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MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERE: ANOMIE BELLE
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A globe tripper who used formal education in percussion, audio engineering, and electronic programmi...A globe tripper who used formal education in percussion, audio engineering, and electronic programming to wrangle studio, radio, and producing gigs in exotic locales (New York, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Glasgow, Barcelona) to inform her eclectic sound, Seattlite Anomie Belle is an absolute wild card in the music scene. She's toured, collaborated, and most likely found herself utterly inspired by the likes of Tricky, Little Dragon, Azure Ray, Emily Wells, Mirah and Grieves/Budo (to name a few). Her haunting melodies, cinematic soundscapes (that's because she's a fairly accomplished film composer as well), and provocative lyrics are all nicely bundled on her album The Crush, though the video we're premiering for "Inky Drips" is pretty representative of her unique craft. Check it out below.
Read more: Music Video Premiere: Anomie Belle http://www.baeblemusic.com/musicblog/8-15-2011/Music-Video-Premiere--Anomie-Belle.html#ixzz1VyieMeSo
Live Music, Right Now
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MP3 Premiere: Anomie Belle's "Inky Drips"
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In advance of her sophomore album, electro-pop musician Toby Campbell — better known as Anomie Belle...In advance of her sophomore album, electro-pop musician Toby Campbell — better known as Anomie Belle — today issues a brand-new single, "Inky Drips." The four-track release includes the title track (which appears on the upcoming album) and two remixes, given a slightly worldly flavor by Atropolis and Damiak. It closes with a trip-hop rendition of "Ain't No Sunshine," the soulful Bill Withers classic.
Today we have all four tracks in their entirety. Whet your appetite now and check out Belle's next full-length, The Crush, which will be out September 13 and features guest spots by Mr. Lif and Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star).
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Spotlight: Anomie Belle Provocative in Message and Music
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When Toby Campbell was a little girl, her family predicted that she would become a professional musi...When Toby Campbell was a little girl, her family predicted that she would become a professional musician - and the young artist wasted little time fulfilling their prophecy. While simultaneously teaching herself how to play the piano, eight-year-old Campbell took violin lessons from a prestigious instructor who, Campbell notes with a laugh, "was 99-years-old and charged a dollar a minute." Before long she was performing with chamber orchestras, writing her own music and, eventually, opting out of her instructor's request that she enroll in half-time high school in order to practice violin more than six hours a day. Campbell then dropped the lessons, only to fill her extra time with more music-related activities. "Where most kids would just watch television or pay Nintendo, I played with my karaoke machine," Campbell says, although she rarely used it just to sing other people's music.
Give to her on her 10th birthday, this karaoke machine quickly became a vehicle for Campbell's early experimentation with music production. "The way it was set up, you had two tapes, so you could record to one and then record to another as many times as you wanted. It was how I started multi-track recording as a kid without knowing I was doing it, " she says. By 13, Campbell had already recorded an album in a studio belonging to a member of her father's barbershop quartet. Since then, Campbell has recorded more albums, added more instruments to her repertoire, and worked abroad in different musical communities through a two-year Thomas J. Watson fellowship. Returning stateside to Seattle, the multi-instrumentalist composer, producer and audio programmer threw herself head-long into her current experimental electronic project, Anomie Belle.
As Anomie Belle (a name suggesting "beautiful social unrest"), Campbell finds possibilities for creativity and social change in the art of participation, both on and offstage. Who will end up in the studio or on stage with Campbell varies greatly. In addition to, and often in lieu of, her usual cast of characters - two back-up vocalists, a saxophonist and a new drummer - Anomie Belle is likely to share the stage with anyone from an upcoming Seattle emcee to The Album Leaf to her own sister. Last year, Campbell performed at The Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans with gospel choirs from two different local churches. "Any creative endeavor doesn't happen in a vacuum," she says. "It happens within the context of a community of people who are all moving in a certain direction together. I enjoy the energy of other people when I'm playing music. I think that's why we make a point of collaborating with so many other people."
Off stage, Campbell volunteers at music-centric nonprofits like Girls Rock! and The Vera Project, an organization that uses an all-ages music venue and recording studio to promote youth civic engagement in Seattle. She recently scored a short documentary created for an international competition by a group of women from Reel Grrls, an all-female media and technology-training program. As an avid "culture jammer," Campbell meets with a multi-talented group of renegade artists to occasionally "subvert advertisements," have fun in creative ways, and generally "awaken people out of the stupor of their everyday routinized existence" using provocative public art.
In many ways the punk aspect of Campbell's culture jamming experience reappears in the tone of the debut Anomie Belle album, Sleeping Patterns, with lyrics that oscillate between critique and the voice of the everyday person. "If I'm going to bother to put something out there, I'm going to talk about stuff that matters," Campbell says. Her subjects range from love to issues of inequality, injustice and poverty. "John Q Public," for instance, criticizes the commercialization of resistance; meanwhile, "Amy Song" addresses the objectification of women.
Campbell hopes that her music will put listeners in a "really raw, honest, authentic place," but acknowledges that many will probably miss the important messages she has tucked into sweeping strings, layered synths, trip-hop percussion and gentle washes of harmonized vocals. "If people just enjoy that the music is beautiful or sexy and never really contemplate excessive American consumerism - that's okay too," Campbell says. It's a beautiful fist that this belle shakes at the public.
By Lulu McAllister
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Bumbershoot 2009 (Aging Seattle Native version) - Seattle Center (Seattle, WA; Sept. 07, 2009)
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I wasn’t going to do Bumbershoot this year. Initially I had planned to be out of town, and then I le...I wasn’t going to do Bumbershoot this year. Initially I had planned to be out of town, and then I let myself be influenced by the complaints of my friends and my own reluctance. I wasn’t too jazzed about the prospect of hanging out with a million (give or take) people in the hot sun/pouring rain all day long, or paying three times the ticket price than when I first began attending. And I wasn’t overly enthralled with the headlining talent they selected (though I do love Michael Franti and Spearhead). But then I ran into someone I went to college with who was performing, and a few weeks later I found myself in the short line to claim a photo pass.
Starting my day off at the fittingly titled NW stage, I eagerly awaited the set of Anomie Belle, the performing moniker of Toby Campbell (and friends.) I’d known Toby back in college as she was transitioning from more folky music into the indie rock, and she was a noted performer at our small college and local events. Jump forward 7(?!) years of working with musicians throughout the world, and Toby has now progressed into another genre altogether: producing, writing and performing luscious trip-hop sounds. Though clearly a centerpiece of her music, I hesitate to say that her gently soulful voice is the focal point; she uses violin, guitar, keys and her laptop to create a delicately layered sound. Deftly balancing these instruments Anomie Belle is joined live by several others, who fill out the sound with drums, additional keys, vocals, cello and even saxophone (Bryan Smith---he mentioned they’d been friends since childhood.) All of this combines for one pleasant, yet not too gentle mix of downbeat sounds. I can’t say enough how much I appreciate it when a musician knows how to use a variety of sources without beating them into the ground. Fortunately Anomie Belle is quite adept at knowing how to mix it up. She smartly draws from varying sources, using everything from a clip from a phone message in “Amy Song,” saxophone on “Dox Amsterdam,” and showcasing her classical violin skills on “John Q Public.”
On track with an hour-long set, Anomie Belle kept the banter to a minimum. She thanked everyone for joining them and expressed sympathy as the dark clouds that had been threatening all morning began to unleash a downpour a few songs into the set. Though this sent most listeners scrambling to put up their own bumbershoots or find refuge under the trees, I didn’t find that it affected my response to the music. Anomie Belle is equally suited for both a cozy day inside or cool relief from frantic heat. The rain also allowed Cambell to inject a bit of humor into the set, as she breathlessly joked that her (quite faithful) rendition of the Bill Withers’ classic “Ain’t No Sunshine” seemed appropriate. The group tackled another ambitious cover in Radiohead’s “Everything in its Right Place,” keeping the droning electronic beat but allowing Anomie Belle’s vocals to playfully draw out the minimal lyrics. Cambell seemed to employ a slight accent on the words “lemon” and “colors,” reminding me of Emiliana Torrini’s Love in the Time of Science or even Bjork’s breathy delivery. Beyond these two covers, Anomie Belle drew heavily from Bedtime Stories (released in 2008), although she mentioned after the set she was working on new material, including collaborations The Posies’ Jon Auer and the surprise guest artist for this show, Mr. Lif!
Anomie Belle was obviously excited to welcome a dread-less Mr. Lif to the stage to join her on the final track of the set, “Bedtime Stories.” Mr Lif’s calm demeanor and riffs about the struggles of everyday people fit in perfectly with the socially conscious themes of Anomie Belle. I certainly look forward to hearing further collaboration. (There is video footage from this here, but unfortunately you’ll have to turn the volume down as the bass blows out a bit)*
By: Nicole Kristek
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American Trip-hop Hope for HN
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(Translation) American triphopová hope for HN: Music ventilujem his sexuality (video + photo)
Dar...(Translation) American triphopová hope for HN: Music ventilujem his sexuality (video + photo)
Dark trip hop from America. Music somewhere on the border Trickyho or Portishead. The organizers have called it a secret gem of the festival. Multi-instrumentalist, record producer with a strong voice. Anomie Belle.
Autor: Matej Duman a Lucia Franková
Videohosting od WebSupport.sk
The elevator ascend štvorclenná gang musicians, among them slender woman with curly hair. I heartily potrasie right hand, calls to the locker room and is ready for the interview ... Aside from that, behind the scenes Colours of Ostrava is a decent noise. "Let us go forth," and is directed to declare schodom. "We will do interviews on the stairs," to laugh. Why not. Sit down and hudobnícka dídžejka and which fascinated and critically acclaimed producer and musician Trickyho, the rozrozpráva.
American rapper Ninjasonik missed the plane and you are at the festival played out two concerts in a row.
I have no problem with the team. I have yet nerobila While this, but why not.
It appears that you do not have a problem with several things:. Are you a programmer, singer, pianist, violinist, composer and gitaristka. We produce music, and you will also be nurtured as dídžejka. How are you doing all this?
I do not know (laugh). It's probably because the assembly has a fun and producing. And when I hear music, hear everything that is behind it: all instruments, tones and moods. Behold, therefore, easier to express what's in my head. I think it is ultimately practical.
With music, you started as an eight-year-old already.
Yes, because I am from a musician's family. Behold, therefore I started with the violin, and then with klavírom already at an early age. Has enjoyed it and so I was fully embarked on a study of music. But I found that has more expression to generate it, so from me to become a musician, not a professional violinist.
According to critics, and you do bumptious dark trip hop. She likened it to Portishead or Massive Attack. How did you come to this genre, which is the total closer Europe?
I have several reasons. And one of them is the fact that I am from the United States, and people are more conservative there. What, for instance, and sexuality is concerned, I will endeavor to give their music themes as alienation, consumerism, human spirituality and sexuality. Here, too, will try to ventilate through my music. Tu sexual energy. Trip-hop has a strong effect.
Source: YouTube
How do you mean?
Vie provoke reactions in the community. And, behold, therefore I try to collaborate with musicians, who feel like it.
Who has inspired you thus?
When I had a fifteen years old, I met one Swede, which I presented the mix of Björk and Trickyho - and it opened up my horizons. With this music I was in the U.S. had previously entertained. And, of course, has inspired the band Radiohead.
Couple of years ago you toured with the critically recognized Trickym. Total commencing nice success for a musician ...
It was amazing. I was on tour with many personalities and I have learned a lot. Go on tour with established artist's moves and learn from them, odkukávam. We talk about the music. Learning to play live, transform a living playing music. Since I was Trickyho learned a lot.
Why are you doing this?
How do you mean?
What do you tell by their music ...
You know, I feel that as an artist I have the opportunity to say anything. And it was stupid to squander it. I am critical, for example when it comes to power. I am critical of who it is and how it develops who.
Tu feel the criticism in your texts.
I think it is important.
You are not on the young?
I'm thirty and I think that what I say to the state of society, to feminism. Several told me that my music is introspective, but is also linked to other people, so shall it be.
You're from Seattle, U.S.. It's a good place for music?
Yes, even though my music is not as popular as in Europe, but he lives there.
What?
Hip Hope, for example, I am also collaborated with many artists and it was great. And the hip is always fun. For example, it is also a popular indie rock.
Behold, therefore, you will enjoy the European tour?
Certainly, I feel that the band, which I admit are better off here. That this music means more Europe. I think even the music links that will pass sooner. Has little in the U.S. frustrujú, I come from there, but I am glad that I am now in Europe.
Source: YouTube
Why did you choose the mystical name: Anomie Belle?
I studied sociology and Anomie is a French expression that says a strategy of faith in the possibility of the company, it's something I want to speak in his music. And Belle is a kind of attractive beauty, that is something of a beautiful alienation. Because we've stolen many things:.
Where do you want to be about 10 years?
Stumper.
I do not want to ask your dreams, just want to know where you would not like music with your follow through.
We want to live more overexcited, a little more in harmony with the experience itself with them. I want to understand more, that certain things do not affect the world and I wanted to be more associated with men. I hope that this will all my music reflects. And such is my dream to record an album with the orchestra. A composed music for film, it has fun.
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Anomie Belle
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Posted by Julie Grebenau on September 3rd, 2010
Last Wednesday, Anomie Belle brought their sophis...Posted by Julie Grebenau on September 3rd, 2010
Last Wednesday, Anomie Belle brought their sophisticated trip-hop to The Triple Door and turned the venue into a swanky European-style club, which was non-representative of the rare, low ticket price of $12. Toby Campbell walked out in a red and maroon jacket that drew eyes to her right away (a friend had made it, as well as the stylin’ belt she wore). Starting the show with her flawless violin work, the whole band soon followed with their mix of sexy synth and enveloping strings (with Dana Fader’s Cello and Lauren Work’s violin to flesh out the looping Campbell did with her own violin). Keith Cushner’s bass and synth added a deep and necessary component to the mostly high-pitched sound. As he played, Cushner would do the ‘I’m-really-into-this’ dance that pulled the audience in even deeper. Drummer Chris Icasiano was actually playing his first live shows with Anomie Belle, but no one had any inkling until Campbell announced it. His drumming was varied and unique — perfect for Anomie Belle’s synth trip-hop.
Campbell sang like a child-like creature with a deep devilish streak, shaping her voice like artists Cocorosie and Joanna Newsom do in their freak-folk music. With the textures she and her band created with synth and strings, her sound felt eerily similar to Zero 7.
When Campbell wasn’t busy playing synth, keys, or violin, she would hold her hands up and move her fingers around, almost like she was signing everything she sang. Her entire body was involved in the performance. Her eyes would regularly go into an intense stare, like she was fully in the music and wanted to bring it out into the room for all to see. A kind and down-to-earth woman in person, seeing Campbell perform was like seeing a whole new side of her open up and show the rawness and intensity she has inside.
The audience reacted extremely well throughout the set. While at most Seattle shows, you can expect the audience to just stand there and clap politely between songs, the audience on this evening was loud and vocal. It was as if Anomie Belle had come back from a world tour to their supportive fans they’d grown up with for years (and Campbell herself has only lived in Seattle for four). Anomie Belle got whistles and professions of love after their set as if they were Seattle’s latest darlings.
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Video: ANOMIE BELLE – Inky Drips
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Seattle’s Anomie Belle just released a new video for Inky Drips – the song will be included on her u...Seattle’s Anomie Belle just released a new video for Inky Drips – the song will be included on her upcoming album The Crush. Check out the clip below and let’s just say you’re in for a visual treat….we dare you not to try and bob your head to this one.
The singer who has shared the stage with the likes of Tricky, Azure Ray, Kimya Dawson, and Efterklang among others, will release her new LP on September 13th and we can’t wait to hear it. For more on Anomie Belle, go and visit her website.
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Anomie Belle Premieres Stunning Video for "Inky Drips"
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“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb. The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain...“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb. The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream,” states Anomie Belle.
The sultry singer-songwriter Anomie Belle has just released her newest video for the track “Inky Drips,” the first single off her upcoming album, The Crush. Lively and colored in with tattoo ink running down the backs of attractive bodies, the steamy and seductive video will surely be making it’s way onto many playlists soon. Anomie looks stunning as she sings the sultry tune hiding behind the bare skin of the sleek flesh in front of her. Just premiering on Baeble yesterday afternoon, the buzz is already out.
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Anomie Belle: How Can I Be Sure
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Anomie Belle is a musical mastermind, creating layered, ethereal music completely on her own. The be...Anomie Belle is a musical mastermind, creating layered, ethereal music completely on her own. The beauty is in the layering of electronic and acoustic instruments, weaving an engrossing musical tapestry. How Can I Be Sure is a four-song EP by the Seattle-based multi-instrumentalist. Belle is in complete control of her music, handling all the performing as well as the recording and engineering. Her Renaissance woman take is so refreshing in this day and age of auto-tuned singers dominating the music charts.
Ethereal like Loreena McKennitt but with driving electronic grooves, one also hears nods to Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson in the fascinating musical web she weaves. The EP features two versions of the title track: the beautiful layered and driving studio version and then a live version of the song performed on a Seattle radio station. The live version is a surprising performance, as with just the addition of a drummer, Belle is able to bring much of the musical wall of sound from the studio version to the live performance. One nice contrast with the live version is the ability to really hear what an amazing voice Belle has. Though it is very present in the studio recordings, the massive layering of her music uses her voice as just one element of many in her songs. In the live presentation, that voice really steps into the forefront.
Belle pays homage to the obvious influence of Radiohead with a cover of “Everything in its Right Place.” She stays very true to the original yet takes liberties with her own soundscapes in the musical breaks of the song.
The final cut “Cascade” is the most electronic and percussive of the EP. The driving composition strictly uses vocals as sound with no lyrics needed. The song is a feat of layering and mood setting.
How Can I Be Sure is a showcase of Anomie Belle’s versatility and amazing musical multi-tasking. It wets the appetite for a long-form album, which hopefully will be forthcoming soon from this artist.
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CMJ Spotlight: Anomie Belle
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Aug 28, 2009
Story by: Emily Parliman
Some people come out of the womb knowing their path in lif...Aug 28, 2009
Story by: Emily Parliman
Some people come out of the womb knowing their path in life, and Anomie Belle's Toby Campbell is one such woman. At the age of nine, her parents gave her a karaoke machine, and rather than use it to sing along to Madonna songs, Campbell used the player to track multi-layered compositions. She even played all the instruments on the fledgling tracks - from piano to violin to vocals and guitar. In her late teens, Campbell began taking audio engineering and drum lessons. These new skills shifted her musical interest to a more rhythmically-driven style of composition, and she began experimenting with down-tempo electronic music.
Now recording as Anomie Belle, Campbell has created Sleeping Patterns, a debut of sultry dance tracks that features the vocal and synth abilities of Anna-Lynne Williams (Chemical Brothers). Exploring social issues and inequalities is a major theme of the record, which Campbell tells CMJ "reflects a lot of my own contemplation about the way that we are both shaped by social and cultural systems and structures, and the ways in which we are all complicit in supporting them."
Even the singers' stage name reflects her desire to spur social change. "I chose to use Anomie Belle as my moniker because I think the name reflects the juxtaposition of beauty and unrest inherent in the music I make," she says. "I chose the word 'anomie,' in particular, because it alludes to both broken social structures, as well as individual experiences of isolation and alienation that I think are evident in modern Western culture. We are all captivated by the beautiful spectacles of capital - advertising, media and entertainment - yet we are isolated in our experiences of them... I think there is something eerie and sobering about this way of life, and I chose to use the word 'anomie' in my moniker as a gesture toward this critique." Samples of Anomie Belle's tracks can be found on the Sonicbids website.
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Bumbershoot Review: Anomie Belle
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The last few years have been fallow ones for trip-hop. The repurposed elements that made the genre s...The last few years have been fallow ones for trip-hop. The repurposed elements that made the genre so unique--the hip-hop-inflected drums, the soul-standard voicing, the glitched-out experimentation, the 80s synth beds--got reclaimed, leaving practitioners to chase after fans. But the giants have returned: Portishead and Massive Attack dropped new material this year, and Seattle-based Anomie Belle is pushing new life into the form.
Anomie Belle is Toby Campbell, a classical violinist and film composer from Portland-way. As you might expect, she produces songs full of whistfully subtle texture, never anything that feels fussy, though it must have been obsessed over. She makes beds of sirens and desire and you'll never feel as comfortable as you do when curled up in them.
