England-based by way of Paris and Cameroon, singer-songwriter Tiki Black announced the imminent release of her new album in 8 years. Tiki Black has been praised for her “impressive music” (FabOn, Japan), “warm, embracing and timeless” sound (Spiral Earth, England), and “gorgeous… truly memorable” songs (The Akademia, USA, Nov 2013 Music Awards).
The highly anticipated sophomore album has been teased with the release of its previews and the performance of a number of its titles in the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany. The final date of release is now official as Tiki Black announced the digital release for the 7th of December 2021 followed in January by a physical release.
The artist took her time with this release, “I need the time to experience, feel, understand and translate”, Tiki reveals. “I won’t rush life for the sake of a song. I won’t create a piece that I’m unhappy having to hear or perform for the rest of my life.” This might be the secret in the depth of her writing, the haunting of her melodies and the praise she has been receiving for her recordings, writing and her performances.
The album is recorded in the Grammy Award Winning Parr Street Studios in Liverpool where record producer Russell is resident. Russell Cottier has worked for Chart-Topping Artists and Labels, – such as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sony, Sky TV, Nuclear Blast Records, Tamoki Wambesi Dove, Cavern Records, and many more.
With no filler on her new album, Tiki Black presents different flavours of separation, cutting the umbilical cord or as she refers to it, cutting the feed to enable growth. While The Unscripted comes to terms with such an emancipation in an original and refreshing tone, Release Me deals with the internal struggle to part from our own whims to regain control of our lives. The Other Woman is pure Blues with the subtle touch of an operatic touch that explores and plays with the idea of the blame game. The title track, The Sound of the Broken Wand, plays a haunting melody aimed to break more than a spell but its very source, the wand that spellbinds us into its world of shortcuts and instant gratification that hold us back from natural and positive growth.
The album clearly has various influences, blended by Tiki Black, Russell Cottier and a host of talented session musicians in a way that allows the singer-songwriter’s signature voice to breathe in power and gentleness over the whole waves and the theme to express itself freely and uninhibitedly.
The artist’s voice explores its spectrum of tones and releases its power and passion, especially in songs like The Other Woman, defying The Debt, Colour Me Blue and The Crowns Crumbs. The songstress never shies away from any of the scales on which the substance of her songs requires her vocals to slide.
The album stands almost in defiance of the five-year hardship that delayed its completion and release. But through COVID-19, voice loss, funding crisis, the music artisan made it to unleash a wonderfully crafted musical collection. The album is released on No Sugar Added (NOSE) records. It is available right now on pre-order on Bandcamp. The digital version will be available on the 7th of December 2021 at all major retailers and streaming services and the physical release will follow on the 11th January of 2022.
The album is available now on Tiki Black’s website at https://tikiblack.com for listening and pre-order!
Days in the Dark is the first single from Manchester local Theo Urdoise aka Teddy. The young British musician told us how he wrote the lyrics himself in the space of about 2 weeks. “I wanted to make my first release a song that best represented me as a person / artist”.
The UK’s leading Urban entertainment brand GRM Daily agrees. The home of literally Grime and Rap Music features Teddy’s related video for Days in the Dark on their Youtube channel. This gives the rapper his first exposure to a wider audience. Last time we checked, the video had over 20,000 views and 1000 likes already in less than 3 months.
When asked about who did what on the rap release, Teddy says: “My friend Kamil Ademola (A producer) created that beat specifically for the song.” Originally the song was recorded over a different instrumental, but the team did not feel it fitted the song so they switched it. The song is indeed better for it. Teddy continues: “Kamil’s friend, Sam, contributed to the melodies. But apart from that it was all Kamil”. So Kamil Ademola was instrumental to the production of Teddy’s song. What about the post-production then? “Another friend of mine, Edouard Hardy mixed and mastered the song and added a few post-mix effects”.
1inmusic enjoyed the video, simple and unencumbered, allowing the focus on the message. We also very much appreciated getting the song itself from Teddy. With the sound directly on the ears, you can catch lines in the hip-hop track such as “As long as my mum does smile, it’s worth it”. And yes, Days in the Dark has that rap cliché atmosphere in and between the lines of explicit lexicon and feats of expressed anger. However, beyond that, there are truly many moments of candidly yet powerfully soul outpouring, that betray the softer, more genuine and more unique side of a man who rightfully calls himself Teddy. We are looking forward to more goodness from the music artist. In the meantime, you can check out the single (explicit) on Spotify (below) and on Youtube (above).
Recorded at Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, in Germany Bavaria – in the concert hall Reitstadel, this recital reveals the multifaceted artistry of Ioana Ilie at its most heart-warming. The Beethoven Sonata is irresistibly exuberant in its opening, as well as it’s Scherzo and light-footed finale, Ilie brings poetry to the fragmentary cross-handed phrases.
A sense of delight permeates her performance of the Chopin Ballade; she digs into the scrunchy textures and lets the composer’s harmonies fizz and gleam throughout this rhythm-driven yet never hurried interpretation.
‘’The Clouds’’ amazing compositions of Ilie’s -bring us tears and makes us dreaming. Beautifully performed, wonderful harmonies and excellent sound. Ilie’s technique and talent are more than obvious. She plays wonderfully, allowing her music fluidity and space; Ilie proves a match for technique and spirit.
