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Daisy Chute, ‘Cradle Songs’, EP review

/ By Doug Phillips
Daisy Chute, ‘Cradle Songs’, EP review

Daisy Chute’s newest EP consists of three sonic fairytales, crafted with swelling strings, twinkling percussion and her bewitching vocals.  

Daisy has been an important and keen part of Jeeni by creating and uploading her incredible tracks to Jeeni's folk channel. She was also a key part of Jeeni's artist partnership programme alongside Arianna May. Check out Daisy's showcase here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/daisy-chute/

The opening track, ‘Cradle Song’ is a theatrical piece which expresses an implacable feeling of uneasiness. This tempting and crafty opener is intentionally overcompensated with syrupy amounts of serenity and reassurance as an attempt to calm and lull the listener, “Now, hush”.  

The near-sinister nature of this track is thanks to the dark guitar notes, rumbling bass and sultry vocals from Daisy that coaxes you further into something that you just might not be able to back out of.  Daisy’s voice here utilises the non-sensical melodies heard in the oldest of lullabies and folktales in a hypnotic repetition, which further pushes the feeling of being enticed and convinced. This track creeps along slowly and regularly, like a rocking cot and totally succeeds in lulling the listener to concede to a peaceful, warm state, despite its dark character. 

Contrary to its name, ‘Melancholy Air’ feels much more sincere and warm than the first track, due to the flittering strings, traditional folk percussion and uplifting plucked string instruments. The piece is medieval and traditional, but brought together and realised in a way that could only be done now. The atmosphere and space given to each instrument is reminiscent of the delicate and sparkly quality that Thomas Newman gives to his motion picture scores such as ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Finding Nemo’. This cinematic essence could be what inspired Daisy to include an instrumental version of the track, focused purely on the orchestral impact and story-telling. 

The final track, ‘Mary’s Song’ has all of the charm and sentiment of a typical dedicated piece. This is because the arrangement is formed around a specific person and the emotions that that person evokes. As a result, the piece is interwoven with feeling in each instrument and note. Daisy’s capabilities for writing sweet, gliding melodies are utterly enchanting and are showcased quintessentially throughout this dream-like project.

Check out Daisy Chute's Jeeni showcase here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/daisy-chute/

Follow Daisy on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisychuteofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisychuteofficial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/daisychute

How can Jeeni support artists like Daisy Chute?  

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. 

05
Jun

What can the music industry do to reduce its carbon footprint?

The carbon impact of all those gigs and gatherings is up for debate more now than ever, big acts such as ColdPlay and Massive Attack have cancelled gigs until they can measure the impact on the environment. But not all artists are in a financial position to cancel all their gigs and many artists rely on touring for an income. Let's be real most musicians and performers can not afford an environmental consciousness. Today on Radio 4 Tom Heap asks what the music industry can do to reduce its carbon footprint. Tom spoke to various different artists and also interviewed the founders of Music Declares Emergency - No Music On A Dead Planet https://www.musicdeclares.net/. The main three areas for discussion included the emissions for the band travelling, moving the equipment, the venue emissions and the impact of audiences travelling to and from the event. Having listened to the show I checked out Music Declares Emergency - No Music On A Dead Planet https://www.musicdeclares.net/ which advocates the following: We call on governments and media institutions to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency.We call on governments to act now to reverse biodiversity loss and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2030.We recognise that the emergency has arisen from global injustices and will work towards systemic change to protect life on Earth.We acknowledge the environmental impact of music industry practices and commit to taking urgent action. We have signed up and will follow Music Declares and are very interested in how our members can benefit, however the interview raised many contradictions and many of the suggestions for us were very weak and hypocritical. But it is very tough debate. We get that. To summaries the main suggestions in the interview with Tom included the following: Standard riders to not include plastic Not to allow single use plastics at events Always use renewable power sources when you can Event organizers to insist on recycling as a priority Working with responsible corporate partners Not to work with financial institutions that are not responsible Using LED lights to reduce energy use Put restrictions on touring, travelling and taking less equipment Use streaming media as an alternative to reach audiences Do not fly around the world to shoot gigs on environmental change Going on a bus rather than taking your own car Car share Put pressure on venues to be more environmentally friendly Getting rid of plastic CD cases Ecological packaging Environmental merchandise and use organic materials Higher train usage, go car free Ecological and renewable streaming and data storage Rent all the equipment at location and not travel with all the kit you need Do not produce and sell vinyls The largest omissions on carbon footprint is the audience travelling so a main argument from the artist is that they need to travel to the audience. Surely, the suggestions made in the interview is not enough and it will not deliver the outcomes to climate change that is needed, it is sycophantic and feeble for global change. In our view the recommendations and solutions suggested are not sustainable themselves. However, Music Declares Emergency have a great section on their website which is much more comprehensive and lists about actions for artists, songwriters, producers, a label, publisher, a venue, festival live music promoter, manager, agent and fan. So we are going to support them.

