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Sombrero
Acida
ACIDA is the musical partnership of two of Argentina’s most talented artists in the field of Latin Pop. Singer-songwriter Alina Gandini (tipped in Buenos Aires as the “Madonna of Argentina”) began her quest to conquer the ears of the world back in 1999, with the help of her producer husband Tweety Gonzales (famous throughout Latin America as the keyboardist with superstar band Soda Stereo during the eighties and early nineties). The influence of Tweety on the music they initially made was so strong it was only natural that he should become part of the performing act, and ACIDA was born.
How would you describe their music? With influences as diverse as Tango, Jazz, Drum n Bass, Film scores, Bossanova, and Rock music, their incredibly sophisticated and beautifully written songs caught the ears of record producer & head honcho of Sonic360, Chris Allison, who quickly signed them to his Sombrero label in 2000. Their songs reach out to a wide demographic, being catchy and stimulating enough to get people onto the dancefloor, yet still maintaining the characteristic Argentinean melancholy that pulsates through the core of their lyrical and melodic brilliance.
ACIDA’s debut album ‘La Vida Real’ features some prominent stars of the Argentinean music world. Gustavo Cerati - arguably the most famous producer and songwriter in Latin America, sings and plays guitar and bass on various songs on the album. Alina’s father Gerardo Gandini, classical composer and Music Director of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, plays piano on the song ‘Yo Nunca Te Doy Paz’. Dante Spinetta - from Argentina’s most famous rock band Illya Kuryaki & The Valderramas - plays a guitar solo in the title track and single ‘La Vida Real’. Other collaborators include Emanuel Cauvet, Capri, Hana Miya, and The Hindu Collective.
Produced and mixed by UK’s Chris Allison (Kinky, The Beta Band, Coldplay), ACIDA’s ‘La Vida Real’ is available for licensing for the Rest of the World. For more info, email zen@sonic360.com
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LA VIDA REAL
By Acida
SOMCD001
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Head + Arm
Bn Loco
Uriel Esquenazi is the man behind BN LOCO (abbreviation of 'bien loco' literally meaning 'very crazy') - the border-breaking new project from Tijuana, Mexico from where a nest of creative new musical talent has spawned the likes of The Nortec Collective and Murcof. A well-respected Producer, Remixer, Musician and DJ in his native Mexico, Uriel has toured around the world Djing alongside Derrick May, Mark Farina, Jay J, Deep Dish, and Laurent Garnier. He has remixed for Thievery Corporation, Mexican rock band Zoe and Los Tetas from Chile amongst others. His production style is diverse, delving into acid jazz, rock, dub and hip hop, providing a rich and versatile palette on which to base his Latin influences and electronic experimentation.
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CANCION PLAYERA REMIX EP
By Bn Loco
HADS016
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Raising Grass
Brian Buckley
“We should constantly be attempting to revolutionize sound—not categorize it.”
Breaking boundaries and creating new musical standards drive Brian Buckley as a songwriter and performer. Born and bred in California, he has spent his life making music and tailoring his craft. His powerful and moving debut studio record, For Her - set for release on April 17, 2007 on Chris Allison’s label Sonic 360 - manages to project the in-the-moment vibe of his live performance, as well as his myriad of influences and experiences. Never one to force the process, his muse comes naturally and is uninhibited.
Seeing Buckley perform might be the truest way to experience the free-flow of his artistry as Brian’s own hope for his audience is that each live show is a different experience than the last. The spur of the moment, improvisational and inspirational jams that one sees at his concerts are intentionally captured on For Her.
Buckley set out to transcend the captivity of the studio, and throughout For Her he brings his songs to life with a pure, instinctive musical spirit, in a fluid dynamic of tenderness and power. Conventional song structures don’t confine Buckley, as each track finds the artist reinventing himself. Most of his tunes shift both shape and tempo to create a dramatic complexity of mood.
Some choice hands help articulate the musical moments, including Zappa alumni Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and five-tour Zappa vet Arthur Barrow (bass, piano, organ), who also produced and engineered the record. Alan La Police and Erik Leckrone sweeten the musical pot with their percussive antics while Adam Watkins works the keys. Buckley’s lead guitarist, Mike McGraw, especially shines, matching Buckley’s vocals (and acoustic playing) in tone, expressive range, and emotional impact. Scott Gordon’s mastering work (Alanis Morrisette and Ringo Starr) polishes off this dynamic debut.
Listening to Brian and his band craft their grooves never gets old. Intimate moments abound, among them the soulful ballad, “Ready for This Love;” the delicate acoustic introspection of “This Life of a Dreamer;” and the naked vocal power of “In Another World (She is Gone).” Elsewhere, Latin hand percussion and Colaiuta’s intricate hi-hat work set up a little Santana jam-out bliss on “Little Pieces” and “Spanish Tragedy”.
