NYS Music 202​0

Author: Yafet Andemariam

  • Hearing Aide: Signal Earth Debut ‘Scenes and Soundtracks’

    Signal Earth released a new project titled Scenes and Soundtracks on September 15. Salvatore Prizio presents a concept in his new record: traveling periods of time, taking musical snapshots from moments at various locations across the globe. Prizio aims to decentralize and redefine old pop culture models, giving those ideas a different perspective.

    Signal Earth

    The New York songwriter and music industry veteran, under the moniker Signal Earth, is inspired by numerous genres. He seeks to create a world view of an electronic artform past, present and future. Prizio respectfully explores the numerous galaxies of world music through the genres of dance, instrumental and electronic.

    Signal Earth carries the mantra: people have more in common than in difference. From the beginning, Scenes and Soundtracks offers a lot more variety than expected. It gives endless ear-catching sounds. The album also speaks to decentralizing old pop culture paradigms by reimagining them. Heroes come from all parts of the globe in this instrumental narrative.

    The tracks are melodic, pacing and provide a coherent sound. Signal Earth wonderfully blends synth, yet offers plenty of variety within the record. With the amount of influence this record has, this a recommended project for synth listeners.

    Key Tracks: Voyage 1924, Desire 1889, Training Montage 1976

  • Riley and Julians combine as The Beforetimes to present “Time Machine”

    Kurt Riley and Orange Julians come together as the The Beforetimes as they released their debut single, “Time Machine” on September 18. The track was written and produced in equal by both Kurt Riley and Orange Julians. Having met as children, both artists grew up to write rock operas, and now have reunited for this joint project. The Beforetimes have also uploaded a music video for their new single.

    Kurt Riley has released records produced by Beyoncé/FKA Twigs/Run the Jewels collaborator BOOTS and Grammy Award-winning engineer Will Russell. Riley has also appeared at the CFCU Summer Concert Series, Music Is Art Buffalo, and at the Ithaca Festival. Under the moniker Orange Julians, Julian DeLice had worked on plenty of solo material and has written, produced and directed a stage play called “The Renegade Opera” (benefitting the Elton John AIDS Foundation). Julian DeLice’s music was named “Vermont’s freshest synth-pop” by 7 Days Newspaper, and DeFelice is now recording his fourth LP.

    The Beforetimes

    The song was remotely produced across over 2,000 miles and the first release as the “The Beforetimes” begin a side project that will be featured alongside their solo work. For more information on “The Beforethetimes”, their new single, and their respective individual profiles, visit the Apple Music, Spotify, links and both of Kurt and Julien’s websites.

  • Borders Can’t Stop Music: ‘Fandango at The Wall’

    The music documentary Fandango at The Wall premiered on HBO Latino on Friday, September 25 and is now streaming on HBO Max. Taking place on both sides of the United States/Mexico border, founder Jorge Francisco Castillo invited multi-GRAMMY Award-winning musician Arturo O’Farrill and multi-GRAMMY Award-winning producer Kabir Sehgal to Veracruz.

    The intent behind the film was to meet the masters of Son jarocho, who perform 300-year-old folk music. Musicians took their places on both sides of the Tijuana-San Diego border, playing big band, jazz arrangements. People gathered on both sides, enjoying the presence of the harmonious music despite being on alternate sides of the United States/Mexico border.

    Fandango at The Wall

    Since the election of our current president, border tension has been rising in the past few years. The wall may be symbolic of division, but the annual “Fandango Frontierizo” music festival aims to unite all people together, regardless on whatever side of the wall a person is on.

    The film was directed by Varda Bar-Kar and executive produced by Quincy Jones, Andrew Young, and Carlos Santana.

    Our film shows how the border can become a place of friendship and amity by harnessing the power of Afro-Mexican music known as Son jarocho I’ve been making music for decades, and I’ve never experienced a more enveloping and transformative artform.

    Kabir Seghal, as told to Variety magazine

    Fandango at The Wall features Son jarocho legends Andrés Vega, Martha Vega, Ramón Gutiérrez, Wendy Cao Romero, Tacho Utrera, Fernando Guadarrama, and Patricio Hidalgo. Guest appearances include multi-Grammy nominee and MacArthur Foundation fellow Regina Carter, CNN historian Douglas Brinkley, Mandy Gonzalez, The Villalobos Brothers and Grammy nominees Rahim AlHaj and Sahba Motallebi. For more information regarding “Fandango at The Wall,” visit the film’s website, as it sure to present a diverse, and interesting, expression of music on visual platform.

  • Montreal’s Le Couleur take Influence from the Skies on “Concorde”

    Le Couleur, an alternative pop group from Montreal comprised of vocalist, Laurence Giroux-Do, bassist Patrick Gosselin, and drummer Steeven Choudinard, has released their latest album Concorde. Despite COVID-19 cancelling numerous live performance schedules and release dates, that has not stopped Le Couleur from expressing fine work; Concorde is a well-tuned, melodic, and soothing album.

