Blog « Angelic Voices

             

Angel Of The Month: Christa Belle

March 1st, 2010

In mid-2008, indie duo, Hungry Lucy were recording weekly podcasts and had finished writing songs for their 4th full-length release. By all accounts, things were going well for the band. Popularity was at an all-time high, and their music was selling nicely across the globe. From the inside though, Hungry Lucy had become more about social media, and less about the kind of great songs the pair loved to write. Gone was the mystery, spark and creativity that once burned bright for Christa Belle and Warren Harrison. With that, the couple ceased podcasting, scrapped most of of the nearly-complete album and immersed themselves in making something truly magical. Now, in early 2010… “Pulse of the Earth” is released to the World.

On “Pulse of the Earth” Christa and Warren cast aside all expectations and spent time isolated in the mountains of Tennessee and away from the World. With no outside disturbances the duo were able to ignore trends and dive headlong into the art of storytelling. From these stories were born 10 songs of mystery, other-worldly beings and the spirit of the earth. As always, Hungry Lucy crosses genres at a moments notice, while somehow maintaining a cohesive vision. Christa Belle’s haunting voice digs deep and soars high above a bed of gypsy melodies, ominous drones and tribal rhythms. At once ambient, catchy and full of drama, these 10 songs will get inside you, settle within and bring you in sync with the pulse of the earth.

Check out Hungry Lucy’s latest release:
Pulse Of The Earth

For more info on Hungry Lucy visit:
www.hungrylucy.com
www.pulseoftheearth.com

Featured Video By Lovespirals

February 4th, 2010

Lovespirals has just released their first music video! The song is called “Home” and appears on their new album, “Future Past”. Watch the video, then pick up a copy!

 

Buy: Lovespirals – Future Past
Visit: www.lovespirals.com


Giveaway For February 2010!

February 2nd, 2010

Congratulations DEMENTIA!


Winner selected by random.org

 


 

CLOSED!

We are giving away a copy of Jem’s debut CD, FINALLY AWOKEN to one lucky reader! It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so to enter all you have to do is reply to this post and with the name of your favorite romantic song with female vocals. One name will be drawn at random on Tuesday, February 9th (2/9). Be sure to include your email address so we may contact you in the event that you win (you don’t need to register to enter). Good luck!

 


Angel Of The Month: Lori Cunningham

February 1st, 2010

Ever since she can remember, Lori Cunningham wanted to be a singer. All throughout her education she was heavily involved in music, choral work, and theater. She earned a B.A. in Vocal Performance and played several leading roles in different music theater productions, but something was missing…

Lori started her music project in October of 2006 after a lifelong search for music that spoke to her. After listening to several inspirational musicians, she could not deny the desire to write her own music anymore. Shortly after she started, it became apparent that she had an unseen knack for composing, mixing, and producing. She has taught herself from the beginning, and she has enjoyed not being constrained by any one style or genre.

Unbound by genre, Lori appeals to all listeners with her ethereal vocals mixed with an eclectic array of down tempo instrumentations. Her music begs you to listen, to feel every note and every word.

Music haunts her, it invades her every waking moment, and it lives in her dreams. Lori cannot escape the world that surrounds her, her world unseen…

…nor does she ever wish to.

Check out Lori Cunningham’s debut solo album:
Unseen

For more info on Lori Cunningham visit:
www.loricmusic.com
myspace.com/loricmusic

For more info on Emeria visit:
www.emeriamusic.com

Lori Cunningham: Unseen

January 24th, 2010

“Unseen” is the impressive debut from singer-songwriter Lori Cunningham. This release combines dreamy, electronic arrangements with deep, introspective lyrical prose to create a moving listening experience for the Angelic Voices audience.

The album begins strong with “Reflections”, a primarily instrumental track laced with beguiling vocal work. It prepares the listener for an enchanting, contemplative experience. The remaining compositions ebb and flow from sweeping, ethereal tracks to infectious, upbeat tunes that issue a challenge to pursue dreams and love without restraint.

“Silver Threads”, “Inside”, and “Without You” are prime examples showcasing Lori’s passion for creating songs that examine the soul. In addition to eleven original compositions, the CD also features a dance/trance remix version of “Empty Well”, and an instrumental version of the title track “Unseen”. While it has universal appeal, fans of ambient greats such as Delerium and Sleepthief will thoroughly enjoy this emotionally charged experience. Even the CD artwork beautifully portrays the esoteric vision within.

As a classically trained vocalist, Lori made a conscious decision to follow her dream of creating music the way she wanted rather than performing as instructed by her professors. I applaud the risk she has taken as her obvious vocal range and depth is explored throughout this release. I hope to see this exhibited to an even greater extent in the future, therefore I am looking forward to her continuing collaboration with Adam Amos (also featured on on 3 tracks on “Unseen”) on the project “Emeria”, to follow her progression as an artist and vocalist. -Jess Hanna

Buy Unseen
Visit Lori Cunningham’s Official Website

Summer Of Space: Summer Of Space

January 10th, 2010

The debut self-titled album from Summer of Space is dynamic and hypnotizing. The infectious melodies and introspective, thought-provoking lyrics dare the listener to explore the depths of their own psyche. The range of emotions, from thankful praise to heart-felt self examination, reveal the ups and downs felt by all of humanity throughout time.