Suffice to say, her set was perfectly complimented by the rain; Campbell's voice offering just the right amount of restorative to make you forget about thicker socks. And while I get the feeling that Campbell mostly writes alone, her backing band was aces--Erik Otteson on the drums, Dana Feder on cello, Aileen Paron on keys and vox--and the special guest a true and generous surprise: The Perceptionists' Mr. Lif.
Anomie Belle performs tomorrow at Neumo's with Bajofundo. I suggest you go.
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Editor’s Pick: Anomie Belle – Sleeping Patterns
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Get ready to kick yourself for not finding this sooner. I know that’s what I did. This is a fantasti...Get ready to kick yourself for not finding this sooner. I know that’s what I did. This is a fantastic album that combines the best elements of trip hop, down tempo, and piano-based songwriting. With exquisite, sensual production, this album truly captivates your imagination and explores some gorgeous territory. These songs are sly and dark and may affect your ability to operate machinery, and thank god for that. Fans of Martina Topley-Bird, Goldfrapp, Imogen Heap will love this album, while electronic fans will appreciate the beats and thought provoking production elements. It seems that other people have noticed her talent, too, as she’s toured and collaborateed with the likes of Tricky, The Album Leaf, Mr. Lif (The Perceptionists), and Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star). Highlights include the moody electric piano-based “How Can I Be Sure” (which was featured in the Xbox 360 game Alan Wake), the Portishead-y groove of “Bedtime Stories”, and the epic electro-waltz of “John Q Public”. Be sure to pick up this album at CD Baby right here.
Here’s a nice live video of Anomie Belle with Mr. Lif, recorded live at Bumbershoot last year:
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Bands to Watch #36: Anomie Belle
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By Phil Singer on Thursday, 23rd October 2008 at 8:05 pm
It’s been a while since I proclaimed my...By Phil Singer on Thursday, 23rd October 2008 at 8:05 pm
It’s been a while since I proclaimed my love of Trespassers William, the understated Seattle ambient gurus, and of Zero7, the London downtempo kids. So imagine my excitement when I was sent an album by Anomie Belle which features TW’s Anna-Lynne Williams on guest vocals and sounds just like Zero7 gone American with the amience of TW. Yes, I almost had a baby I was that excited.
Anomie Belle is the project of composer, producer, audio programmer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, Toby Campbell. Originally a classical violinist and songwriter, she released multiple solo records before creating her own beats and making her way into electronic, experimental, trip-hop music. A Portland, Oregon native, Campbell has performed at top venues throughout the Pacific Northwest, and has worked as a musician and producer in Madrid, Glasgow, Amsterdam, New York, Buenos Aires, and London.
Dreamy like Zero 7, Anomie Belle has a smoother sound than Trespassers William, and whilst at times the subject matter is rather dark and deep (throughout the collection American political apathy, suburban alienation, passive media spectatorship, social injustice, and consumerism are all tackedled) the music just washes over you in such a gloriously smooth way you can’t help but almost fall asleep in bliss. This isn’t a insult – very few bands and artists can be as gentle and relaxing after just a few listens as Anomie Belle is to me.
Almost every track on the new album, Sleeping Patterns, features lush strings and multilayered effects, which gives you something different everytime you hear it – different instruments, different words, different meanings. My only complaint? Sometimes the vocals are a little too buried down in the mix for my liking, however that’s more of a personal preference, and I have a feeling that if they were higher up the mix they would be distracting and lose some of the dreamyness of the collection.
Although she’s based in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, make sure that if you’re over there anytime soon, or if she make it over to the UK, be sure to catch her live. Hell, if I have to, I’ll pay for your ticket!
MP3: Anomie Belle – Down
Anomie Belle’s new album, Sleeping Patterns is released on 2nd November.
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Band of the Month: Anomie Belle Trip-hop composer and producer keeps her conscience social and her instrumentation organic and eerily seductive.
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By Aiden Landman
Published: April 9th, 2009 | 1:55pm
WHO IS IT:Producer, vocalist, and multi-ins...By Aiden Landman
Published: April 9th, 2009 | 1:55pm
WHO IS IT:Producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Toby Campbell and a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists.
LOCATION:
Seattle, WA
FILE UNDER:
Haunting trip-hop with a touch of ambient vocal tendencies and rainy day sensibilities.
IN A NUTSHELL:
There is a leap of faith involved in eschewing the organic for the mechanical. Setting aside, even momentarily, something once held dear to join the ranks of the adopters, the controllers, trailblazers of the electro-age. For Toby Campbell, the producer behind Seattle's Anomie Bell, techno-organic wizardry and computerized song structures are less an abandonment of her classical roots and more of a stylistic sea change.
Originally a violist and vocalist focusing her energies on classical music, Campbell released a few records, played some shows, and kept writing. Then in 2006, she packed her bags, and moved from her native Portland, OR to Seattle, WA to focus her energies on a new direction.
Since moving to Seattle, Campbell has been heavily involved with programs that help young girls start rocking. She has worked with or performed for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Girls Rock Seattle, Reel Grrls, the Seattle Girls’ School, and AWSEM. She says her decision to do this was based upon her desire “to help young women pursue music and become critical thinkers.” She continues, “As a female electronic musician, producer and multi-instrumentalist, I find often myself confronting gender stereotypes in the music industry.”
The rainy day lethargy and dark isolation is evident in Campbell's alter ego, Anomie Bell. Her music exists in a realm of desolation and cautious nihilism. “My music deals broadly with power and the ways that we all find ourselves complicit in perpetuating ideologies that are oppressive to particular groups of people.”
The word heavy comes to mind, as does dark, but these adjectives, modifiers, and descriptive phrases miss the point. Anomie Bell doesn't make music that’s easily lumped into a pile, filed, and given to public consumption. Her sound, direction, and singular vision begs questions and demands their answers. Her music, both sonically and thematically, seems the product of hours of studying, reading, and learning. Something Campbell admits saying, “The content of my music is informed by graduate studies in Media and Cultural Studies and Feminist Theory. I write about the objectification of women in popular media, performance and entertainment, and the ways that such oppression becomes normative and accepted.”
Don't get the wrong idea however, Anomie Bell is not necessarily music for those bent toward the macabre. Her music is as fit to be a soundtrack to a hazy late night drive as it is a lonely night spent in quiet solitude.
Depression this is not, a cautious and eerie look at our current state of affairs, maybe. Her mixture of organic instrumentation – guitar, piano, violin and other strings – with inhuman drumbeats and synthesized textures suggests a dualism between guards old and new. She walks a balance, and the results speak volumes.
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Musical Connections - Anomie Belle writes poetic songs about societal issues in American culture
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Anomie Belle writes poetic songs about societal issues in American culture.
By Ashley Breeding
...Anomie Belle writes poetic songs about societal issues in American culture.
By Ashley Breeding
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Anomie Belle first realized she had the power to move people with her music at the tender age of 12 when she brought a crowd of 400 Unitarian summer campers to tears with a performance of a song she’d written about the loss of a loved one.
“At the time, I felt guilty for making them cry,” she said. “At first I felt like I’d done something wrong, but that experience is what inspired me to write music about issues that are more personal to me.”
In those days, the Portland, Ore., native was known by her real name, Toby Campbell, an angst-ridden teenage girl whose poetic songwriting was inspired by musician Ani DiFranco and Christopher Pike suspense novels.
Today, Anomie Belle, a name that represents “beautiful isolation” is known for her sultry Joss Stone-like voice and profound lyrics about the issues that exist in American culture.
She is also a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and programmer, which sets her far apart from many other female artists.
“I’m motivated to talk about social issues that really matter,” she said. “Americans have become so wrapped up in creating identities through materialism, that we’re not focused on who we really are, or on the community as a whole — we are fragmented and it’s really sad.”
“I’ve studied these [societal] issues and planned to be a PhD in media and culture, but ultimately decided music was a better way for me to reach people than through academia.”
Her latest album, “Sleeping Patterns,” released Nov. 2, reflects the culture shock she experienced upon her return to the states after living in Europe for three years.
“I came back and everything — the cars and houses — seemed so big. What I hope to accomplish through this album is that people will step back and ponder the way we live in our culture, and whether or not it is necessary or fair, and what we can do to have more societal justice.”
Campbell’s interest in music and songwriting existed for as long as she can remember. She began playing the violin when she was 8 years old, and taught herself piano soon after. The young musician who once belted the lyrics of other pop stars into a toy karaoke machine, released two of her own albums in 1998 and 2001, before moving abroad to work with various artists.
“I didn’t release anything during that time because I was undergoing a big stylistic shift,” she said. “I had to learn a lot around technology to get proficient in the type of music I am doing now.”
She said her biggest influences are music producers, as well as artists like Radiohead and Beck.
“I am inspired by artists who have the whole picture in mind and create it themselves,” she said.
When she’s not performing solo, Anomie Belle is an electronic, trip-hop trio with Anna-Lynn Williams (who’s recorded a track with the Chemical Brothers among other artists) and Aileen Paron. They are occasionally joined by Saxophonist, Bryan Smith.
Anomie Belle will play at Detroit Bar during her West Coast album tour Nov. 25, with Little Dragon and United by Sound.
“This is my first time performing at Detroit Bar, and I’m really excited to play with Little Dragon. It’s always fun to play with bands you respect and admire,” she said.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Anomie Belle
WHEN: 9 p.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa.
INFORMATION: $15 cover charge, call (949) 642-0600 or visit www.detroitbar.com or www.anomiebelle.com for information.
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Music That Breaks Boundaries And Routines
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Whether you're a classical music aficionado or a hip–hop head, you might not have any reason to expl...Whether you're a classical music aficionado or a hip–hop head, you might not have any reason to explore other musical genres. But local musician Anomie Belle looks for music that blurs boundaries. She shares two songs that blend genres, and in doing so might break us out of our everyday routines.
(Click link to listen to interview)
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Feature: Anomie Belle
(print only)
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Dark Material, a short documentary featuring a score by Anomie Belle, screens at SIFF
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I have historically skipped the short films portions of SIFF for many (most-likely unfair) reasons b...I have historically skipped the short films portions of SIFF for many (most-likely unfair) reasons but there is (at least) one showing at SIFF this year that I am very intrigued by. It's a seven-minute documentary called Dark Material, and was made locally by the Reel Grrls team of Lane Stroud and Maile Martinez. It's bio on the SIFF website is one sentence: "An exploration of shadows and light in art."
The short film had just won two jury awards from the International Documentary Competition in Toronto last night for Best Editing and Best Use of a Theme, but what I find most intriguing is that the film is scored by Seattle trip hop artist Anomie Belle.
Anomie Belle is the project of musician Toby Campbell, who does a gorgeous job of creating atmospheric electronica. The song below, "How Can I Be Sure?" is lush and seductive with its slow, drawn-out, whispered harmonies. I haven't seen Dark Material yet or heard the score yet, but am curious to hear how he music compliments the short film.
The next Anomie Belle show is Thursday night at Nectar with Carmen Rizzo and Lal Meri Govinda. Dark Material screens at SIFF as part of the "Sensory Overload" shorts package on Sunday, May 31 at 11:00 am at SIFF Cinema.
By: Chris Burlingame
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Anomie Belle 8/21/2010 In-Studio Performance
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Local singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Anomie Belle layers electronics and live instrum...Local singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Anomie Belle layers electronics and live instruments into haunting and sultry down-tempo soul. She performs live in this exclusive KEXP performance. - W. Myers
(Click link to listen to live performance)
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Sleeping Patterns review - Sound Magazine
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Sleeping Patterns wastes no time introducing Anomie Belle's haunting voice, beautiful and lingering....Sleeping Patterns wastes no time introducing Anomie Belle's haunting voice, beautiful and lingering. Anomie Belle is Portland native Toby Campbell, who has traveled all over the world working with music and is now back in the Northwest living in Seattle. This self-released album is her first with her experimental trip-hop project Anomie Belle. The music approach is simple, minimal, yet at times seemingly complex, with looping vocals and electronic sounds intricately laced throughout tracks for a hypnotizing and relaxing result. The song "Greenhouse" focuses on her soft wistful vocals, almost a whisper at times while "Before You Leave Me" is bursting with sound and one of the few on the album that pushes outside the mellow disposition. With influences like Zero 7 and Air, Anomie Belle obviously draws from that style of music, but makes it her own with socially relevant lyrics and instrumental talents, along with a background composing and producing music.
Jessica Harbert
Standout Tracks: “How Can I Be Sure,” “Bedtimes Stories”
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Anomie Belle (with Album Leaf & Black Mamba)
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February 1, 2009
Anomie Belle
The Album Leaf, Black Mamba,
(Neumos) Anomie Belle achieve noiri...February 1, 2009
Anomie Belle
The Album Leaf, Black Mamba,
(Neumos) Anomie Belle achieve noirish triphop textures. Singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Toby Campbell creates eerie auras of dislocated symphonic elements, effects, and muffled hiphop beats, at the center of which is always Campbell's highly capable and slightly jazzy singing voice, which easily ranges from low, subdued moans to whispery falsettos. The lyrics are apparently politically/socially conscious, but the message never really interferes with the medium.
ERIC GRANDY
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A&E Dispatch | Anomie Belle brings politically conscious trip hop to the Tractor Sunday
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Seattle trip hop artist Anomie Belle kicks off her debut album with a show at the Tractor Tavern Nov...Seattle trip hop artist Anomie Belle kicks off her debut album with a show at the Tractor Tavern Nov. 2.
By Marian Liu
Seattle Times staff reporter
Seattle trip hop artist Anomie Belle kicks off her debut album with a show at the Tractor Tavern on Sunday, Nov. 2. She's an intriguing mix — a political and social consciousness set to a down tempo trip hop, heavily layered with strings and vocal textures. To listen to her album, "Sleeping Patterns," go to — www.myspace.com/anomiebelle.
Her music is also sprinkled with sounds from her travels, from Amsterdam to Argentina. In fact, her album was mastered in Argentina. She also fuses the contemporary and the traditional, fusing her classically trained violinist skills with influences from Radiohead to Portishead.
Music for Anomie Belle — aka 28-year-old Wallingford resident Toby Campbell — is a "social critique," engaging in economic and political ideologies with themes of consumerism, alienation and media spectacle.
Her artist name "anomie" literally means social unrest, with "belle" defined as a charming and popular woman.
"Music is a more powerful venue than academics," said Campbell, who plans to do a rendition of Obama's "Yes, We Can" speech at her album release show.
Both Campbell and her manager Anthon Smith work for nonprofits. Campbells works for Puget Sound Off, a training program that engages and empowers Seattle-area youth. And, Smith heads Seattle Education Access which helps low-income youth get into college.
Tickets for her 8 p.m. Sunday show are $8 at ticketweb.com. For more information, check out — http://tractortavern.ypguides.net/page/ntqa/CALENDAR.html.
Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com
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Anomie Belle 8/16/2009 In-Studio Performance
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Anomie Belle is the moniker of Portland composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Toby Campbell. ...Anomie Belle is the moniker of Portland composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Toby Campbell. Performing here with her band, she blends old-school trip-hop beats, live violin and socially conscious lyrics into a potent but chilled concoction well suited to late-night listening. -M. Ogaz
(Click link to listen to performance)
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Local Artist Spotlight: Interview with Anomie Belle
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February 24, 2009
The classic story of yet another violinist turned experimental trip-hop artist…...February 24, 2009
The classic story of yet another violinist turned experimental trip-hop artist…WAIT….How often does that happen!!? Toby Campbell IS the band, Anomie Belle. And if you’ve listened to the complexity of her enchanting debut album, Sleeping Patterns, you would know that making such music solo is probably as easy as running a factory by yourself. Her business card could boast, “Violinist, keyboardist, guitarist, drummer, singer, songwriter, producer, and audio engineer” but I hope it just says Musician/Composer, so that it remains wallet size and readable.
The multi-instrumentalist samples her own recordings and blends them with down-tempo electronic beats to form intricate music, which serves as a platform for her rich and engaging lyrics. A Portland-born world traveler, who moved to Seattle to pursue a PHD, in studying culture and media; Toby also hopes to use her medium to promote open discussion of social and political issues.
Seattle Subsonic caught up with Toby and her manager, Anthon Smith, for a graciously long interview at the end of their west coast tour with San Diego band, the Album Leaf. Anomie Belle’s live show included guest vocalists, Aileen Paron and Anne-Lynn Willams, both skilled in the keyboard, so Toby could rotate through her arsenal of instruments. We had some questions about the tour, the music, the issues, and what’s next for this multi-talented Seattle resident:
[On playing live and touring with Album Leaf]
S.S: What does the presence of the live band bring to the stage that you can’t do on your own?
Toby:
I do all the recording by myself and bring in guests because I think it would be fun to have this person sing with me. People really like it. Playing by yourself isn’t as fun. I like the dynamic of singing in harmony with other female vocalists. Anne-Lynne Williams has done great work in the music industry herself and has a unique voice. It’s like having a new instrument at my disposal and I think about that when composing, “Anne-Lynne could sing something ethereal in this part.” As in classical music, I’m a composer and producer. I see the whole big picture, as I write the string part which will dovetail over the melody, along with the bass line which will go over the beat, all at the same time. The singing follows the composition and the people play their parts. It’s nice to have them up there. We sometimes have other guests, like a sax player who is a local grad student in music. But, usually it’s just the three of us on tour.
I had to play a show in New Orleans by myself and thought, “How can I get people to play onstage with me?” I called two dozen Baptist churches and found two different Baptist choirs that were willing to combine forces and back me up for the show. One choir was all white and the other choir was all black and they were totally into it. They were like, “we would have never met these other people.” It was amazing. I had to physically write out the parts in sheet music, which I don’t usually do for people and it was a challenge. There’s a lot of syncopated parts and I didn’t know the exact range of say..a tenor. They had great energy. I do shows like that when I can.
Everyone in the choir had their own CD. It was sweet of them to come out and we couldn’t pay them very well, so the least I could do was buy their CDs and support them. It was a cool to learn some of the culture of the south at the same time. I worked primarily with the directors of each choir and when the directors met they realized that they had gone to grade school together. They were excited to collaborate again in the future, with each other, and that’s inspiring!
S.S: Is that performance available on video?
Toby:
The show needs to be edited together, as the video and audio were captured separately for more clarity.
S.S: How was your experience touring with the Album Leaf?
Toby:
I really liked touring with Jimmy LaValle and he’s really got some great musicians playing with him. Jimmy’s been successful at doing this for a long time. It’s been fun to get to know him, as we record similarly. So, I pick at his brain about the technical stuff; about how he does his looping and how he plays sets alone or with musicians.
[On the creative process, sampling, and influences]
S.S: Where does your creative process start?
Toby:
With music and beats. Lyrics are secondary, not that they aren’t important, but I am more focused on the music. I learned to play the drums 9 years ago and when that happened I started to write different and started with trip hop. Now I begin with the beats. I really like the repetitive syncopated feel of hip hop drums and so I slow them down a little bit and then add melody and harmony.
S.S: Do you use drum machines or play the drums and sample them?
Toby:
Mostly samples. But I’ll play drum pads and I have an electronic drumkit. For a previous band, I learned to play the drums, so that I could effectively interact with my drummer in a way that made sense. As someone with composition and production as my main interests, it is important that I am able to tell people exactly what I want. I write a lot of syncopated parts that might not be intuitive for most musicians.
S.S: How have your surroundings influenced your music?
Toby:
I worked in Amsterdam for an electronic experimental jazz label. So, I programmed live stuff with DJs and jazz musicians. Amsterdam helped me learn some new eletronica programs. The style there was very improvisational and a nice learning environment. My music definitely changed after that. Also, being around the Boards of Canada musicians influenced me.
[On social issues and contributing]
S.S: What points are you trying to get across through your lyrics?
Toby:
My aim is not that there is a political agenda and I’m going to push it. But I think there isn’t enough discussion in our culture about how we all support systems that oppress different people. And people don’t really talk about this. Those who do are in elitist academic circles and unfortunately it’s not a popular discussion that most of us have. Music I hope puts people into a contemplative place where they can sit and think about issues and discuss them, without shoving it down people’s throats. Hopefully this helps people to think about what is wrong with American culture, like how can we rethink suburban living or consider why we rely on cars so heavily, and putting that stuff out there.
S.S: Do you work on any specific campaigns?
Toby:
Not explicitly, but I work in the non profit sector and we do benefit shows for the nonprofits. I’m interested in the All-ages Movement Project, which is an umbrella organization for youth based venues and art space, like the VERA Project. They provide resources to folks who want to start organizations, like the VERA Project, to create a place for community, art and music. Cultural organizing is a way to get people to one spot and then things happen and people organically build relationships and work on things important to the community. I work on VERA Project, Real Girls, and with the All-ages Movement Project, but I don’t have it all figured out.
