Urban Trad Speak Universal Language by Marc Maes at Universal Music Belgium
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ARTISTS & MUSIC Urban Trad speak Universal language by Marc Maes at Universal Music Belgium. "In addition, Urban Meanwhile, other stations like the VRT's CHR sta- Trad built a strong reputation there as a live band tion Radio Donna have Sanomi on their playlists as a After finishing in second place at this year's [across the Benelux territories]." direct result of the band's performance in Riga. "We Eurovision Song Contest, just two points had the single in our playlists for a month; behind Turkey's winners, Sertab, eclec- it will now shift to our high rotation list," tic Belgian outfit Urban Trad have been comments Simonis Thomas, head of music rewarded by seeing their latest album at full -service station Bruxelles Capitale released by Universal in all the territo- in the wake of the result. ries that voted for them. Whereas One -O -Four was recorded and The runner-up tune-and the act's performed on stage with an impromptu latest singleSanomi is three minutes gathering of folk musicians, Barbieux of highly accessible "urban folk", and, specifically brought together nine musi- like all the cuts on their new album cians for the new album Kerua. "This Kerua (Universal Music), is sung in an album sounds more mature than the invented language. experimental first one," he says. "We've "We have a French Belgian, a Flemish added more acoustic guitars but also paid and a Spanish singer," explains the attention to the danceability of the tracks." group's composer/flautist Yves Barbieux. "The album shows the band's 'urban' "I decided to have them sing with imagi- side and the trad' side," comments Radio nary words, just to hear how it would 2's Heymans, "and the more trad the sound. And there it was, the common songs are, the better they fit our playlist. thread running through the album." Apart from the single, we have opted for UrbanTradwerefoundedby melodicsongslikeBerimDance, Barbieux in 2001, initially as a studio -only project. The original mix was also received well by radio. Quimper-Moscou and Leina Street. They fit very well The idea was to have some of Belgium's finest folkSanomi was picked by south Belgium public broad-on a family -oriented station like Radio 2." musicians perform his compositions, which mix folk caster RTBF, while north Belgium public broadcaster In the wake of the Eurovision Song Contest success, and modern music and which were moulded into VRT's full -service outlet Radio 2 has been anotherUniversal is seeking major international exploitation. accessible arrangements. supporter. "The band fits a broad format station "The countries that gave a top -three ranking to the The result was captured on One -O -Four, thelike ours," says Jan Heymans, head of music atsong [Spain, France, Poland, Ireland, Holland, band's debut album, also on Universal. "The album Radio 2. "We played Vodka -Time over 250 times. Ukraine and Latvia] are our main markets to release was released in Belgium and Holland and did mod- Urban Trad are generally considered as a reliable both the single and the album," confirms Van Roy. In estly well considering the genre, for a first album," supplier of accessible tunes, although not necessarilyHolland, the single was released June 2, while says Bert Van Roy, product manager, local repertoire number one hits." Sweden is currently setting up a promotion plan. Flaming Sideburn's slow burn A new single, DANCE GROOVES Since TheBe- ginning, is due out by Gary Smith effortless simplicity and the quiet June 16. intensity of the delivery. In their home MONSTER TECHNO country the band T. Raumschmiere is very much RUSSIAN WINNERS made an instant part of the new techno generation. The winner of the RFI Electro impression when As his debut NovaMute single, prize for 2003 is Russian group their first album Monster TruckDriver,clearly Alexandroid. The winning group, went straight into shows, Raumschmiere is not afraid chosen unanimously by a jury the Finnish top 20 to add whatever takes his fancy to headed by DJ/Producer Laurent with virtually no a song. In this case the groove is Gamier, will receive a cash prize as by Jonathan Mander mainstream radio play. full of glam rock verve, while the well as support from RFI and "It's a band that doesn't need radio," sounds are bold and aggressive its partners around the world. The Finnishrock band The Flamingsays Pekka Laine, executive producer with an added experimental edge. group will be playing in Moscow on Sideburns, who have built their reputa- of popular music programmesat That Raumschmiere is then able to July 9 in Club B2, in St Petersburg tion on touring and on albums rather Finland's public broadcaster YLE. "The turn this eclectic stew into a light- on July 12 in the Youth Theatre than hit singles-and who are creditedFlaming Sideburns were a mature hearted,saxophone -ledunder- and in Paris as part of the Rendez- with having influenced The Hives and band with a healthy career by the time ground pop tune is, to say the least, vous Electroniques in September. The Soundtrack Of Our Lives-may radio had to take note of them." brilliantly mercenary. not have enjoyed the success of those Some of the early live opportunities LONDON ELEKTRICITY SPARKLE bands, but their time may have come. came through joint tours with Swedish HOTTER AND COLDER Jazz -inspired London Elektricity Recenty returned from a Europeanbands The Soundtrack Of Our Lives Three years after Playgroup's sem- have always been slightly apart tour, the Flaming Sideburns-who play (TSOOL) and Hellacopters, who start- inal Make ItHappen, Trevor from the mainstream of drum & raunchy, bluesy, garage rock-have ed out around the same time in the Jackson's Output Records remains bass. Their latest album, Billion played hundreds of gigs in Europe and early '90s, and who undoubtedly influ- a model of consistency. Latest Dollar Gravy (Hospital Records), the US since they started touring well enced each other. The bands have been release Again by Colder is an follows in that tradition, with some before their debut album Hallelujah close ever since-in some interviews album of immense charm, filled drop -deadbrillianttunes. The Rock'n'Rollah was released in 2001. TSOOL's Ebbot Lundgren has nomi- with wistful, dreamy pop songs opener kicks off with an army of Their second set, Sky Pilots, wasnated The Flaming Sideburns his delivered in a fetchingly naive plucked violins and indeed, most of released March 23 in Finland on favourite band. style. The vocals are reminiscent of the tracks here feature sophisticat- (Universal -owned) Spinefarm's new On Sky Pilots the Finns move into a Michael Karoli's half -spoken deliv- edarrangements/orchestrations imprint, Ranch, and reached number similar direction as Hellacopters with a ery on classic Can albums such as with lashings of grand piano and six in the Finnish album charts. looser sound, and only songs like Heavy Soon Over Babaluma, while the glockenspiel, supported by posi- Last month, the album was also Tiger and Off Direction resemble the music borrows from dub and '80s tively incendiary rhythms. Fast released by Universarslabelsingarage rock the Scandinavian act is electronica. The result is alterna- Soul Music is a breakneck drive Scandinavia and Germany, and by Jet known for. tive pop that is fresh, full of subtle through the heart of soul music Set in the US. In the UK, at presstime "It's like a classic rock album made hooks and some surprising twists. whileTheGreatDrum+Bass Universal had yet to make a decision with punk energy," YLE's Laine notes. At its best, on tracks like opener Swindle, which features a sample on whether to release the album, with "Sky Pilots is more relaxed and more Crazy Love. and the mellifluous of Ennio Morricone's No One Can the agreement that if they decidepsychedelic than what they've done Shiny Star, Closer's music is sub- and vocals by Liane Carroll, is a against it, The Flaming Sideburns can before. It shows they can evolve, and lime in the extreme thanks to an potential summer terrace classic. offer Sky Pilots to other labels. move in any direction from here." MUSIC &MEDIA ED JUNE 21, 2003.