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Orchestra

Fabian Jeller took his listeners ‘From Zero to Infinity’ in his latest composition

Posted on 27 September 2023

The classically trained pianist, electronic music producer and composer, Fabian Jeller used every modicum of his training and talent honing to mark his evolution towards a more viscerally stylistic, organic, and colourful tonal palette in his most seminal single to date, From Zero to Infinity.

The synthesis of classical instruments in the electronic soundscape embodies the vivaciousness of a full symphony orchestra to take you on a journey of vibrant transcendence via the arrangement of the synths and strings, which work in absolute synergy to ensure you sonically arrive at the destination the Italian virtuoso intended.

Blissful, rejuvenating, and deeply evocative in inexplicable equal measure, From Zero to Infinity captures the momentum of life, and all the stratospherically colossal twists and turns it leaves us with no option to traverse. As Bill Hicks once famously said, it’s just a ride. Jeller proved the intrinsic beauty in that ride. Strap yourselves in and surrender yourself to it.

From Zero to Infinity arrived on the airwaves on September 16; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Peter Xifaras paid an impassioned ode to an icon with ‘While My Guitar Weeps for Mehdi Rajabian’

Posted on 4 September 2023

While My Guitar Weeps for Mehdi Rajabian, performed by Peter Xifaras and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, pays homage to the bravery and tenacity of an Iranian artist imprisoned for working with female dancers and musicians, something which has been banned since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

After a three-minute trial, he was convicted and tortured during his sentence, but that wasn’t enough to break his indomitable spirit that inspired this jazzy composition, which orchestrally berates the indignity and senseless oppression; it carries the quintessence of the Iranian protesters throwing away their headscarves in a bid to retaliate against regimented oppression.

While Les Pauls don’t often take the lead in orchestral arrangements, on this wild and jazzy contemporary ride, the sonorous sustain lends itself effortlessly to the instrumental piece as Peter Xifaras demonstrates his prowess as a guitarist, composer, and producer.

Stream the official music video for While My Guitar Weeps for Mehdi Rajabian via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Michael Carson emanated ephemeral grace in his classical score, The Elusive Ballerina

Posted on 21 August 2023
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For his latest orchestral score and music video, the fan-revered and critically acclaimed composer Michael Carson captured the ephemeral grace of The Elusive Ballerina.

The evocative beauty of the masterpiece wouldn’t leave the score out of place in a performance of Swan Lake. With the pirouetting orchestral melodies which ebb and flow in mellifluous rhythm, your rhythmic pulses will be efficaciously awoken to the tune of Carson’s contemporary classical narrative that will capture your attention and flood catharsis into your senses.

On the basis of The Elusive Ballerina, and all of the pieces that have preceded it, it is only a matter of time before Carson’s name is one of the biggest in the classical realm.

Stream the music video for The Elusive Ballerina which premiered on August 12th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Michael Carson sang the sun’s sonnet in his orchestral score, Solaris

Posted on 11 August 2023

The revered classical composer Michael Carson frequently looks to interstellar phenomena for inspiration for his compositions. His seminal score, Solaris, which would be more than fitting as a sonic pairing to a Brian Cox documentary, is no exception.

After day breaks via the orchestral melodies in the intro, sinister sci-fi elements start to weave their way into the grandeur of the piece to allude to the insurmountable nature of the sun, which is often forgotten about as we see it synonymous with temperateness.

His score efficaciously captures the explosively ravening nature of the hot ball of hydrogen before the orchestral strings bring you back to earth by sonically visualising the beauty of a sunset. Solaris may leave you feeling small once you contemplate the vast nature of the universe, but that is far from the only emotion evoked by his masterful maestro touch.

Stream the official music video for Solaris on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Michael Carson sonically visualised ‘A Starry Night’ in his classical composition.

Posted on 29 July 2023

If you have ever wondered what Van Gogh’s A Starry Night would sound like reimagined in a classical composition, wonder no more by going interstellar with the immersively seminal score from the world-class composer, Michael Carson.

With its evocative depth, hitting play is akin to an astronautical adventure; the gentle melodic flurrying keys and gracefully poised orchestral strings effortlessly glide to the arrestive crescendos and fleeting sinister motifs that allow A Starry Night to unravel as a progressively compelling soundscape that soundtracks the vastness of the universe.

Clearly, Carson’s Bachelors & Masters in Music Composition and doctorate in Musical Arts have served him well, as has his inclination to stay committed to perpetuating the timeless appeal of classical music in his invigorating work.