S.S: What is the VERA Project doing right?
Toby:
I knew that they had a performance space, a recording studio, and did all ages shows. I interviewed at one point to be the co-director of VERA Project, so I learned a lot more about the organization. They are cool because they are totally youth run and I didn’t realize the extent to which they are. VERA has a traditional board and a separate youth board of members that work in conjunction. Teenagers make big decisions and get to organize things, which is a unique experience.
S.S: What social issue should Seattle work on first?
Toby:
Housing. Making housing more accessible to everyone and cheaper for people who have a hard time paying for it.
[On supporting our artists]
S.S: How can we best support our local artists?
Toby:
I lived outside of the U.S. for several years, during which I spent some time working for a Dutch record label. In many European countries, including the Netherlands, the state subsidizes artists in a way that we don’t here. That makes the choice to live and work as an artist very different. In general, living in more socialized states has this effect. For example, the president of the record label I worked for in Holland (who is also a jazz musician) knew that his family had guaranteed health care and that his two daughters would be able to go to college, so he could afford to live more economically and choose to be an artist without making basic sacrifices in the welfare of his family. In the U.S., choosing to live as an artist can be more precarious.
Anthon:
A lot of musicians here survive on licensing, which is supported by advertisers and television.
S.S: Do we treat our buskers (street performers) well in the U.S.?
Toby:
I’ve done a lot of busking actually. I busked with a friend of mine, who’s a musician in Chicago, when we lived in Spain for a year. But, I’ve never busked in the U.S. actually. It’s not quite as hospitable.
Anthon:
We kind of look at people playing music on the street as bums here. People in Europe are very responsive to others doing art on the street. In Europe, it’s like “oh, a musician. Neat!” You can be dirty but if you have a guitar, you’re musician! In Europe, they also have lots of walking based places, which makes the culture different.
S.S: I’ve noticed that artists are being more creative with their album art lately. Would you agree?
Anthon:
Inserts have to be impressive to compete with digital sales. Also, now that booklets are included with the download, you can have 20 pages of cover art, instead of just one and you don’t have to pay the printer. Then it’s just a one time fee for the designer. So, that’s really cool. We’ll probably have a special download of material with our iTunes purchase and also with the physical album.
S.S: Will you guys release on vinyl too?
Anthon:
Everyone’s asking. We probably will because everyone wants it. And because it’s good music to scratch on. Everywhere we go, DJs say they must have our album on vinyl. The answer is YES. The next album will be on vinyl.
[On future projects and dream collaborations]
S.S: Do you have any dream projects that you’re thinking about?
Toby:
There’s a million of them! I wouldn’t mind work with some hip hop folks. Doing something with Jimmy LaValle would be cool. I’m actually co-writing some material right now with Scott Mercado, a friend of Jimmy’s from San Diego. Scott played with Album Leaf for a while and is in the band, Manuok. We may have a release together but we’re taking it song by song. I’m also working on a track with a couple of members of Jimmy’s old band, Tristeza.
S.S: Any upcoming local events that we will find you playing at?
Toby:
Our medium gives us access to new media and new outlets for addressing social issues. For example, REAL Change the newspaper sold by homeless people, which deals with issues relevant to the homeless. We will be doing a benefit for them later this year. The event is still being scheduled but it may be in the spring.
S.S: Final question! While we recommend everyone checkout and purchase your album online from http://www.anomiebelle.com/ , we want to know what albums you are listening to religiously?
Toby:
A new album I really like is School of Seven Bells, Alpinisms. Their stuff is really interesting and I’m also big fan of Four Tet’s, Rounds. I’ll have some stuff that sounds similar on my next album. I’m already anxious to start recording what I wrote while we were on tour!
S.S: Thanks for the interview!
GO! Check out Anomie Belle on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/anomiebelle
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A Special Piece on Anomie Belle
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February 10, 2009
On Jan 15, 2009 I had the pleasure of seeing Anomie Belle live at Neumos. What ...February 10, 2009
On Jan 15, 2009 I had the pleasure of seeing Anomie Belle live at Neumos. What stood out to me about her music is that it has a very significant message, and a call for self examination. I really like approach of a poignant message wrapped in an nonabrasive little package. Anomie Belle really creates the space where you can be confertable reflecting on what’s going on in the world and your place in it without feeling judged.
Having your music be a platform for social change can be quite and undertaking, to the point where it effects your life in ways that you could not have predicted.
I asked Anomie Belle, ” How has music shaped who you are as a person?”
She commented, “It’s just been a blessing to have a means of personal expression that I feel capable with - that I am able to articulate abstract, emotional, conceptual and poetic thoughts that aren’t as expressable through writing or other forms of communication. The capacity to do that has opened me up to many parts of myself, to be honest. I’m kind of an introvert too, so it gives me a meaningful way to interact with lots of people in the world, which might not happen otherwise.”
There are lots of ways to attempt making a difference in this day and age, some passive, some aggressive, some passive aggressive, but how effective? Determining ones own effectiveness on changing a person’s viewpoint is arguably something that can not be measured. What you can measure is what you are up to. What are you doing to make a difference weather it is effective or not? How are you leaving your mark? With these questions in mind, I took a closer look. Please enjoy this thought provoking interview with Anomie Belle back stage at Neumos captured February 1, 2009.
For interview and live show videos, see:
http://www.seattleshowgal.com/?p=377
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Anomie Belle - Sleeping Pattterns (2008)
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It has been a bit of a “off centre” Slowcoustic Weekend. This isn’t a bad thing, just taking some t...It has been a bit of a “off centre” Slowcoustic Weekend. This isn’t a bad thing, just taking some time to listen to some music that isn’t just an acoustic guitar and accompanying voice. With that in mind, I bring you the next installment of the growth of the site - Anomie Belle - not your standard indie songstress.
an·o·mie [an-uh-me] n social unrest or normlessness; malaise, alienation and purposelessness.
belle [bel] n a popular and charming woman; especially: a woman whose charm and beauty make her a favorite.
Anomie Belle is really Toby Campbell, classical violinist cum trip-hop diva (didn’t expect that now did you?) and she is releasing her most recent “experiment” into electronic/acoustic/fusion album “Sleeping Patterns” due this November 2nd. While I do not extensively listen to the more electronic side of the spectrum (see below post on Firekites as well) - this is another project you can get into. There is a fair share of Campbell’s eerie beats covered by her purposefully slow delivery of lyrics. These lyrics in particular can be seen often as commentary on many social issues around us, but seem to be more observation instead of outright protest. I can also say with her delivery and soundscapes, the messages are ones that can actually be pondered while being soothed by the medium.
As expected there is vocal sampling alongside the occasional “keyboard frequency tuning”, but kept in line with the sound and feel of the album. Among the 11 track album you find gems in songs like “Down” and “February Sun” which may be the tracks to incorporate a more acoustic influence (see below). You might just also hear some accents via Ms. Anna-Lynne Williams (Lotte Kestner, Trespassers William and all around Slowcoustic favourite) who contributes to the album.
So get in line now to pick up a copy upon its release, in order to convince you to get a copy, listen below!
~Smansmith
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Anomie Belle
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The last few years have been fallow ones for trip-hop. The repurposed elements that made the genre s...The last few years have been fallow ones for trip-hop. The repurposed elements that made the genre so unique -- the hip-hop-inflected drums, the soul-standard voicing, the glitched-out experimentation, the 80s synth beds -- got reclaimed, leaving practitioners to chase after fans. But the giants have returned: Portishead and Massive Attack just dropped new material, and Seattle-based Anomie Belle is pushing new life into the form. Anomie Belle is Toby Campbell, a classical violinist and film composer from Portland-way. As you might expect, she produces songs full of whistfully subtle texture, never anything that feels fussy, though it must have been obsessed over. We are obsessing a little bit right now. Saturday 8:00pm // Neumos // Tickets: $13
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Bitch Benefit Show this Friday!
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By Kelsey Wallace, January 6, 2009
Video interview with Mirah and Anomie Belle:
http://bitchmaga...By Kelsey Wallace, January 6, 2009
Video interview with Mirah and Anomie Belle:
http://bitchmagazine.org/browse/results/taxonomy:1325
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Sleeping Patterns review - Performer Magazine
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Anomie Belle – Sleeping Patterns
Sleeping Patterns is the sophisticated debut album of Seattle-ba...Anomie Belle – Sleeping Patterns
Sleeping Patterns is the sophisticated debut album of Seattle-based Anomie Belle, the project of talented songwriter and classically-trained violinist Toby Campbell. In this work, she combines electronic and experimental elements with sensual beats, lush strings and layered vocals, dropping the listener into the melancholy heart of her beautiful trip-hop symphonies.
Amid sweeping melodies, Campbell tucks in thoughtful commentary on social issues and American culture. Her observant lyrics play off each other, echoing distantly and reappearing with honey-coated clarity among a complex rhythm in “American View”: “It’s the myopy of the American View / Cascading hills of barren land / Meet waters gray with silt and sand / And there’s a chemical breeze that runs through.”
Campbell’s voice recalls that of Portishead’s Beth Gibbons and Sia – growling and moody at times and sweetly atonal at others. In most cases, she prefers to take a bluesier turn, as with the downtempo, acoustic-driven “February Sun,” soulful “Before You Leave Me” and the hexatonic, organ-dappled “How Can I Be Sure.” “Down” places low-key drums over introspective guitar and strings, which run into a distinctive electronic edge midway and recede into a warmly harmonized chorus line that repeats blissfully until fading with the close of the song.
Campbell also has a knack for creating a different kind of jazz. In “Dox Amsterdam,” sultry brass lingers across mid-‘90s era embellished downbeats and picks up playfully, ripping the entire song like a disturbed pool of water. Meanwhile, the addition of saxophone in “Greenhouse” generates a sexier kind of gloom. “Cascade” is a dinner party of staccato, Nintendo-sounding synths grounded by Campbell’s eerie, deep melodic sighs.
Whether pairing satiny instrumentals with contrasting beats, re-imagining the blues or delivering political commentary with darkly angelic vocals, Anomie Belle will dissolve you. (Self-released)
-Lulu McAllister
www.anomiebelle.com
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Anomie Belle: Down
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Under the moniker of Anomie Belle, Seattle trip hop chanteuse/composer Toby Campbell is bearing the ...Under the moniker of Anomie Belle, Seattle trip hop chanteuse/composer Toby Campbell is bearing the torch for those who have left the genre by the wayside. Her sultry, smoky vocals combine with her slithery, seductive programming for the perfect balance of the two key ingredients of good trip hop: sexiness and darkness. Campbell has proven herself to be a legitimate quintuple threat as the masterful composer, producer, programmer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist behind the project. Having toured with the likes of electronica stalwarts Tricky and Little Dragon, Anomie Belle is poised to find itself among the most revered names of the genre. Down is rainy day blues filtered through the sounds of sampled drums, swelling strings, and Campbell's contemplative melodies.
Reviewed by: Amorn Bholsangngam
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Anomie Belle – ‘Sleeping Patterns’
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Toby Campbell, the woman behind Anomie Belle, is a dynamic singer/songwriter, producer and multi-ins...Toby Campbell, the woman behind Anomie Belle, is a dynamic singer/songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist with a gift for writing down-tempo, jewel-like songs. In a similar cross-genre way to artists like Emiliana Torrini, her compositions meld cool, trip-hop electronica and warm organic sounds that instantly entrance; no wonder she’s toured with artists from Album Leaf to Tricky. On “American View”, her violin adds intrigue to a song already rife with texture, appearing again as delicate, neo-baroque intro to “John Q Public”. Campbell’s voice is just as textured as her compositions, with sinewy melodies and floating refrains that curl their way into your mind. Though Sleeping Patterns was released almost a year ago, it’s an album worth revisiting time and time again. (Self-Release)–Cleo
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Get ready for Girls Rock! Seattle
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July 23rd, 2010
Great music all summer long in Seattle is a given, and, as of 2008, we are also h...July 23rd, 2010
Great music all summer long in Seattle is a given, and, as of 2008, we are also home to a fantastic and praiseworthy summer camp, Girls Rock! Seattle. Seattle’s talented female artists are volunteering their time and musical expertise so that 80 girls from ages 8-16 will get a chance to express themselves, make noise, build self-esteem, and learn the whole gamut of the music process. The mission of the organizations is to, “provide girls with an opportunity to participate in an environment that fosters leadership, encourages social change, and cultivates a supportive community of female peers and mentors.”
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The goal of the camp is to demonstrate that, “every genre of music, every technical job, and every creative endeavor in the music industry is available to any girl or woman who wants to explore it.” The week long camp covers a lot, from playing an instrument, songwriting, zine making, self-defense, the history of women in music, and it even has a dj workshop.
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One interesting class hopes to make up for a big gap in the music industry, as the audio engineering field remains underrepresented with less than 5% of the field being female. Local musician and female producer, Anomie Belle, will be bringing awareness to the field in her class, Recording and Production Workshop, which will cover how to take recording into your own hands. She’ll be teaching, “how the pros make records with digital audio recording and virtual instruments through software programs like Protools, Reason, and Ableton Live.”
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Now that you’re caught on to another thing we are doing right in Seattle for music, make sure to show your support for this awesome non-profit. The week long camp, from July 26-July 31, culminates with a showcase at Neumos on July 31 at 1pm. Get tickets here.
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Keep up the great work. Seattle Subsonic applauds you!
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Imaginary Interview: Anomie Belle
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Anomie Belle is the project of multi-instrumentalist musician/composer Toby Campbell, whose music is...Anomie Belle is the project of multi-instrumentalist musician/composer Toby Campbell, whose music is often combining elements of classical, jazz, rock, pop and down tempo trip hop beats. It is often jarring and thought-provoking as she writes and sings about issues of social justice, political alienation and facing prejudices.
Campbell has managed to make a career out of being a musician by being able to do almost everything herself, including audio engineering but still enjoys getting the opportunity to play with other musicians when possible. Anomie Belle has played shows with such diverse artists as Tricky, The Album Leave, Azure Ray and will play in Portland next month with Kid Koala, before returning to Seattle to play Bumbershoot on Monday, September 7.
I met up with Campbell at a bar on Capitol Hill to talk about Anomie Belle, the state of the music business and the contrast between making music by yourself and collaborating with other artists.
How did you decide you wanted to become a musician?
I don’t feel like I decided to become a musician, I just feel like “I am a musician”. As a small child, I was always writing songs and as soon as my parents gave me a karaoke player, I started making multi-track recording, without knowing what I was doing, laying down a vocal part and a violin part. When I was ten or eleven, one of the men in my father’s a capella, barbershop quartet heard what I had been doing and asked if I was interested in coming into a recording studio. That was when I made my first record. I don’t feel like there ever was a time when I chose to be a musician.
But you were in a PhD program before working on music full-time, right?
I think I entered that because I felt like I needed to have a “real job” and I didn’t know how I was going to make a living as a musician, so I felt really scared about that but I also went that route because I do feel a strong commitment to social justice. I think there are issues like environmental degradation, racism and prejudice and consumerism that I always felt strongly about and there’s the commercialization of art in the music industry, so I went to school to study that kind of stuff and I realized that although I feel strongly about that and want to talk about that stuff in my music, as a career I wanted to be a musician.
You are a musician full-time then?
I am.
You also make a lot of film scores, in addition to the work in Anomie Belle. When you’re scoring a film, is it already made and the director hands you a DVD and says “I need some music here, here and here” or do you give your music to the filmmaker and have him or her insert it where it’s appropriate?
Usually the former, that’s usually the case. But in the case of the documentary film challenge I did with Reel Grrls, the filmmakers and I worked in creating the film and the music at the same time during that short timeframe we had to make that film. That was really fun because I got to have a feeling like I was a part of the team. I’ve been doing a lot of film scoring and a lot of original music for television shows. I’ve been able to write rock music and classical music and electronic music. It’s a wider array of music styles that I can write composing than I could for Anomie Belle.
You also make a lot of film scores, in addition to the work in Anomie Belle. When you’re scoring a film, is it already made and the director hands you a DVD and says “I need some music here, here and here” or do you give your music to the filmmaker and have him or her insert it where it’s appropriate?
I also try to stay involved with the local community by volunteering with nonprofits. I’ve been working a lot with Girls Rock Seattle and I was working with Girls Rock in Portland, the Girls Rock Camp in Portland, Reel Grrls, the Vera Project and other youth-oriented nonprofits. It’s a fun way of staying connected to the local community.
You’ve played shows with artists like Tricky and The Album Leaf. What have you learned from artists like that?
I think Tricky is one of the pioneering folks in the genre of trip hop and has done an amazing job of integrating his own take on trip hop/hip hop with using female singers in a very sexy and beautiful way. He also has a live band, so it’s interesting to see him take electronic beats, the down-tempo beats, and translate that into a live performance. I think it was cool to tour with him and talk to him about that and how he does that.
With someone like Jimmy (LaValle) from The Album Leaf, who identifies himself, like I do, as a composer, and plays with a live band, it was awesome to talk to him about how he completes his live band and how he works with musicians in that process, as a composer. Also, how he has adapted his touring setup depending on the situation. When he was touring with Sigur Ros, he toured by himself and had to use a lot of looping and that is something that I’ve gotten into so I can play guitar or violin and sing over myself; it’s a way to compensate for not being able to have ten people on stage.
It’s been helpful to talk to these people who have been doing it for a while and see how they dealt with performing music and to learn from them and see how they compose and perform.I brought in some guest musicians because I really do enjoy collaborating and working with other people. There were a couple of women I was staying with at the time who were guests on the album and the saxophone player, who plays with me live (Bryan Smith), is on the album. But I basically did that album by myself at home.
On Sleeping Patterns, the first Anomie Belle record, did you do everything yourself on the album?
I brought in some guest musicians because I really do enjoy collaborating and working with other people. There were a couple of women I was staying with at the time who were guests on the album and the saxophone player, who plays with me live (Bryan Smith), is on the album. But I basically did that album by myself at home.
It does give you a lot of versatility because you can play with any number of people or by yourself and you can use loops and samples.
Yeah, I prefer to play with at least one other musician. When I tour, the usual setup is myself and looping and then my drummer (Erik Otteson). When I can, I love playing with a cellist, support players, multiple harmonies, horn players, etc… The more people the merrier.
How did you find the musicians who you play with in Anomie Belle?
Everyone that I have performed with live has kind of fallen into my lap; I feel really fortunate about that. Anna-Lynne Williams sang with me on the first record and she has toured with me on multiple tours. We met through a friend and started recording together and she ended up playing in the band. Another woman who sung with me and played keyboards, she came to see a lot of shows and approached me. My drummer also knew a lot of my music and approached me. The cellist approached me after hearing a film score that I had done recently. I feel fortunate because I haven’t had to look around for them, they have just fallen into my lap and they are already excited about playing together.
That also works out well with you providing a lot of the instrumentation yourself so that if something doesn’t work out, you can still continue. I’ve seen a lot of cases where bands have been on hiatus for several months because they couldn’t find a guitarist or someone to play bass.
I have to admit that that is a nice thing about being a composer. Being a composer does have its advantages but it’s also hard because I have to think of what kind of music it makes sense to work with. In a sense, people want to be writing their own parts and be an integral part of the band and I think that is often what people are looking for. I am sort of a composer and I do sort of write all of the parts so I have to be careful to make sure that people I work with are okay with that. It’s been a learning curve and I’ve been learning that along the way.
You’ve played with Tricky and The Album Leaf and will play with Kid Koala and their audiences overlap only minimally. Was your taste in music always that eclectic?
I was fortunate to have been able to run my college radio station, so I was exposed to a lot of music that way and I lived out of the US for a while and was able to be exposed to a lot of music that way, like tango and electronic music and experimental jazz and DJ setups and that really opened up my popular culture palette.
What is coming up for Anomie Belle?
We’re playing a show in Portland with Kid Koala and another electronic artist and I have an EP coming out at the end of the year and an album coming out next year, which we’ll then be shopping around to labels.
