ARTISTS & MUSIC Craig Armstrong scores with classical pop by Chris Barrett experience for Craig, after being in bands and doing numerous arrangements for other people, he was Having already won the American Film Institute just getting to the place he wanted to be," he says. Award for Composer of the Year, a Golden Globe "The new project is much more cohesive." and a BAFTA for his score to the film Moulin Armstrong's orchestra -led ambient soundcapes Rouge, 2002 is proving to be 42 -year -old Scottish are unquestionably beautiful; but his genre strad- composer Craig Armstrong's year. dling sound is difficult to position on radio. Ben A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Curwin, UK product manager at Virgin explains, Armstrong served his apprenticeship in Glasgow "The single falls between formats, but the reaction with local pop acts Texas, Hipsway and The Big has been really positive." One UK advocate is Dish. Following work with producer Nellee Hooper Colin Martin, head of music at BBC Radio 2 and he then signed to Melankolic, (AC/MOR): "Wake Up In New York is a beautifully the label owned by Massive Attack. Subsequent pop inspirational song which seems to ooze from the collaborations with , and Bjork, and speakers. While not a natural contender for Radio Armstrong's score for William Shakespeare's Romeo 2's playlist it will nevertheless pick up a few plays & Juliet soon cemented his reputation as a remark- in those special moments of radio bliss." able composer. But, outside the UK, European stations are With his second solo album As If To Nothing remaining reluctant, "Europe is a slog, but it's a released throughout Europe on April 15 via slog with any remotely leftfield music" says Melankolic/Virgin he has produced an evocative Picken. Matt Osborne, international product musical feast, combining his cinematic and pop manager at Virgin believes Armstrong's distinc- sensibilities to great effect. Explaining the title tive style could prove advantageous. "Craig's Armstrong says, "The intangible quality of music connection with the film world opens some is in many ways unlike a painting or a novel in a interesting avenues, so we are trying to be as material sense, as it exists in sound waves. I found innovative as possible in the way we market it a good way to define and describe the ethereal and promote the album." nature of music." Featuring an outstanding cast of Among these more imaginative approaches collaborating vocalists such as Bono and David to promotion are a show at the Theatre des McAlmont, the project's first single Wake Up In Champs Elysees in Paris this September, with New York (featuring former Lemonheads leader another UK date and a Brussels gig planned Evan Dando) follows on May 27. around the same time. Before this Armstrong Marc Picken, managing director of Melankolic gave an epic performance at London's Barbican and Massive Attack's manager, believes Armstrong's theatre in early April, which included the latest work is superior to his debut, 1998's The London Sinfonietta orchestra, a choir, and many Space Between Us. "The first album was a cathartic of the album's contributing vocalists. Rush back on the trail by Steve Adams a great appreciation for each other, DANCE GROOVES but more importantly for the oppor- It's no exaggeration to suggest thattunity to do something together by Gary Smith drops, a dramatic, string -laden intro Sweet Miracle, a track from the latest again. I think that put a lot of pres- and some deftscratching. The album by veteran Canadian prog rock- sure on us to make sure it was one YOUR CHOICE vocoder on the verse vocal provides ers Rush, could describe the emer- hell of a statement." French duo WR's It's Only Up Toa soft counterpoint to the singer's gence of the new long player itself. Positive initial reaction suggests You (Rhythmix/France) is a seduc-strident voice while the chorus has Vapor Trails (Atlantic/EastWest), the statement has been received and tive deep house track with elementselements of the Chic classic Dance represents a massive triumph overunderstood. Nikki Fabel, product of trance and a hint of rock around Dance Dance. A neat, well -arranged adversity for the band who have been manager at East West in London, the bass end. An excellent byedit should ensure radio play while in a self-imposed hiatus since 1997believes Vapor Trails is the band's Dan Ghenacia and David Duriezthe Club Mix, although still sporting following the tragedies that befell strongest album in years, and despite highlights the catchy, unorthodoxa full vocal, has enough extra thump drummer Neil Peart, whose wife and limitedpromotionalactivityin nature of Laurent Limeul's vocals. to interest club DJs. It also gives the daughter died within months of eachEurope-it was simultaneously in all The laidback/spacy nature of thesinger some room to let rip with a other. On the verge of splitting the territories on May 13-she expects it music and the groove make IOUTYtruly acrobatic improvisation. band,an upturnin to do well. a virtual cert for Ibiza's terrace Peart's life-he remar- With the band cur- scene. For the dancefloor, the per-DOUBLE WHAMMY ried two years ago- rently preparing for a cussion extravaganza that kicks inErika's Ditto (Time Records/Italy) is changed everything, North American tour, just after the halfway point of theon heavy rotation on Italian radio and the trio returned to Europeanmarketing Ghenacia/Duriez version is a piecewhile her earlier release, Relations, the studio in January efforts will concentrate of inspired tribal madness. is picking up significant airplay in 2001. largely on retail and the US. "She is going back to the US "I think we realised press advertising to get DANCE MUSIC at the end of May for promotional early on that we had to the word out. "This is The follow-up to Eric S' excellentwork and gigs," says Time Records throw the timetable out their 17th studio Blue Collar Workers Of America ispromotional manager Paolo Caputo. and let the record make itself on its album, so there are plenty of fans out the Chic -inspired Dance With Me"She is already a star in Chicago own schedule," says singer/bassistthere," she says. "And they've been (Playground/Sweden). A bright,thanks to WKIE, but now stations Geddy Lee. The schedule turned outwaiting a long time for something scratchy guitar sound and syrupyin Florida and New York have added to be a long one. Recording sessions new." strings accompany singer GayleRelations." "One of the results of lasted 14 months, with the band pro- DJ Darren 'Badger' Redick of who delivers an impassioned dia-that airplay and the live promotion- ducing themselves for the first time. satellite rock station Total Rock tribe about the liberating natureal work is that B96, the Urban/Top The result is a thunderbolt of energy (www.totalrock.com)agrees,but of dancing till you drop. The cho-40 Crossover station in Chicago, has that fuses the trio's trademark angu-argues the new material could gar- rus has elements of the Chic clas-got the single on medium rotation," lar kinetics with a refreshingly mod- nernewsupporterstoo."The sic Dance Dance Dance. adds Jurgen Korduletsch, president ern rock attitude. response we've had has been over- of US distributor Radikal Records. "I think the positive turn in Neil's whelmingly good, which is surprising LATIN BEAT "Thisissignificantas B96 is life was what re -energised us," says as most of [our listeners] are into El Bombero by Acapulco (Fragilewatched by other stations around Lee, "[and] the fact that we hadDeftones or Incubus," he says. "But Records) is an interesting distilla-the country. I have a good feeling realised that Rush might be over andit's brilliant and contemporary and it tion of the heavily percussive Latinabout the record's chances to at least there might not be another record. sits comfortably with Korn and Limp sound that comes back every sum-accomplish the success enjoyed by When we got back together there was Bizkit." mer. The track has classic BatacudaSarina Paris last year."

MUSIC & MEDIA ED MAY 25, 2002