Fehdah is the futuristic Afro soul music project of Sierra Leonean-born Emma Garnett and a seven-piece band.
The song has a wonderful organic feel to it cross-pollinating genres: from hushed gospel-style soul to an electronic African oriental-leaning sound that is rich throughout. It’s always worth a spin.
‘Thirsty’ is the the fifth track from the EP, a slow-building track that builds from a buzzing synth rhythm and yawning notes to take on the expressive vocals of the Sierra Leonean Irish singer to create a superb slice of foreboding electronic soul.
Bodytonic have more releases lined up for 2017. This one is out this month on 12″ and digital on March 17th.
Congolese/Dublin guitarist/singer Niwel Tsumbu’s band RiZA is made up of Eamonn Cagney (of Treelan) on percussion, Emma Garnett (Feather) and Sallay Garnett (Loah) on vocals and Paddy Groenland (Ensemble Ériu, Manden Express) on guitar.
Last year, RiZA gave us ‘Kamembe’ and the promise of an album. That album arrives in January and from it, ‘Thank You’ is a delicate soulful ode to family, particularly Niwel’s wife.
“The song is really a way to express gratitude to my wife as a friend and for all the support she has given me over the years. I often say without the influence of women we would still be living in caves! Sometimes we take it for granted what we have until it is gone so, I thought I should do it now. But this is not just about my wife; gratitude is a quality that has a direct connection to happiness. We should never forget it as a species – being grateful is a great way to increase our well being and life satisfaction.”
Watch the ballet dancing-featuring video by by Steve Glashier (who is responsible for videos for Fatboy Slim, Chrissie Hynde, Juliette Lewis). ‘Thank You’, along with the album, was recorded and mixed in Peter Gabriel’s Realworld Studios in Wales.
Body & Soul Festival has let loose a load of info today for the festival, which is nearly sold out and running from June 17th – 19th at Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath
The Gloaming / Santigold / St Germain / Hudson Mohawke / Floating Points (live) / Mercury Rev / Neon Indian / Girl Band / BadBadNotGood / Wolf Parade / Sun Kil Moon / Junior Boys / David August / Cassy / Optimo / Gold Panda / Mbongwana Star / Ibibio Sound Machine / Tanya Tagaq / Slow Magic / Jambinai / Ho99o9 / Ninos Du Brasil / NAH / Brian Deady / Bleeding Heart Pigeons / Rusangano Family / FJAAK / EMBRZ / Bitch Falcon
ON THE WOODLANDS STAGE
Holly Macve / Talos / Saint Sister / Elm / TooFools / Forrests / Mario Batkovic / Daithí / Somadrone / Myles Manley / Plutonic Dust / Loah / Ocho / Aine Cahill / ÆMak / Elephant / We Eat Electric Light / Ailbhe Reddy / Ollie Bell / Niamh Regan / PRESENTED BY MUSIC NETWORK: Séamus Begley, Catriona McKay & Chris Stout / OKO / Christine Tobin / Bangers and Crash Percussion Trio / The Carducci Quartet / Donal Lunny, Máirtín O’Connor & Zoë Conway
ON THE PAGODA STAGE
Daniel McDermott / PolyGlove / BARQ / Auxiliary Phoenix / The Ocelots / Joni / Tracy Bruen / Katie Laffan / Shrubs Duo / Farah Elle / Feather / Apollonia Tribal Bellydance / Floating Ballroom / Publicity Machine / Johnny Rayge / El Grey / Roisin El Cherif / Candlelit Tales & Infinity Program: The Story of Eithlinn / Marangvla A&V / Arash
Second Nature area
Body&Soul announced a new area called Second Nature featuring the Woodlands stage described as:
“…an enchanted menagerie of lush music, contemporary performance, immersive, nature-based art and Zen-like pockets of peace, nestled among the centuries-old oaks, pines and ash trees of Ballinlough Castle’s forest. This otherworldly woodland cocoon takes Body&Soul back to its lo-fi roots, celebrating ideas, intimate moments and the beguiling indulgence of chilling out.”
The Woodlands stage will be housed in this area and the stage itself, custom-designed by Christy Collard. is built from repurposed timber from the previous main stage (which also gets a facelift).
Second Nature will be more intimate and feature as well as the music programme: The Sanctuary, Solas Bath House, the Pagoda Stage (lineup above), art installations, theatre and performance, interactive experiences and documentary-filmmaker Myles O’Reilly’s area Arbutus Yarns (which will feature spoken word poet, Stephen James Smith, musicians Anna Mieke Bishop, Rhob Cunningham and Mossy Nolan).
Film
The Light House Cinema with a pop-up cinema taking over our Sanctuary Healing area by night. From 9pm till 1am, their programme is packed with music, gas craic and timely tributes, with a special screening of Prince’s Purple Rain, alongside Stop Making Sense, Labyrinth, The Life Aquatic, The Big Lebowski and a Sing Along screening of Grease.
Theatre
Robbie O’Connor and Aisling O’Mara in association with Anu Productions will present their immersive production Anu Productions will present their production Rebel Rebel, directed by Louise Lowe. The specially commissioned immersive production Every Morning I Wake and Seem to Forget which will take participants on a mystery journey through the festival grounds, as they participate in an unfolding story. Created and conceived by theatre producer Matt Smyth and director Hugh Farrell, this immersive experience blends interactive theatre with the magic of a festival where anything can happen.
Every Morning I Wake and Seem to Forget which will take participants on a mystery journey through the festival grounds, as they participate in an unfolding story. Created and conceived by theatre producer Matt Smyth (Anu Productions, Dead Centre) and director Hugh Farrell, this immersive experience blends interactive theatre with the magic of a festival where anything can happen.
Follow the Nialler9 New Music playlist on Spotify. This week’s additions include new songs from Lil Silva, Bonzai, Hundred Waters, Whitney, Barq, Asa Moto, Jessy Lanza and Anna Of The North.
A collaboration that raises up Shadow back to where he belongs.
Last week, DJ Shadow returned with news of an new album The Mountain Will Fall prefaced with a title track that came across like serene trap music. That is to say, it doesn’t give much away for what is to come on the album.
Along with guests Nils Frahm, Matthew Halsall and old-school MC Ernie Fresh, it’s Run The Jewels which piqued the interest of many, myself included. RTJ can’t really do any wrong and their presence on ‘Nobody Speak’ adds some vitality and focus to Shadow’s still able and nimble production.
‘Nobody Speak’ is part of the Run The Jewels’ Record Store Day release out tomorrow. ‘VRTJ’ is a Virtual Reality cardboard viewer that comes with a download code for the collaborative track.
2.
Lone
‘Backtail Was Heavy’
Wonky electronic day-glo rave style
Most tracks that employ old-school rave breaks and samples feel like period pieces or homages. Matt Cutler aka Lone has a unique style of his own that he can bend into different existing shapes. For this once-off online release, his penchant for day-glow wavy synths are a great match for some old school rave-to-your-grave snatches and rhythm. The last minute of the track are the bones of the operation but it’s the suitable nod to the past that makes this a winner.
Emma Garnett makes music under the name Feather, sometimes with friends Ben Bix and RiZA and sometimes with her sister Loah.
On ‘Like No Other’, the Sierra Leonean Garnett introduces her Feather vibe from a forthcoming solo EP due in the summer. That sound is Afro neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop funk, played by an able eight-piece live band.
The song has a wonderful organic feel to it cross-pollinating genres: from hushed gospel-style soul to an electronic African oriental-leaning sound that is rich throughout. It’s a nice promise of things to come…
GoldenPlec presents, Feather on April 15th in the Workmans Club ChoiceCuts presents Hiatus Kaiyote with support from Feather on May 4th in the Sugar Club Feather performs at Africa Day Festival 2016 on May 29th Feather performs at KnockanStockan on July 24th
Track personnel
Vocals and samples Emma Garnett Backing vocals Emma Garnett and Sallay Garnett Guitar Patrick Groenland Keys and synth Johnny Taylor Bass Niall Hughes and Ken McCabe Drum kit Dennis Cassidy Mixed by Ken McCabe Mastered by Fergal Davis
Niwel Tsumbu is a Congolese guitarist who is frequently heard and seen beside and behind others. For his new project, RiZA, the artist draws on his strong musical family for a debut album due in October with songs written in a Congolese tongue Lingala based on his personal revelation that his 14 year-old son isn’t biologically his relation.
Rather than fall into darkness, Tsumbu created music with joy, the first bit which you can hear in the above video by Ivan Cummins, a sparkling acoustic folk song ‘Kabembe’ with an almost tropical disco feel to it. He is joined by Feather, Loah, Paddy Groenland (Ensemble Ériu, Manden Express), Feather and Eamonn Cagney (of Treelan) on his own music.
Wonky electronic day-glo rave style