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Anomie Belle
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Anomie Belle are a Seattle act, led by violinist and vocalist Toby Campbell, that take up the odd ch...Anomie Belle are a Seattle act, led by violinist and vocalist Toby Campbell, that take up the odd challenge of attempting to reanimate a genre, triphop, that was a ghost of a thing to begin with - a wispy memory of hiphop (itself a genre built on the samples/specters of other musics) floated over a haze of orchestral strings and disembodied diva vocals. This phantom of a phantom is as insubstantial as one might expect, but Anomie Belle tackle the stuff with undeniable chops. Campbell's voice is polished and just a little jazzy, alternating between low murmurs and high falsettos, and her scores are sophisticated noirish stuff. Triphop is still dead, but it can continue to haunt. ERIC GRANDY
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Anomie Belle: Sleeping Patterns [Album Review]
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The taunting yet soulful words of Toby Campbell, a.k.a. Anomie Belle, are a true symbol of construct...The taunting yet soulful words of Toby Campbell, a.k.a. Anomie Belle, are a true symbol of constructive rhythm and melancholy blues. Her album Sleeping Patterns is 11 songs that are nothing short of keyboard-infused goodness. The entirety of this album will run through your heart like a 2 a.m. subway ride through an empty of city of dust and desire.
Though not every tracks is a sad sort of memento to the giving youth, it surely is the general perception. There are kindly-thought gestures of indie rock, ambient, as well as a bit of trip hop sporadically engineered into the general atmosphere of Sleeping Patterns. The instrumental “Dox Amersterdam” is a bit out of place on the record; it’s a jazz-inspired gem of a track. And a close listen to a few other key songs will reveal wonderful additional vocals from Anna-Lynne Williams (the estrogen half of Trespassers William). “American View” and “Green House” disseminate these artistic battles most beautifully.
It may be possible that Toby Campbell’s success with Anomie Belle (which, for those who were wondering, is a combination of malaise and woman of charm… alright) could very well draw from her original gig as what some might call a “real musician” — a trained violinist. But, having a burning candle of social unrest that must have burst forth through her lips was surely tough, and she needed a new outlet of expression. And now we have Sleeping Patterns. The concert halls may miss her, but the beat down stages will surely embrace her and her spirited charisma.
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Anomie Belle – Sleeping Patterns
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Album Reviews • Thursday October 23rd, 2008 • 12:00 am
Anomie is a sociological term that describ...Album Reviews • Thursday October 23rd, 2008 • 12:00 am
Anomie is a sociological term that describes a feeling of purposelessness and alienation resulting from a lack or breakdown of values. In some ways it’s a perfect word to use in connection with trip-hop as a genre and Anomie Belle as an artist with its brooding electronic music and her languid vocal delivery. Likewise, Sleeping Patterns is a great descriptive title that is both a comment on the ways that we as individuals and a society are asleep and of Toby Campbell’s voice which has a whispered lullaby quality throughout the album.
Not surprisingly, Massive Attack and Portishead are listed as influences on her Myspace page. There’s also more than a little bit of Sneaker Pimps and Esthero in the mix as well. Peaking in the mid ’90s, I’m somewhat surprised to note the current resurgence in trip-hop’s popularity. With more than a decade between the initial wave and the current one there should be some obvious evolution. While Toby puts her own mark on the music there is little that propels it into the present, a likely unintentional projection of the purposelessness and malaise of anomie. This is not a condemnation as this album is every bit as enjoyable as its predecessors, merely an observation.
Toby is a classically trained violinist and she uses this skill to good effect throughout the album, most notably in the violin solo of “John Q Public” and the instrumental “Cascade.” There is both a longing and a distance within the violin pieces; the cold nature of the mostly electronic music provides a perfect backdrop for both the music and the concept. Again, true to the nature of the form, the drumming comes from a machine and only occasionally lapses in what could be considered canned. Then, from out of nowhere, a sultry saxophone sings smooth jazz in “Dox Amsterdam,” another instrumental piece.
In “Bedtime Stories” she sings “I can’t be held responsible for all the mistakes my parents made cause it’s their generation that has left us a nation of waste and complacence and apathy… time goes by and I become less than I could ever dream than I had ever known I could have done.” Boy, when she picks a theme she sticks with it. The flip side of the breakdown of values is that there is space and freedom to create a new set of values, which she points out in “How Can I Be Sure,” as she sings “my hope my apathy/ you know it ain’t easy maintaining my belief that we are free.” Sociology becomes political in Toby’s indictment of American culture in “American View.” Lest she become too philosophical, she ventures into love and its breakdown in “Greenhouse” and “Before You Leave Me.” Despite the dripping anomie, Sleeping Patterns is self-produced and released so Toby can’t be too apathetic.
“Belle” is defined as a charming, attractive, young woman. In the end, that is exactly what Anomie Belle and Sleeping Patterns is, charming and attractive music that deals with themes of apathy and social and relational breakdown. I don’t recommend playing the album at a party (unless you’ve got really depressing friends.) But, if you feel like walking around aimlessly at dusk past neighbors that are sitting on their porches staring at nothing, this would make a great soundtrack.
By Mark Mansfield
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Sleeping Patterns
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By: Troy Michael
Anomie (pronounced an-uh-me) Belle is not a person like I foolishly thought, but...By: Troy Michael
Anomie (pronounced an-uh-me) Belle is not a person like I foolishly thought, but the moniker for songwriter Toby Campbell. The classically trained violinist has had an intriguing music career before self-releasing her debut album Sleeping Patterns.
The young violinist has worked with musicians and producers across the globe from New York to London, Amsterdam to Glasgow, and Madrid to Buenos Aires. In 2006, the multi-instrumentalist settled down in the Northwest to concentrate on her solo album. The end result was a layered electronic down-tempo jewel of 10 tracks featuring socially and politically-charged lyrics.
Drawing comparrisons to Little Dragon, The Album Leaf and Tricky, Campbell’s vocals are beautfiully haunting with dark melodies. Backed by her love for lush string artragements and sensual electronic beats, the tracks swim in and out of your consciousness and stay with you long after they end.
Anomie Belle’s Sleeping Patterns has everything you want in this kind of album and some things you might not have even expected. It is dark, beautiful, sexy and passionate. Sleeping Patterns is one of those perfect albums in which people can’t quite puit a finger on when describing it, but they know it is a perfect match of singer and her talented orchestration.
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Rock 'n' roll summer camp brings girl power to Neumos
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Musicians from around the world have graced the Neumos stage, and many more will only ever dream of ...Musicians from around the world have graced the Neumos stage, and many more will only ever dream of it. This Saturday, a group of teenage girls from across the state will get to live out that dream and rock out for their friends and family in the Girls Rock! Seattle Showcase.
Saturday’s show is the culminating performance for the Girls Rock! Seattle Summer Camp, a weeklong day camp for girls ages 8-16. Throughout the week, the girls get a “crash course” in playing instruments, songwriting, audio engineering and stage performance. They attend courses in life-building and self-esteem, addressing issues like self defense and body image. The girls form bands on the first day of camp and work on original material throughout the week, culminating in a final performance for their families and friends on the Neumos stage.
It’s a great opportunity for young women without any music background to try out an industry perhaps otherwise unavailable to them, and, Girls Rock! hopes, bring more women into the sound production and music industry.
“It’s all about girls becoming familiar with what goes on behind the scenes. You go to a show and see the performance, but then you can go to camp and see how the house sound is run, how to sound check […] you learn how important all that is to running a concert,” said Girls Rock! instructor and local artist Anomie Belle. “For people who aren’t interested in being the center of attention on stage, or who want to work behind the scenes, there are lots of opportunities, and this is a chance for the girls to see what interests them most.”
Anomie Belle is a local music powerhouse – she’s a performer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. When she’s not in the studio, Belle collaborates with the VERA Project on youth advocacy projects, mentors film composing at Reel Grrls and is a Girls Rock! Seattle grantwriter.
Her introductory class is an hour and a half long, called “Audio Recording and Electronic Music Production,” which received funding from the Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs this year. Belle hopes that the program will inspire young women to enter the field of audio engineering and production, or record their own electronic music.
“It feels like it’s a boy’s game, and has been for a long time […] less than 5 percent of audio engineers are female,” said Belle. “I feel like encouraging the next generation of female artists and musicians to take electronic music in their own hands would certainly help close that divide.”
Girls Rock! Seattle is a non-profit organization fiscally sponsored by Reel Grrls. It’s modeled after Portland’s nine-year old Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, which serves over 300 girls a year and has year-round events and projects. As Girls Rock! Seattle grows, they hope to add year-round projects, more summer camps and workshops to their roster, too.
This year’s Girls Rock! Summer Camp is already exponentially larger than last year’s– they had to turn some girls away when they reached capacity. 80 girls are scheduled to attend.
The Saturday Showcase event is open to the public and starts at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10, available online, and at Moe Bar.
And if you’re a lady rocker over 16, well, there’s a Ladies Rock Camp for you. It runs August 27 – 29th at 7th Ave. South’s Theater off Jackson. Contact Girls Rock! for more information, to volunteer or let them borrow your gear for their projects.
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Girls Rock! Camp (Seattle, WA; Summer 2010)
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“I am beautiful, I will rock the stage, I can do this no matter what!” Normally kids get in trouble ...“I am beautiful, I will rock the stage, I can do this no matter what!” Normally kids get in trouble for sprawling messages on school property, but for six days in July, Billings Middle School in Greenlake is being commandeered by fledgling rock goddesses participating in the second Girls Rock! Seattle camp. Other messages like “Only Girls Allowed” and “I love rock!” are criss-crossed in Sharpie over a vast paper graffiti wall that the campers have continually added to throughout the week so that by today, the last day of camp, it’s difficult to decipher the many layered self-empowerment affirmations.
Girls Rock! began in Portland nine years ago, a natural progression of the riot grrrl movement, in an effort to promote self-esteem and confidence in young girls through music. Inspired by the success of the Portland camps, Girls Rock! programs have spread throughout the country, and the Seattle camp is in its second year, increasing the number of campers from forty last year to over eighty enrolled in this session. By offering workshops in everything from zine making to self defense, the camp is about more than just learning guitar chords. But since rock is the vehicle guiding the pervasive message of empowerment, the girls also attend instrument classes, songwriting workshops and afternoon band practices. The girls form their own bands – coming up with a band name, creating a logo, collectively writing a song, and finally performing together on stage at Neumos during the band showcase at the end of the week.
Without co-founders Natalie Walker, Holly Houser, Jenn Johnson and a team of volunteers, Girls Rock! Seattle wouldn’t be possible. Many of the women behind the scenes, coaching the bands and teaching workshops, are taking their vacation time to be here during the camp session. Natalie sat down with us to discuss their mission and what direction the camp may go in the future.
melophobe: What does the camp application involve, and as more girls become interested, how do you determine who is wait listed?
Natalie: We have multiple parts of the application asking basic information and instrument choice. They choose between bass, vocals, guitar, or percussion giving them a ranking. And then the other part of the application is called an “express yourself” piece, and they can write us a letter, a poem, they can submit a story or a song. Just something that tells us about why they want to come to camp or something about them. So the first thing we look at if we need to wait list someone is if they turned that in, if it is a complete application. That tells us if the girl really wants to come to camp. It isn’t based on one submission being better than another. Also, did they turn the application in on time? Then we have to look at instrument choice. This year we had an over abundance of eight- to nine-year-olds who wanted vocals, and in some cases they didn’t rank any other instruments. If vocals were full already and they crossed out everything else, then we had to wait list them. It turned out to be forty girls who were wait listed who turned the application in on time.
melophobe: How do you go about promoting the camp so that the largest audience of girls can find out about it?
Natalie: We have a board of directors, and one of the committees is community outreach, so they spend their entire year bringing us volunteers and campers. They do presentations in schools; we went to the Bush School this year where they had a camp day. We do farmers markets. For volunteers, we go to shows; we had a table at Sasquatch. We also got a lot of campers this year through word of mouth from campers who attended last year.
melophobe: One thing you offer is conflict resolution, which I don’t think many other programs include.
Natalie: I think one of the things that separates our camp is that we aren’t a music camp; we are more of a self esteem camp. It’s about teaching the girls how to treat each other. That’s why having camp counselors is so important, because the girls are learning new things, learning how to collaborate, so there is conflict. Having people in those positions helps facilitate those conversations, helps prevent any bullying or rumors being spread, all that stuff that maybe if we were just about teaching girls how to play guitar and that stuff were happening, it wouldn’t be resolved.
melophobe: One very cool aspect of Girls Rock! is that the girls don’t need to have any previous training or a certain level of musicianship. But how do you balance the girls who are picking up an instrument for the first time with those that have some experience already?
Natalie: It’s all about presenting to the girls in this short amount of time things that we feel in the real world they aren’t really exposed to as girls. Like the workshop that Toby (Anomie Belle) taught. Where else are they going to see a woman teaching audio engineering? We sort of offer a crash course in women doing all of these things. It’s not so much about honing in the skill level, but I think that in the future that is a challenge we’re going to face. We’ll have to address what to do with girls who have been here two years. After one year, we didn’t need an advance camper track, but now going into three years we’ll need to figure out how to involve the girls who are at a higher level and still keep them interested. Also encourage them to take it further. Instead of saying “oh it doesn’t matter if you’re good or bad”--well, if they are super talented I don’t want to discount that. Maybe we will channel them into a different organization or program, or have a program within Girls Rock! that focuses on that. We don’t want to have to say “oh you’ve been playing guitar for five years, maybe you should play drums at camp this year.” It’s a little more fun if you aren’t an expert at what you’re doing, because if you get paired with a beginner musician you may not get as much out of it.
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Girls Rock! relies on women volunteers from the local music community to serve as coaches and mentors to the campers. Portland native Toby Campbell began playing violin at eight and started on her first album at ten. Since then she has added guitar and keyboards to her list of instruments and picked up a heavy dose of audio engineering and production training along the way. Did I mention she also sings and writes her own songs? Upon moving to Seattle she adopted the moniker Anomie Belle and continued recording her complex, layered, electronic influenced music. Along with teaching a workshop, she is acting as a band coach and giving a lunchtime performance today. Melophobe was able to catch up with her after the show to chat about her music and the joys of camping.
melophobe: Did you approach Girls Rock or do they go out into the local music community and identify women that would be interested in coaching or teaching a workshop?
Toby: I think they did do a lot of outreach. I actually initially contacted them because I worked with the Portland Rock Camp. When they were starting I was teaching workshops but also doing grant writing. Then when I moved up here and was asking around to see if there was a camp, a friend of mine who is a co-director over at the Vera project, told me about this group of women who were going to be starting one. So I was grant writing for them before they had their first camp which was last summer. So actually I have been involved behind the scenes before they started doing camps here but I think for most people they do go out and find them.
melophobe: Do the camp organizers break the girls into bands before they arrive or is it based on their interests?
Toby: On the first day they got to know other girls in their age group and they got to express their desire for whom they would like to be in a band with. And then ultimately the directors went through those papers and tried to match them up as best they could but keeping in mind how many instruments we have.
melophobe: What age group are you coaching?
Toby: Mine are all twelve and thirteen, going into eighth grade. I think there are going to be twenty bands at the showcase.
melophobe: Do they decide on what style they are going with?
Toby: Yeah, on the first day they sit down and talk about what type of music they like and what type of thing they might want to write. For my band, none of the girls have played their instruments before this week so there is that kind of situation where you have to figure out what you can put together. They write the material.
melophobe: Is that part of what you do as a coach, being yourself so versatile in terms of knowing different instruments, helping them learn their instrument or is that mostly in the classroom?
Toby: Whatever seems appropriate. I am more of a facilitator of the band. I try to make sure that they are able to complete a song and play it from start to finish. I am guiding them but not giving too much instruction; I think that is more empowering.
melophobe: When they are working on the songwriting, do you help out on that?
Toby: Yes, my band had two different ideas, and I guide them with what a typical song looks like with choruses and verses, things like that. Not as much on the actual content – they attend workshops everyday and songwriting is one of those. All the girls attend every workshop.
melophobe: You taught the Recording and Production Workshop.
Toby: Yes, my workshop I specifically wanted to teach because less than five percent of audio engineers and production people are women. I think it is very important to encourage young women to get involved in that kind of stuff.
melophobe: Next year do you think you’ll teach the same workshop or bring in something new?
Toby: I have been wanting to do something with film scoring, because I do that as well. I have been talking to Reel Grrls. This class I taught this year was supported by the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. I got a grant to teach it, so that was also part of why I decided to do it.
melophobe: You’ve traveled extensively in Europe doing production and engineering work. Do you think there is more of an opportunity for that type or work over there as opposed to in the U.S.? Are there more women working in the industry over there?
Toby: In a lot of countries they provide subsidies to artists and musicians, so if you record a certain amount of music and play in clubs enough you can get a small stipend to live on. That’s nice because here you just basically have to find a way to make a living in a commercial market and it’s limiting and complicated and difficult to do. I don’t know about more women working as engineers over there or there being more opportunities exactly. I pretty much learned everything I know about engineering from men. Here there are a few women live sound engineers working at Neumos and the Showbox; I always make a point of speaking to them when I play a show, and there are women sound engineers. I just happened to have found this stuff really interesting because I play different instruments and I like to write really layered music and recording it in this day and age makes more sense to do it myself than to write out a bunch of music. And because this was my interest I just ended up figuring out where to take classes and where to intern. But I pretty much learned most of it from men and then got involved in this kind of stuff like Girls Rock! because I realized that there really weren’t a lot of women doing this. I’m sorry that I don’t have a more sophisticated analysis of why there aren’t more women involved in audio engineering, but I do know that most people assume that I don’t know how to do that stuff and are really surprised when I do know how when I am out recording. It will be nice when that changes.
melophobe: After your performance today, one of the girls asked what inspired you to be a musician and you mentioned your dad.
Toby: Yeah, he sings in a barbershop quartet and when I was really young when he was putting me to bed, instead of telling stories we would sing intervals and I thought it was a game. He would say “OK, I am going to sing a note, sing major third above that note, now a fourth above that note.” I thought it was really fun but it was awesome because basically I was getting ear training as a child but I thought it was a game. It was great to have that at such a young age; like learning a language, it is helpful to start it when you are really young. That was a kind of inspiration and in my family we sing a lot of four part harmony stuff because everyone in my family sings. There was also always piano and guitar in the house.
melophobe: Was the violin your idea or something your parents forced on you?
Toby: No, I was a really stubborn kid and if they had wanted me to do something I definitely wouldn’t have done it. I had to beg them for over a year. I think my mom was like, “Oh that is going to sound horrible.” I was really motivated and they never told me to practice; it was all self-motivated. I was kind of a weirdly self-motivated kid.
melophobe: Being more of a classically trained musician, when did you start bringing in the electronic sounds and layering your music?
Toby: My parents gave me a karaoke machine when I was eight and it had two tapes. I was immediately bored with the pre-set tapes that you get but I realized that if I recorded something like myself playing a keyboard part I could put that tape in the other slot and put a new tape in the first one and record myself playing a bass line over it. So I started doing that and layering violins and little percussion, anything I could really stack, so I was basically multi-tracking. The sound quality was kind of poor but I was interested in stacking and layering right away. When I was in college, I started taking engineering classes, and I knew I wanted to make slower down-tempo music. After college I had a fellowship and spent time abroad interning and working in different studios – when I was in the Netherlands I was working at an electronic label specifically. They were doing computer based but it was a mix with live bass, turntables, live percussion. So I learned a lot about how to incorporate that sound into performance. And everyone I’ve toured with do that as well – Tricky, Album Leaf and I try to observe them and see what they are doing.
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Our interview concludes when we are asked to serve as audience to the band practicing in the Joan Jett classroom (the practice rooms are identified by names of lady rockers). All four girls have adopted their own rocker style – a few in funky striped leggings, one with a camp t-shirt personalized “Flashdance” style with the neck cut out, another in neon Wayfarer-style sunglasses. The drummer counts off and they eagerly start in gaining volume and stage presence as the song progresses, ending in crashing cymbals and mashed guitar as they fall to ground or slump over their instruments. It’s probably a good thing there isn’t gasoline available, because, doesn’t every rock star deep down want to light up their guitar at least once? They all lay there in silence for a moment before jumping up laughing and shouting, “Let’s do it again. We can work on the chorus.” I just want to give them all a high five for putting themselves out there and proving that yes, girls do rock. Because, remember boys: you can put on tight pants, sneer, snarl, strut and even wear eyeliner – but you ain’t ever gonna be Joan Jett.
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Anomie Belle & Emily Wells Trip Hopping @ Triple Door
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September 1st, 2010
Last weeks show at the Triple Door featuring artists Anomie Belle and Emily W...September 1st, 2010
Last weeks show at the Triple Door featuring artists Anomie Belle and Emily Wells was a fantastic pairing; both amazing female multi-instrumentalists, violinists, and electronic producers with different styles (trip hop versus hip hop would be a real narrow comparison as they are both eclectic).
