Channel Focus – Rock

Jeeni Blog

Helping the next generation of talent to build a global fanbase

Channel Focus – Rock

Jeeni’s rock channel is one of our busiest and most prolific stops for our Jeeni artists. They populate the channel with countless different approaches and understandings of the rock genre. From Manchester-based guitarist, Julience keeping the classic era alive with epic guitar-focused ballads to New York’s rockstar veteran, Eden James who’s been releasing stellar rock-pop records since 2008.

Here’s a brief breakdown of some of Jeeni’s most viewed rock artists.

Giack Bazz: https://jeeni.com/showcase/giack-bazz/

Giack Bazz is an explosive, relentless multi-instrumentalist songwriter based in London. The artist started igniting stages with his painfully honest lyrics and his screaming telecaster in 2015. He has since released three solo albums that were critically acclaimed (Blowup magazine, Decade, Rumore). In 2020 he released the 366-song effort “Impression A.I.” which featured artwork by Damien Hirst and consisted of an “Audissey in sound” of over 6 hours of original, genre-bending music. The release is currently awaiting Guinness World Record authentication for “most songs on a digital album”. Now Giack has conjured and completed a new collection of songs of conventional length:

Inspired by Jeff Buckley, Paul McCartney, and Jamie T “Just a Little Bit More Famous” is a spiritual sequel to his 2017 sophomore album, “Giack Bazz Is Not Famous” and is set to release in late 2022.

In just five short years, Giack Bazz has crafted a spectrum of ideas and concepts with his discography that a lot artists don’t get around to in their lifetime. Although Giack has expanded his sound to stylistic corners that he even had to create himself, his sound has typically always been centred around alternative, experimental rock, inspired by the likes of David Bowie, Thom Yorke and Devendra Banhart.

A Year In Provence: https://jeeni.com/showcase/a-year-in-provence/

Brand new to Jeeni, A Year In Provence consists of five members: Matt Potter (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Adam Bacon (Bass), James Fermer (Backing Vocals/Guitar), Dan Wing (Lead Guitar) and Jack Smith (Drums). Originally all from Kent, United Kingdom. AYIP met in 2016 but after undergoing a few line-up changes, 2020 produced the current line-up. Influences for their music include the likes of; Catfish and the bottleman, The Black Keys, Two Door Cinema Club, Oasis, Kings Of Leon, Circa Waves and many more.

In March 2020, the whole world was hit by the covid-19 Pandemic but for AYIP, it was a blessing in disguise. They decided to get back together and start writing some new tunes. During this time, they decided to change the band from a 4 piece into a 5 piece by bringing on James Fermer which added a new texture that they never knew they needed. By the time that May, 2021 rolled around, they had finished 8 songs and were ready to go out gigging again with brand new music which finally happened in July 2021.

A Year In Provence have extensively gigged the Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas music scene. Their next aim is to start moving to the London and Brighton music scene. They also have a range of merchandise that will be available soon!

Julience: https://jeeni.com/showcase/julience/

Julience is a UK-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He draws inspiration from pop and rock music. His songs show his love for the 1960s until the early 2000s while updating traditional sounds to stay fresh and up-to-date. Julience’s songs have powerful hooks and harmonies. A heavy guitar sound is consistent throughout. Julience grew up in the Southern part of the Netherlands. He moved to Manchester to pursue music. He loves writing and playing music that combines prominent elements of guitar-driven pop and rock.

Rock music is very robust; time and time again, it has come so close to disappearing only to revive itself and evolve to fit better into modern music climates. The difference with Julience is that he refuses to dilute the music he loves to conform to fit anything other than himself. Even in the infancy of his discography, he’s gained recognition and respect for keeping an older form of rock alive in the present day. Julience has been featured on over 30 playlists on streaming platforms with titles like ‘Punk Goes Pop’, ‘Retro Now Rock’ and ‘Rock ‘n Roll isn’t Dead’. Jeeni is excited to be able to feature Julience’s fantastic throw-back tracks on our rock and guitar channels as they release.

Respite: https://jeeni.com/showcase/respite-band/

Alt-rock quintet hailing from Glasgow, Scotland. Respite blends elements of punk, post-hardcore and pop music, with lyrics and vocals heavily inspired by pop-punk and emo. Influenced by bands such as Don Broco, Mallory Knox and A Day To Remember, Respite deliver catchy and energetic earworms with a subtle depth.

Having supported acts such as Hawthorne Heights, Trophy Eyes and Like Pacific, the band are currently preparing the release of their debut EP, after the launch of their first single, “Chemical Sleep” which debuted 3rd of October.

