Herdwhite's journey toward the live stage has taken another huge step forward with the addition of two new members to the group. Two weeks ago guitarist Scott Swithenbank made his debut apperarence at a regular Herdwhite rehearsal and his stylre of playing certainly made an impression. A yorkshire man born and bread, Scott sources thrash and heavy metal as his main genre of influence but his keen interest in recording and Electronic/Rock crossovers led him to frontman Andy after they met half a year previous.
Newest additons come in the form of Dom Bertram-Smith and Martyn Clark; bass
duties are experty handled by Dom and with a great array of vintage and modern stomp-boxes at his disposal its not just bass but morphed bass FX and not only that but bass thats glued to a solid 'metronome like' rhythm.
Self confessed 'Electronic Tech-head' Martyn Clark has been drafted in to deliver synths, samples and FX using MIDI controllers, pads and keys and a laptop running Ableton Live. Martyn's experience in DJ'ing and triggering live sounds and keys lend well to his role as main sample head and atmospheric igniter.
Look out for exclusive Herdwhite dates posted on Vox in the coming months....!
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Finally, thanks to all who have listened and supported Herdwhite! Andy, Scott, Dom, Martyn & Zaka.
Scott Swithenbank joined Herdwhite last week after the group fell short of their main guitarist Dave Brookmyre. Through an unlikely daisy chain of friends and an already well developed interest in the group Scott was contacted and was welcomed after the first rehearsal. Scott is a yorkshire man born and bread, sporting Thrash and Heavy Metal as his main musical influences; his quick fingers have certainly added a new dimension to the project.
Herdwhite's second recruit is photographer, film maker and 'digital kid' Andrew Reid. A long standing friend of frontman Andy Pegram, Reid has expressed an interest in becoming the groups 'media man', handling everything from promotion shots to live set filming to web design.
Other News....
The group are currently in the studio working on a follow up track to the latest releases 'Bite Glass' and 'Self mutation'.
Making progress in the live project also, the group are working on a live set that will contain all 5 of the top tracks including the newest addition, yet to be named.
Watch this space....check www.herdwhite.co.uk for regular updates...
Until then...
Regards
Andy.P, Zaka, Scott, Andy.R
Herdwhite have been described as a modestly pioneering Electronic/Rock outfit who have, over the past 6 years, formed an indisputable signature sound containing mixtures of Electronica, Breaks and Rock.
The group consists of three members with a wide range of influences, musical tastes and geographical backgrounds. Frontman Andy, hailing from Manchester provides vocals and keyboard/production skills whilst percussionist Zaka, of german descent, has spent over 15 years in england and scotland. The newest memeber of the group Scott, is a yorkshire man sourcing thrash and heavy metal as his main genre of influence.
Currently four tracks sprearhead Herdwhite's immediate forray into Live music as they prepare a live campaign. The newest track is an up tempo, fierce rock/funk/electronic creation currently being moulded and fine-tuned at regular Herdwhite rehearsals. The 'veteran' track "All Out Aggression" celebrates a one year existence and is a regular feature in the up and coming set. The track is an agilmente 3 minute pathological brainstorm narrating of an aggressive mute, frustrated through lack of expression, plans have been drawn up to enhance the lyrical content of the track and develop the idea for the live environment. The follow up "Despair" inspired by the leads singers recurring nightmares talks of capture, torture and great escapes whilst the third, and more upbeat release from the Herdwhite Camp, the excitable "Bite Glass" is relentless chemical infused rock which introduces the notion of a feeling of 'Biting Glass'. The newest release from Herdwhite, Self Mutation, written well over two years ago is a song about personal change and putting the world to rights, cryptic but not frustrating lyrical content and a larger than life and 'more than epic' chorus all make for a more 'melodic indie' vibe.
Overall the group have combined to push the boundaries of the Electronica/Rock fusion into unknown territory. The group are currently in the studio writing new material and preparing for a live campaign. Herdwhite now intend to play live, have fun and champion the style they have so rapidly made their own, modestly of course.
....watch this space!