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Seattle musician Anomie Belle, fit perfectly in the dark, candle lit room of the Triple Door. Anomie’s trip-hop style, downtempo eletronic music, was at its best when deep and darker, as her voice goes low and is perfectly shadowed by the heavy bass; this was very moving in the cold ambient theater. She performed her solo act onstage with a live band including a cellist, violinist, drummer, and bassist; she switched off between the mic, keyboard, violin and guitar. I’ll be looking forward to the newly completed album.
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In contrast to Anomie’s set, it was different to see so much come out of Emily’s two person ensemble, rather than a full band and she worked it well, at one point quickly joining on the drums. Now I’ve been wondering what an Anomie Belle solo performance is like (I know she does it) and to date I’ve only seen her with the full band. Awesome set from both artists. Check them out.
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And the next time you go to the Triple Door wear a coat and make sure they don’t seat you on the side with a partial view and adjacent to the subwoofer. Other than that, love to the Triple Door!
http://www.anomiebelle.com/
http://www.myspace.com/emilywells
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Alumna Campbell sparks experimental, intellectual music group
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Up-and-coming Washington musician and '02 Whitman alumna Toby Campbell uses both her musical talent ...Up-and-coming Washington musician and '02 Whitman alumna Toby Campbell uses both her musical talent and her prior sociological studies at Whitman to create the experimental electronica group Anomie Belle, which synchronizes electronic and natural sound and textures to create densely-layered and original sound.
"What Anomie Belle tends to sound like is kind of [an] electronic and cinematic hybrid," Campbell said. "I tend to use a lot of organic sounds like guitar, keyboards, violin... It has a lot of acoustic elements but I do a lot of electronic recording on top of it."
The name of Campbell's group derives from the sociology term anomie, which means "social unrest or normlessness; individual malaise, alienation and purposelessness" and belle, the old term for a charming, beautiful and popular woman. These terms largely reflect what Campbell's music is about.
"The name Anomie Belle, especially in my first record, offers a lot of social critique of American culture, a culture that needs some critique and re-visioning," she said. "It gets at both the state of society .. and the experience of individuals living inside that society and the spectacle of media."
Campbell also attempts to address generational issues in her music.
"Our community is fractured to where we don't necessarily know our neighbors and our generation... we're not involved with social movements like other generations have been," said Campbell. "The name of the band was a way to gesture at a way to face and crituqe those issues through the music itself."
As the creator and main composer of the group, Campbell records all of the instruments and vocals for her soundtracks and has a band for live performances as well.
Campbell, who writes and records all the parts to her songs, began writing and recording songs when she was about nine years old. She recorded her first album when she was 11 with the help of her father's a cappella group cronies who had access to a recording studio.
Although she had an early start with the music business, learning multiple instruments as well as how to record at an early age, it was not until recently that Campbell decided to pursue music as a career.
"I think I was really disillusioned at that being a real possibility, because it's really hard to make a living in the music business," said Campbell. "I actually considered being a professor of sociology for along time, writing papers about sociology and music, which is what I wrote most of my sociology papers on [at Whitman]."
Campbell took various instrument classes as well as one of Whitman's first audio recording classes, which helped build her knowledge and skill at music composition. However, her social science classes also helped her focus on the heart of her music.
"Keith Farrington [professor of sociology and chair of social science] helped me write my thesis, which was on music and sociology, so I think my sociology and philosophy classes also helped me wrap my head around all the aspects of the music industry, particularly the commercialization of art and its exploitation for commercial purposes, which is obviously how you make a living doing it," she said.
After Whitman, Campbell worked in various recording studios and even attended graduate school at the University of Washington, where she studied the influence of sociology and media, entertainment and culture. However, upon meeting her manager she discovered her desire to jump headfirst into her career.
"I got a lot of time to explore the music business, and as I got older I felt like I had my wits about me a little more and understood what I was getting into," she said. "The biggest marker for me was meeting my manager [Anthon Smith], he really helped me with all the logistics and business of music."
Shorty after this, Campbell gave up her previous jobs in order to pursue music full time.
Campbell's success as a musician has led her to tour with electronica groups such as Bristol trip-hop band Tricky and a group directed by Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed music for "The Motorcycle Diaries" and "Brokeback Mountain," among others. She has also produced several CDs, performed at Bumbershoot and other Washington-area concerts and worked as an avid composer for films and even video games.
"Film and video games... allow me to explore different sound than what Anomie Belle normally produces," said Campbell. "What I compose tends to cross several genres."
Campbell combines fresh style of musicianship, intelligence with her prior experiences at Whitman and as a child, her inner conflict with her passion and her distress over society and the new generation. For more information about Campbell and Anomie Belle, visit her website, facebook and myspace pages.
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The Album Leaf + Sea Wolf + Anomie Belle - Neumos (Seattle, WA; Feb. 6, 2010)
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The one, two, three punch of Anomie Belle, Sea Wolf and The Album Leaf at Neumo’s Saturday night was...The one, two, three punch of Anomie Belle, Sea Wolf and The Album Leaf at Neumo’s Saturday night was something to behold. Each group contributed to an evening of extravagant yet subtle soundscapes the audience was only too happy to indulge in.
I was pleased to see the place packed on a Saturday night. I arrived as everyone seemed to be enjoying drinks, striking up casual conversation and eagerly anticipating the start of the show. Neumo’s main floor was more than two-thirds full, and the upstairs bar was near capacity by the time Anomie Belle (aka Toby Campbell) took the stage to deliver a set that was thought provoking, intimate, and beautiful. Playing this show with a string trio (quartet when she joined in on violin) added a welcome additional layer to the already lush, complex, and textured compositions. Drummer Eric “Quick Hits” Otteson expertly balanced his drumming to complement but not overpower any of the other music or Anomie’s vocals, a very tough feat to accomplish with music this lush and subtle. He made it look easy.
Backed by drums, strings and electronic accompaniment, Anomie provided the rest of the instrumentation and all vocals herself. Depending on the song, she effortlessly switched to keyboards, violin, or guitar all while projecting her smoky, sultry, soulful vocals throughout Neumo’s.
The set opened with “Down,” a soulful number off Anomie’s debut release, Sleeping Patterns, released in 2008. “Amy Song” is a bit more electronic than most of her others, and was second in the set. This song was possibly influenced by her work in Amsterdam at an experimental electronic recording studio. During this song, Anomie was on keyboards.
She switched to violin for the most captivating performance of the night, the socially conscious and thought provoking “John Q Public.” Already rich with Anomie’s violin skills, adding the string trio elevated the performance to quite another level. The electronic beat bordered on hip-hop, and the vocals were straight out of a vintage jazz club. The myriad of different sounds and styles collided to create a truly original composition.
The next couple of songs were from Anomie Belle’s forthcoming album, The Crush. First was “Privilege” and second was “Picture Perfect.” “Picture Perfect” focused on Anomie’s vocals as she got behind the guitar. The track provided another lush soundscape for the audience to process and take in. Anomie mentioned that on the album, “Picture Perfect” would be a duet with her friend Jon Auer, of Posies fame. Very cool! She is collaborating with MC Mr. Lif on the album as well.
The set ended with a couple more selections from Sleeping Patterns, including the down tempo “How Can I Be Sure?” and the dense, humid atmosphere of “Greenhouse.” Another socially conscious song, “On TV,” closed out the set to rave reviews from the crowd. The audience started a chant of “Encore!” that grew and grew but unfortunately could not be accommodated by Neumo’s precise time schedule.
Fortunately, the crowd was treated to the encore performance they craved when Anomie Belle and the string section returned later to play strings with headliner, The Album Leaf!
When the second act, Sea Wolf, took the stage and broke into their first song, I could see why they are often compared to Bright Eyes. Sea Wolf is largely the project of singer-songwriter Alex Brown Church, whose influences span throughout Americana and to authors such as Steinbeck and London, whose novel gave Sea Wolf its name. Church, along with his live band, provided a nice bit of indie pop escapism that was at once unique and very accessible and catchy.
Two of the best Sea Wolf performances were of the semi-acoustic rocker “You’re A Wolf” and the accordion-inflected “Winter Windows.” They are definitely a group to keep an eye on as these songs sound along the same lines as The Shins and Fleet Foxes.
Headlining was Sub Pop artist The Album Leaf. This performance was in support of their new album, A Chorus of Storytellers, out on Groundhog Day. Like I said before, the Anomie Belle string quartet joined them onstage for their set, perfectly complementing their already atmospheric compositions. The floating vocals and soaring progressions stopped the audience in its tracks and captured its attention. Some of the instrumentation and vocals are reminiscent of the best of the Beta Band.
“There Is A Wind” featured vocals that were delivered to the audience riding a slight musical breeze with occasional gusts. The audience was hanging on every note right to the end. This show was a warm-up for The Album Leaf as they look to conquer the world, starting in Lisbon at the end of February all the way through Taipei in April before they return to the States. After this short run of US shows they’ll be more than ready, best of luck to them.
I feel privileged to have attended these three amazing performances. I definitely recommend you catch any of these performers when you have the opportunity.
On a side note, the lighting at Neumo’s is very poor, sometimes not getting far above a dull glow. Neumo’s, please turn up the lights, just a little, thanks!
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Interview With Anomie Belle
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Seattle: independent mecca, birthplace of grunge and the world famous Seattle’s Best coffee. From Se...Seattle: independent mecca, birthplace of grunge and the world famous Seattle’s Best coffee. From Seattle come many a band, the good, the bad, and the hipster (who exist in their own universe categorically). Out of this melting pot of eclectic musical styles comes Anomie Belle, a singer, writer and multi-instrumentalist with a moody voice that channels the hushed atmosphere of an early 20th century speakeasy, wrapped up in an unassuming edginess that begs to be heard.
Belle’s first album, Sleeping Patterns, released way back in 2008, put on display her wide vocal range and moody nature, showing a darker side of lounge with feet firmly planted in trip-hop. It was her unique ability to perform in a classic voice while being every bit modern that prompted touring gigs with Little Dragon, Tricky, and The Album Leaf.
But for many fans, for whom the Seattle indie scene might be a bit out of reach, their first listen to Anomie Belle was in 2010's hit video game Alan Wake. Her single, How Can I Be Sure, was featured on the soundtrack and in the game, prompting some to dabble in the witchcraft of independent music for the first time.
“Who connects to what music and to what extent is out of my control,” she said, speaking to us over the phone from her home in Seattle. “ It’s great when people connect with some of the work I do and they find it meaningful and it’s compelling to them”
She spoke passionately about her work with young girls in rock ‘n’ roll camps, her impressive multi-country touring history, and what it means to be an independent artist in the age of crumbling labels.
Now, Anomie Belle has returned to the studio and released How Can I Be Sure as a single, alongside a remix by Azeba Booth and a cover of Radiohead’s Everything In It’s Right Place. For her next album, due out this Summer, she’s collaborated with Jon Auer of The Posies and renowned hip-hop artist Mr. Lif.
WideEye: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me! My first question: how do you get noticed as an independent artist?
Anomie Belle: It’s hard at first. People haven’t heard of you, and it’s a hustle. I spent a while writing about the music industry. I have a weird fascination with it, the commercialization of art and making money. It both intimidated and fascinated me. It’s hard when you’re starting out because you’re starting a business and branding a name and all that , so when people have seen me live and have really seen the record, responses have been overwhelmingly positive and affirming. It’s a lot of work. But now I’ve been active enough and a lot of people have gotten back to me, it’s getting easier as there’s more momentum.
For the first album, Anna-Lynne Williams of Trespassers William out of L.A. collaborated with me. She and I met just before I put up anything, before I played any shows in Seattle. She was an original touring member of my band and she’s on a couple of tracks. She’ll be on my next record as well. I had a lot of support from other friends as well who aren’t prominent names or anything, but a lot of my success is thanks in part to their help.
WideEye: Getting into the music business requires a lot of helping hands, right?
AB: It’s the way you gotta do it. The cool thing is that you end up connecting to really cool people. Jeff, Mr. Lif, has become one of my best friends. He’s an awesome guy. People help each other out. It’s how you learn and it beats staying in a PhD program.
WideEye: Who would you say are your biggest influences?
AB: Radiohead is definitely one of them, I’ve been listening to them for years, I really admire what they’ve done. They’ve pioneered things that have paved the way for a lot of us who are producing music independently so I really appreciate them. There are so many amazing musicians who are doing all kinds of stuff who are good at different things, the list is huge, it’s hard to narrow down just a few…
WideEye: I apologize, that was a very general question…
AB: No worries! Producing music and writing is an intuitive process. I probably absorb influence from everything I come across and it comes out. I grew up playing classical violin and listening to symphonies. I’ve never been an avid listener of classical music, but I grew up playing it, and I know it comes out when I’m playing. I couldn’t trace the genealogy back to some classical source but it’s in there.
WideEye: On your single, there’s a remix of Cascade, which was also on your first album. It’s very much a vocal experiment, more on the electronic side, whereas Sleeping Patterns was definitely a bit moodier. With the remix, and your cover of Everything in it’s Right Place, is this signaling a transition in style for the next album?
AB: That’s a perceptive observation. I do think that Anthon (her manager) and I were talking about this. I think it would be good to put this out there and give people a bit of an idea that this record might be a little different than the last one, and I think people will find that to be the case. Sleeping Patterns stayed within a specific mood and sound based on where I was at the time. That’s what I was doing then. I think the new stuff is bolder, and I’m experimenting more and I’m learning more, it’ll be fun and interesting to see how it’s received.
WideEye: How did you choose Everything In It’s Right Place to cover?
AB: I first covered it live, and when I started performing it I was performing with Anna-Lynne and this other woman who was in my PhD program. Very capable piano player, good music sense. We were fucking around at rehearsal one day and she started playing the chorus from it and we started singing it for fun. It’s in a weird time signature and we thought that we should play it live.
The band has gone through a few rotations and I was thinking of doing the three part harmony. Then when I got the drummer I toured with with Tricky, who was a really awesome guy, it totally changed the feel of the live show. When I toured with The Album Leaf, I shifted to a string heavy band. I have a bass player now, a new drummer and cello player who are ridiculously good musicians and the way we play it is very different now.
The way that song sounds changes depending on who I play with live. People just eat it up live, I know it’s a bold thing to do, to take such a well known song and do it your own way. The recorded version is just me. It’s just my version of the track.
WideEye: For your second album, you’re working with Jon Auer of The Posies. How was it like working with him?
AB: Working with Jon was fantastic. He’s super professional. Super capable. I wrote kind of a break up song, and right after I wrote it I thought it would be cool if it was a duet with a guy. We reached out to Jon, and I hadn’t met him before, but I liked his voice.
He came over and recorded the vocals. I had sketched it out beforehand, which I tend to do. I write the band members parts for them. I work with great people who are understanding of that. That’s pretty much what Jon did, he put his own spin on it, he changed a couple of the lines, sang them a bit differently, did a great job and sounded amazing. He also taught me shortcuts in pro-tools. He’s really capable when it comes to editing. I re-sang my half of the song to fit to the way he delivered it, and that was really fun. It was a totally different experience and very fun to match my voice to his.
WideEye: In the Azeba Booth remix of Cascade, your voice is used as if it were an instrument. Will there be more of this alongside your lyrics on the new album?
AB: Both really. I’m using different styles of singing, lots of vocal sampling which I’ve been getting in to. Aveda Booth created that remix without using any new sounds, so the track is made using nothing but original track sounds. I talked to him about it and asked what gear he was using to cut it up. I sound so corny talking about this circle of learning, but it’s reality, that’s how you learn shit! You can’t really go to school to learn this stuff. I started playing around with a lot of stuff he was telling me about, some of that you can definitely hear on the record.
WideEye: I have to admit that the first time I heard of your music was through the game Alan Wake. How Can I Be Sure is featured on the soundtrack. How did that come about?
AB: They actually approached me about it. It’s always kind of random. This music supervisor over there is kind of a fan, and he’s also a DJ at KXP in Seattle. He had contacted me before and asked me to play in studio and specifically asked for me to play How Can I Be Sure. So I did that, and about a month or two later he called and asked if I wanted to have the song in the game.
WideEye: Are you concerned with being labeled as the singer who was in Alan Wake?
AB: Not really, I think it’s pretty a positive outcome. Who connects to what music and to what extent is out of my control. It’s great when people connect with some of the work I do and they find it meaningful and it’s compelling to them. Some people are going to find the next stuff I do too experimental while others will eat it up. I’m already planning a record after this one. I just feel like I’m getting started and I’m not super worried about people trying to put me in a box. That’s one of the things that being independent is. I can put out whatever I want and move in any direction I want. The people who are fans will ride those waves. We’ll see how it goes.
There are people everywhere who experience art at face value and, while there’s a lot of hype and gatekeepers, at the end of the day I think people connect to the art that you make or they don’t.
WideEye: Alright, I promise no more questions about Alan Wake.
AB: It’s okay! My old drummer has an Xbox and keeps inviting me over to play it.
WideEye: I understand that you also score films?
AB: I am actually currently scoring a pilot television show for a local production company that has put this show together. It’s a lower budget Inception without all the special effects in a nutshell. So many people are involved, so much collaboration and it’s fun to be a part of that.
(Scoring films) is different from making records and it’s fun to work with the emotional arcs in the narratives. Another musician I toured with, Gustavo Santaololla , did the soundtrack for Brokeback Mountain and Motorcycle Diaries, really great films. Touring with him was so fun. Sixteen people were in his band and I got to hang out and talk to them in Spanish. I felt so nostalgic and friendly about it, it was a different experience from touring with North American artists. He’s a huge successful film composer and was working on something with Radiohead at the time.
He and I talked for a while about film composing. It’s a really fun and different way to exercise the composer muscles.
WideEye: You’re pretty much a jack of all trades.
AB: Some of that is by necessity. If I could hire an engineer to help me mix my record I would. It’s so painstaking having to do it all by myself, but it’s also awesome and empowering as a woman trying to learn all this stuff. I teach classes through Rock ‘n’ Roll girl camps in Portland and Seattle, mentoring and teaching about electronic music and engineering, and I recently got a grant proposal to teach some film composing.
Less than 3% of engineers are women, so it’s fun to develop skills that I feel I can give back. There’s not a lot of women doing this stuff, and it’s fun to teach young girls to do it when they’re ten or eleven years old.
WideEye: When’s the new album out, and are you going to be touring?
AB: We don’t have an exact release date, but it’ll be this summer. Trying to finish it and get the tour set up. We’re getting it mastered in a week and it’ll be set in stone.
I will definitely be touring, I know there are some festival dates that we have locked down at this point, and it’s very likely that I’ll be in LA. I’ll let you know when and where we are.
You can hear the entirety of Anomie Belle’s single release HERE . The single will be released March 29th. Look for her new album this Summer.
Written by Chris O’Neal
Twitter @AgentONeal
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Anomie Belle: 'Darkness can be beautiful and sexy'
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Twinkle twinkle little star. The star of Anomie Belle started twinkling back in 2008 when her debut ...Twinkle twinkle little star. The star of Anomie Belle started twinkling back in 2008 when her debut album Sleeping Patterns came out and touched many souls of music fans, and probably broke a few hearts. Today this star is shining bright with the new beautiful single "How Can I Be Sure" getting well-deserved media attention and the new album being eagerly awaited by thousands of fans. Singer, composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Anomie Belle shines not only as a studio musician but as amazing live performer, continuously touring alongside such artists as Tricky and Bonobo. Today Anomie Belle answers trippin' the rift's questions about inspiration for her music, the upcoming album and being a genius.
tipkin - You wrote your first song when you were ten? That's pretty impressive! Can you tell us a bit about it? It was inspired by a horror movie soundtrack, right? This darkness remains in your music. Why do you find darkness inspiring?
Anomie Belle - My parents gave me a karaoke machine when I was ten, and as soon as I realized that I could record back and forth from tape to tape to stack instruments and layers in my songs, my world was altered forever. I didn’t really know what multi-track recording was, but I was drawn to layering from the start. One of the first songs I recorded was called "Revenge", and was inspired by my recent exposure to the eerie soundtrack for the movie, Child’s Play. (I was also reading a string of teen thriller novels at the time and so felt amply qualified to write this creepy little love-song.)
First I recorded a simple piano line in a minor key, then a bass line, a few violin parts, a vibraphone, and a few vocal lines. As I recorded each instrument, tape distortion was created by recording back and forth from tape to tape, and the original piano line became more and more garbled and wobbly. This made the recording even creepier sounding. These days I create the distortion on purpose.
