Download the single "Fire" from the upcoming album 100 HOURS http://bit.ly/9hkMWT

1 ARTIST. 1 SHOT. 100 HOURS. 

Carson Henley, a 26-year-old singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington just accomplished what very few people would have even attempted, let alone finish successfully, according to Grammy winning engineer, Kory Kruckenberg, of VU Recording Studios. 

“I was looking for a way to stand out in the massive crowd of musicians, a way to feel like I was doing something you don't see artists doing everyday” explains Carson, who laughs, “and I really wanted to test myself as a musician and song-writer.  Sometimes true colors come through under pressure and you see what you are really capable of accomplishing.”  So, armed with nothing more than a notepad, his piano, and an iPhone, Carson visited Kruckenberg’s Seattle studio with an idea.  

“I wanted to push creativity to the limit and hoped the magic would come. There could be no procrastinating, because I had work to do and songs to write.  This was kind of like pulling an all-nighter before the big test.”  Well, more like pulling five all-nighters in a row.  Carson was attempting to create the music and lyrics of ten new, original songs that were essentially being written on-the-spot.  Add to this daunting task the creation of production arrangements and inspiring a bevy of musicians (who’d never heard these songs before) to record as many tracks as humanly possible.  The catch?  It all had to be done in 100 straight waking hours. 

“Usually artists have months in studios with songs that are already written, or at least with some melodies, hooks and lyrics in mind.  I wanted this project to be different.  I forced myself to continually create organically, without preconceived song ideas, to see what would happen in that kind of intense environment.”  This kind of constant pressure can produce diamonds, or it can just make dirt, so it’s a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.  

But with the help of a few friends like Allen Stone, Tess Henley, Spencer Doren and James McCalister (Sufjan Stevens, Ivan & Alyosha), Carson not only reached his goal, but was also exceedingly pleased with the musical results.  The new album, entitled 100HOURS, will include seven of the session’s best songs, with a scheduled release date of early summer 2012.  Carson road-tested the new songs to rave reviews this March at his official SXSW showcases in Austin, TX.  

Seattle film director Brian Nunes took an interest in the creative feat by chronicling the experiment with a 48-minute documentary.  For a sneak peek at Mr. Nunes’ rock doc, click the link below. 

“I have a feeling about this record…”   Adds Carson, “From the test marketing we did to select the single, we had trouble narrowing the hit down to one song, which I guess is a good problem to have.” Since the feedback was so positive, Grammy winning engineer Brian Lucey (the Black Keys, the Shins), was brought in to master the album.  Apparently pressure, a great motivator for many of us, can truly produce gems from within. 

For more information on the project, the documentary or Carson Henley and his music contact Maggie Joy at maggiejoy75@comcast.net  or visit http://www.carsonhenley.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMMedh-d9uI (documentary trailer).
  


We praise God at Park Community Church!

Jered Brown - Vocals
Esther Nazziwa - Vocals
Jon Dong - Vocals/Guitar
Eugene Choi - Violin
Pierce Gradone - Keys/Bass
David Kalvelage - Keys/Banjo/Drums
Nate Groshek - Bass
Matt Leung - Drums/Guitar

Theoretics is a five piece livetronica band from Seattle, WA known for their well crafted instrumentals and collaborations with vocalists across a wide range of electronica and hip-hop styles. They continue to be known for their energetic live shows and ability to blend programmed and live elements seamlessly during their performances. Starting in 2014, the band has released eight collaborations for their One a Month project featuring their electronic dance side with songs by Whitney Lyman, Maiah Manser, Tazlyn Gue and Hanna Stevens while showcasing their hip hop roots with Grynch, Moe Betta, Shelton Harris and The Bad Tenants.

From 2007 to 2013 the band was fronted by vocalists Mark Hoy and Chimaroke Abuachi and was primarily a live hip hop band. They performed at large festivals throughout the Northwest, including Sasquatch, Bumbershoot, The Capitol Hill Block Party and the Photosynthesis Electronic Music Festival, as well as packed shows at venues like the Showbox at the Market, the Crocodile, and Neumos.