Finally, thanks to all who have listened and supported Herdwhite! Andy, Scott & Zaka.
The new single from Herdwhite has finally been released on Vox. Following on from the success of 'Despair' the track looks to delve further into an untapped Experimental Electronic Rock style....Enjoy!
The notion of biting glass, leaning toward massacism, puts you in an odd frame of mind when first entering the track, but immediatley this prepares you for hyperventialting guitars and oscillating strings. The track opens with malevalence, deliverence and assurance that "This will be the last time". Introductions, by way of a dissonant solo and shizophrenic panorama dont prepare you for beats that bite down hard, typhooning their way from ear to ear. Ripples of synths and effects enhances the overall paranoia of the track leaving you tasting the potent lyrics provided by the lead singer.
Overall 'Bite Glass' takes an edgy slant on the Experimental Electronic Rock style and looks to deliver in many different ways.
Review by Michael Miller
On reading the title of this track, one has a sense of foreboding. However, don’t be fooled. This track is not saturnine. “Pray tell, what is it then?” I hear you cry. Herdwhite’s recent single “Despair” is a sonnet of well crafted percussion rhythms, haunting Elm Street chimes and orbiting vocals. Lyrics speaking of the threat of imminent impetuous suicide then collide with synth concords predominantly in B Minor. Set to a walking andante pace one imagines the toils and loneliness of a character.
Indeed, the introduction includes a short telephone sample of a strange voiceless phone call, before hanging up. A male baritone opens up with a narration coupled with ticking guitars as if staring at a clock. After a short interlude and verse the sound of alarms ring. Vocals push higher. Instrumentation combines drums, guitars and synth pads. The middle section changes to 6th gear breaking the strophic form to A flat minor. While descending chromatically this indicates true musical thought. This is not a song full of effects and noises. There is chord progression and melody. Doubled vocals soar from chest to falsetto while traditional guitars meet modern loops.
The conclusion of Despair crescendo’s with a repeated chorus and distorted riffs. Alas, the few timing issues within the chugging guitars and mild incongruence with the peaking solo’s don’t take away from this beguiling track. The belligerent synth solo caps 5 minutes of contemplation and the sound scape is cinematic in feel going someway to portray frustration, fear and sorrow.
Herdwhite's newest addition looks to delve into into a deeper, darker corner of Herdwhite' signature sound. The Trip Hop feel of the track lends itself to a sinister story, using ambience and downtempo breaks as a hotbed on which to be narrated. Vocals are heartfelt and desperate; sat surounded by irrepressible drones, deep organs and raw angry distorted guitars...
Also Available....
Read Leeds Music Scenes review of "Lost In The Big City" & "All Out Aggression"
HERE
Herdwhite is back in the studio finalising the follow up to the 3 track demo uploaded onto VOX this month!
Also Available......
8/10
Words - David Brookmyre
I'm bombarded with a soundscape of guitars, synths, samples, beats, male/female vocals and industrious effects. Herdwhite's
skittish synths and robust beats juxtapose life with urbanity.Marking Herdwhite ditversity, "All Out Aggression" is an agilmente 3
minute pathological brainstorm narrating of an aggressive mute. Facing
the music, standing up and being counted, thats the concept. A Major
overdriving guitar then triangulates into the synthesised solo. A
crescendo is stagnantly interrupted by a sale percussion. A fierce
vocal stoically roars into the 16 bar instrumental of tremolos where
filtrations
bounce from ear to ear producing a shift in gear and poise.
The songs wouldn't be out of place as part of a film score and really push the boundaries of the Electronica/Rock style!
"Lost In The Big City" is Herdwhite's newest release since he returned
to the studio early 2007.
Lost In the Big City with its benevolent opening, chimes its way into
your spirit. The fastidious composition announces a far eastern credo.
A story of isolation and paranoia, the sweeping vocals, interchanging
between male and female overlapping a more
altogether accomplished and varied rhythmic backing track. There is an
authentic choice on eastern instruments and scales. Feeding the light
flavour is bird song, sprinkled over the appassionato filled piece. The
track Follows on in spirit from a signature sound Herdwhite has been
building over the years, continuing to experiment with glossy
electronica, world percussion, dark chamber vocals and rolling drums.