Through her impressive vocal performances, singer/songwriter Haley Gibby is able to express feelings of gratitude, desperation, and perseverance. In 2001, Haley teamed up with music producers Finn Bjarnson and Ryan Raddon (Kaskade) to create the project Summer of Space. In March 2007, their dedication and combination of creative talents paid off with this electrifying release that thoroughly entertains and engages the listener.

I was particularly taken with the exploration of the subject of spirituality, presented in an inspirational, yet subtle, style that reverberated throughout this release. The album starts out strong with “With You”, but other standout tracks include “New Found Art”,“Drowning”, and “Solace”. I feel these display the greatest depth of this project’s talented team. Fans of bands such as Beauty’s Confusion, Mandalay and Weekend Players will surely enjoy this album. “Solace” is an extraordinary work that is well worth the listen. It is a positive, uplifting experience that will leave a lasting impression. -Jess Hanna

Buy Summer Of Space on iTunes.
Visit Summer Of Space’s Official Website.

Our Broken Garden: When Your Blackening Shows

January 9th, 2010

Our Broken Garden’s, “When Your Blackening Shows”, is a haunting slow ride, featuring singer-songwriter Anna Brønsted of Denmark. While primarily a solo project, the album also includes the raw talents of Søren Bigum on guitars, Moogie Johnson on bass, Poul Terkildsen on percussion, Palle Hjorth on organs and Lise Westzynthius on piano. This team combines their efforts to create the moody, thoughtful melodies to lull the listener into a dream-like state of consciousness.

These elements are especially evident on the title track and “La Sagitaire”, which I found to be the stand outs on the album. Some may feel the content is monotonous at times, but it will appeal most to a mature, thoughtful audience. Anna’s child-like vulnerability shines, similar to that of the great Stina Nordenstam. The melancholy, dark, enchanting compositions make this a release to reflect on.

Although “When You Blackening Shows” launched the band independently through word of mouth, their recent signing to the Bella Union record label will surely bring about even more recognition. Since this signing, Our Broken Garden has additionally released an EP entitled “Lost Sailor”. Check them out today! -Jess Hanna

Buy When Your Blackening Shows
Visit Our Broken Garden On MySpace

Angel Of The Month: Haley Gibby

January 1st, 2010

haley gibbyFrom a young age, Haley knew she wanted to pursue music. At the age of ten she was already fully immersed in performing, sometimes for crowds as large as 20 thousand. In her teens she began writing music. Her first recordings were made at 19 and caught the attention of Warner Brothers who soon after offered her an Artist/Writers deal. Haley decided not to take the deal, wanting to pursue her own musical course.

In 2001 Haley met Finn Bjarnson, a local music producer. Over the next few years Haley and Finn worked on songs together, honing their collective writing styles. In 2005 along with Ryan Raddon, Finn and Haley officially started the project “Summer of Space”. They wrote and produced a song called “A New Start” that was immediately picked up by Hed Kandi recordings. After the initial success of that song they decided to start work on an album.

Ryan Raddon and Finn Bjarnson, writers and producers of multiple #1 billboard charting songs are the producers behind this newly finished album.

Check out Summer Of Space’s latest release on iTunes:
Summer Of Space

For more info on Summer Of Space visit:
www.summerofspace.com
myspace.com/summerofspace

For more info on Haley Gibby visit:
myspace.com/musichaleyg

Angel Of The Month: Nadia Ali

October 1st, 2009

nadia aliAs with any great era of music, there are always a handful of tracks that can be considered genre defining. For dance music -from the late 90’s to the new millennium – there were only a select few tracks that caught fire around the world. Most of these tracks came from the godfather’s of the recent dance music explosion: We’re talking about tracks like Underworld’s “Born Slippy,” and The Chemical Brother’s “Block Rockin’ Beats.” However, there was one track in particular that emerged from the underground and caught everyone off guard. At first, people knew iiO’s “Rapture” by the catchy “la, la, la” chorus as sung by a beautiful voice. As the track emerged from the underground and blew up in the mainstream, “Rapture” became a true tour de force. Remixes from Creamer & K, Deep Dish and Armin van Buuren would follow and the track sold into the millions. Still, at the heart of what made “Rapture” so beautiful was that voice. That voice – and voice of a new generation in house music – belongs to Nadia Ali. Nadia Ali was born in the Mediterranean and grew up in Queens, New York City. In her teens, Nadia listened to a huge variety of music – anything from Reggae, Hip Hop, Latin house and from Motown to alternative rock. However, Nadia considers classic rock and Indian music to be her biggest genre influences. Artistically, the three performers having the most influence on her are Stevie Nicks, “because of her haunting vocals and songwriting;” Sade, “because she has such a distinctive sound;” and Madonna, “For being such an intense performer.” She has also been heavily influenced by artists ranging from U2, Led Zeppelin, Jim Morrison, Carole King, Depeche Mode and eastern icon, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, among others.