Explore the cosmos with the official music video for A Starry Night on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cameron Owen diaphanously covered Les Miserables’ Bring Him Home

Posted on 8 May 2023

After Cameron Owen’s cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water left us insurmountably arrested, we couldn’t wait to feel our emotions swell with the orchestral crescendos in his latest single, Bring Him Home.

The compellingly diaphanous ballad is as graceful, delicate, and powerful as an angel’s wing for the way the theatrical pop cover of the Les Miserables prayer comes to life through the minor piano keys and his unfaltering vocal lines fusing as the ultimate aural redemption story for humanity.

Just as Les Miserables conveyed the resilience of the human spirit and its ability to endure heartbreak while still keeping courage, love and passion at our core, Cameron Owen’s reworking of the number will serve a poignant reminder of our innate inner capacity for beauty.

Bring Him Home was officially released on April 21; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The formidable queen of orchestral indie, Tabitha Booth, set a baroque score in her single, Silent Lucidity

Posted on 17 April 2023

Coming to you live from Cocoon Studios, Tabitha Booth set a baroque score in her evocatively artful cover of Queensrÿche’s hit 90s song, Silent Lucidity. The chamber strings carve through the indie artist’s neo-classic class, which effortlessly resonates through her Tori Amos-ESQUE vocal lines and the tension-fraught arrangements that stands as a testament to her ability to weave an intricate and picturesque narrative.

Amanda Palmer may be the ‘Girl Anachronism’, but Tabitha Booth established herself as the formidable queen of orchestral indie after unveiling the disquiet alchemy in Silent Lucidity. We are stoked to see her back on the airwaves after the reprieve that followed her 2020 single, Curiosity. Here’s to hoping that there’s plenty more poignantly pensive alchemy lingering in the pipeline.

The live recording of Silent Lucidity is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Emily Manuel is beautifully baroque in her indie chamber single, Live Forever

Posted on 17 February 2023

World-class singer-songwriter and composer Emily Manuel is beautifully baroque in her latest orchestral single, Live Forever. The chamber strings lend themselves effortlessly to the artfully timeless timbre of her silkily demure vocal lines as they explore the theme of perpetual legacy.

After Paul Simon revealed the power of lyricism to Manuel, the Denver-based artist orchestrated her distinctive indie chamber sonic signature, which carries the influence of classical scores, the deconstructed expression of jazz and a touch of Eastern flavour.

So far in her career, Manuel has spilt her sound into theatres, olive groves, and taverns. Her live performance highlight was sharing the stage with the icon Jamie Cullen. Although, evidently, he wouldn’t have been the only icon on stage that night.

Live Forever was officially released on February 3rd. Hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Fairweather Friend pained an illusion of entropy with the descending melodies in their dark cabaret score, Zoetrope

Posted on 11 December 2022

With their distinctive brand of despondent dark cabaret, the up-and-coming histrionically enthralling artist, The Fairweather Friend, left us arrested with their latest single, Zoetrope.

The bitter-sweet neo-classic crescendos bring a touch of archaic elegance to the single as the Westworld-Esque honkytonk piano keys diatonically hammer home the sinking sensations portrayed by the lyrics, which allude to the dizzying disposition of entropy. Zoetrope easily up there with one of the most resonant singles I’ve heard this year, beating Amanda Palmer’s cover of Surface Pressure by a cinematic mile.

We can’t wait to hear what else is in the pipeline from the criminally underrated artist and their inhibited compulsion to extend solidarity to anyone out there who knows just how much the touch of ennui stings.

Zoetrope was officially released on November 23rd. It is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lydia Li set an otherworldly score in her orchestral composition, Enchanted Forest

Posted on 19 July 2022

From the first note, you’re down the fantastical rabbit hole in Lydia Li’s composition, Enchanted Forest. The LA-based Chinese composer and orchestrator has crafted scores for just about every form of media. But standing alone, the sense of wonder and emotional celebration of imagined celestial ephemera contained in Enchanted Forest is enough to capture your imagination and aid escapism.

Before composing her instrumental orchestral piece, Enchanted Forest, Lydia Li performed and recorded music across the globe. She provided the soundtrack to the Chinese show Bafan Shenyu, which has garnered over 40 million views. Appropriately matched levels of success and talent are rare to find, but notably, Lydia Li’s heartbreakingly astute melodies could never be over-revered. She’s raised the bar right off this stratosphere.

Visit the Enchanted Forest by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast