Ben Laver - One
Composer Ben Laver invites you on a captivating stroll down a melodic contemporary pathway amongst the stars in One. His latest release is a track that showcases his musical range. Ben effortlessly weaves notes and pulls you into his world. The track feels like a warm embrace on a cold morning, giving us a serendipitous moment. Ben bubbles with a starry energy that draws you in immediately. We patiently wait with the piano that has us holding our breath until the synth kicks in. This is the moment he captures your heart. Ben wordlessly paints such a vivid picture of hope and excitement with just music. The instrumentals in this track is nothing short of enchanting with its intricate nuances. I wonder why he named it One, I’d like to think that it is because we take in this song, one moment at a time. Specifically because of the way the song progresses, evoking a range of emotions. There is an indescribable chord that is struck within us as the song plays. Showing us the true power of music. A play that was filmed during the pandemic, was Romeo and Juliet. What sets this National Theatre Live production apart is a star-studded cast- Jessie Buckley, Josh O’Connor and Tamsin Greig. I cannot tell you how wonderful One would be in this particular iteration of Romeo and Juliet. Ben much like Jessie Buckley has a way of reaching through the barrier of your skin and into your soul and have it impact you wordlessly and you can’t help but allow them to take over. Ben Laver is a gentle powerhouse, you can check out his work in the links attached below.
Kepa Lehtinen - Suru
Music makes you the perfect traveler, with the help of a button, you can surround yourself with water. Kepa Lehtinen gives a new meaning to swift and fluid with his latest release- Suru. It’s fantastic, the imagery and feeling that a piece of music leaves behind in your body. Everything about this track is painfully beautiful. The track is wordless and yet it says so much. We begin soft and smooth with the piano. It is as if the moon has just risen and welcomes the gentle ache within our souls. The bass from the theremin adds a whole lot of depth to the track. There is a connection that the song establishes with the listeners right from the start. So much so that it feels more and more like a personal rendition as the song progresses. Words might not be enough to convey how moving the track is, it is as though the keys and the strings have become wrap themselves around the listener's diaphragm and have full control of your breath. The production on the track is nothing but perfect, every note is held for just the right amount of time is a testament to their craftsmanship. A series that has dedicated the same level of craftsmanship in every aspect is The Haunting of Bly Manor. The Haunting Of Hill House series is one of the perfect horror dramas out there. Suru would be incredibly wonderful in the second season as the whole season revolves around love, longing and letting go. Kepa Lehtinen has weaved this beautiful tapestry of sonic beats that it both warms us and leaves us with a sense of void. I urge you to listen to this and follow the links above to give more of his work a good listen.
Giardini Oort - Dark Thoughts
Slip on your robe, relax into your chair as you allow yourself to sink deeper into the world of music with Dark Thoughts by Giardini Oort. This genius composer has the ability to bend tunes with the flick of a finger. Giardini’s work has largely centered around having you delve into your own mindscape and explore yourself with a little bit of help sonically. This one however seems to be special compared to the rest of his work. Dark Thoughts is a special track, even though the track is named Dark Thoughts, it isn't entirely eerie and mysterious. I would say the sounds emit a sense of curiosity. But given the right mindset, the track has the ability to unlock something otherworldly in yourself. It is clear that there is a sense of interaction in Giardini’s work. His work revolves around evoking a very particular feeling within his listeners. The genius in his composition ability really shines through and has us gravitating to his music. Like moths drawn to a light. This track would work incredibly well in a very contemporary setting much like Gone Girl or even Inception. Although Inception does have a mixture of themes as it has a variety of characters I would say Gone Girl more than Inception. Either way, it is more than clear that Giardini Oort has so much to offer to the music world. And it becomes our responsibility as law-abiding citizens to give good music the attention it rightfully deserves. Click on the links attached above and do your bit!
Raynald Grenier - Canon in E Flat
Raynald Grenier makes music that needs to be framed and Canon in E Flat needs to be added to the hallway of the most timeless museum. Raynald has the instincts of a classical creator who bends notes to the sway of his hands. He is a composer who began as a pianist. Raynald has experience like no other, having performed on stages across the US, Canada and Europe, he has more than an idea of who his listener base is and what they want. Although his music is more than a factory that produces music, he adds a personal touch to it. As he started off as a pianist, we usually saw it placed at the core of most of his music. However, in Canon in E Flat, he plays around a lot more and places the violin alongside the piano. Adding so much character to the song. There is a sense of freedom with the way this Canon in E Flat is composed. The track is divine, it swishes and sways with the colors of the wind. The track almost embodies the spirit of a wild and wondering soul, not the loud and exciting kind but the soft and gentle kind. The spirit of the track reminds me of the spirit of Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter and this track would truly be a perfect match in the film. If you have an eye for detail and perfection then Raynald Grenier is your man. He already has over 5000 listeners per month who can vouch for this. You can click on the links attached above and see for yourself.
