"..a perfect punch of "Sunny Side Pop" with a side of cutesy/retro sounding Electro homages.."
Gardens & VillaElectro Drift PopGardens & Villa Bio:
Gardens & Villa channel all the taut pop precisions of 90s Britpop of bands like Blur (borrowed from the 60s anyhow), and send it through an 80s synth filter both undeniably coastal and modern. It's Spoon's Kill The Moonlight lost in a daydream, but with that same hungry energy. Gardens & Villa may simultaneously pull from Gary Numan, The Kinks and odder prog within one composition. And like a fine sweet tea, it's made just that right kind of sugary -- though even the most upbeat tunes have an undercurrent of the bittersweet and the lost at heart.
In 2010, Gardens & Villa traveled to Oregon to record their debut with visionary, vibemaster and labelmate Richard Swift. Together, they put some sand in the sheets of new wave ("Black Hills") and pop some translucent funk ("Orange Blossom"). There's also a level of effortless class maintained across the whole set. Each and every lush little gem explores the wonderful mystery between intuition and proficiency, between tension and repose.
Gardens & Villa are Chris Lynch, Adam Rasmussen, Levi Hayden, Shane McKillop and Dusty Ineman.
Hello, how are you?
I am well.. Scrambling to get ready for the next string of tours.. Back home in Santa Barbara, CA.. hanging with friends and trying to sleep a lot, while soaking up as much sun and positive vibes as I can. Also, working a bit to try and save up some pocket money.. We are leaving in less than two weeks.. we get back in mid August.. And it feels like we just got back.. Over all I feel strong and focused.. But my life has never been more chaotic.
What are you currently listening to?
I have been listening to a lot of stuff.. I recently was turned on to "Tinariwen".. Droney/desserty North African music that is really fun to bike to. I just got "Junip" the Jose Gonzalez side project.. Super fresh. ehh during the summer time I love listening to 70s/80s reggae.. "Black Uhuru" and lots of Lee Scratch Perry.. Also I've been digging on Curtis Mayfield and some more soulful summertime stuff from the 70s.. And I won't forget a bunch of bands that we played with on our last tour that I have really come to like.. "Candy Claws", "Hosannas", "Youth Lagoon.." Are my favs..
Is there a story behind the band name?
The name comes from our old house that 3 of us lived in for 5 years.. It was on Villa street, on the west side of Santa Barbara.. There was a certain point years ago where we decided to take our art and our lives more seriously.. We built a recording studio and tore our entire yard apart.. Build a gorgeous garden full of all kinds of veggies.. And it kind of changed our lives.. Three other houses on villa street started to tear their yards apart and pretty soon we had a little food exchange thingy going on with a lot of sharing and good times. The music was born during this experience and we decided to name the band after it.. Hence "gardens and villa." Its pretty literal I guess.
Out of the many projects out there was there one (maybe a few) in particular that influenced you guys the most?
To be honest.. There are too many to count.. So many older bands that we love and feel influenced by.. Everything from Prince and Tom Tom Club to Biggie and 2pac. But over all I think our sound has been influenced by the vision (and record collection) of Richard Swift, who is our dear friend and who produced our record.
How long have you been playing the flute?
I have been playing the flute for around 5 years. Love it.. I started on Native American flutes and then moved to Classical Indian flutes.. It may sound super hippy-dippy but I love to go up in the mountains of SB and play near the waterfalls. Its really funny how confused birds get when they hear a wooden flute melody and try to mimic it back..
I LOVE the song 'Orange Blossom' care to tell us the story behind it?
haha.. There is a story behind it but I think it is a special story between me and a certain woman.. It has to do with blooming orange trees and a winter heat wave.. I think you can hear most of it in the song. hehe
Is there a theme behind your debut full length?
The themes are very strong but subtle. We didn't go into it with any concrete themes but we realized later that our collective subconscious had brought all of these feelings into the music.. I guess some of major themes are 'childhood in the late 80s and early 90s..' Lost jobs and idleness.. Stoney nights and melancholy day dreams. A lot of earth and space too. Haha.. pretty broad I guess.
What movie would work best on mute while listening to your music?
"The Dark Chrystal".. or "The Last Starfighter.." or maybe E.T.
You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
WOW.. ehh.. Maybe.. This might sound cliche but I seriously never get sick of "Kind of Blue," Miles Savis.. Maybe a collection of Chopin's Nocturnes.. They always get me more than anything else..
Are you living your dream?
YEAS!!! Hellz yea.. I am tired as hell and sometimes I feel like I want to move away somewhere for a long time.. But I am most def. living my dream.. There is nothing I would rather do than make music all the time.. It is when I feel most comfortable and natural.
Thanx Christopher!
Gardens & Villa are currently touring the US, be sure to check out their live show if you can...
"..has a strong grasp on engineering acumen modern techno soundscapes.."
