News – Tagged "BBC"– Innovative Leisure

Maria Chiara Argirò x Closer

"Such a forceful collection of parts woven together that you kind of feel like you can just float on it" NPR

“[Closer] wraps existential concerns of inner peace and connecting with one's surroundings inside of a tense, gentle ascendent ballad.” The FADER

“super chill and kinda takes you on this dreamy journey” BBC

Maria Chiara Argirò’s Closer is an album to get lost in. The rising electronic luminary and classically trained pianist presents a journey of self-exploration, and a manifestation of her profound connection with music. Rooted in an indescribable feeling that compelled her to create, the album transcends boundaries and tranverses the spectrum of electronic music with unparalleled depth and clarity. On the album, Maria says:

“It is about a feeling, a dreamlike feeling in motion, a feeling that we cannot describe, a dream I’m sort of walking through. Emotions/dreams/feelings that sometimes you can just imagine, a dreamlike world where we walk through to get to the core of ourselves a bit more, even if things are completely undefined and blurry. While working on the music there was this strong feeling - at times blurry and at times more defined - of getting, with every single note, closer and closer to the person I want to be. Free. Curious and consequently Aware, Connected and Closer to the people I love. There is so much noise in this world, I think being direct, gentle, light, open and connected is the key.”

Argirò has been a central figure in the UK electronic, jazz and classical worlds since she moved to London from Rome over a decade ago. A skilled pianist since childhood, she’s collaborated with everyone from These New Puritans to Jono McCleery to Jamie Leeming alongside output with Moonfish. Closer comes as the follow up to her stunning electronic jazz-fusion record Forest City, which received widespread critical acclaim across the globe and earned her fanship from Four Tet and Gilles Peterson, with the latter describing her music as “absolutely crazy good”.

The result of this journey, both sonic and personal, can be keenly felt on Closer. While it is definitely not a concept album, the record does mirror the path of inner self-exploration that Argirò has been on. Albeit moving in unpredictable ways, as it traverses the spectrum of electronic music spanning ambient to dance music, while also retaining light touches of jazz with a leaning towards experimental pop via Argirò’s more central and up-front vocals.

Closer sees its release alongside a new official video for album centerpiece “Time”. The live performance was filmed at The Cross London (King's Cross) and was directed by frequent collaborator Raoul Paulet.

Purchase / Stream Closer

Serebii x Really You

Inside is the debut solo album from Kiwi composer, producer, mixing engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Serebii. Having mostly worked on collaborative projects in the past, the record reflects his innate connection with music as a vehicle for communication and expression. For Serebii, Inside is an introspective body of work and an invitation for listeners to take a glimpse inside the artist’s musical prowess.

Written, recorded, and mixed himself in 2022, it was birthed between the artist’s
home studio in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and his travels in Germany. Serebii shares hypnotic first single ‘Really You,’ alongside a visualizer of the track. He has this to say on it: “I wanted to make something cheeky and mesmeric. From memory I was looking for a little drama, something I could sink my teeth into creatively, so I instigated a quarrel, I lost. I then locked myself in my room until I had a refrain that had substance. I guess 'Really You' is about my impulsive behaviour and journey with navigating integrity”

Serebii resides in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand,) and inspired by the Japanese concept of Komorebi 木漏れ日 which encapsulates sunlight leaking through trees, Serebii is a portmanteau that embodies the essence of serenity. For the artist the intention of this alias is to conjure up a feeling that represents the glistening light dancing in nature’s seasonal cycles through his musical offerings. In blending elements of meditative sounds, soul, folk, electronic and R&B.

Serebii generates a production that invites listeners to a soundscape where they have the freedom to shape what the mix reflects to them. By centring dance and the sensuous physicality of movement, the composer considers the role that sonic sound plays in creating an experience that belongs to the listener. Whereby they can get lost in a world of their creation. Primarily known for his unique and
creative production style, Serebii has worked alongside artists such as Leisure and Ayaluna.

He has played the festival and touring circuits in New Zealand including opening for Moonchild & Allen Stone. In 2021 and 2022 he released collaborations with long-time friend and co-producer Arjuna Oakes through LA-based record label Innovative Leisure (BADBADNOTGOOD, Allah-Las). Their 2021 release First Nights debuted at #5 on KCRW's top 30 Albums chart and has had extensive play on BBC6 and BBC1xtra.

By producing Inside, Serebii creates an oeuvre that intends to be a space holder for the experiences and moments listeners flow through. His provocation is for listeners to feel the expansiveness of the contours of their body as they move to the album’s chords, melodies, and tones, feeling into the power of their personal truth and connection to the sonic vibrations. Set for release on September 15th
via Innovative Leisure, Inside is a deeply personal debut packing an emotional punch.

Maria Chiara Argirò x Unreal

Maria Chiara Argirò is releasing a deluxe version of her acclaimed concept album Forest City, which includes brand new track "Unreal."

Something of a palette cleanser ahead of Maria's new album - which she is laying finishing touches to now - Unreal is a reworking of a track that found its way into Maria's live set whilst supporting Emma-Jean Thackray last year. It quickly became a crowd favourite and was recorded in the summer of 2022, beautifully merging hypnotic beats with swelling synths and a soaring brass section.

On the track, Maria offers: ‘This song is inspired by a tune I wrote a few years back. I explored the concept of real and unreal, blending and pushing both organic and electronic sounds. I wanted to create a steady rhythm blurred together with looped vocals and a synthy dreamlike soundscape.’

"Unreal" arrives alongside a mesmerising video, with AI generated visuals synchronising the timing and intensity of the noise in the animation to the rhythm and dynamics of the music using over 15,000 different images. Directed by Edoardo Ottone.

Forest City has graced Italian end of year polls, with radio support from BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, KCRW, KEXP, RAI 2, FiP, and has been featured in Vogue, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, The Fader and Pitchfork. With fans like Four-Tet, as well as album track Greenarp being featured on Netflix series Elite, Maria had an amazing 2022 and there is only more to come this year. She will be supporting Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith at Kings Place in April, and playing The Great Escape in May. Earlier this year, Forest City remixes dropped from Byron The Aquarius, Salami Rose Joe Louis and Terracassette.

Maria Chiara Argirò x Greenarp

“I think she’s gonna blow your mind” BBC’s Maryanne Hobbs

"a clubby departure for Argirò, trading in clever chord changes for a hypnotic beat & swelling synth pads." FADER

“In a month all your cool friends will talk about Maria Chiara Argirò” Rolling Stone (IT)

"The trained pianist sublimely fuses the jazz and electronic music worlds, creating sprawling compositions that marry her poetic lyrics, looped vocals, and intricate rhythms." FLOOD

“...a seemingly effortless blend of electronic elements with dance beats and a chocolate fudge swirl of jazz trumpet, this builder commands center stage. Play it loud for a weekend catharsis” KCRW

Multi-instrumentalist and trained pianist Maria Chiara Argirò has released her textural and emotional new single “Greenarp”. Her forthcoming album and Innovative Leisure debut, Forest City, sees its release on May 6th, 2022 and is Argirò’s first full venture into electronic production.

“‘Greenarp’ is about experiencing a beautiful natural scene and a reoccurring dream of being in nature,” she reveals. “The dream is blurred together with the reality of waking up with, almost, at the end of the song - not knowing what’s real. I wrote the instrumental part mainly on my organelle arpeggio synth as I wanted to create an abstract sound layered with detuned synths into the production, in order to create a blurred and uncertain dreamlike soundscape.”