Category Archives: Cinamatic

Cinamatic, Indie, New Music, Theatrical

Calista Kazuko ‘Daddy Issues’

London based singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist, Calista Kazuko is set to release the second single from her eagerly awaited ‘Project: Love Me’ EP on iChi Ni Records. Following the success of her recent single ‘Poison’, Calista will unveil ‘Daddy Issues’ together with a beautiful accompanying music video directed by Philip Reinking on the 31st of March. The ‘Project: Love Me’ EP was recorded in London at The Smokehouse in Tower Bridge with award winning film composer Guy Dagul and features five brilliant new tracks. A cinematic soundscape filled with intensity and drama, the music is dark, twisted yet strangely uplifting.
‘Daddy Issues’ is a dark smokey eerie number, theatrically dramatic and haunting yet devilishly thrilling. Feathery light gentle piano twinkles with a spooky elegance while haunting chilling strings add a creepy sway- like floaty feel. With cinematic menacing instrumentation this track creeps with spine tingling eeriness while maintaining a seductive alarming quality. With strong dominant vocals and soft ghostly backing vocals this track hovers over brewing bratty peril and desire. ‘Daddy Issues’ is chilling and thrilling cant wait for the EP.
You can follow Calista Kazuko and have a sneak peek at the ‘Daddy Issues’ video on
Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/CalistaKazuko/
Twitter here https://twitter.com/CalistaKazuko

Baroque Pop, Cinamatic, Hypnotic, Indie, Indie Folk, Indie Psychedelic, New Music, Psych-Pop, psychedelic, Psychedelic/Folk

Dia ‘Gambling Girl’

Dia is the stunning project of composer and performer, Danielle Birrittella. The Indie folk/baroque pop artist has released the beautiful, cinematic music video for her latest single, ‘Gambling Girl’ off her debut EP ‘Tiny Ocean’, which was released with Manimal Records and features songs produced by Joey Waronker (Beck, REM, Atoms for Peace), Tim Carr (The Americans, HAIM) and Frankie Siragusa (theLAB). Raised on a Hindu ashram, Dia sang ceremonial ragas as a child, which led to training and performing as an opera singer throughout the U.S. and Europe. Along these travels, she began experimenting with music and writing song fragments on a ukulele, which was gifted to her by her brother. Dia’s practice as a classically trained opera singer induced an incredibly critical ear. Her influences of classical music, such as Baroque and French Romantics are beautifully infused with modern experimental cinematic folk on her debut EP. A native of New England, and graduate of New York University (BA) and California Institute of the Arts (MFA), she has lived and worked as an artist in New York, France, and Italy. Highlighted performances have included Disney Hall’s REDCAT – Los Angeles, La Musica Lirica – Italy, The Chautauqua Institute – New York, La Main d’Or – Paris, and The Ludwig Foundation – Cuba.
‘Gambling Girl’ is a moody cinematic dream pop swirl that is more sticky than honey. The dark stuffy atmosphere suffocates you in a spiralling dreamy haze. The steady thump beat teamed with sultry bewitching lull on vocals give a narcotic hypnotic effect that draws you further and further into the calming opiate illusion. Dia’s vocals act as a sedative or tranquilliser cooing with soft mind numbing qualities. Driven by a seductive sway-like flow ‘Gambling Girl’ lures and entices with graceful delicate charm and daydream obscurity.
Watch the video for ‘Gambling Girl’ which portrays Dia and a cowboy beneath a sunset, riding horses and dancing in the desert below.