Appreciator of audio treats and a bit of a Garageband hero. Lo-fi ramblings from the bedroom.

Intense, soaring vocals and classical-inspired piano amalgamate to concoct dramatic indie rock with a misting of moody goth/doom folk.

Sexy funeral music. When a band’s style is difficult to classify, its interpretations and descriptors can vastly vary. This is just one of many conveyed of the difficult-to-pigeonhole Minor Birds’ (aka singer-songwriter/pianist Chelsea Wilde) sound.

A classically trained pianist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist (including guitar, accordion, and banjo), Wilde has been composing and performing music in different capacities since childhood. Rising from the dust of a creative dry spell brought on by a series of tragic events in her life in 2008, the band, moniker and concept of Minor Birds was hatched. Channeling deep-sea emotional depths, the project finds Wilde exploring life’s mysticism and darkness mixed with a healthy infusion of timeless tales of love - or lack thereof. Musically, Minor Birds weaves together striking mezzo-soprano vocals, ominous baroque-era classical piano, modern guitar work, stand-up bass, cello and various other instrumentation to deliver dramatic indie pop rock with notable elements of goth, doom-folk and grunge.  

Over the near-decade since its inception, Wilde has been writing, performing and continuing to lay the sonic and visionary foundations of the project and experimenting with a variety of soundscapes (including electronica and folk rock). Pulling influences from everything encountered or experienced, she does not set out to copy or tweak any one sound, yet seeks to create truly original works that build and amplify the mood while spinning poetic tales, both otherworldly and familiar. And – that voice! Often oscillating between a silky coo and a guttural howl, Wilde possesses a rare instinctive gift with maneuvering her powerful – yet controlled - vocal mechanism to paint and elicit an emotional atmosphere or response. 

At heart, Wilde’s musical gems take form as emotionally-receptive storytelling – evocative, solemn and dreamy. Her disciplined and culturally-astute academic background is apparent throughout. Yet, rather than remaining rigid and stubborn in structure and delivery, there’s an intuitive freeness and spontaneity to Wilde’s work, letting the music carry her adrift on its unpredictable paths - as it correspondingly does the same for the listener. Intrinsically poetic, Wilde’s music is about the journey, rather than a set destination. 

Minor Birds’ forthcoming EP “The Alchemist” is set for release Fall 2017. 

"There’s nothing sweeter than the pure, honest music, that runs deep into your soul. When you have the pleasure of hearing Minor Birds…the chaotic world around you melts away." - Our City Radio 
“Minor Birds is nothing but major. Eerie crystal clear vocals....” - 360 Magazine ​

Nominated/Runner-up Oaktown Indie Music Award (2013)
Nominated for Modesto Area Music Award (2015)
Moniker Guitars Endorsed Artist

Side Effect is one the most energetic and invigorating indie bands from Burma/Myanmar. Against a great deal of political and economic challenges, Side Effect has been rocking, irrepressibly, since 2004. The band has cultivated an indie sound that combines their poetic Burmese lyrics with their musical roots in punk, and mixes them with elements of garage rock, power pop, and back-to- the-basics rock’n’roll, in a manner similar to bands like The Strokes and The Libertines.

The band’s music draws inspiration from everyday life in Yangon and the current political shifts in Myanmar. The recent demolishing of music censorship has given them the ability to become more socio-political. The band’s songs embody the passionate resilience of youth in Myanmar.

While Myanmar has only recently opened up its doors after being closed for 50 years, Side Effect are ready to take on the world. 

They have played in Germany, Denmark, Indonesia, and played SXSW music festival (Austin, Texas, U.S.A) in 2014. 

[ webuildmachines ] is an electronic music label dedicated to hard hitting and immersive dance floor focused experiments, a sonic destination for the open-minded.

Demos: webuildmachines@gmail.com

Jon Dong is following