Name: Puzzle Pieces by Helena May
Duration: 3 min 5 s
Description: Dive into the world of “Puzzle Pieces” and discover your jigsaw puzzle of life. Lively, captivating and danceable - teeming with pop characteristics yet retaining an inspired-authenticity of 90s/00s British Funk and Soul. With the twists and the turns of life - putting those puzzle pieces together has never felt so easy.

Three in one

Lavenderbees

These are songs inspired by the reminiscences of remarkable people born before or during World War 2.

Matilda came from Jamaica, as a member of the Windrush generation – the group of people who travelled from the Caribbean to make their home in the UK all those decades ago. She is an incredible woman. She spoke of arriving in Gloucester for the first time and, upon seeing the chimneys on houses as the train pulled into the station, she imagined them to be lots of little factories. Then, as the British winter took hold, she realised that people had coal fires in their homes.

Mića Williams: lead vocal 
Charlotte Ayrton: ukulele 
Charlie Campbell: electric and nylon string guitars 
Phil Campbell: piano 
Darragh Cullen: bass guitar 
George Moorey: acoustic guitar, organ 
Jaelee Small: backing vocals 
Shane Young: backing vocals, drums 
Dub Catalyst horn section: Caz Chandler: trombone Andrew Farrington: trumpet Alexander Govan: saxophone 

Drums recorded by David Pickering Pick at FFG, Tewkesbury. 
Dub Catalyst horn section recorded by Sam Fryer at Room 11 Records, Gloucester 
Vocal & additional instrumentation recorded by George Moorey in his basement studio, Gloucester 
Backing vocals recorded by Jaelee Small in London and Shane Young in California

Matilda (featuring Mića Williams)

spandau

Groove me.mp3

The Courtyard

FFO: Beck, Daniel Johnston, Courtney Barnett, Darwin Deez, Jeffrey Lewis, The Velvet Underground, Magnetic Fields

Album preorder: https://maxblansjaar.bandcamp.com/album/false-comforts

Anna Madonna is the first single from Max’s début album “False Comforts” (21 June 2024).

“It’s not easy out there. It hurts! Sometimes you want to lash out, renounce all ties, retreat into yourself. Trust nobody; pull the plug on them all. ‘Anna Madonna’ is a manifesto to say that we stay standing by holding each other through the storm. There is no cosmic conspiracy, no grand plan — frightening, tiresome, but above all a reminder to hold on to what we have. I wrote the words on a Post-It note which I stuck to my bedside table and left there until a melody appeared. It is best sung in front of mirrors and on school playgrounds.”

Max Blansjaar was born in Amsterdam, raised in Oxford and recorded this début album in Brooklyn. He appeared on the Oxford scene in 2018, aged 15, promoting shows in all-ages venues and performing his playfully sincere lo-fi indie pop songs. Since then he has released two EPs of laptop recordings on Beanie Tapes and become a fixture of the local scene, packing out pub back rooms and festival tents.

For his first full-length album, Max wanted to work with a producer to expand his sonic horizons. The shortlist of dream collaborators was quickly narrowed down to one: Katie Von Schleicher, whose self-produced 2020 album Consummation was on repeat on Max’s iPod. KVS had started producing other bands alongside Market’s Nate Mendelsohn, and they felt like the perfect combination to help make magic from Max’s elaborate and musically intricate demos.

Max spent two weeks in KVS’ home studio in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, working with Katie, Nate and friends who dropped in to lay down bass and drums. In ten intense days they captured ten songs that feel somehow grounded in Brooklyn, Oxford, Amsterdam or somewhere in between.


Max Blansjaar - Anna Madonna

Dive into the world of “Puzzle Pieces” and discover your jigsaw puzzle of life. Lively, captivating and danceable - teeming with pop characteristics yet retaining an inspired-authenticity of 90s/00s British Funk and Soul. With the twists and the turns of life - putting those puzzle pieces together has never felt so easy.

Puzzle Pieces

Zonah

Dean Hiphop + R & B

A powerful voice and big energy. Where, Poppy-Beats meet vibrant flavours of Brit-Funk and a uniquely strong voice. With funky bass grooves, high-powered vocals and tasty synths - Helena May is the perfect choice, when it comes to empowering, uplifting and danceable music.

Contact: hello@helenamaymusic.com
Website: https://www.helenamaymusic.com

“Helena May has unquestionably struck gold…a refreshingly spirited pop concoction that harbours the power to stand the test of time” - Music Arena Gh 

“With one foot in London, and another in Vienna, Helena May is the ex-pat choice for your funk-soul needs” - Readers Digest UK 

“A refreshing and empowering anthem about growth and transformation” - Illustrate Magazine

Puzzle Pieces

Helena May

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