Emerging Fervour

This guy is absolutely brilliant, check out his YouTube channel for more videos.

Living in the UK or any other English speaking country, you might forget that there is music produced in other languages than English. As I’ve now just moved back to Switzerland, the one thing I am really enjoying is hearing music in other languages and yes some might be classified as ‘euro-trash’ (and rightly so) but hearing French and Spanish hip-hop is not only giving me flash backs to when I was a teenager, it’s making me excited again about different types of music which I forgotten, I loved so much.

So this weekend was a feast for me, as the ‘Züri Faescht‘ was showcasing various bands from all over Europe and the one that everyone kept telling me is the big thing in Switzerland is ‘Big Siz‘ which of course I had to go and check out. Big Zis has already released three albums and is known in the country for her Elektro-Pop-Alternative-Punk-Rap style. As I was watching the crowd going wild over her, it was easy to see why. A bundle of energy, having so much fun on stage, singing & rapping to dancy tunes, no one can stand still. But judge for yourselves:

I came across Tanya Traboulsi when interviewing musician, Zeid Hamdan (check out the interview here). An amazing photographer, Tanya captures the atmosphere of all her subjects and I just couldn’t resist asking her some big questions…

Tanya, we saw your work when we interviewed Zeid Hamdan and fell in love with it, please tell us a little about you?

I grew up in Beirut and at some point moved to Austria, then came back to Lebanon. Photography was always part of my life, even as a child. I didn’t study it though, I studied fashion design and then later on started working in photography.

Your images really capture atmosphere’s and emotions, what’s your secret?

I think that the most important thing in life is to have a passion for something. Anything you do that you truly love, will succeed. And this passion and love will show in your work, whatever work it is. Also, I think that it’s really important to know (or at least try to know) what you want in / from life, and more importantly what you don’t want. Once you have figured that out, things become much easier.

What was your favourite shoot?

I can’t really think of only one favourite shoot… When I shoot concerts and musicians, I feel really inspired and at ease, because I love and have always loved music, and the musicians that I photograph are wonderful artists that truly inspire me.

Carte Blanche to The Ex ∨

Haussmann Tree ∨

Ben Frost ∨

A-Trio ∨

Charbel Haber | Tony Elieh | Tarek Atoui ∨

All my series are quite personal and have a special meaning to me, like for example my latest series that I shot in Beirut, called “Collection 1983″.

∧ “Collection 1983 was shot in an abandoned wood factory during the Lebanese civil war that was later occupied by militias. The raw concrete walls became a canvas for their hopes and dreams as fighting raged around. Locked away and neglected, these palimpsest images offer a snapshot into the minds of forgotten soldiers” ∨

If you could have chosen to photograph any event of the past 100 years, what event would that be?

Discovering the track “Creeping” by sister duo 2:54 was like finding a rare first edition of your favourite book nestled among a shelf of Danielle Steels & Sidney Sheldons – a sharp shock, a surprise and a true delight.

The opening riffs of the electric guitar lure you in to this nether-world of darkness & shadow, and then Colette Thurlow’s stunning vocal seduces you further as you follow the twisted journey of passion & obsession to its climax. Your heart thumps in time with the bass & you feel wrung-out with emotion, yet I keep going back for more……can’t wait for them to lay the rest of their tracks for their EP.

With an online fanbase increasing faster than you can say SUPER HOT, and super-blogs Fader and Gorilla vs. Bear extolling their virtues you can trust me on this one: these girls are set to be huge.

Check out their track on www.myspace.com/thetwofiftyfour

What have they done I hear you wonder? What they always do, blown away the audience!

Rob, our photographer has never seen them but we think, they’ve converted him as in his own words he described them as:

“Well Gabby was unbelievably charismatic… A real performer. Playing and entertaining at the same time.  The other animals were very good, they were tight and most of all they were all having lots of fun.

The venue, the Jazz Cafe, is so intimate that they easily fill it whiled connecting with everyone there. they took us on a journey, it was first class travel and we all felt refreshed when we got to our destination ”

From the gigs we went to, this sounds exactly how we felt! Rob, of course, has not only listened but snapped away on his fancy camera!! (If you want to see all images, make sure you check them out on Flickr)

www.gabbyyoungandotheranimals.com

All photography by Rob Mann (www.robmann.co.uk) – we love to share but make sure you credit him and us if you do.

An interview with Zeid from Soapkills, one of a duo we covered a little while ago. Zeid gives us an idea about the underground music scene in Lebanon, how the war affected him and what his perfect day out would be…intrigued?

Zeid, tell us about yourself

I was born in Ashrafieh (Lebanon) in a Hospital that’s now a music shop called Mozart Chahine.

I don’t know why music and film, no one in the family is into that scene. I guess for me, it’s because of the fantasy aspect of it, all my childhood has been about extraordinary adventures, maybe I didn’t want to get out of it.

I spent my childhood moving between Cyprus, Lebanon and Europe because of the war and a lot of my musical influence has come from France where I was exposed to a lot of western pop music.

What projects are you working on now?

I’m working on the new album of The New Government the recordings should be in Montreal in August, the release maybe beginning of 2011.

The New Government | Lebanon 2009 ∨

I’m the musical director for Danielle Arbid’s next movie where I’ll developing my own music, a mixture of arabic english and pop!

Tell us about The New Government…why was it formed and what does it stand for?

The band was born in Lebanon in November 2004 at a time of political instability. What initially came up as a 6-member band known as “The Government”, we eventually reached a configuration of 5 members (Jeremie, Nabil, Cherif, Timothee and myself) we proclaimed ourselves as “The New Government” (Since there was no official government in Lebanon at the time, so it made sense).

The New Government | Paris 2009 ∨

What happened to Soapkills? And how did you and Yasmine come to work with each other?