Natalie BeridzeEnlightenment By Form Of IndustryNatalie Beridze Bio:
Georgian musician Natalie Beridze aka TBA first came to monika through her contribution to Volume 1 of the popular 4 Women No Cry series. Now we are delighted to be working with this exciting young artist again especially as the CD marks the first release with our new distribution partner, Morr Music. Following a 5 track EP in summer we are proud to present Natalie Beridze’s stunning new full-length album, ForgetFulness.
While these are her first solo releases on monika, Tusia Beridze is certainly no newcomer. With output on labels such as Max Ernst, her ongoing collaboration with the Goslab collective and most recently a release on Laboratory Instinct, TBA’s sound is both rich in texture and depth of vision. From the industrial beats of What about things like bullets to the club friendly electro- ambience of The Face We Choose To Miss and the intricate electronica of This isn't right, this isn't even wrong, the cutting edge production gains warmth and a personal touch throughout from the presence of TBA’s voice. As well as Natalie’s phenomenal solo compositions Forgetfulness contains a collaboration with Academy Award winning Japanese muscian, composer and pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto, the meditative Blue Shadow. The album invokes harsh winter wastelands and a depth of emotion that is sadly lacking in much of the pop we hear. Two prime examples are In The White and Silently – which are nothing short of breathtaking. This fine album ends with the cryptically titled Half This Game Is Ninety Percent Mental an epic instrumental ambient odyssey. Natalie Beridze’s music is captivating and yet at the same time leaves enough room to let the listeners’ imagination run off in its own direction. Forgetfulness is a journey through serious electronic soundscapes but thanks to the contant presence of her sensitive lyrics and gentle vocal tones Beridze never looses that personal touch.
Hello, how are you?
:) Great, thanx
What are you currently listening to?
Kreidler "Tank"
At what age did you being writing music, who got you into electronica?
Around 22 - 23. i got signed when i was 23. Nika Machaidze (Nikakoi) and Gogi Dzozuashvili (Post Industrial Boys) were doing computer music back then. We collaborated sometimes. I sang for their tracks. Later I decided to give it a try myself. I liked and tried to do videos, to write, but somehow it wasn't enough. I felt blase about it. Music-making enchanted me from the first moment on. And I started producing rampantly. Had my first two albums ready in couple of months.:)
Why the "TBA" in your name?
Play of words and it has nothing to do with "to-be-announced"... "T"-s the first letter of my nick-name - Tusia. "B" - is the first letter of my last name - Beridze. And "A" ...hmm, I don't know. It's just a closure... TBA means lake in Georgian. When I got signed for the first time (Max.Ernst), it all went rapidly and we had to come up with an artist name. then, with the later albums I decided to put my real name next to TBA. I like it better this way...
What is theme as well as sound you were going for on "Forgetfulness"?
I don't have a concrete theme nor sound in any of my albums. It's more like a patchwork. There's no real sense of togetherness and cohesion to my albums. Each track speaks for itself. Sometimes I want to make a "one-whole" album, with a linear story-line and tracks merging into one-another, but then I get easily bored by this persistency and restraint and write a track that withdraws itself out of the concept of the album.
What is your favorite song off of "Forgetfulness"?
Song: "The Face We Choose To Miss". Track: "Half This Game Is 90% Mental".
I love the videos you've put out for this release, who does them and how did you come up with the concepts?
It's all made by Nika Machaidze. He has a great vision and imagination I completely confide in. So I don't intervene in this process. I just do what he tells me to do... I love those videos too...
If you could collaborate with any artist of your choosing whom would it be with?
I'd make an album with Prince, Sun Ra (impossible) and Raymond Scott..(impossible) :) Right now I'd write songs for real big stars, with big fat production, lot of money, try making hits, something I have never done before and maybe am not so good at...
You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Even a thought about it makes me apprehensive :) So I refuse to choose one. Anyway it'd never be a one-author album... it'd be a panicky mix tape...
Are you living your dream?
Almost! :)
Thanx Natalie & Brian!
Natalie Beridze is currently touring for her most recent release. I'm sure she probably has a few albums waiting to come out shortly after that (..I hope:)...
1. Purple IS the color of choice. Bitch.
2. If you marry a bipolar abusive musician, your marriage may have some ups and downs.
3. To appease Prince you must baptize yourself, specifically in lake Minnetonka.
4. Be a huge d!#k to your girlfriend and she'll buy you your dream guitar.
5. If you want to be a composer, you've got to dress like Beethoven. It will get you more women.
6. If your music isn't bringing in the crowd let Wendy and Lisa write the songs.
7. If you can't be Prince, be Morris. That guy can dress. Him AND his pimp army.
8. The password is Okay.
9. You don't need a name to be famous. Just call me the Kid.
10. Prince kicks ass motherf$$kers!
Evan Voytas - Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince Cover)