Alt Rock, Cinamatic, EP Review, Indie, New Music

Midnight Chimes ‘Halloween Moon’

mignight-chimes

Dublin duo Midnight Chimes have created an EP of Halloween tracks packed with “Ghastly electro rock to haunt your dreams, Or for you to boogie to”. ‘Halloween Moon’ kicks off with ‘Witches Disco’ a funky track dripping in cheesy 80s “Time Warp” spook. With eerie organ effect on keyboards and a “dj funky clown” the image of that is enough to creep me out. Its catchy and definitely has a bouncy dance feel that will get those feet shuffling. You can even do a swift monster mash to it. The sweet backing vocals add a old time movie feel to the fun lively track. ‘Devil On The Loose’ follows with sinister keys that change the tone of the EP. It surprisingly blasts into a heavy rock sound with growl vocals for the “Devil On The Loose” lyrics. With shredding guitar and steady beat, its infectious and hypnotic. Its a mixture of gritty rock and pop with a sneaky nimble and slick guitar lick and riff thrown in that is so catchy its a head banger. ‘Boogie With The Boogieman’ is a swinging bluesy track with a sensual hip swaying groove. Its strut- like tempo and swagger teamed with a flexible beat keeps this track smooth and luring. I don’t know why but it gives me the image of a guy in a vampire costume trying to seduce you with his dancing and as he draws closer the music becomes intense as you panic to try and get away. ‘Werewolf Blues’ presents us with that heavier rock sound with effects-laden vocals and ghostly piano warning of danger. The pounding beat and vigorous guitar adds a mosh effect. The music fades as we hear a mysterious vampire speak which I will admit, alone in the dark is pretty frightening. ‘Dance Hall of the Dead’ begins with a trick or treat door bell followed by a fantastic riff and some otherworldly effects on keys. Its a light fun track with thrilling elements and gritty rock features that adds body and brawn. ‘Fortune Teller’ is a bewitching shimmy that tells the story of falling for a misleading temptress . This track oozes seduction and deceit with a smooth sensual beat, captivating guitar and the gently whisper of backing vocals. ‘Midnight, Vienna’ is the final track on the EP its a romantic track with a pop feel. Its light fluffy melody and sweet backing vocals give a boy band feel with bright glittering guitar while the keys keep things a little eerie. Its an unusual contrast but perfectly ends the EP on a good note. Its like the end of a horror movie and all is well, the morning has come and all the evil has vanished.
Stream ‘Halloween Moon’ below

Cinamatic, Indie, New Music, Theatrical

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes In The Form Of Áine Cahill’s ‘Black Dahlia’

Cavan singer-songwriter Áine Cahill has received fantastic exposure recently for having taken part in the 2fm/Oxfam ‘Play The Picnic’ competition. She managed to reach the top 10 for the national contest, which secured her a slot on the Oxjam Stage at this year’s Electric Picnic. Cahill has already released a 5-track EP called ‘Paper Crown,’ which came out shortly before Christmas 2014 and was named the #1 unsigned Irish EP of 2014 by Unsigned and Independent Magazine. She’s also hugely influenced by the jazz of the ’40s and ’50s, and has only recently started working with a band, made up of four musicians, Louise Johnston (piano), Paul McCann (double bass), Sam Geraghty (guitar) and Paul ‘Foxy’ Cox (drums).
‘Black Dahlia’ is the start of a new project Cahill is currently working on with producer Martin Quinn from Jam Studios. The song tells the tragic true story of an unsolved murder in 1940s Hollywood. Cahill portrays this theme to us perfectly, she creates an eerie mysterious atmosphere that calls you as a witness to  a tragic scene. With touching imagery conveyed through the lyrics teamed with crisp melancholy vocals that add to this nostalgic haunting tone. The track is narrated to us in a sway -like theatrical manner that touches your soul and pulls you in to this painful grievous tale. The light instrumentation to start adds a delicate quality to the track with the soft beats and gentle piano conveying the soft, innocent and hopeful young star. While the guitar seems to lament the death of this young woman the strings add a sense of danger lurking in the back ready to pounce. The backing vocals lull the listener as if trying to ease their mind of the harrowing scene and give comfort to a distressed soul.
A fantastic track from Áine Cahill look forward to hearing more.
You can catch Áine Cahill live at The Grand Social – Friday September 9th
Stream ‘Black Dahlia’ below