Soapkills is on pause for the moment, Yasmine and I are both exploring our potential as individuals, but we’re still in contact and good friends.

I met Yasmine in 1994 when she was at College Protestant in Lebanon, I fell in love with her and did everything to get her working on a project with me, our mutual passion for music helped. The combination of our personalities gave birth to Soapkills.

What is the underground music scene in Lebanon like for you?

Very vibrant – with new bands like Pop will save us, The Incompetents, Fariq el Atrash, Mashrou’ Leila, The 961 Underground, Katibe 5. These are the new comers on the underground scene and they are pretty active. Check this blog http://www.feelnotes.wordpress.com, my friend Omar el Fil reviews every good thing happening in town.

Mashrou’ Leila | Beirut 2009 ∨

Katibe 5 | Beirut 2008 ∨

I met Samir playing in the ski resort of Chamonix.. and I have to say the music moved me so much I had to share this with everyone. Samir plays the piano and the accordeon mixing all types of styles.. the difference is that Samir really plays from the heart which makes the music so incredible. Rather than go on and on, just check out his website. You have to listen to my personal favourite.. go to www.samirhodzic.com… go into music, album, composed music and listen to Mont Blanc Serenity..

Happy listening.. xx

Following on from our Shankaboot post, I’m on a roll. I came across Soapkills a couple of years ago, a Lebanese underground group from Beirut. Soapkills was formed by Zeid Hamdan and Yasmine Hamdan back in 1998 and although they’re working on separate projects now, both Yasmine and Zeid are very much still in the music scene (more on them in later posts).

Soapkills draws inspiration from classical arabic songs…Yasmine’s soft, sensual voice, mixed with Zeid minimalist electro make this an explosive mixture of wow music. Soapkills has released several albums, and has performed in Europe, Middle East, Autralia, Canada.

Herzan from the album ‘Enta Fen’ is one of my favourite tracks from Soap Kills∨

Yasmine Hamdan

Born in Beirut. She spent her childhood abroad escaping the wars in the Middle-East. She returned back to Beirut at the end of Lebanese civil war. A psychology graduate, Yasmine took courses in Arabic classical singing and Oud lessons (Arabic guitar) at the Lebanese Conservatory. During her time there, she also learnt to play guitar, and Arabic dance.

Zeid Hamdan

Born in Beirut. He spent his adolescence in Paris. He began his artistic trip with acting in film and theater. After returning to Beirut, Zeid continued with his acting and at the same time he played guitar and founded several bands.

A couple of months back, I joined Chima and a few of his friends to be a part of his video for his new single ‘Death’.

The trailers out! The trailers out!

Although my excitement faded only a little when I realised that by debut wasn’t in the trailer but will be when the full video is out – but check this out out to wet your appetite for the full video that’s out in the next few weeks.

Make sure you catch Chima Anya at the Barfly in Camden on April 9th – see our post on this! Buy your tickets now from the Barfly site!

So I’ve been meaning to share my thoughts on current music with you since January, but a combination of winter induced stupor and fingers too numb to type have prevented me from putting words to paper sooner. That said, blue skies have magically re-appeared, day-light is now visible past half-four and so I feel moved to finally share some thoughts on great music that you should be listening to.

The rule of the day is eclecticism. When it comes to artfully arranged sounds, what works, works – rather like paint. One additional caveat – one or two of these have been out for a few months, so before you get all “Hey, didn’t that one come out in like October?” please understand that I’m taking liberties with you, dear reader. Let’s get involved.

Charlotte Gainsbourg, IRM

A dream collaboration that pairs of French model/ actress/ chantreuse Charlotte Gainsbourg and the original mashup king Beck whose cunning pastiches of folk, punk electronica and hip hop haven’t seemed genuinely cool since the early naughties.

Gainsbourg’s vocals are exactly what you’d expect from the daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin – paper thin, whispery and achingly cool. ‘Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes’ comes closest to the stylings of her father, but Beck mostly sticks to familiar territory – folksy electro pop, psychedelia and the odd Dadaist freakout all of which feel fresh and engaging with Gainsbourg singing. He keeps the arrangements spare and effective – small stabs of dissonance and electronic noises that subtly embellish guitar and piano arrangements.

As for Charlotte, her thin voice isn’t the ideal vehicle but when it works, it soars. Lack of vocal range makes a bluesy number like ‘Dandelion’ a bit flat, but it transforms the sunny folk of ‘Me and Jane Doe’ into a bewitching cross between Joan Baez and Nico. She deploys it most effectively when her whispery monotone drones over some of the darker songs to be found here. ‘Master’s Hands’ revels in S&M undertones while ‘the Collector’ leaks unnamed dread. IRM sounds like Kraftwerk, Sonic Youth and Nico stuck in an elevator, and believe me, that is a very good thing. Overall, the album is delightly moody and sparkling pop that sees Beck find new life as a svengali to a French icon in the making. Charlotte Gainsbourg album IRM is available on iTunes.

Vampire Weekend, Contra

I’m going to make this very clear. Vampire Weekend are the best thing to happen to bands with guitars in a mighty long time. Their debut fused energetic indie power pop with the hypnotic rhythms and patterns of West Africa, a style they called “Upper West Side Soweto”. Their approach was rhythmically inventive, sublimely melodic and showed a knack for genuinely obscure lyric. Their influences include “Graceland”- era Paul Simon and Talking Heads.

Contra, which went straight to number one upon its US release sees Vampire Weekend growing in every way. The world music influences are woven into their songs with greater subtlety than before and the heightened presence of twinkling electronica, sweeping strings pianos, xylophones and in one delirious instant at the climax of the lead single “Cousins”, church bells, mark this as a band embracing the magic of recording studio and reveling in the possibilities.