    Le Couleur

    When performing live, Philippe Beaudin joins on percussion and Francis Do Monte plays guitar and keyboards. For their new show, they recently changed and showcased their new formation, consisting of six musicians in total. The French-Canadian group had put out EPs in 2013 and 2015, before finally releasing their critically acclaimed debut album P.O.P. in 2016. Le Couleur’s synth-pop sound is filled with intricate melodies, tight basslines, and the album is a very enjoyable listen for indie pop listeners and recent live performances at home are just as nice to listen to. Amid the pandemic, they have recorded home performances in place of in-person events. Interested readers can find these in-home performances on YouTube.

    Concorde is named after an outdated airliner model that had a notable incident in 2000 when a fuel tank explosion on an Air France flight killed all onboard. The airliner would go out of service in 2003. Prior to the disastrous effect of the Concorde flight, it was positively perceived for its sleek design, and allowed faster flights in comparison to other airline models. The group was inspired by the ups and downs of the Concorde timeline along with the airliner’s symbolism. The Concorde’s sleek design represents that sexy, idealistic image of the carrier. The crash and its eventual retirement mark the “macabre” side that Le Couleur.

    Key Tracks: Concorde, Comme une fin du Monde, Train de Minuit,

    Concorde is out now on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Deezer, and many other platforms.

  • SPAC Reimagined unveils the Ellen Reid Soundwalk

    As part of its SPAC Reimagined Series, Saratoga Performing Arts Center is hosting a free, audio-immersive event, the Ellen Reid Soundwalk, allowing people to walk and listen to music as they wander around the area.

    The GPS-enabled installation opened on September 21 and runs until November 1 which leaves a month to visit the hiking trails, geysers, and the natural springs of the Saratoga State Park. The audio experience is tailor-made and meant to illuminate the natural environment. The event requires hikers to download the free application and grab some headphones before going on the route.

    Ellen Reid Soundwalk

    The Soundwalk was crafted and created by Pulitzer prize-winning composer Ellen Reid. Her Soundwalk features a newly written score, performed by the SOUNDWALK Ensemble. Ellen Reid understood the anxiety around current events and explained the helpful purpose of the Soundwalk.

    We’re all experiencing the anxieties of living in an uncertain world. We miss our communities, and we miss the very thing that makes our cities special: the people.

    Ellen Reid

    Reid’s Soundwalk was co-commissioned by Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the New York Philharmonic, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Mann Center for the Performing Arts in association with The Fairmount Park Conservancy, and Britt Festival Orchestra.

    Ellen Reid Soundwalk

    Movement around the park triggers the soundscape and the musical cells were carefully crafted to harmonize with the park’s landscape and attractions. The person walking will get to choose their path, which dictates the music the listener will hear. Participants can also dictate the music, ensuring that each experience will not be the same when roaming the State Park.

    As a bonus, special musical “easter eggs” have been hidden around the park for people to navigate and discover. The Soundwalk is open until November 1, which leaves many opportunities for people to have a customizable, immersive, musical experience.

    On your way to SPAC, don’t forget that Stewart’s Shops is your ice cream shop! With over 345 shops in 31 counties across New York and southern Vermont, the convenience store chain is known for their fresh &local dairy products. With dozens of choices at the cone counter, you’re bound to find something you love! Try a shake, sundae, or cone today,  What’s Your Flavor?  

  • TEST and Roy Campbell: A throwback to a fantastic night at Brooklyn’s Hinton House

    Indie Jazz label 577 records has just released the new TEST and Roy Campbell Jr. album, recorded live at the Hinton House. The live recording of the performance took place in April, 1999.

    According to Jazz Times, Roy Campbell Jr. was considered a favored player among the free jazz aficionados. He was praised for his adventurous approach and mixing of genres including world music, hip-hop, and reggae. Unfortunately, Roy Campbell Jr had passed away on January 9th, 2014, at 61 years old.

    Campbell was joined by bassist Matt Heyner, drummer Tom Bruno, and saxophonist Daniel Carter, with Sabir Mateen also playing saxophone alongside the group. According the album notes, this performance was a benefit gig to repair the No Neck Blues Band’s van. John Fahey, Lee Ranaldo, and No Neck Blues Band joined the stacked lineup at their loft, The Hinton House, and raised the ‘bread’ to fix the van. Spirits were lit with a listening and enthusiastic audience. The cathartic energy rising.

    The performance and energy were frantic and steadily increasing as the show went on. Listeners tuned in to the live performance clearly enjoyed the free-jazz and the atmosphere Roy Campbell Jr. and company provided.


    TEST occupied the public space of New York City. TEST’s typical audience was a passerby on a subway platform, a curious security guard on a smoke break in midtown, or the most ‘in the know’ subset of gig-goers. TEST, distinctly honed their working band approach, by actively gigging multiple times a week across the NYC subway map.

    When TEST performed at a venue, listeners would witness the bullseye acumen of a working band. This ethos of the band choosing to ‘play anywhere/all the time’ separated TEST from other groups.

    One of the hardest working musicians in the scene, Campbell lived at the north end of the Bronx, but nightly could be found downtown, uptown, or somewhere in the middle playing weekly at venues such as Lenox Lounge, The Pink Pony, Brecht Forum, Tonic, Knitting Factory and CBGB’s Gallery.

    The free-jazz album has left listeners feeling nostalgic for the time. The Test and Roy Campbell album has given jazz aficionados the opportunity to live in that moment of free-jazz history. The album is now on Bandcamp.