Respite joined forces with Jeeni earlier this year and since then, Jeeni has been hard at work trying to elevate, uplift and support this fantastic group by providing an ethical worldwide platform for their hard-hitting and refreshing craft. Respite is: Andrew Vaughan & Euan Macqueen as guitarists, Ross Crawford on the bass, Reiss Mcleod on the drums and Sam Nicholson on the vocals.

Eden James: https://jeeni.com/showcase/edenjames/?view=videos

Eden James is an indie rock-pop recording artist, winning multiple music awards from his native home of Australia and achieving a number one hit in Greece. Classic Rock magazine UK recently reviewed his new album 'All the Good Blank Are Taken' saying “Oozes urban cool and Springsteen swagger… a concise collision of catchiness and class.”

The rock songwriter's latest album features Bruce Springsteen's and Paul Simon's band members, and was produced by the iconic Tim Leitner, known for his work with Billy Joel and Tina Turner. The new LP is Eden’s fourth studio album and was released on July 9th, 2021. The album has spawned twenty-six (26) global music and video awards in 2021 and peaked at position 24 on the iTunes Rock Albums Chart Australia.

Eden James' debut album ‘Never Setting Sun’ launched a chart-topping hit single and received critical acclaim. With the release of his second album he appeared on the Rockwave festival bill with The Killers, Placebo and Moby. Eden was the second top billing on the Vibe stage for the largest music festival in Greece. His international tours and performances in Japan, United Kingdom, France, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Poland, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA have resulted in an ever-growing fan base. His music can be streamed and downloaded on all major stores and platforms.

Check out Jeeni's rock channel here: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/rock/

If you'd like to contribute to Jeeni's rock channel, reach out to our marketing team at doug@jeeni.com or ella@jeeni.com

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09
Feb

Nnaomi - ‘Hate Me’ Single Review

Nnaomi evokes even more emotion and sentiment with her swirling, impactful and atmospheric new single, ‘Hate Me’. This new single from Nnaomi should certainly be praised for its daring and experimental nature. Currently, RnB and neo-soul are genres that are often at risk of being represented in incredibly dull and uninspired forms. Dragging structures, tired performances and bland instrumentation plagues the style, especially in the mainstream. Which is why a progressive, texturally interesting and innovative RnB single like ‘Hate Me’ is so important for that corner of contemporary music; it displays that even a genre that has travelled as far as RnB still has room to change, adapt and evolve. The track begins with a lo-fi aesthetic due to the old home video tape that crackles over the opening piano. This nostalgic tone is then instantly contexualised with the opening lyrics, “Reminiscing on old days.” I think this clear emotive intention and focus from Nnaomi powers this single and is the main reason why the alternative creative choices work so well. The filtering bass synth introduced near the middle is used as an early hint that these retrospective thoughts could be too much to deal with and are at risk of overwhelming her. This is then interrupted by Nnaomi trying to explain herself. The moment she sings “explain”, the intense bass is silenced, as is the emotional use of reverb and echo on her voice. This is a fantastic example of a production technique being repurposed as a narrative device. At just over 2 minutes long, this track still manages to progress so organically and timely; it takes its time to set the pace and tone of the story told in the lyrics. At the climax of the track, it feels like Nnaomi’s painful memories begin to swirl more unstably around her head as samples and synths begin to distort, warp and spin around the stereo space. These flittering pieces of audio eventually start to drown out Nnaomi’s voice which paints a tragic image of her thoughts and guilt becoming overpowering and too much to process. The production prowess needed to craft such a powerful, yet carefully crafted wall of noise is impressive and brave, considering that Nnaomi’s voice is so delicate and vulnerable on this track. The dissonant and wild synths heard towards the end are kept in a cage just big enough to have a volatile effect but small enough as to not overpower too much in the mix. The direction Nnaomi decided to go with this track is obviously genius however, the only way I could imagine it becoming more impactful is if the crescendo of noise grew even more and briefly took over completely before clearing out and finally letting her breathe. Nnaomi has now contributed two tracks to Jeeni’s RnB channel and we look forward to expanding the channel with similarly brilliant tracks in the future. Nnaomi has been a keen member of Jeeni’s mission for several months now. She sat down for an ‘Inside Story’ interview last summer at Victorious Festival in which she mentions her influences and favourite artists which ranges from Tyler, The Creator to Whitney Houston. Jeeni would love to flood our RnB channel with more acts just like Nnaomi, so reach out to us on social media if you'd like to contribute your work to Jeeni's library of talent: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeenimusic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeenimusic Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeenimusic Check out Nnaomi's showcase on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/showcase/nnaomi/ How can Jeeni support artists like Nnaomi? JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make. • We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way. • We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. • Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.