10
Mar

Artist Focus: DarkStarGraver – Rapper, Singer, Poet

While DarkStarGraver has a Zambian heritage, he lived in South Africa until he was two at which point, he bounced around the UK from Birmingham, to London, to Scotland and finally at ten years old, found where he identifies most, in Portsmouth. This is where Graver found his passion and drive as a rapper and has “been a Pompey lad ever since.”  With innovative wordplay and masterful creative insight, DarkStarGraver is making an exciting splash in the UK hiphop scene, particularly with last year’s ‘Burning Bridges’, a dark, and impressive debut EP that expertly showcases his range as a rapper, singer and producer. Criminally underrated and unexplored, it’s only a matter of time before DSG blows up.  Like all great artists, Graver grew up surrounded by iconic and memorable music. Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Sade all combined to create a powerful and soulful pool of inspirations for a young DarkStarGraver. Inspirations of the past collided with the then-current music landscape of garage and grime as the final push to convince him to start creating his own brand of the music that he loves.  Graver found a particular success with a cut from his Burning Bridges EP, ‘CodeRED’ which holds the key components of a modern hiphop hit; A hard-hitting, adaptive beat, a catchy sung chorus and pure skill on the mic. Graver's 'CodeRed' was last year, a long time on from his first ever beat, ‘Dark Stars’ which kicked off his journey and brand as an artist.  More than just a creative outlet, DarkStarGraver is inspired by artists like Tyler, The Creator and Kendrick for their tendencies towards lyrics deeper than just the surface. “Music is how I vent my most intimate thoughts and feelings, it’s therapeutic to me so I'm typically drawn to music that does the same”.  From Graver’s, ‘Nivana Over DIGITS’ video, it comes as no surprise that earlier this year, Graver was nominated for ‘Music Video of The Year’ by LMSUK’s Portsmouth Radar. DarkStarGraver’s vision is realised vibrantly and clearly in his visuals. Watch now on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/bcewhactsrxr/  Last year, Respect Magazine said, “DarkStarGraver is one of the most exciting new acts on the UK rap scene” and they couldn’t be more accurate. Graver’s mindset is fresh, focused and inspiring and we can’t wait to hear his next project.  Check out DarkStarGraver’s Jeeni page: https://jeeni.com/?s=DarkStarGraver  How can Jeeni support artists like DarkStarGraver?   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 

12
Mar

The Best Biopics & Musical Films for 2021

There's a huge array to look forward to from the film world and after the delays of 2020, the backlog is now ready to be released. Below, is a short list of the best biopics and musical films for 2021, a mix of mainstream and online, in order of their release date. Johnny Flynn as David Bowie in 'Stardust" Stardust OUT: Jan 15Not to be confused with the Neil Gaiman fantasy, this Stardust is a biopic focused on David Bowie in the year or so before (and leading up to) Ziggy Stardust. Johnny Flynn will play a 24-year-old Bowie, with Gabriel Range directing from Christopher Bell's screenplay. Marc Maron plays Bowie's beleaguered American publicist Ron Oberman. Bar scene from 'One Night in Miami' One Night In Miami... OUT: Jan 15A fictional account of a night in 1964, as four icons of sports, music, and activism gather to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history: Cassius Clay's defeat of heavy weight champion Sonny Liston. Eli Goree is the soon-to-be Muhammed Ali, with Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X, Leslie Odom Jr as Sam Cooke, and Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown. Soul co-director/co-writer Kemp Powers adapted the film from his own stage play, and it'll stream on Amazon Prime. Hugh Bonneville and Keeley Hawes in 'To Olivia' To Olivia OUT: Feb 19Biopic focused on the tempestuous marriage of Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl. An adaptation of Stephen Michael Shearer's biography of Neal, titled An Unquiet Life, it stars Keeley Hawes and Hugh Bonneville as the central couple, with support from Conleth Hill and, in his final screen performance, the late Geoffrey Palmer. John Hay is the director. Max Harwood plays teenager, Jamie New Everybody’s Talking About Jamie OUT: Feb 26Jonathan Butterell helms an adaptation of his hit Brit musical. The based-on-a-true-story stage show centres on a teenager in Northern England (Sheffield in the story, Newcastle in real life) who is determined to attend his year 11 prom in drag, to the disapproval of the school. Andra Day as Billie Holiday The United States v Billie Holiday OUT: March 12Biopic following legendary soul singer Billie Holiday (Andra Day) during a difficult period of her career. Holiday was targeted during the 1940s by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes), with whom she'd previously had a tumultuous affair. Partially based on Johann Hari's book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days Of The War On Drugs. The Beatles plying live, on top of Apple Corps in London The Beatles: Get Back sneak peek OUT: August 27Sticking with documentary following the success of They Shall Not Grow Old, Peter Jackson turns his attention to the final days of The Beatles. Get Back features never-before-seen footage of the band shot in 1969, with added material from their final live performance on top of the London Apple Corps offices. Ringo says it's a much truer portrait of the end of the Beatles than 1970's original Let It Be film. Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin in 'Respect' Respect OUT: October 8Another musical biopic, in this case following Aretha Franklin's life from her early days singing in her father's church choir to her latterday status as civil rights activist and iconic soul superstar: the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Franklin personally chose Jennifer Hudson to play her. The Jets and The Sharks in 'West Side Story' West Side Story OUT: December 10Steven Spielberg's first musical adapts Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein's classic stage show, itself an updated and relocated retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The feuding families become warring gangs the Jets and the Sharks. Can Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria's (Rachel Zegler) love cross that great divide? For detailed listing of all upcoming releases go to: https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies-2021/ For music, news, blogs, videos and playlists go to: http://www.jeeni.com