I guess the inspiration in darkness comes from the mystery in it. The experience of walking into new unknown spaces can be really powerful. It is often the things that we don’t know that are most exciting to us. The shadows leave room for imagination; they are alluring and inspiring. Darkness can be frightening, but it can also be still, quiet, beautiful and sexy.
t. - Do movies (or their soundtracks) still inspire you? What are sources for inspiration in general?
A.B. - I am always inspired by art, film, music, and life in general. Film soundtracks are particularly appealing because the marriage between narrative, visual art, and music can evoke such emotion. I got to tour with Gustavo Santaolalla recently and he is a pretty inspiring film composer. I also really admire Jon Brion as a film composer.
t. - A question I ask all my interviewees: what is trip-hop to you? And how do you feel about Anomie Belle being classified as a trip-hop artist?
A.B. - I suppose “trip-hop” is a label people use to identify a particular genre of music, and it also refers to a general sound with a specific history. Most people refer to music as “trip-hop” when its sexy or trippy, and that is the mood in which I most often write music, so I’m cool with it. Any label is both useful and meaningless.
t. - You toured with (among others) Tricky and shared stage with such acts as Bonobo, Azure Ray and Asobi Seksu. What are some of the best concert experiences?
A.B. - I’ve toured with some really amazing musicians, and each tour has been different. Touring with Tricky was a lot of fun. Bonobo’s live band is really tight. I learned a lot from touring with the Album Leaf because Jimmy LaValle was really open with me about the technical stuff he has done over the years to improve their live show.
Some of the best experiences I’ve had on tour have also been with my own live band. I feel lucky to get to play and tour with such awesome musicians and amazing people.
t. - You play like a gazillion instruments, write, sing and produce all your material. What part(s) of creative process are more interesting/pleasant and what (if any) tedious?
A.B. - The inception of an idea is the most thrilling part of the process. I’ve learned to play so many instruments because it’s the easiest way for me to express the ideas I come up with. I really enjoy recording, producing and writing music. Lyrics just come when they want to.
I suppose mixing is the thing I find most tedious, but I continue to learn more and more about engineering and better utilizing the technology I’ve got at my disposal. The whole process is empowering, especially the first time I get to listen to something that’s finished.
t. - "How Can I Be Sure" is featured on Alan Wake soundtrack AND going to be on Showtime's United States of Tara. Congratulations! How did this happen and what does it mean for you?
A.B. - Inclusion in Xbox’s Alan Wake last year helped expose a lot of new people to my music, which was awesome. It was a good fit because it is so dark. I got a lot of new fans from all over the world, and I was really grateful to have been asked to be a part of the game. The Showtime placement will be in the upcoming season, so hopefully more people will find my music through that show. I hear the scene that it plays in is pretty steamy – I like that!
t. - Your new EP features a cover of Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place". That's a brave thing to do. What's the story behind it?
A.B. - I’m admittedly a long-time fan of Radiohead. When The Bends came out I was a teenager. I took my walkman down to the beach with a pair of headphones and listened to the album four times in a row. Each listen I paid attention to a different instrument or aspect of the production, sort of studying it I guess. I have learned a lot from listening to their music as it has evolved over the years and have drawn a lot of inspiration from it.
Originally, I covered "Everything In Its Right Place" for the live show. Fans liked it so much when I performed it that I decided to record it as well.
t. - Can you talk a bit about the upcoming album, The Crush? How similar/different is it going to be to Sleeping Patterns? Do you feel more pressure now that "How Can I Be Sure" getting this kind of media exposure?
A.B. - Ah… well, you are asking the least objective person to tell you about this record. All I can say is that I am excited to put new material out into the world. It’s a bolder album than Sleeping Patterns. I took more risks and didn’t hold anything back. I experimented more, and I’ve got a few really awesome guests on the record (Jon Auer, Mr. Lif, Anna-Lynne Williams) who brought inspiration and unique talents to the table. I’m really looking forward to putting it out, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to perform live.
t. - Is there a tour planned for the new album? Or any festival participation?
A.B. - Yes! My manager is booking them now. I know we’ll be heading to Europe in July, which I’m really looking forward to. We’ll have U.S. dates too. Stay tuned at www.anomiebelle.com.
t. - Is it hard being a genius?
A.B. - Uh…well…if people think I’m a genius, that’s a lot to live up to. I don’t think of myself that way. Music has always been my passion and I have spent most of my creative energy on it and I have no plan to ever stop doing that.
Talented, beautiful and humble. Perfection. Check out Anomie Belle's new EP on her website and don't miss her shows and the new album The Crush scheduled to come out this summer.
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Anomie Belle: How Can I Be Sure
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The million dollar question is answered, my friends. The North Pole is discovered. The Eagle has lan...The million dollar question is answered, my friends. The North Pole is discovered. The Eagle has landed. What is trip-hop? Trip-hop is music that's dark and sexy. That's it. Genius lies in simplicity. Genius also lies in lots of hard work and insane skills required to produce something that is dark and sexy. Am I calling Anomie Belle a genius? Yes I am. She recorded her first trip-hop song when she was ten years old. I'm sure it was pretty dark (it was inspired by the soundtrack to Child's Play) but it was a love song! More about that - in the upcoming exclusive interview with Anomie Belle (yep, that's right), now let's get to the new release. How Can I Be Sure is a little 4-track EP that is full of big surprises. I like surprises. Even when they aren't pleasant, they make life less boring. And when they are pleasant, they make life worth living. Every one of the four tracks on How Can I Be Sure is a surprise. The opening title track knocks the socks right off of any trip-hop fan. Whatever you like about trip-hop - it's all there: the fattest slowly progressing beat, amazing vocals, instrumental parts that are appropriate and organic, a bit of static noise and an eerie sample. Call it old-school or nostalgic if you want, I call it good music. You can pick up your socks, but don't put them back on - the following live version of "How Can I Be Sure" is just as awesome. The spotlight is naturally on Anomie's vocals and they shine and sparkle under it. Minus eerie sample - plus spacey keyboard and sweetly aggressive live drums and talking guitar. The next track is yet another surprise that took some major guts to produce. A cover of Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place", no less. Don't hate before listening - this is a really respectful cover, not one of those that try to strip the original off everything that made it so good. Anomie Belle leaves everything... in its right place (I know, I know) and then adds some of her sexiness to it. And then comes a playful glitchy remix of "Cascade" by Azeda Booth, that breaks down the trip-hop pattern but leaves the seductive whispers. I'm going to save the star ratings and the excitement for the LP release, because I feel that I will need lots of both. Feel it too - preview How Can I Be Sure on Anomie Belle's website now and buy it when it comes out on March 29th.
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Grieves – Together Apart
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There are few things I love more than Seattle and Hip-Hop. And last night at Neumos I definitely go...There are few things I love more than Seattle and Hip-Hop. And last night at Neumos I definitely got my fix of both, when Grieves threw his album release party at the Capital Hill venue. Teaming up with longtime friend and fellow Seattleite, Budo, Grieves has released his debut album on Rhymesayers Ent. A label known for their all-star roster of independent artists like Atmosphere and Brother Ali.
There wasn’t a direction you could look in, without seeing a figure of the local hip hop scene. It truly was a who’s-who of Seattle rappers; Macklemore, Grynch, Sol, and others all their to support release of Together Apart. The all ages show was definitely not what you would expect for a Monday night. Backed by his newly formed band Worst Animal, another local MC, Type got the party started with his comical lyrics and entertaining delivery. Type was followed by Sapient, a Portland native who handed the mic off to Mr. Lif. Who’s set was highlighted by DJ Swerve1 and a collaboration with local artist Anomie Belle. (Blair Says she deserves a more time on stage. This song belongs in a gangster movie…listen [How Can I Be Sure])
With great support from fans and artists Grieves shared a mix of songs from his latest work as well as some of his better known songs from his earlier release “88 Keys and Counting.” Together Apart explores the perils of life on the road and the empending return home. It follows a plot of self-discovery and is complemented by the sounds of soul and jazz. Grab a copy of the Together Apart on iTunes, Best Buy, or Fifth Element. Out now.
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Anomie Belle - How Can I Be Sure?
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An-o-mie : n Social unrest or normlessness; individual malaise; alienation or purposelessness.
Be...An-o-mie : n Social unrest or normlessness; individual malaise; alienation or purposelessness.
Belle : n A popular and charming woman; especially: a woman whose charm and beauty make her a favorite.
She first got my attention with the fact that she has toured with acts such as Sea Wolf, Azure Ray, and Efterklang. Of course anyone can pull some strings and get on a couple of good tours but it was enough to make it worth checking out. Needless to say I wasn’t disapointed… her music is moody and electronic. And while it may not be something you put on the playlist for your grandma’s birthday party it certainly could suit certain musical moods.
Suggested If you like Oh Land or have loved any of Radiohead‘s albums released in the last decade then this sultry-sally with her accentuated social oddities will be right up your alley. She even has a fantastic cover of Everything In Its Right Place… and I do love a good Radiohead cover.
She originally hails from the great city of Portland but it seems that her career has placed her in various cities around the world, such as Madrid, Glasgow, Amsterdam, New York, Buenos Aires, London and now to Seattle.
The EP is due out on March 29th but you can stream it on her web page (link below). Then the full length album The Crush will be out this summer. Until then, her debut album Sleeping Patterns from 2008 is certainly one worth checking out!
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Anomie Belle- How Can I Be Sure
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You know that playlist you always throw on right before bed with your favorite songs from artists li...You know that playlist you always throw on right before bed with your favorite songs from artists like The Album Leaf, Zero 7, and Asobi Seksu? Let’s add another artist to that list. Anomie Belle has toured with the likes of The Album Leaf, Phantogram, Asobi Seksu, Little Dragon, and the list continues to grow. With her latest release How Can I Be Sure dropping March 29th and a highly anticipated second album coming out Summer 2011, this dark ambient artist has a lot to look forward to.
The first track off How Can I Be Sure I took a listen to was “Everything In It’s Right Place,” a Radiohead cover. Now usually I’m not one for artists trying to cover Radiohead because let’s face it, no one does it better than Radiohead. But, this particular version is actually great. It’s a beautifully re-done ambient version of this fantastic song.
Following the listen of this tune, “How Can I Be Sure” is the next track that took me by surprise. This track felt like I was listening to Zero 7 or a highly influenced version of it. It actually took me some time to write this considering every time I listened it just relaxed me beyond belief.
This release was definitely a great start to what I believe will be a great album in the summer. With beautiful vocals and a mix of dark sounding ambience/trip hop, there’s no doubt this artist will be featured in countless shows and movies. Already being featured in United States Of Tyra, Anomie Belle isn’t far off from being ambient music’s next big thing.
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Album Review: Anomie Belle “How Can I Be Sure”
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The newest release “How Can I Be Sure” from multi-intrumentalist Anomie Belle is filled with soft-sp...The newest release “How Can I Be Sure” from multi-intrumentalist Anomie Belle is filled with soft-spoken trip-hop and sun-washed electronics. Anomie Belle broke onto the scene in 2008 to rave reviews, opening for a span of different acts including the Album Leaf and Tricky. Anomie Belle is a classically trained violinist, and approaches drums, synths and guitars with similar attention to detail. The 4 track album is looped and layered delicately, swirling soulful vocals together with percussion that carries a moody sadness. These soundscapes don’t bring you down though; the melancholia is light, swiftly fading in and out as you move through the short EP which includes two versions of the single “How Can I Be Sure”, a Postal Service-like remix of Cascade and a spot-on cover of Radiohead’s “Everything in Its Right Place”. How Can I Be Sure will be available March 29th, while a full-length effort is expected to drop Summer 2011 and feature Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star) and Mr Lif (The Perceptionist, Def Jux).
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Upcoming Release: ANOMIE BELLE – How Can I Be Sure EP
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Anomie Belle originally hails from Portland, Oregon. She has shared the stage with the likes of Tric...Anomie Belle originally hails from Portland, Oregon. She has shared the stage with the likes of Tricky, Little Dragon, The Album Leaf, Asobi Seksu and Azure Ray to name a few. On March 29th she will release How Can I Be Sure. Head over to her website to stream the EP, which features a live version, a cover of Radiohead’s Everything In Its Right Place and a remix by Azeda Booth. Anomie is set to release her sophomore effort, The Crush, this coming summer. For more info, check her out on Myspace.
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This Week's Best Single: Anomie Belle's How Can I Be Sure
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Seattle-based electro-pop musician Anomie Belle, a.k.a. Toby Campbell, released her debut album of s...Seattle-based electro-pop musician Anomie Belle, a.k.a. Toby Campbell, released her debut album of soulful trip hop, a record entitled Sleeping Patterns, in 2008. One track in particular from that record, the sauntering, sultry, down-tempo "How Can I Be Sure," has proved its staying power. It was featured on the soundtrack for Alan Wake, a dark-thriller video game from Xbox. The song was also featured in the award-winning short film Dark Material. And now, it's the title track of Belle's new single.
With a new album called The Crush due out this summer (guest musicians include Mr. Lif and Jon Auer [The Posies, Big Star]), Belle is dropping How Can I Be Sure as a teaser. Along with the aforementioned title track, the four-song release also sports a live version, a Björk-esque cover of Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place," and an Azeda Booth remix of the song "Cascade."
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Anomie Belle revient
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Actualité chargée pour la chanteuse et musicienne multi-instrumentiste Anomie Belle. Retenons d'abor...Actualité chargée pour la chanteuse et musicienne multi-instrumentiste Anomie Belle. Retenons d'abord la date du 29 mars 2011. C'est ce jour-là que sera disponible en version uniquement digitale le single "How Can I Be Sure" (qu'on avait pu entendre sur son très beau premier album, "Sleeping Patterns", sorti en 2008). Comme Anomie Belle est une fille très gentille, la dite version digitale comportera trois autres morceaux : "How Can I Be Sure (Live at KEXP)", une reprise du titre "Everything in its Right Place" de Radiohead (qu'elle a déjà interprété en concert) et un remix de "Cascade" (qui figurait également sur "Sleeping Patterns") concocté par Azeda Booth. Bonne nouvelle : un clic sur l'image ci-dessus suffit pour streamer les quatre pépites (courez-y, c'est du tout bon).
Bien sûr, tout ceci n'est qu'une petite entrée bien sympathique en attendant ce qui va se produire cet été, à savoir : la sortie de "The Crush", très attendu second opus dans lequel nous aurons le plaisir de goûter à nouveau au trip-hop/folktronica de cette artiste remarquable.
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Anomie Belle - "How Can I Be Sure"
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“How can I be sure?” is a question I ask myself almost daily. How can I be sure my soybeans are not ...“How can I be sure?” is a question I ask myself almost daily. How can I be sure my soybeans are not GMO? How can I be sure the Mayan calendar didn’t really mean 2112? How Can I Be Sure begs the rhetoric surely identifiable with most young listeners and I can say this in response: of Anomie Belle you can be sure. Why, you might ask? Because she kicks ass.
Being mildly familiar with the tongue of my elders, I knew belle meant beautiful but wasn’t quite sure about anomie. It was a welcome discovery that Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for the identity donned by the multitalented Toby Campbell. This translates generously to the juxtaposition of devolution and utopia; a dichotomy I love to debate. Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking. Belle’s not adverse to railing against prior selfish generations with lyrics such as these from “Bedtime Stories” on her debut release Sleeping Patterns:
I can't be held responsible
for all the mistakes my parents made
'cause it's their generation
that has left us a nation
of waste and complacence and apathy
Her latest EP release, How Can I Be Sure, opens with the title track, a down-tempo trip-hop vibe with soothing vocals. The song builds adding electronic and organic layers as the beat becomes insistent, eclectic, and increasingly complex. Arpeggiators, fuzzy guitars and a Fender Rhodes piano swirls around the listener’s head fabricating a mood steeped in Cowboy Junkies sultriness and Tricky “trippiness”. One can understand why even though this song was previously featured in the award-winning short film Dark Material, in 2011 ‘How Can I Be Sure’ will be a mood setter for a steamy scene on Showtime's United States of Tara.
A native of Portland, Oregon, Belle’s interest in music began with classical violin. At 10 years old, this ingénue received the karaoke machine that she converted into an electronica forge. Unsatisfied with her abilities to produce music, she taught herself piano, drums, guitar, synthesizer, audio engineering, and electronic programming. She also sought musical inspiration by traveling to Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires, Glasgow, and Amsterdam. Her experiences abroad enabled her to amass the unique threads of influence that weave and shape the texture of her music today.
The second track on her EP is a smart interpretation of Radiohead’s ‘Everything In Its Right Place’. A faithful reproduction of the Rhodes-laden riff and depth and Thom Yorke’s unmistakable vocal stylings, Belle has taken a song that needed little renovation or deviation and made it her own. I must say that I’ve been truly impressed lately with the renewed interest in analog sounds from the monophonic abilities of the early synths such as Moogs and ARPs to the polyphonic and iconic sounds of the Fender Rhodes. They possess a depth and texture hardly matched by modern technology. These instruments aren’t just for hipsters. Amazing music has been written and produced on these early synths over the years with everything from ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Billy Joel to ‘Whip It’ by Devo to ‘Tom Sawyer’ by Rush. The Fender Rhodes was the favorite compositional instrument for Donald Fagen of Steely Dan as well as for Stevie Wonder. It’s a welcome development to it quietly stealing its way back into popular music through bands like Sloan and artists like Alicia Keys. I think Harold Rhodes would be proud. The Fender Rhodes is definitely a distinguishing feature of Anomie Belle’s music.
Another gem on How Can I Be Sure is Belle’s composition ‘Cascade (Azeda Booth Daylight Mix)’ remixed by Morgan Greenwood of the Calgary, AB band Azeda Booth. In true Indietronica manner, this song ebbs and flows electronic rhythms, modulations, peaks and textures. Sampled sounds of Toby breathing, whispering and smacking her lips loop over humanized drum patterns adding a smart tension between pure electronica and a more organic feel. She attributes her electronica influences to her time in Amsterdam, learning looping and engaging in experimental jamming. While in Scotland, she worked and met many famous musicians such as The Proclaimers, Marianne Faithful’s band, and the Breeder’s producer from the album Last Splash, further adding to her sphere of influence and interests.
The anchor of the EP is a live, more organic sounding version of ‘How Can I Be Sure’, this time led by guitar, acoustic drums and Rhodes. The seductive and moving vocals are clear and stylized, showcasing her true vocal prowess. I’m having a difficult time discerning which version I enjoy more. The live version approaches Pink Floyd-heights, building a facade of angst then fading, painting emotional soundscapes and leaving a wake of melancholy. Live performance is always the hallmark of an accomplished artist and Anomie Belle is the mistress of her music and it shows.
What’s in the works for Anomie Belle? Her upcoming full-length album features a collaborative duet with Jon Auer (from The Posies and Big Star) on a song entitled ‘Picture Perfect’. The album will also feature Mr. Lif of The Perceptionists and is expected out later this year. Don’t miss this release if you have any hopes of being a part of the in-crowd1 in 2011.
- Reviewed by Blastcap Farouche
Ping Blastcap Farouche at blastcap.farouche@gmail.com
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Grieves & Budo at Neumos
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“It takes a lot of work,” a dreads-free Mr. Lif said to an enthusiastic audience as he closed his op...“It takes a lot of work,” a dreads-free Mr. Lif said to an enthusiastic audience as he closed his opening set at Grieves and Budo’s Together/Apart release party Monday at Neumos. The indie rap OG, startlingly sporting a clean-cut look of shaved head, fedora, and dress vest, was referring to what lay before him: his mentee’s loyal and eager fanbase, one cultivated through incessant national touring.
Travel and its toll inspired much of T/A, officially released the next day on seminal underground label Rhymesayers, but the night was more a celebration of the fruits of those labors and a homecoming for the former Seattlites. Grieves’ hip-hop is of the emo-rap sort, in line with labelmates Atmosphere, but the positivity in the building was remarkable. Though first opener Type performed to a scattered and distracted crowd, Portland’s Sapient was well-received with steady hands in the air and cheerful applause despite his relative obscurity and that his set was decent at best; the young crowd simply wanted to enjoy music. It was refreshing considering how too many audiences, albeit mostly ones skewing older, display indifferent attitudes to earnest performances.