18
Mar

The Hardships of Getting a Job in the Music Industry

When an area of employment is as culturally, historically and economically important as the music industry, it’s hardly going to be a walk in the park to insert oneself into it. Despite the giant range of positions and opportunities, a mountain of deciding factors and conditions stand in the way of graduates and the enticing notion of working in music. Many corners of employment have their difficulties, whether it’s overwhelming competition from like-minded hopefuls or a seemingly unfair demand for experience but the music industry seems to set up these hurdles at steeper heights than most. This is why companies like Jeeni can be an answered prayer for optimistic music graduates that are seeking experience in this confusing and challenging industry. Jeeni is always looking for fresh young talent to help its gears run smoothly and efficiently so that more support can be provided and offered to unrepresented artists, meaning that Jeeni holds out a helping hand to upcoming talents in the industry in more ways than one. Music is still a growing industry with a 7% increase in employment from 2017 to 2018 (UK Music, Music By Numbers 2019 report) which sounds like a great thing and it is, however this is also a rise in competition due to an unprecedented increase in revenue from the music industry, according to Goldman Sachs, “In May 2020, Goldman Sachs estimated the entire music industry's revenue (live, recorded, and publishing) to increase from $62 billion in 2017 to $131 billion in 2030, representing a 6% CAGR. The 2030 estimate was an increase on its original prediction of $104 billion, made in October 2016.” (Toptal.com, ‘The State of The Music Industry in 2020’) Business is booming for the music world which means everyone is looking for the best and they aren’t willing to take a chance on anyone without near-impossible standards of experience. However, music graduates can begin their climb to greatness with companies like Jeeni A testimonial from Jeeni’s Marketing Leader, music production graduate, Ella Venvell offers an insight in the uphill battle that finding a future in the music industry can prove to be, “I always knew finding a job within the music industry would be challenging but I didn’t know just how hard it was! Even though I have a musical background and have a degree in music production, that alone was not enough. As the music industry is quite niche, most companies ask for years of experience to prove your abilities and knowledge, however, nowhere is willing to give you the experience!” Jeeni Marketing intern, Annesa Sukul decided to begin building up her music industry experience with Jeeni and has been a total asset to the entire company in research, maintaining artist relationships and so much more. She was taken on at Jeeni amidst her studies and given a chance to contribute her skills and hard work to the team, ‘As a music business student, it is quite difficult to get into the music industry if you don’t know where to look. Often times when someone doesn’t have experience, the first thing would be to look for a work placement or an internship. However, most of these tend to also ask for previous experience and would leave one feeling lost as to where to gain this experience.” As an intern at Jeeni, Annesa still has a say in the type of tasks she carries out and is given roles that challenges her and puts her specified skills to the test. As well as simply giving interns experience on paper, we try to truly set them up for success in their future roles by giving them chances to propose new ideas and contribute to the company in a hands-on and proactive way, which is all useful inclusions to CVs and portfolios. Annesa also has access to a supportive team to help her with her time at Jeeni in any way she needs. As Jeeni still finds itself in an early stage of its journey, we’re in a position where we can provide much-needed experience for people like Ella and Annesa to prepare them for their future careers in music and put them to good use in furthering the reach and effectiveness of Jeeni’s mission.

23
Jun

Emiliyah and the MightyZ Allstars at The Queens Hotel Southsea

COMPETITION TIME WIN FREE ACCESS FOR A GROUP OF 6 The Queens Hotel Southsea Sunday 13th June 2021. Emiliyah and the MightyZ Allstars are a collective of talented musicians fronted by lead singer Emiliyah Witkiewicz. The band perform original new reggae music, while still staying faithful to reggae roots from the 1970s and early 1980s. Emilia ‘Emiliyah’ Witkiewicz from Warsaw is a true vocal phenomenon. Without doubt the most exciting new talent on the Reggae scene. Never formally trained, she started her musical journey with Jazz, Blues and Soul music before finally choosing reggae. Singing from her heart always, Emiliyah has already worked with and supported names like Janet Kay, Vivian Jones, Winston Reedy, Kenny Knots ,Starky Banton, Luciano to name but a few. Joined with immensely talented musicians – ‘the Mighty Z All-stars’. Consisting of Stuart ‘MightyZ’ Inglis on bass, Bri Cotter on guitar, J Sealy on Drums and Cajon, James ‘The Jazz Priest’ Richardson on keyboards and Clinton ‘Rock’ Jones on lead guitar. Emiliyah and the MightyZ Allstars will be performing at the Summer Garden Party hosted at The Queens Hotel Southsea along with The Majestic, Sunday 13th June 2021. How to win: All you have to do is like and share this blog post and we will enter you into the draw to be announced Saturday Night 12 June 2021 at 8pm. Full Details of event can be found at: https://book.events/queensgardenparty/2021-06-13/30015 #funky #upbeat #uplifting # emiliyahandthemightyzallstars #blogs #reggaemusic #band #livemusic #jamacianmusic #guitar

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