From soft confessions to soaring vocal vamps and magical musicality on For Her coupled with the purity and innovation of his live performances, leaves no doubt that Brian Buckley is developing into a bonafide artist.
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FOR HER
By Brian Buckley
RGCD002
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Sombrero
Funky C
“Music is something vital not for society, but for humanity” - Cristian Sol Moraga Farías
When you ask “Funky C” about his musical influences, the Chilean-born composer will start telling you an eclectic list of musicians that expand from the baroque to the grandmasters of funk, soul, rock, Latin jazz, bossa-nova and Latin alternative rock. On any given day, his house was filled with music starting with his very own father’s, Hugo Moraga Lacoste, one of the most prolific singer/songwriters in Chile to the recordings and LPs from Jobim, Frank Zappa, Hector Lavoe, James Brown, Prince, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Stevie Wonder to Argentina’s Luis Alberto Spinetta and Charly García as well as Satie, Debussy, Ravel, Bach amongst many others.
Born at the twilight of the 70s during the Pinochet dictatorship era, Cristian Sol Moraga Farías-known as Funky C- began his musical career at an early age when, at 14, he accompanied his father on stage performing on keyboards. As his passion for the arts grew, he became a regular in the Santiago music scene rubbing elbows with some of the most prolific artists in his native country. At 16 and changing a keyboard to the electric guitar, Funky C met David “Rulo” Eidelstein who shared his love for music, months later they established a band by the name of Los Tetas, and thus changing the way funk was portrayed in their country and the rest of Latin America. It was a breath of fresh air for Chileans by offering an alternative to the aggressive punk scene of the time which exploded as a direct response to Pinochet’s oppressive regime. Signed to Universal, Los Tetas shared the stage and toured with bands such as Cypress Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Molotov, Marilyn Manson, Plastilina Mosh, Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, Control Machete, Dante Spinetta and many others. The band quickly became a Latin Funk/Dance hit, reaching the top of the charts in their homeland and as far north as Mexico with Gold and Platinum record sales along the way.
In 2004, and after a decade performing in front of hundreds of thousands Los Tetas called it quits, Moraga pledged not to set a foot on stage again. But, the music was stronger than ever and the idea to take his funk to a new level kept his mind busy with new songs to show the world. Following steady collaborations as a producer and guest performer including a recording with his own father, Funky C assembled a band of very close friends; Felipe Foncea on keyboards, Roberto “Chicho” Espinoza (bass), Francisco “ Pepino” Gonzalez (Los Tetas) on drums, and his very own sister Michele Espinoza on vocals to record “Joya”, his solo debut. Hungry for new genre bending music Sonic360 signed Funky C worldwide ex. Chile. The album features a sound described by Funky C as “Funk Latino, Old and New, Classic and Modern... with the sound of today mixed with music from the old school days... real live sound mixed with computers.”
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Recorded in San Francisco, California, “Joya” includes songs laced with funk, hip-hop and dance and is perfumed with a distinctive Latin soul; the album features a parade of treasured jewels in the form of guest musicians who pay a visit throughout the production, including: Dante Spinetta, who shared his love for funk and alongside Funky C was one of the pioneers of the 90s Latin funk revival in South America; Juan Sativo from Tiro de Gracia; Sonido Ácido; Maximiliano Alarcón; Anzuelo; and Julio Briceño from Venezuela’s gosadera superstars Los Amigos Invisibles. The album also includes the song “City Funktasma,” a track written by his very own father- Hugo Moraga-, who also performed alongside Funky C.
Described as “monstrous funk” by Rickey Vincent (History of Funk), “Joya” was released in Chile in 2006, where it was quickly embraced by fans and media alike and was voted the No.2 album by Chilean journalists and the general public in the “Best Albums of the Year” list. His concerts have been collecting rave reviews from some of the most important newspapers in Chile, “keeping the funk” alive and well in a country that has seen a rebirth of freedom and has started to put behind an era that saw many musician’s dream crushed by a ruthless dictator.
“Joya” US release is in stores May 15th 2007 on Sonic360 the label that brought the world Kinky. It will be followed by a promotional appearance in Los Angeles and other key cities.
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CHOCOLATE EP
By Funky C
SOMDS006
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Head + Arm
Granufunk
GRANUFUNK is German born Jacob Grain who, after almost a decade of musical exploration, has mastered a finely tuned original sound and released his eponymous debut. Given his history in techno and gabba music, GRANUFUNK continually experiments, forever adopting new recording styles and production techniques. With contributing musician Sonni Plankton, responsible for the wistful English lyrics and guest vocals, GRANUFUNK has made an entrancing first album.