Greg Foat - Spider Plant Blues
Jazz is that one art form that can both condense everyday sounds into a song and Greg Foat has done this and more with Spider Plant Blues. He has managed to spread these sounds across the landscape and move mountains with his sounds. Foat is an extremely skilled composer who has his own innovative avenues for designing sound. He categorizes himself as a non-contemporary Jazz composer who utilizes both conventional and an exotic array of unorthodox instruments. Buckle up because you are not ready for the adventure he has prepared for us. I wonder why he named the track Spider Plant Blues. It already builds a certain amount of intrigue and curiosity among the listeners. The track has a pleasant chiming energy. Where the piano in combination with different parts of the drum set really have us tumbling down sand mounds and onto the beach in moments. Because of this trickling quality along with surprises that hit us like waves, the track gives off a tropical energy. Spider Plant Blues is the perfect song for so many scenes in Men In Black (MIB). The track is so unique and special yet mundane in its own way. It only makes sense that it be added to the playlist of one of the most outlandish scripts to ever exist. Greg Foat is a master of composition. You can imagine him in his musical lab, experimenting with notes to give us the perfect concoction of a song. If you want to partake in this ambrosia of a song, you can click on the link attached above and quench your thirst.
Pat Piperni - Senza Te
There is a deep sense of longing that draws you in with every word that Pat Piperni sings in Senza Te, their latest release. The Montreal-based singer and composer in collaboration with Jack Walker and Vincent Ricciardi has created music that can shake the very foundation of your heart. Word of the brilliance that Piperni must be spreading because their followers list only seems to be growing. Piperni only has two songs on Spotify and has already accumulated over 5000 monthly listeners. The track is an operatic exploration that will leave you clutching your heart with the amount of longing that is buried in the vocals. The Vocals really is the star of this single. The sheer conviction in Vincent Ricciardi's voice has the song rumbling and roaring in our chest. When the song picks up pace and intensity, we float away, getting lost in the music. His graceful performance of a complex arrangement of notes gives off the illusion of simplicity. Until he hits that final note, the mirage is stripped away. This is the moment where you feel the fourth wall strip away, and you feel every ounce of the singer's emotions. The track would be wonderful in a musical like Les Miserables or West Side Story. Either way, both musicals have elements of longing in them. You feel the stage lights dim and the spotlight grow in intensity on the performer who belts his heart out. Leaving nothing but pure emotions between him and us. Pat Piperni has no business being this good at what they do. You must follow the link attached above and follow the future of Indie Music.
Roman Angelos - Tropical Nites—Ursula 1000 Remix
Roman Angelos adds personality to the ambience with his latest release, Tropical Nites—Ursula 1000 Remix. Roman is a Brooklyn-based producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. This also happens to be his nom de plume; his real name happens to be Rich Bennett. He lays his music, real-life persona, stage persona, writing, and composing with intricate detail. The song is a remix of Tropical Intention by Ursula. There are many explorations that Roman has done in this number, and what a pleasant surprise it is! The track has us hitting the floor running with its brief percussion beats, and immediately we dive into Roman’s world. The track is brimming with personality; it ebbs and flows to create a forest of sounds that surrounds and engulfs you. Tropical sounds and salsa-sounding beats pepper the track. The track is consistently surprising; every sound is fresh to the ears. Leaving us on the edge of our seats, waiting for the next section to intrigue us. Mainly because he has an eye for drama and a sense of cinematic grandeur that is seen in this number! The track is like a time capsule that encapsulates the past, present, and future within it. This is simply because of the range of textures and sounds that are included in it. Some retro, disco, and EDM sounds in the songs would fit perfectly well in a European Gigolo. There aren’t many comedies coming out like the early 2000s—a truth that is both sad and good at the same time. If you are interested in more such songs for future shows by Roman Angelos, then click away at the links attached above.