Nadia’s voice is astonishingly pure and rich despite the fact that she never once had vocal training. Earlier in her life she looked at singing as a hobby (she wrote her first song at 16) and instead went to college for academic purposes rather than pursue a career in music. But life sometimes has other ideas for us. While working in the NYC Versace office – trying to balance full time employment with college – a colleague (who had heard her singing in the office) introduced Nadia to a producer named Markus Moser. The first song Nadia sang for Markus was Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and it blew him away – He knew Nadia had something special. At Markus’ suggestion Nadia soon quit college to focus exclusively on singing and songwriting, a period that soon yielded dozens of songs.

One such track was the mighty “Rapture,” a song in which the lyrics were written by Nadia in a mere 30 minutes. Together, Markus and Nadia would formally release “Rapture,” a second single “At The End” and the album Poetica under the stage name Iio. “At the time I had no idea how big the song was gonna become. I don’t think anybody knew how massive it was gonna become. I started hearing all these strange names like oh “Sander, Pete Tong, Seb Fontaine, are all playing Rapture” I remembered how crazy it was when I first heard it on the radio. I freaked. I mean growing up in NY, since I was 14 I had gone to clubs like the Tunnel, the Palladium, Roxy and Limelight and really only knew a handful of names the likes of Tenaglia, Deep Dish, Sasha & Digweed. I had no idea that all these names would eventually go on to playing my record, I mean I remember my first 2 dance (Cassette Tapes!) being Danny Tenaglia’s “Tourism” and a Junior Vasquez mix compilation. It was all surreal,” Nadia says. What does the future hold in store for Nadia Ali? Well, the future is now!

Nadia recently collaborated with Armin Van Buuren on a track called “Who is Watching.” Much different than the high energy trance Van Buuren is known for, the track is very minimal, complete with an acoustic guitar. Remixes of “Who is Watching” are being played out at clubs now and the original version is available on Van Buuren’s CD “Shivers.” Nadia also
collaborated with producers John Creamer & Stephane K and male vocalist/singer/songwriter Rosko on the duet “Something To Lose.” “I chose working with Armin Van Buuren (well known for his melodic trance productions) and John Creamer & Stephane K (known for their sexy deep progressive house) because I wanted to do two records very different from each other. The Van Buuren record is very emotional and melodic and the record with Creamer and K has a lot of energy and attitude. It’s also really interesting to work with them because both Armin Van Buuren and Creamer and K remixed “Rapture” and I always wanted to work with them,” says Nadia. In 2008 Nadia released “Crash And Burn,” the first single from her forthcoming solo album, on her label Smile In Bed. With great support from DJs, and a strong remix package including powerful efforts from the likes of DJ Shah and Dean Coleman, the highly successful single continues to enjoy strong sales and heavy play around the world.

Nadia has performed in all parts of the world, from Texas to Taipei, Bucharest to Melbourne, and Moscow to Istanbul. She brings a unique passion and intensity to each of her performances, the result of a true connection to each track she sings. Nadia continues to 100% exclusively write and sing her own lyrics in order to bring across that true emotion to her fans. She is at the heart of what makes dance music young, fresh, exciting and new.

Check out Nadia Ali’s new release on iTunes:
Embers.

For more info on Nadia Ali visit:
www.nadiaali.com
myspace.com/nadiaali

Angel Of The Month: Amethyste

September 1st, 2009

amethysteIn October of 2005, a very fine musician from Germany ( Gunnar Spardel of Tigerforest ) caught Amethyste’s attention. One of his wonderful song “Summer Rain” was playing on the player and she HAD to click on the “view” button. Suddenly, she was transported into a new dimension where music has a soul and feelings. A place where she secretly wanted to reach for so long… She was compelled to write him a note telling him how wonderful and beautiful his music was. He replied to her later that day that he really liked her voice and if she was interested into collaborating musically to please let him know. She was mostly surprised that he replied to her kind message because she felt that his compositions were just so spectacular, somewhat intimidating at the same time.

It seems that everything took an uplifting turn in 2006 when Gunnar and Amethyste started to collaborate more extensively on several projects ranging from Trance – Dance to Ambient. They finally decided to meet in February of 2006 in NYC, then shortly after their first meeting, Gunnar came to spend 3 months in the USA focusing on music composition and production. Their love for each other fueled the creation of Amethyste’s debut CD titled “Ethereal”. Gunnar’s extreme composing ability really showcases Amethyste’s soothing and dreamy ample vocal range. The beautiful music that Amethyste and Gunnar Spardel create have been heard in radio stations in Europe as well as many internet radios. Ethereal warms the heart and shines light upon their acclaimed and distinctive style of music.

Check out Amethyst’s new release:
Shimmer

For more info on Ameythyste visit:
myspace.com/etherealsopranoamethyste
www.origenmusic.com/music-submit/amethyste.html