'Lost In The Big City' features a chorus that filters down and plunges
into deep, lush, pseudo stereo listening.......a seductive bassline
takes hold, driving the track forward supported by 5th synths and rich
siren vocals, bringing you breathlessly out the other side...
At times overpowering Herdwhite's
"Lost In The Big City", "All Out Aggression" and "Alma Puma" are academically proven
and produced to a professional standard. Rich vocals, creative music and sound
technology applied to insightful drum arrangements and adventurous sampling. Overall Herdwhite's music deserves more than one listen...
Well i have to say its great to join this amazing new blog that Columbia have set up. It seems like an evolutionary leap has happened and im one of the first to find out. Ever since the music industry began it seemed as though there was a whole world between unsigned artists and label A&R teams and now it feels like we can almost meet them and shake their hands! Posting our music and news to have an A&R exec listen and view your project, even post comments, is a dream for most musicians. Feedback is the key for me, if were going to change and adapt the music industry i think its essential that artists are given feedback on their music and projects. Although is is not always possible, this new demo submission blog is certainly a step in the right direction. No unsolicited Demo CD's? im all for it...
Finally...congratualtions to Columbia for taking quite a brave step here, by not accepting physical demos, and moving towards a revolutionary new media project in A&R management, they seem to be at the very forefront of the digital music industry!
Herdwhite producer Andrew Pegram hails from lush Cheshire/Derbyshire border in Northern UK. He began to formulate his softly energetic alter-persona in the late 90's, in the early years experimenting with samples, acoustic instruments, and organic synthesizers. Sitting comfortably among such artists as The Chemical Brothers, Royksopp and Orbital, Herdwhite is known for his glossy electronica and Big Beat undertones, recent successes, such as "Lost In The Big City" breach many exuberant musical forms, and the tracks unique character pulses with Herdwhites irrepressible sound.
July 2000 saw producer Andy.P’s first foray into album-hood, Flow Motion, was about as experimental as Electronica can be, and by his own standards fairly basic. However despite the restrictive nature of his early equipment each click and hiss that brackets the tracks only adds to its confident charm. It was already clear that Herdwhite was on to something.By the time Pegrams second offering in 2002, Save the Planet, was available for download he could begin to see his thus far haphazard project take shape 'At this point', says Pegram, 'and for the 3 years after things began to really blend in the studio. When Karma', (his nationally recognised signature track), 'was finally released it felt like Herdwhite had made it to where I wanted it to be and I could now seriously begin to do what I wanted with the music'. Karmas release on a Daily Star compilation had a distribution of 1.5 million nation-wide and using this as a stepping-stone he could rack up production of new singles, LPs and side projects and has now built up an impressive arsenal of tracks.
Currently Herdwhite is in the midst of releasing his professional studio Demo/LP. Developed with change in mind it has a grittier edge and a deeper, lusher electronic bed. The usual waves of anthemic synth and expertly composed beats remain and so far this latest amalgamation is forming what could be his third album. Tracks such as the fast paced Alma Puma and the satisfying multi layered fare ‘Lost In The Big City’ are helping to push the project further and higher. Up and coming offerings sound very promising. Watch this Space!!!!
All in all, Herdwhite just feels right in Electronica and Big Beat. Rapturous, relentless rhythms and an intelligent underlying ambience have morphed a once enthusiastic side project into a real and tangible thing. Herdwhites music deserves more than one listen…
"Thanks to all who have listened and supported Herdwhite" Andy.P
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funkcartel said:
Your music is not what I generally listen to herdwhite - yet I do really like the fact that your... read more
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herdwhite said:
Thanks for your comment...this is a mistake...the ambient / IDM tag was for a general one for some of the... read more
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funkcartel said:
i am confused - this has been tagged as ambient and intelligent dance music!!! read more
on Like You Are
Loved it! I would see you live if you played local here. read more
on Like You Are