As an album 'GRANUFUNK' magnetically thrives on opposites; embracing both the urban and organic. The eerie minimalism underlying each song is masterfully juxtaposed against the agitated rhythms and glitchy beats inherent in each track. While the seamless continuity lies in its stargazing melancholia and curious wisdom, 'GRANUFUNK' surprises at every opportunity. By employing the yin and yang of discordant grinding beats, whispering lyrics, delicate programming, booming baselines, and spine-tingling melodies, he creates a fairytale: both innocent and sinister.
Through this mixture of harsh scarred brokenbeat and earthy jazz 'GRANUFUNK' is an album of rich, poignant material, with a potent, lingering after effect. 'GRANUFUNK' isn’t an album, it’s an experience.
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GRANUFUNK
By Granufunk
HACD010
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Sonic360 Compilations
Index
INDEX a.k.a Leo Portela was a master of music from an early age. During the Nineties' indie-sonic rock revolution, Leo became a master of processing live drum patterns, adding sequences and FX, while playing live acoustic drums with triggered samples. He began a project performing synth-ambient & jazzy textures, with added drum and bass and downtempo cuts which took his live sessions onto the dancefloors.
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SONIC360 COMPILATION
By Index
SONIC360CD16
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Head + Arm
Kayip
Equipped with a learned mind in classical music and a soul in touch with the likes of Brian Eno, South Korean KAYIP has created an impenetrable bubble of sound in his eponymous debut E.P. Boasting dreamy soundscapes, soft heartbeat drums and muffled conversational lyrics, this is KAYIP's musical journey across the vast plains of life. Charting his expedition 'KAYIP' trudges through muddy beats, scales glitch-etched mountains and floats through misty marshes of foggy synth. 'KAYIP' is a tour of the ambient and chilled in a fusion of the realist and idealist. A labyrinth of the semi-conscious, this is the soundtrack for the most fantastical dreams and haunting nightmares. Sleepily each number guides listeners along the winding course of this five track E.P. 'KAYIP' is the epitome of IDM, soaring and meditative within a youthful maze of reflective contemplation.
"I remember last year I was 21 and I didn't seem to care. Now I'm 22 and I don't know what the f*** I'm supposed to do. Next year, I'll be 23, what if the person I become is not the one I wish to be?" '21' on 'Kayip' Guest vocals by Johan Erisson
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KAYIP
By Kayip
HACD013
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Sombrero
Kinky
Kinky spent years honing their highly original sound, a fusion of Latin Rhythms, Mexican regional music, electronica and rock’n’roll, in their hometown of Monterrey, in Northern Mexico. They gave Chris Allison, (Coldplay, Beta Band), a three song demo presented on a lovely cassette tape in the winter of 1999 while he was producing Plastilina Mosh. Six months later he signed them to his Sonic360 label and they were off and running. The five-man band - Gilberto Cerezo (vocals, guitar), Ulises Lozano (keyboards), Carlos Chairez (lead guitar), Cesar Pliego (bass) and Omar Gongora (drums) - exploded onto the international scene in the summer of 2000. Since 2002, the band has recorded three eclectic albums - Kinky (2002), Atlas (2003) and Reina (2006) - been nominated for three Grammy’s® , composed music for films and played countless gigs all over the planet in front of hundreds of thousands, inducing dance floor hysteria and winning legions of enthusiastic fans.
“We love making records, writing songs and playing music,” says singer Gilberto Cerezo. “Since there are five of us in the band and we do everything as a team, it’s hard to make one record that shows off everything we can do. That’s why we decided to put out Rarities. It’s a little of this and a little of that: projects we’ve been doing outside the albums, covers of songs by artists we admire, songs written for movies, people doing remixes and adding their flavor to the Kinky idea. There are also a few live tracks, because the live shows are the most important thing we do.”
Rarities was originally put out in the UK as a limited edition of 750 hand numbered copies, just for Kinky’s UK fans, but overwhelming positive feedback from the European press has prompted the band and Sonic360 to launch a new full scale release in the US and Canada on June 19th.
Like all their albums, Rarities blends sounds that are contemporary and traditional, dynamic and contemplative, innovative and yet strangely familiar. Gilberto Cerezo and Ulises Lozano provide a quick overview.
“‘Coqueta’ means flirty girl,” Lozano says. “The Norteño band Intocable asked us to do that song, one of their big hits, for a tribute album honoring their long career. ‘Selva Lombardi’ was going to be on Atlas, but was left aside. When we went back and listened to it, we loved its funky dance groove.” On “Canibal,” a song they wrote for the soundtrack of LA HIJA DEL CANIBAL, Kinky collaborated with another hero, Lupe Esparza, singer of the legendary Norteño group Bronco. “We all fell in love for the first time listening to his lyrics,” Cerezo explains. “It was bizarre and exciting to be working with him and directing him, but he just said, ‘Tell me what to do’ and he did it. It’s one of the most pop songs we’ve done. It even has a video.