Still, the large floor crowd wanted the headliners, so Mr. Lif kept his set short. Backed by local singer Anomie Belle and her band, the now sometime-Seattle resident ran through a skit in which he kills his boss (played by bassist Keith Cushner) after being reprimanded for smoking weed at work. He then performed new, mellow numbers befitting his recently upstanding exterior.
Lif, who Grieves repeatedly called his mentor in hip-hop, would reappear later in the headliners’ set, which began with single “Bloody Poetry.” Budo, who crafted T/A and 2008’s collaboration 88 Keys and Counting using entirely original production, added live trumpet to the song. Switching between trumpet, guitar, and keys throughout the set while doing his trademark “Budo bounce,” as an on-looking Sol called it, his live instrumentation underscored the warmth and hopefulness in Grieves’ energetic rhymes about heartbreak and loss.
Both performers are not physically impressive but their outsized energy was. The crowd matched it through a nearly 90-minute long set, MC and producer gasping for breath between only a few cuts. The new LP was well-represented and the audience’s most fervid members already knew the words to highlights “Sunny Side of Hell” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”
“We fly out to Minneapolis at 7 a.m. to do this sh*t all over again,” Grieves said between tracks to cheers. “And then to New York and Dallas … It’s crazy y’all.” That was little more than half-way their set. The veritable road warriors soldiered on. The crowd thinned before the concert’s 12:30 closing but was louder and more energetic than at its earlier apex, relishing the duo’s last local date before embarking on the 44-show Warped Tour for the summer. Yes, it most certainly does take non-stop hard work, but the end result was one of the most enthused and devoted crowds witnessed locally in a long time.
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Listen: Anomie Belle – How Can I Be Sure
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De single ‘How Can I Be Sure’ van Anomie Belle komt uit op 29 maart 2011. Dat is zeker iets om in de...De single ‘How Can I Be Sure’ van Anomie Belle komt uit op 29 maart 2011. Dat is zeker iets om in de gaten te houden, haar muziek is namelijk donker, intens en indrukwekkend zoals je hier zelf kunt constateren!
De single bevat ook een cover van Radiohead’s ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ die zeer de moeite waard is! Het schijfje met in totaal vier songs dient als een soort preview voor wat komen gaat. In mei 2011 komt namelijk het 2e album uit van Anomie Belle waarop niemand minder dan Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star), Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Def Jux) en Anna-Lynne Williams (Trespassers William) mee doen.
Natuurlijk houden wij je op de hoogte!
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Single review – Anomie Belle ‘How Can I Be Sure’
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Anomie Belle has recently toured with Little Dragon, Tricky, The Album Leaf and Bajofondo. The Seatt...Anomie Belle has recently toured with Little Dragon, Tricky, The Album Leaf and Bajofondo. The Seattle musician’s newest release is the song “How Can I Be Sure”, which has been featured on Xbox’s Alan Wake, the award-winning short film “Dark Material”, and Showtime’s United States of Tara.
Belle’s latest release includes a cover of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place” as well as an Azeda Booth remix of the song “Cascade”. The three tracks pave the way for Belle’s second album The Crush, which is scheduled for a summer 2011 release, and which includes guests Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star) and Mr Lif (The Perceptioist, Def Jux).
“How Can I Be Sure” is chilled-out, spacey, dream-pop reminiscent of the moody, sensual sounds of Zero 7 or Massive Attack. The title track is a great example of Belle’s wonderful use of soulful whispery vocals, textured samples and down-tempo rhythms. The remixed track “Cascade” by Azeda Booth brings a more glitch-y noise element to her music that will please electronic music fans.
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Fresh Meat: Weekly Inbox Round-Up
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The layering of vocals and instruments in this song is so captivating, and perfectly balances one an...The layering of vocals and instruments in this song is so captivating, and perfectly balances one another out. On top of composing all of her songs, this artist is one of the few females who produces all her own music as well.
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Anomie Belle ” Update… ”
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Anomie Belle ” Update… “ 2011 Title [ How Can I Be Sure ] added. This album is set to be released on...Anomie Belle ” Update… “ 2011 Title [ How Can I Be Sure ] added. This album is set to be released on the 29th of March 2011. Anomie Belle has recently toured with [ Tricky ] ~ [ Little Dragon # ~ [ The Album Leaf ] and [ Bajofondo ]. The title track ” How Can I Be Sure ” has garnered significant attention after being featured on Xbox’s Alan Wake, the award-winning short film Dark Material, and Showtime’s United States of Tara.
This release features a cover of [ Radiohead’s ] ” Everything In Its Right Place ” a remix by Azeda Booth, and serves as a preview for Anomie Belle’s highly anticipated second album, which is set to drop Summer 2011 and will feature Jon Auer [ The Posies, Big Star ] and Mr Lif [ The Perceptionists, Def Jux ].
Anomie Belle has also performed with [ The Heavy ] ~ [ Phantogram ] ~ [ Bonobo ] ~ [ Kid Koala ] ~ [ Efterklang ] ~ [ Sea Wolf ] ~ [ Asobi Seksu ] ~ [ Azure Ray ] and many others.
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Today Reverb Recommends Experiencing Anomie Belle's Trip-Hop at Chop Suey
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Just because Sasquatch! is just around the bend doesn't mean there's any shortage of local music to ...Just because Sasquatch! is just around the bend doesn't mean there's any shortage of local music to catch in town. From this week's Short List:
Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a more powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment than classroom teachings. She's not one to sit still either; after beginning her musical training as a violinist in Portland, the woman born Toby Campbell traveled throughout the US, Europe and South America before returning to the Pacific Northwest to focus on her downtempo persona. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically. Following the selection of her song "How Can I Be Sure" for Xbox video game Alan Wake and HBO dramedy United States of Tara, Belle is celebrating the release of an EP by the same name--set to be quickly followed by her sophomore full-length The Crush this summer.
Tickets are $10 at the door, which opens at 8, and support comes from Cars and Trains and Hi-Life Soundsystem.
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Anomie Belle EP Release at Chop Suey Thursday
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Chop Suey plays host to Seattle mood musician Anomie Belle‘s How Can I Be Sure EP release Thursday. ...Chop Suey plays host to Seattle mood musician Anomie Belle‘s How Can I Be Sure EP release Thursday. The singer/songwriter and her band make sultry kind-of-electronic music a la Portishead with longing, loving female vocals over subdued samples. It’d be too easy to call her music the soundtrack for somber and sensuous moments because, well, it’s already been used that way — ”How Can I Be Sure” has found its way into an episode of The United States of Tara and the video game Alan Wake.
Opening at the release is Hi-Life Soundsystem, who could not be more different from the headliner in the best way possible. The rap trio’s self-titled release contains the best local party raps of 2011 without sacrificing any hip-hop artistry; it’s smart-dumb rap featuring emcee Khingz in complete beast mode on singles “Death of the Party” and “Bounce.” Also performing is cars & trains, the folksy-electronic stylings of multi-instrumentalist Tom Filepp.
Doors are at 8 pm and the show is 21 and up. Tickets are $8 advance and can be found here. Stream Anomie Belle’s How Can I Be Sure EP right about…. here.
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Win Tickets to Anomie Belle’s EP Release Show
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Anomie Belle (Toby Campbell) is aware of all aspects of the production and creation of her music, a...Anomie Belle (Toby Campbell) is aware of all aspects of the production and creation of her music, and is quite an intelligent woman. The team she works with (her band and management) consists of people of the same talent and caliber. Her music involves lots of layers, like electronics and violin, which she produces herself with the help of a loop pedal.
Anomie Belle’s music takes you into a new world with her sexy breathy layered vocals on top of irresistible synth hooks and drum beats that go from simple to complex. The title song off her upcoming EP, (to be released at the show), “How Can I Be Sure,” feels ahead of its time, yet comfortable, drawing on similar synth lines to her song “Cascade,” off of her 2008 debut, Sleeping Patterns. Later this year, she plans to release a full length as well, entitled The Crush. If that doesn’t keep her busy enough, she is also currently running a Kickstarter Campaign to raise enough money to work with local director Bogdan Derev to make a music video for her song “Inky Drips.”
Also using a loop pedal will be cars & trains, who was just featured on music software company Ableton’s site for using their Live performance software. Tom Filepp is the sole member of cars & trains, playing a plethora of instruments like glockenspiel, melodica, guitar, viola, and more, as well as programming his own beats. Much in the way tUnE-yArDs would perform when Merrill Garbus was the sole member, he takes simple parts and layers them on top of each other, creating a complex and unfamiliar soundscape, which comes together as a great song that could stand on its own, even without any production.
Expect to hear unfamiliar sounds this Thursday that you’ll totally dig.
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Anomie Belle: An Interview on the Release of the ‘How Can I Be Sure EP’
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“Anomie Belle has proven herself to be a legitimate quintuple threat as a masterful composer, produc...“Anomie Belle has proven herself to be a legitimate quintuple threat as a masterful composer, producer, programmer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. Her sultry, smoky vocals combine with her slithery, seductive programming for the perfect balance of sexiness and darkness. Having toured with the likes of electronica stalwarts Tricky and Little Dragon, Anomie Belle is poised to find itself among the most revered names of the genre.” – URB Magazine
On Thursday, May 26 Anomie Belle will headline Chop Suey for the release of her EP, How Can I Be Sure, along with Hi-Life Soundsystem & Cars and Trains on the bill. I was instantly interested in picking her brain, so I tracked her down for an interview.
April Swaine: So first off, I love your name. Anomie Belle. Be honest – is this your real name? It’s perfectly unique if you ask me.
Anomie Belle: Thanks! It’s a moniker, actually. If you load www.anomiebelle.com, the first thing that pops up is a definition.
AS: Clearly I should have done my research better!
AB: Oh, no worries at all! People ask me that all the time. It was kind of you to start with an easy question.
AS: I can appreciate the thought in your moniker. The meaning transcribes to your music. Clearly you’ve been a creator of music since you were a little girl. Can you tell me about some of the first influences you can remember?
AB: I tried to pick a moniker that would be a good reflection of the music, both aesthetically and artistically – and also in its meaning. Influences? I have to give credit to my family. There were always musical instruments around, and we sang four-part harmony together at family reunions; so that was just sort of the environment I grew up in. I remember my dad tucking me into bed as a small child and singing with me. He’d sing a note and then say: “Now sing a minor third above that note… now sing a fifth above that note…” I thought it was a fun game. When I got older, I realized that people take classes for that stuff! They were even nice when I took a hammer to the ivory keys of their piano at age two. To this day, all the fronts of the keys are chipped!
AS: I can appreciate a strong woman, especially one with a close family bond. So you produce all this music? That is incredible; do you start from the engineering side or the vocal side?
AB: Thanks. I do produce all the music myself, and I love that part of the process. I guess since a recorded track includes songwriting, composition, production, and engineering, I often approach writing from multiple angles at once. I am actually intentional about starting my process from different points to mix things up and keep myself flexible and on my toes – so, there’s really no one way I start something, and I’m often attending to multiple aspects of the track at once as I go.
AS: What can we expect to see at your EP release show? Can I see you smash any pianos, or do I settle for your intoxicating voice only…
AB: No smashing of pianos. Electronics are way less fun to smash than ivory, anyway! You can expect to hear a lot of new music! My live band is comprised of some truly phenomenal musicians. I think our chemistry is really coming together in a way that I’m excited to share with the crowd.
AS: Okay, last question… musically, what is one goal you have for 2011?
AB: That’s a fun question. I got a grant from the City of Seattle to compose a string quartet for my live band to debut towards the end of the year. I’m also a film composer, so I am drawing on that palate to create something more epic and cinematic. I’ve composed the first six or seven minutes of it so far, and am thrilled to flesh it out and share it with my Seattle fans for the first time.
AS: That’s amazing, I look forward to keeping track of all your endeavors and seeing you live at your show!
May 26, 2011
Chop Suey
1325 E. Madison Street, Seattle, WA
8pm doors, 21+
$8 adv / $10 DOS
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Live Review: Tricky at Showbox 3/28
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Last weekend, I was at the Showbox at the Market to see trip-hop pioneer Tricky, on tour with Seattl...Last weekend, I was at the Showbox at the Market to see trip-hop pioneer Tricky, on tour with Seattle artist Anomie Belle. KEXP’s own DJ Kid Hops spun a cool mix of reggae, dub, trip-hop, and breakbeat before and between the sets.
Anomie Belle is the solo project of vocalist/musician/producer Toby Campbell. Backed by a drummer and two vocalist/keyboardists, she sang and played keyboards, violin, and guitar during her set of trip-hop and downtempo music. Her soulful vocals reminded me of another local artist, Emilia Sosa, though by adding violin loops Campbell is more akin to Andrew Bird. As a violinist myself, I was happy to see violin played in a rock context, and I felt it added some much-needed color to her music, which suffered a bit from an overall sameness among the songs. She ended her set with a cover of Radiohead’s “Everything in Its Right Place,” which I thought on the one hand was more interesting than much of her own music and on the other was a missed opportunity for her to make it her own by adding violin to it. Campbell is clearly a talented musician, and I feel she just needs to experiment some more with diversifying the style of Anomie Belle.
Tricky is no stranger to diversity. As one of the founders of the trip-hop genre, he combined hip-hop with downtempo, ambient, and breakbeat electronica. In this show, Tricky demonstrated that he has continued to experiment with combining musical genres. His backing band — guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums, as well as a female singer handling lead vocals on many songs — opened with a heavy rock instrumental, and in fact much of the show had a surprisingly heavy rock sound, not what I had expected. Early in the set he played two covers that were featured on his 2003 album Vulnerable. First was The Cure’s “The Lovecats”, transformed from its playful quirkiness into a mysterious, even vaguely threatening mood piece that built to a hard-rock finish. Then, he teased the beginning verse of “Black Steel” — itself a cover of a Public Enemy song — from his 1995 debut Maxinquaye before segueing into a fairly straightforward cover of XTC’s “Dear God”. Of course, Tricky played plenty of his own songs as well, touching most of his albums from Maxinquaye to his latest release, 2008's Knowle West Boy. Again, these varied in style from sultry and mysterious grooves to heavy rockers to grand and expansive anthems. After playing close to an hour and finishing with “Overcome,” Tricky said goodnight, only to come back and play another seven long songs, extending the show to nearly two hours in total. The audience stayed with him the whole time, even when he left a second time as the band played “Black Steel” in full, which seemed like it might be the finale. Instead, he came back out for three more songs, finally concluding with one more cover, the driving rock of Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades.” In all, it was a strong set of compelling music, and I really enjoyed the show.
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Alan Wake Soundtrack Review
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My favorite new section to have created on Game People this year is most likely our Soundtrack revie...My favorite new section to have created on Game People this year is most likely our Soundtrack reviews. It made me appreciate what else is going on while I’m ploughing through the latest game.
Not only that but it gave me a thirst for collecting Game Soundtrack CD’s. There is some great music to be found out there. But also it is a great way to bring those video game memories with you in your day.
This week Catherine (Soundtrack Gamer) reviewed the Alan Wake CD. Although currently you have to buy the Limited Edition version of the game to get this, after reading her review I really hope it gets a standalone release:
Alan Wake has a soundtrack that mixes alt-rock, psychedelia and pulp-twang with Petri Alanko’s haunting orchestral landscapes. Although more noticeably uneven than when in game, it actually creates a more pleasurable and less earnest listen.
It made me go back to play the game again and appreciate the work that had gone into the atmospheric orchestral backing to my favorite set pieces.
Alanko creates a musical grammar that reminds me of those sad unfolding dramas of the late 90’s. The solitary piano and shivering violins avoid becoming too stereotyped though. There is a light touch and brooding development through each of these original pieces.
Like Catherine, the most memorable theme for me is that of the opening moments:
Welcome to Bright Falls is most iconic of his pieces, and is used most often in the game – as well as plenty of trailers over the last few years. The strings take a lead throughout but are book-ended by piano and woodwind to create some movement moments.
But this Alan Wake CD isn’t just about those orchestral moments, there are also band focused tracks too:
Nestled amongst these orchestral pieces are some hard-found modern tracks. It would have been easy for Remedy to reach for familiar or well known pieces to punctuate their game, but instead there has been considerable work tracking down some happily rare and underrated songs.
Young Men Dead from Black Angels is real neo-psychedelia with an energy that makes you want to reach for the controller again. We move from this back to Alanko’s work, but not before being stopped short with the amiably droopy vocals of Anomie Belle and How Can I Be Sure.
While keeping the minor theme, both these tracks create a real sense of blues and soul. Where the grand motifs of Alanko touch on something disturbing, the modern songs keep that feeling rooted in reality.
Barry Adamson is case in point, with a gravely lyric and blues lick. The Beaten Side of Town’s half spoken half sung narration brings to mind men jamming on their porch step before going in for supper. We go straight into Barry Adamson’s The Beaten Side of Town, which takes us from the porch to a much more glam setting. This is the work of the rock-opus, a story told within a story for us, and a break from Wake’s concerns about the night.
Dead Combo’s Pulp Fiction sounding plucked guitar melody easily stands out in this company. This makes the hairs on your neck bristle as its staccato strumming and electric lead guitar call us into a world of mystery not far from 70’s James Bond.
Almost without meaning to I had pretty much replayed the whole game. Only this time through I had noticed every song along the way. I think I enjoyed the game all the more for it.
Wired: Excellent mix of orchestral and contemporary styles.
Tired: No stand alone release yet.
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Alan Wake Collector's Edition Soundtrack :: Review by Dave
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Overview
On May 14, Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake was at last released by Microsoft Game Studi...Overview
On May 14, Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake was at last released by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. The eagerly anticipated action thriller video game has been described as the successor to Max Payne and already looks set to top sales charts. The game's score featured a selection of intimate orchestral music composed by newcomer Petri Alanko and recorded in Germany. The music of several indie artists was also carefully licensed for the game, most notably Poets of the Fall, who contributed three pieces. One of the bonuses with the limited edition version of the game was a soundtrack featuring ten of the most substantial original and licensed entries on the score. Is it worth the pricetag?
Body
The first tracks that I would like to point out are a selection of semi-licensed additions. In game music, when licensed music is involved, it's too often they are thrown together to create non-descriptive and disappointing mash-up soundtracks. In Alan Wake, though, you'll find that the contributions from the semi-licensed artists are especially well-selected, and different to what you would expect to hear in any other game. The first featured are a couple of neo-psychedelic tracks from The Black Angels and Anomie Belle. "Young Men Dead" from The Black Angels is a fantastic example of a mind warping track. Dominated by Alex Maas's dry vocals and a bizarre guitar riff, it excels through its simplicity. Less rock-centred, Anomie Belle's politically inspired "How Can I Be Sure" rather takes upon a hypnotic downtempo style, concentrating on a trippy electronica beat and provocative vocals.
With these two tracks setting up a nice taster of what to expect from the rest of the licensed artists, you won't be surprised to hear the similarly hallucinogenic and jazzy "The Beaten Side of Town" from Barry Adamson. With a walking double bass sequence, warm jazz vocals, and steady drum and hi-hat accompaniment, the track is the most prominent easy listening track on the album. The best contribution from the semi-licensed artists though comes in the form of "The Poet and The Muse," from Poets of the Fall. The intricate guitar accompaniment, soaring vocals, and gentle flute accompaniment all combine to create a fantastic image, highlighted by a beautiful, harmonious chorus, first presented at 0:54. In all, the licensed music featured on this album is very impressive and exemplifies how licensed soundtracks should be done.
Although some of the credit can be attributed to the outside contributing artists, the main success of this soundtrack comes down to the touching and inspiring orchestral original score from Petri Alanko. Orchestrated by Tilman Sillescu's Dynamedion and performed by the Staatskapelle Halle alongside a gorgeous piano backdrop, the four tracks from the original score featured on this disc are stunning. The first track, "A Writer's Dream" starts off sweetly and delicately with a clear and crisp piano introduction and yearning strings. The dramatic and explosive transition into a fully orchestrated section at 0:30 brings about so much power in the theme, but only for a short moment, since it soon dies down and turns into an ominous, foreboding section.
The same sense of power touched upon at 0:30 in the first track is revisited in the more elaborate "Welcome to Bright Falls." The orchestra yields a fantastic melody in the opening stages, and soon we are greeted with a rousing flute part and suspense-filled piano segment. What really makes this track is the gracious piano section from 3:26, which leads out to its end; reverberating, resonating, and delicately breaking (and working with) the silence, Alanko creates a remarkable atmosphere here. Similarly, the piano is just as inviting in the similarly melancholy "The Clicker". However, its emotive power is shared among the accompanying string sections which it accompanies, which are beautifully performed by Staatskapelle Halle. Few orchestral pieces in a video game are as intimate as this one and the crystal clear recording quality only enhances the effect.
