground for the triplet of horns to form a harmonious unison, Audrey Powne on trumpet, Cheryl Durongpisitkul on tenor sax, Josh Moshe on alto sax, all gliding as one. 

Both grounded and galactic, it’s an intricate, soulful and spiritual jazz journey with a depth and richness that is perfectly saturated by recording and mix engineer Henry Jenkin’s vintage recording setup.

Finn Rees - Expansion

Set to ignite dance floors and elevate spirits worldwide: "Umoja (Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm Dub)" is New York City house music royalty Joaquin Joe Claussell’s rework of the title track from Italian jazz maestro Nicola Conte’s latest album Umoja.

Claussell’s trademark brand of deep, afrofuturist house combines with the spiritual jazz dance magic of Conte’s original for an extended mix of ecstatic club music, teasing the wider release of Nicola Conte - Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell’s Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Dubs): 10 tracks of comprehensive rearrangements - featuring additional percussion, guitars, keyboards, synthesizers and drum programming - whereby Claussell excavates the source music, re-recording many of its parts under the auspices of his Sacred Music & Cosmic Arts banner.

Claussell's collaboration with Nicola Conte and Far Out Recordings helps mark the label’s 30th anniversary, as Claussell joins fellow producers such as Theo Parrish, Ron Trent, Kenny Dope and 4hero in remixing music from the label’s catalogue.

Nicola Conte - Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Remixes) releases on double vinyl LP, CD and digitally on 28th June 2024 on Far Out Recordings.

Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Remixes)

Nicola Conte - Umoja (Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm Dub)

‘Love & Light' touches on Jazz, Deep House, Broken Beat, Hip-Hop and Soul.

Liz’s vocals speak of a spiritual strength and love despite all, Dan’s motivational bad language is equally loving and direct, whilst Dave Koor (Deoke) lends his analog synth lights to the streetwise mantra. Vince Vella doubles up on synth bass with a quiet all-knowing nod of approval in the background, yet not forgotten in the dark.

“The Volume Of The Light” is to be released on Home Planet Recordings on March 5th 2021 (Ltd edition vinyl & digital).

https://www.musicamacondo.com/2021/02/premiere-emanative-liz-elensky-love-light-ft-deoke-and-dan-jose/

Jonny Drop • Andrew Ashong - The Puzzle Dust

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