Her performance is cool and pure, the Ballade refulgent with drama. Sound quality is very good, sound engineer was the amazing Markus Heiland, from Tritonus.de, which makes the recital sound excellent! It’s a concert to treasure, full of Ilie’s unquenchable spirit. An excellent album to buy and listen!
About Ioana Ilie
Described as a “master of improvisation” by the Badische Zeitung (Baden Newspaper), Ioana Ilie mesmerises every audience with her incredible talent in classical improvisation. She has performed in Europe, the United States as well as Asia, has spent one year in England thanks to the “C. Silvestri Scholarship” she won in 2005 and was awarded another 3-year scholarship by the Notenstein La Roche Private Bank in 2014.
The young Romanian is not just a tireless improviser, but also a very in demand composer: the world premiere of her Legend for String Quintet was premiered by the internationally renowned „Phoenix“ Ensemble and their conductor, Jürg Henneberger in Switzerland and she has performed most of her own piano works throughout Germany, Switzerland, Romania, Great Britain and the United States. Her latest work for piano solo Pisces has been published in 2017 by the CCC Music Company in Colorado Springs, United States of America.
Ioana Ilie has taught keyboard improvisation at the Music Academy Trossingen between 2011-2015 and since 2015 she has been teaching at the Basel Music Academy. Apart from her regular international collaborations with numerous conductors and orchestras, Ioana dedicates herself with a lot of enthusiasm to the repertoire of Lied and chamber music.
I Write The Songs #128 Jo Bywater (website, review, interview) / Sting songwriters of the week
I’m not a man of too many faces The mask I wear is one But those who speak know nothing And find out to their cost Like those who curse their luck in too many places And those who fear are lost
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (Sting)
I Write The Songs #128 Jo Bywater / Sting – 1st part
Carla Bruni, Lady weeping at the crossroads, 3.36, W.H. Auden/Carla Bruni, No Promises, 2007, France/Italy
Dark Green Tree, Skin and Bone, 3.48, Secret Lives, 2014, produced by Boo Hewerdine
Fiona Apple, Every single night, 3.20, The Idler Wheel…, 2008
“Like Willie King, I think the blues is powerful healing music – it tells our stories and helps bring people together in our common humanity.” Debbie Bond
Debbie Bond needs little introduction. Over the past four decades, she has brought her polished fretwork and subtle, sweet soulful vocal delivery to many recording projects, both of her own and working alongside blues greats like Willie King, Johnny Shines, Eddie Kirkland and so many of note in the Deep South, Alabama blues music world. In advance of her 2017 UK tour Debbie is releasing her new single, ‘WINDS OF CHANGE’.
With ‘WINDS OF CHANGE’ she steps out for the first time with a single release that is unashamedly political, powerful and touched by an inherent concern about the state of the planet. It speaks to the head-long rush to exploit the earth’s limited resources and the resulting detriment to the environment for the benefit of the few and reminds us that we could be living in a world that satisfies the global needs of all. It howls against the current direction and joins the many who advocate for the need to address climate change, the plight of the under-privileged, the dispossessed and the rise of an international refugee disaster that must surely touch everyone.
Co-written with partner Rick Asherson, ‘WINDS OF CHANGE’ was recorded in Tuscaloosa and mixed and mastered in the legendary Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It is a badass Blues with a soaring, searching scream of pure humanity at its core. Mascot/Provoge recording heavyweight Joe Louis Walker sums it up perfectly: “Cool song by Debbie Bond and her band. Debbie is a fresh and talented musician who does it all. I very much enjoy the subtly understated electric piano, guitar and vocals. It draws you in – and keeps you there! ”
Debbie Bond Biography
Singer, guitar player and songwriter Debbie Bond has been paying her dues in the Alabama backwoods for over 30 years. She has been deeply influenced by many years spent performing with older traditional Alabama Blues musicians. This experience permeates her guitar playing, soulful voice and original song writing, yet her sound is contemporary and original. She is a powerful Alabama blues ambassador and founded the non-profit Alabama Blues Project to help promote the state’s rich Blues heritage. Her musical partner, “Radiator” Rick, grew up in England, where he started playing the Blues as a young teenager. He is a multi-instrumentalist/vocalist serving up honky-tonk piano, smoking harmonica and fat keyboard bass. In 2001, he met the late, great Willie King and joined his band the Liberators. Rick and Debbie were introduced to each other by Willie, a meeting that has become a deep personal and professional relationship.
Debbie Bond – Winds of Change
WINDS OF CHANGE – LABEL: BLUES ROOT PRODUCTIONS ; DISTRIBUTION: CD BABY/Amazon/Ace Records
NON-PROFIT SUPPORT. Proceeds from this song will be donated to organizations furthering social or environmental justice. There are so many around the world who are working toward positive change and there is a short list of organizations that we know and like on the Debbie Bond website.
Blues Matters Writers’ Poll 2015 voted Debbie Bond and the TruDats second in their “Best Blues Around the Globe” international category and they are on the front cover and featured in the December 2015 issue. She was on the cover of the June 2016 issue of Blues in Britain. Her latest album release, ‘Enjoy the Ride’, has received international critical acclaim.