Mirror - Hilgrove Kenrick and Sam Watts
If there was a tune to leaves falling and flowers blooming, it would be Mirror by Hilgrove Kenrick and Sam Watts. The instrumental track ebbs and flows with the precision and grace of water that embraces both the flower and the stone that falls into it with a unique acceptance. The two composers and songwriters have compressed their world into just under four minutes for us. The track is only a glimpse into the vast world these sonic weavers bring us. The instrumental is a world apart. A reflection on Mirror with Hilgrove Kenrick Congratulations on the release! Could you tell us about your writing process in general and where you take your inspiration from? Sam and I have been wanting to work together for a long time but haven't had a gap in our respective schedules. As established TV and film composers, free time is rare, so it was a challenge to find a moment that suited us both. That happened this year, and we realised we had one day in which we could put something together for ourselves, not just for a client's project. The Threads of the Sonic Tapestry and the weaving process There is a distinct style to the song as if you have captured an image of a musical note in graceful movement, an unmatched theatre of sound. How does Mirror - Hilgrove Kenrick and Sam Watts bring images to sound? Your track has a unique style of expression. Can you tell us a bit about how it was to build and stitch this song together? We wanted a theme and came up with Mirror – the idea of a single image reflecting itself, with two pianists taking the same theme and playing each half in turn for each other. We knew we would be working on different continents – I in England and Sam in Canada – so we would each have to perform and record in our own spaces, both using Steinberg's Cubase/Nuendo, so we could collaborate on the same project directly. It was a joy to write the first notes and then hear Sam's interpretation come back with the melody at the beginning and then the reinterpretation of my harmony in the second half for me to add my own melody to. From there, it was just a case of adding my vocals, and we had all the recordings we needed. Then I spent some time editing and mixing here in my Dolby Atmos studio so we could do a full spatial audio release for Apple, Amazon, Tidal and Deezer, which was important to us – to use the latest audio capabilities and deliver something a bit extra special for those who can listen to it. Mirror Mirror on the wall, what's in store for us all? The track has only set expectations high for us all. The cinematic sounds transport us to scenic scapes that are found only in our imagination. How has the reaction from your listeners been so far? What’s in the future for the two of you, a performance, another song perhaps? With 10,000 streams in the first few days and a lot of very positive coverage, we've been really excited by how well it's gone down with our audience. It's just as well, as we're already in the early stages of writing an EP together along the same lines, once again co-writing, which will be out in the late summer. The song and its voice by Hilgrove Kenrick and Sam Watts The way these composers weave their songs with so much grace and honesty is baffling. Mirrors has achieved with no words what so few songs can; it moves its listeners deeply. To think that the artists never physically met to create this number is wild! To be able to create intensity that emits so much imagery requires a great amount of listening and patience. The song reflects this as well; it takes its time to build, it is in no hurry, and it meanders and slinks away before you know it. The track, in a way, embodies time; it encapsulates so much, as if it is a reflection of how time falls around like confetti, making it the perfect song to be added into something like Haunting of the Hill House. A series that is a masterclass of horror and suspense writing, each frame tells its own story, not to mention the precision of cinematography and post-production. Hollgrove Kenrick and Sam Watts bring in the same amount of precision into their mirror. It is a reflection of time itself and more. Click on the link attached above and immerse yourself in music that is eager to embrace you!
Stephen Webber - Conspiracy Theory
America is having her little moment under the spotlight, and it is composers like Stephen Webber that will go down in history with Conspiracy Theory. The punny, humorous, satirical and witty number that he released is a song that deserves more ears. The singer, songwriter, composer and instrumentalist has more than experience down his belt, an Emmy being one of them. His vision for music is further than the writing and recording room. He has worked at Berkeley as a professor, helping set up campuses in Spain and New York and spearheading a few online courses. Though the track lasts less than a minute and a half, boy, does it shine! The track is a satirical take on the current state of affairs, not just in America but around the world! With conspiracy theories on the rise, Webber wastes no time in capturing this moment like a picture (a very funny one). The track has a complex and catchy string section in the beginning, grabbing your attention immediately. From then on, the ears are cushioned with some incredible backing and production. The jingle-like song packs a punch lyrically and sonically. A song like this deserves to be in a Seth Rogen film like The Interview or even Whisky Tango Foxtrot. The films are written with precision, nuance and hilariously wonderful writing. The track is crisp, bite-sized and filled with mirth even though he’s talking about some heavy topics. Stephen Webber carves out a unique-looking glass that gives us a different perspective on not just the world but music itself. You can click on the links attached above and get ready to be transported to a whole new world.
Raynald Grenier - The Compilation Album
Raynald Grenier is a composer, pianist, and conductor who is a musical magician, and the latest release, “The Compilation Album”, is a sweet reminder of that. Raynald is a multifaceted musician who wears many hats, which I presume is why he does a brilliant job at composing. Every song in this album feels like a precious pearl, beaded together to form a highly crafted piece of jewellery. The compilation is a work that captures time itself within each note, a picturesque image that oozes with personality and a depth of emotion. Dolci Momenti with Raynald Grenier A track titled Sweet Moments is exactly that. Grenier has a unique technique that looks at music as if it were a 3D project. He surrounds our senses with sounds that immerse us in music. Dolci Momenti is a track that begins softly and picks up pace gently; it ebbs and flows with surgical precision. The way it begins with the classical stringed instruments sets the perfect stage to eliminate the world itself in our heads, where nothing remains but the music and our thoughts, building and navigating through a world of our own. Wrath of the Gods Wrath of the Gods is one of those songs that lives up to its name. The track begins with the horns, an intense announcement of entrance, the way you’d assume Greek gods would enter a room. Especially the powerful ones that have their chest filled with ego. The track does exactly that; it wastes no time in building suspense and anticipation. It blares in the beginning, where we already see a certain amount of intensity and a somewhat quick pace, but by the time we get to the middle, Raynald slows down. Adding a sense of theatre with silence and time, almost shifting the landscape within the same song seamlessly! Epilogue The track is the last chapter in the album. It’s a more grounded track; it gives the listeners the time we need to catch our breath after the whirlwind of an album that Raynald has given us. Epilogue has a slow beginning that gently picks up pace, giving the effect that the world in fact waits for us. What sets this apart from the rest of the songs in the album is the way it holds not just the audience, but it holds the spirit of the songs that lead to this beautifully. Raynald Grenier is not just a musician but a storyteller; he knows exactly what he wants us to feel. We need to specifically do another piece in which he works with so many textures of sounds and weaves a tapestry of music. Each weave is more intricate than the previous, creating a masterpiece. Songs like this belong in classics such as The Nutcracker, but I believe films like Pride and Prejudice can make space for Dolci Moments as well. The album is a versatile one. You can click on the links attached above to know more.
Lauren Conklin - Hymn For Becoming
There is grace in every small little thing in life, and Lauren Conklin reminds us of this in her latest release, Hymn for Becoming. The songwriter and composer takes inspiration from around her. She began her musical career as a fiddle player and has performed on stages from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to the Royal Albert Concert Hall in London, as well as televised performances from Good Morning America to the Colbert Late Show. Lauren awakens the spirits of the ancestors in this one. The track has just strings in it, and with just that, she strums away at the strings of our hearts as well. She makes music with every fibre of memory that lives within the instruments. She plays with notes with such ease; she allows for the music to ebb, flow, surround and engulf us entirely. The track has a devotional touch to it, but what gives it the edge is the amount of wonder she has sprinkled into it, and it is due to the influence of what sounds like the double bass. It adds an earthy feeling that allows our minds to drift away and get lost in nature. A track such as this fits in a series like The Handmaid's Tale. The series is a phenomenal one; the way it plays with reality, history and time in general is what makes it a work of art. Hymn for Becoming has a push-and-pull feeling to it, as we all do when it comes to problems in general but most of all when it comes to problems around faith. Lauren Conklin allows for her music to speak for her; her instrumentals have the power of nature embedded between each note. You can click on the links attached above to know more.
GatiS - Remember Me. Theme
GatiS brings in the complexity of every human emotion with his latest release – Remember Me. Theme. The Latvian composer uses the piano as his chosen musical weapon and is ready to conquer the world with sheer talent and grit. His musical tapestry so far weaves together a variety of stories that crack open the dam around people's hearts and opens the floodgates. His music has been featured in several theatre productions, a Latvian public radio series, and public television performances. Remember me. Theme is one of the many songs he has released this year. All of them being parts of themes, either alluding to something that is yet to come. This track starts off slow, like a bird learning how to fly; there is a journey that GatiS takes us on, a steady rise upwards. Remember Me. Theme almost goes on a hero’s journey, and by the end he has given us catharsis. Every bit of the song bubbles with emotions that are effervescent in the air. There is a sense of raw heartbreak in the song, like a love that tries and tries even when it’s tired to no end or outcome. Would it be too cliché to say that the Remember Me. Theme belongs in Remember Me, the film? If so, I would say that it can also belong in Anna Karenina, the film and the book. There is this constant push and pull within Anna between love and freedom even after she runs away, and that ever-wondering heart of hers could go very well with this soundtrack. This track especially conveys such depths wordlessly, and yet it says so much! If you want to hear more of their music, click on the links attached above.