“(Director) Renee Chabria asked us to write a song about a guy leaving Mexico to live in LA for her film SUEÑO,” Cerezo continues. “She hadn’t started filming yet, but when I played her ‘Aqui Es La Vida’ she said it fit perfectly with her vision. Director Tony Scott wanted a version of ‘Oye Come Va’ for MAN ON FIRE. It was a challenge because Tito Puente and Santana already have strong versions of the song. Our take is more electronic, more rock. We also included a chilled out Lazyboy remix of the song.” Other remix artists on Rarities include: Money Mark (“Presidente”), Toy Selectah, a reggaeton innovator who brings a new energy to “Mas,” and a mash up of “Soun Tha Mi Primer Amor” by Nortec Collective’s Bostich that blends hip hop, house and Norteño flavours.
Rarities concludes with three live recordings “Más”, “The Headphonist”, and “Sol.” “We recorded in the Napster studios to give fans a taste of the DVD we’re working on,” Lozano explains. “There was no crowd, but it was all live. We did older songs because music changes as you play it live; songs pick up other flavors after you’ve played them a while.”
While fans are enjoying Kinky’s continually evolving sound on Rarities, the band itself will be busy touring. Cerezo: “We’re on the road until the end of the year and we’re making videos, doing more collaborations with other artists and writing tracks for the next album. We just finished writing and recording the theme song that Fox Sports will use for the MFL Soccer League’s 2007 season. We live in a world that’s always spinning faster and faster, with information coming in from everywhere and new sounds developing in every city. Our goal is to stay inspired, and keep listening for fresh flavors that can become part of Kinky music.”
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RARITIES (US RELEASE)
By Kinky
SOMCD005
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Head + Arm
Littl Shyning Man
Hart of the Wud is the debut release from Littlshyningman, the solo alias of London-based composer/producer/musician Chris Haworth.
The release is joined in theme by its recurring reference to Russell Hoban's 'Riddley Walker', in which the 'littlshyningman' features as a character. Where the book imagines a language and folk culture of the past that is 'resurrected' in the future, the music on 'Hart of the Wud' shares similar concerns, merging influences from progressive rock, medieval folk music,free jazz, noise, early electronic and tape music, 70s popular music, post/kraut/math/space-rock with an electronica/hip hop production technique. Chris's guitar playing provides a starting point for much of his work, such as the track 'Knocturnell', which is composed entirely from electric guitar sounds, processed and arranged into patterns that leave the source instrument barely recognisable. Samples crop up when guitars and 'affordable' instruments aren't enough, such as in the title track - featuring a harp as the lead instrument - or 'Battry Runnd Pianoforte', which comes dangerously close to world music as Japanese wood percussion appears out of nowhere halfway into the track.
The success of 'Hart of the Wud' success comes in both the apparent complexity and simplicity of each track, all displaying an immaculate knowledge of cross-genre rhythmic and melodic exploration. The result is truly beautiful.
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MOCKERY
By Littl Shyning Man
HACD016
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Sombrero
Los Mono
A Chilean super-group, Los Mono is the collaborative effort from some of the top musicians/producers of the country: Cristian Moraga aka Funky C, (also released by Sonic360) is one of the most recognised musicians in Chile and, as founder of the 'Los Tetas', which was one of the most influential alternative bands that heralds from Santiago in the last decade with sales that garnered 4 Gold Records. Other members include Sebastian Silva (member of the popular Chilean band CHC), Gonzalo Gonzalez (acclaimed sound engineer -Los Prisioneros, Los Tres, Los Bunkers), Vicente Sanfuentes (as part of the duo 'The Hermanos Brothers', winner of MTV Latin America's ‘Best Independent Artist' and Nea (singer from the bands CHC and Yaia).
Not only is Somos Los Que Estamos a full on high-energy blast from start to finish, the album is an adventure with a moral message; promoting creativity, originality, positivism, and self-responsibility. In fact, the conscious lyrics and upbeat vibe are the perfect compliment to an album that is driven from start to finish with a myriad of crunchy lo-fi beats n bleeps, infectious melodies and pure funk-fuelled inspiration.
From the opening chant “Se Puede” (It is possible) to "Gane Perder" (I win to lose) and the party monster “Promesas” (Promises) ready yourself for a new movement of Conscious Electronica from South America, it is a ride you don’t want to miss…
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PROMESAS REMIXED EP
By Los Mono
SOMDS009
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