The two most powerful tracks on the album, however, come in the form of "Tom The Diver," and the collector's edition remix of the theme. Something about these two tracks is just so tragic and mournful. Though the original version features a larger array of instruments, "Tom The Diver (Collector's Edition Exclusive Mix" is the most touching of the two; a spurring affair between piano and violin, it is amongst the most simple yet elegant tracks in game music.
Summary
Recently, we have seen the release of a large number of beautiful scores from both the Eastern and Western game music worlds. Amongst these, the music from Alan Wake falls into the realm of soundtracks which I find truly captivating on a stand-alone basis, both because of its licensed tracks and its original orchestrations. In addition, it absolutely complements the game play and takes the whole experience to the next level. While this collector's edition soundtrack is not a complete one, it is nevertheless a fulfilling and cohesive listen that provides a stunning testament to the game's overall score.
Overall score: 9/10
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Live Review: Asobi Seksu with Anomie Belle at The Triple Door 1/20
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Back in November, Asobi Seksu released ReWolf, an album of acoustic versions of their music recorded...Back in November, Asobi Seksu released ReWolf, an album of acoustic versions of their music recorded in one long day at the now-closed Olympic Studios in London. They brought what lead singer Yuki Chikudate laughingly called their “classy” acoustic act to the Triple Door on Wednesday the 20th. Opening for them was local artist Anomie Belle.
This was my third time in the past year seeing Anomie Belle, a singer and musician whose instruments include violin, guitar, keyboards, and samplers. For this live performance, she included a cellist and a drummer throughout, with an additional violinist and a violist guesting on a few songs. Anomie Belle’s music is largely a mid-tempo blend of r&b and trip-hop, with some classical chamber music influence. There’s no question of her talents as a singer and musician: she has a fine voice, she plays well on her various instruments, and she’s steady on the beat defined by her samples. However, as with the previous times I’ve seen her, I was left feeling that her songs never seem to go anywhere: they lack development, or even much in the way of strong hooks. I also wanted her to make more inventive use, or maybe just more extensive use, of her violin. That said, I did like her songs “Greenhouse” and “Amy’s Song”, and some of my dissatisfaction with the rest comes down simply to differences in musical taste.
The quartet of Asobi Seksu — including Chikudate on vocals, piano, toy piano, and glockenspiel, James Hanna and Billy Pavone on acoustic guitars, and Larry Gorman on drums and backing vocals — professed amazement at the grand surroundings of the Triple Door, commenting how different it was from their usual rock shows. But they fit right in, delivering a set of beautiful songs from all of their past albums, most but not all featured on ReWolf. The spare, clean sound of these acoustic versions contrasted strongly with Asobi Seksu’s usual dense and fuzzy shoegaze style, and demonstrated that beneath the shimmer and noise lies some strong songwriting. They couldn’t quite leave their roots behind, as a few songs such as “Goodbye” featured rock-style drumming. On the other hand, “Thursday” sounded much like the French pop of François Hardy that Chikudate explained had been its inspiration, rather than like the rock version they originally recorded. The acoustic style of the music — and the theater acoustics — showcased Chikudate’s gorgeous clear voice, and revealed surprisingly good backing harmonies from Gorman, the drummer. Although the music sounded great and the band seemed happy with the performance, they reassured the audience that they’d be rocking out next time they’re back in Seattle. As for me, I enjoyed this experiment with a different style, and look forward to hearing how Asobi Seksu adapt it into their future music.
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Anomie Belle + Mr. Lif
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I was fortunate enough to get a video of one of the musical highlights of Bumbershoot 2009. The cli...I was fortunate enough to get a video of one of the musical highlights of Bumbershoot 2009. The clip is the last song of Anomie Belle‘s set. It was raining most of the show but that only added to the ambiance of a wonderful performance. Check out Anomie Belle with Mr. Lif.
Btw. Anomie Belle has an upcoming show in Seattle on 9/22 @ Neumos with Bajofondo.
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Rocket Queen: Femme C's
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In 1938, left-leaning nightlife impresario Barney Josephson opened a nightclub called Café Society i...In 1938, left-leaning nightlife impresario Barney Josephson opened a nightclub called Café Society in New York's Greenwich Village. Josephson was not only seeking to recreate the adventurous, pre–World War I political cabarets he had seen in Europe, but to launch America's first racially integrated music venue. At that time, spaces such as the Cotton Club featured big-name black artists onstage but refused to admit black patrons as audience members. The forward-thinking ethos in which Café Society was forged was reflected in the art that would eventually grace its stages. The iconic Billie Holiday first performed her legendary lynching allegory "Strange Fruit" at the club, while comedienne Carol Channing was reportedly ejected for performing a racial caricature.
Though that club subsequently folded in New York City more than 60 years ago, its impact is still felt locally today. Inspired by Josephson's vision and bravery, Sportn' Life partner Jennifer Peterson (in conjunction with Sarah Walczyk, development director for local mentoring agency Powerful Voices) held the first Café Society event at Capitol Hill's Sole Repair in April. Conceived as a monthly salon focusing on female artists of all racial backgrounds and genres, the inaugural Café Society featured sultry-yet-cerebral songwriter and emcee Dice, as well as Sportn' Life's own R&B artist Marissa.
Peterson and Walczyk are definitely not alone. In a manner reminiscent of the riot grrl movement of the early '90s and the coalition-building energy that drove local third-wave feminist activism-meets-art endeavors like Home Alive, a new generation of women are making noise and carving out their own space within Seattle's hip-hop, electronica, and dance-music scenes. Just as Peterson and Walczyk were plotting their modern, feminist-minded reimagining of Café Society, ambitious party-starter and budding dance-music artist Lisa Dank was booking her first all-female showcase, simply titled Ladies' Night, at Neumos on Capitol Hill.
"I was just back from my first tour. I was homeless, jobless, and I had nothing," recalls Dank. She's sitting at the center of a long communal table at the Saint, wearing an YSL T-shirt, an ornately brocaded vintage coat, and her trademark irrepressible smile. "But all my friends were doing [interesting] music. It was really underground, but they all had followings, so I pitched it to Neumos, and they said yes the next day." Dank's bill, featuring THEESatisfaction, Canary Sing, Katie Kate, and her own brand of aesthetically flamboyant and sexually brazen dance pop, was an impressive success for a Tuesday night, with nearly 300 paid attendees. "It went so smoothly and did so well that I asked them for a Thursday night for the next one."
She got it. On this Memorial Day evening at the Capitol Hill tequila bar, Dank is flanked by several of the artists participating in Ladies' Night 2.0 at Neumos on Thurs., June 10, including silky-voiced, self-assured R&B singer Chokolate, tender/tough and tomboyish MC and songwriter Dice, shy but obviously hyperintelligent electronica producer/performer Anomie Belle, and club DJ veteran (and founder of Seattle's first all-female DJ collective, Hit Girl) L.A. Kendall (who now fronts dance-driven duo Luxury A.K.). Peterson herself shows up a few minutes into our conversation, apologizing breathlessly for her tardiness, but immediately inserting herself gracefully into the spirited conversation about gender, hip-hop, and Dank's galvanizing spirit within the Seattle music community. "When I first met her, her energy totally pulled me in," says Peterson, smiling and nodding at Dank.
"I want to put Seattle women ON, because fools don't be knowing!", says Dank with a laugh, her fists balling with passion. "It's such a sausage-fest out there, and I feel like what is coming out of Seattle women is so important."
Dice, who grew up in California and later in Thurston County, is only one year into her tenure in the Seattle scene, but definitely feels there's a female-friendly network she didn't initially expect. "I did find that there were a lot of beautiful women out here who were supportive of each other without the usual cattiness that can happen."
Kendall is obviously pleased to see that the groundwork she laid with her original DJ collective has been built upon. "I started Hit Girl back then as a way to pull in and showcase female talent, because it wasn't [being done]," says Kendall. It's really exciting seeing this happening and watching it come into its own."
rocketqueen@seattleweekly.com
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Tonight in Music: Bonobo, Anomie Belle
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The time has finally come! Ever since Bonobo‘s “Eyes Down (Preview Edit)” was published on SSG March...The time has finally come! Ever since Bonobo‘s “Eyes Down (Preview Edit)” was published on SSG March 4, 2010, I for one have been looking forward to this show, and I’m sure many others have been too. One month and twenty days of anticipation later, today is the day for Seattleites to be blissfully happy or disappointed. Based on the reviews coming in from Bonobo’s Black Sands release, tonight’s show should be amazing. Anomie Belle will be starting off the show giving Seattle’s faithful show-goers double imputes to go to the show, and strong reason to be there no later than 9pm. If Anomie Belle is guest singer on “Eyes Down,” we might all shutter and quake into a euphoric comatose state–ummmmm. Here are a few things we’ve said on the artists in the past. Get ready for tonight’s show–this is one you do not want to miss.
Ninja Tune is celebrating their 20 year anniversary, and what better way to celebrate then putting out an LP of one of their all time favorites, Bonobo. [Released] on March 29th around the world, Black Sands is sure to be a credit to Ninja Tune’s name sake. Bonobo has been a pioneer in the realm of down-temp, chill producers. Bonobo together with Andreya Triana give Massive Attack’s signature allure with Elizabeth Fraser a run for it’s money. Andreya Triana, who just signed to Ninja Tune, guests on Black Sands, and lights up the featured song, “Eyes Down.”
“Eyes Down” leads in with calm keys accented with gentle drum kit pops. As the listener is eased into the track, Andreya Triana adds a soulful flirtation. As multiple tracks of Triana’s vocal harmonies wrap the listeners ear, horns add a new dimension. More layers build adding soft tension followed by a delicate release. “Eyes Down” is relaxed perfection.
It was quite and experience being in the presence of Toby Campbell aka Anomie Belle. Campbell has a very warm seductive voice that lures her audience into her reality. Her music was about so much more than words and sounds; Cambell uses the beauty of music to share about things that are critical and relevant. Her ideas and thoughts come with a well choreographed pulse, beat, and flow in such a paradoxical way that, the listener can literally feel the musical pulse dancing through their body.
Please enjoy clips from Anomie Belle’s song American View captured February 1, 2009
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Past, Present, Future: Anomie Belle
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One listen to music by Anomie Belle and you’ll know why she was selected to tour with Tricky. That s...One listen to music by Anomie Belle and you’ll know why she was selected to tour with Tricky. That same dark trip-hop vibe is prevalent and accented with almost whispered vocals. If you’re headed to Bumbershoot in September, be sure to check her out!
Members/Instruments:
Anomie Belle – everything
Year Formed: 2008
1. Past: What is your musical background? What has led you to this point?
As I child, I was trained as a classical violinist and taught myself to play the piano. Through my teen years, I took voice, guitar, drums, composition, and audio engineering lessons, and I released several solo albums. After college, I left the states to work as a studio musician and producer in Europe and Latin America. After several years recording music abroad, I returned to the U.S. an electronic musician and began making music as Anomie Belle.
2. Present: Where are you at now in your career? What are you currently working on?
I released my first record as Anomie Belle in November of 2008 and toured with Tricky, the Album Leaf and Little Dragon during the months that followed. I am now working on an EP, my sophomore release, and composing more music for film.
3. Future: What’s coming up for you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope to continue to release music that helps people connect to authenticity and raw human experience. I have had the pleasure of collaborating and touring with some amazing musicians from all over the world. My music is always evolving, and I look forward to collaborating with other remarkable musicians and filmmakers, releasing more records, and reaching wider audiences across the globe.
4. Where can people find more of your music?
www.anomiebelle.com
www.myspace.com/anomiebelle
5. Anything you’d like to plug?
I’ll be playing a number of festivals this summer and fall, including Bumbershoot. Look for new releases and more tours in late 2009 and early 2010.
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Anomie Belle w/ Mr. Lif @ Bumbershoot (Monday)
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I usually hear about artist collaborations that accidentally happened at bigger festivals; but Bumb...I usually hear about artist collaborations that accidentally happened at bigger festivals; but Bumbershoot has always seemed pretty straight forward to me. Through the bleakness, I’ll at least be looking forward to a surprise Northeast/ Northwest collaboration of Anomie Belle w/ guest emcee (and Def Jux alum) Mr. Lif, from Boston. If you like underground hip hop and haven’t heard of Mr. Lif (or Def Jux) then, go back, and do your homework. Start with “I Phantom”. Smart lyrics and good beats.
We interviewed Anomie Belle in January and she was already excited about possible future projects with hip hop artists. Since then, she’s been all over the Northwest scene from Noise for the Needy, to the Photosynthesis Festival, and now Bumbershoot. (Keep it up!)
I expect Mr. Lif’s charged political lyrics should be a great match for Anomie Belle’s material, which often deals with social issues. Beyond that, Anomie Belle plays and records all the instruments for her music and it has always been interesting to see who will help her perform the one person act at live shows. So, if you were hoping to see something at Bumbershoot, which you wouldn’t normally get to see, maybe you should start here. (Any other collaborations going on?)
Monday, September 7th
Anomie Belle w/ Special Guest Mr. Lif
Bumbershoot – Northwest Court Stage
12pm
www.myspace.com/anomiebelle
www.anomiebelle.com
www.myspace.com/mrlif
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Bonobo, Yppah, Anomie Belle, Surrealized
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Bonobo, Yppah, Anomie Belle, Surrealized
The Showbox At The Market . Seattle, WA
I noticed color...Bonobo, Yppah, Anomie Belle, Surrealized
The Showbox At The Market . Seattle, WA
I noticed colored stage lights framed by the club ceiling like a constellation as I arrived to The Showbox just as Surrealized finished playing their last few songs. The crowd in the bar was filled with a fair amount of Seattle folk rock stalwarts and veteran trip-hoppers, anxious for the evening's music to resume.
Anomie Belle, flanked by her minstrels, continued the evening with an arrangement of piano melodies. The intimate red lights heightened the atmosphere for Toby Campbell and her stoic troubadours. In the audience, college kids swayed attentively, stealing sidelong glances at each other during the quiet breaks. The crowd listened reverently as Campbell sang with carefully exacted string instrument pulls, suspending her voice above audience like dust motes in mid-air. The first half of the performance felt a bit stifled; maybe it was the stage, overflowing with musical instruments and backlined amplifiers, or the way the back bar was buzzing with conversation. The group seemed to perform almost too cautiously at first, but the players all fell into sync to reproduce the effortlessly perfect feeling of the recorded sound.
Whereas Anomie Belle were fettered by masterful reproduction, in contrast, Yppah ('happy' spelled backwards) delivered the kind of live performance that feels alive with spirit and bombast. The group's more free-form song structures and distortions left listeners in the audience electrified. Joe Corrales Jr. led the club across the frontiers of post-rock and psychedelic landscapes. Most of the set was dominated by Texas-sized drumming from the leader. Those fans of more twee and indie rock were treated with interludes of jangly, shimmering guitar loops. The younger members of the crowd seemed to bounce, a rare occurence for Seattle on a Sunday night. The meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to blend a variety of shoegaze and electronica and recreate it into a breathing incarnation of energy is what defines being a Ninja Tune musician. By far, Yppah were the most fun and engaging performance to come through in a while.
The Showbox at the Market books the biggest acts of any rock club in Seattle, so it's fitting that Bonobo, aka Simon Green, should return to Seattle to play here in support of their new album, Black Sands. I caught the first few songs before retiring early. Patrons drifted down from the bar and onto the floor as Bonobo took the stage. After watching a few of their songs, there was no doubt in my mind as to the deftness and skill that Bonobo has in his songwriting and performance- but there is some merit to being cavalier in new and exciting styles of music. For as much as writers want to box Bonobo into chill and downtempo music, there's an equal part of the music that is belabored in the minutiae of a style of music that seems to be falling to the wayside. I left after only a few songs to retire after a long night of musical performances.
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Kimya Dawson, Anomie Belle and Mirah at Crystal Ballroom
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We'd like to tell you the name of the magazine for which Kimya Dawson, Anomie Belle and Mirah are pl...We'd like to tell you the name of the magazine for which Kimya Dawson, Anomie Belle and Mirah are playing Friday. But this is a family publication, so how about we just say it, um, rhymes with witch? (Or you can click the link to its website.)
The magazine-that-must-not-be-named bills itself as a feminist critique of pop culture, which makes these three artists a particular fit for this benefit show. (The magazine, like many in the publishing industry, is having financial problems. It's also a nonprofit.) Each artist has set aside the restrictions of genre conventions in search of distinct identities, not so much about being women musicians as being excellent ones.
Dawson had a devoted fan base, thanks to her time in the Moldy Peaches and as a pioneer of the anti-folk movement, but was never a chart-topper. Then her simple, moving music found a broader audience with the 2007 movie "Juno," which included six of her songs on the soundtrack. The Olympia singer-songwriter makes gentle acoustic music, which cracks life open not so much with a sledgehammer as with careful targeting at the human heart.
Dawson treads a careful line between precious and potent; sometimes she negotiates that difference well, sometimes not. But there's a sincerity to her -- she often ends her shows with group audience hugs -- that makes it easy to forgive her when she falls on the twee side. Even then, something touching remains.
Mirah
Mirah, in contrast, has an inner power that gives her music fierceness. That's not the same thing as aggression; she's a lo-fi electro-acoustic artist, one interested in exploring the boundaries of structure, not, say, a drum'n 'bass or dubstep artist. Mirah came up through the Olympia music scene playing with bands, though it's as a solo artist that she's since made her name.
Her voice has an innocence and a clarity to it, but she often envelops that sweetness in fuzziness, murkiness -- music laden with the anxieties of darkness. The balance is complex and nuanced. It could be tiresome in less skilled hands, but Mirah also knows how to write a good song, period, and that keeps her music listenable and enjoyable, levels of meaning and all.
Trip-hop as a genre has largely gone the way of the dodo ... except that no one's seen a dodo walking around lately. For an extinct genre, there are still solid practitioners out there, among them Seattle's Anomie Belle, a project of Toby Campbell (other musicians round out the band for live performances).
The music has the genre's usual layering of slow, gauzy beats and electronics, but there's a sexuality present, too, largely from Campbell's vocals, and the lyrics are more preoccupied with broad social and political issues. The fit is sometimes uneasy; the music's density can overwhelm the lyrical content sometimes. But there's an ambition and a self-awareness that make for a constant sense of discovery.
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Anomie Belle - Sleeping Patterns
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an·o·mie [an-uh-me] n social unrest or normlessness; malaise, alienation and purposelessness.
belle...an·o·mie [an-uh-me] n social unrest or normlessness; malaise, alienation and purposelessness.
belle [bel] n a popular and charming woman; especially: a woman whose charm and beauty make her a favorite.
Anomie Belle is the work of classical violinist Toby Campbell and is some darn fine work if you don't mind my saying so. My favorite track is John Q Public, and if you check out the words throughout her album you'll find them deep to ponder yet sweet on delivery. A nice acoustic track is track 09, February Sun. Ear along now.
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Album Leaf + Black Mamba + Anomie Belle
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Last night I was fortunate enough to watch a couple of unique and talented acts open up for The Albu...Last night I was fortunate enough to watch a couple of unique and talented acts open up for The Album Leaf. The first being San Diego’s own Black Mamba. The music itself is as the name suggests, dark, smooth, and will not hesitate to strike with deadly precision. Lead vocalist Aimee Sanchez comes off like a corner pianist in a crowded saloon not noticing the noise around her, yet still being able to pierce through it all. While the songs themselves are very delicate, they come off immense in spirit.
The second act to impress me last night was Seattle’s Anomie Belle. The composer, producer, audio programmer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Toby Campbell has created perfect downtempo rainy Sunday music. Similar to Boards of Canada and Under Byen, Anomie Belle sounds marvelously supernatural and mysteriously beautiful.
Both acts are currently on tour with The Album Leaf. Do yourself a favor and have a listen or two.
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American View - Anomie Belle
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American Toby Campbell is the one-woman show behind Anomie Belle. Originally a classical violinist, ...American Toby Campbell is the one-woman show behind Anomie Belle. Originally a classical violinist, Campbell eventually found her niche in producing and fronting her own experimental downtempo band. The layering of her vocals, instrumentals, and looping tracks speaks to her abilities as a creative artist. Her entire debut album “Sleeping Patterns” is wonderfully crafted, but the single “American View” stands out as one of the compilation’s strongest endeavors. The quality and depth of the song is so rich (even a few echoes of Duran Duran in there) that it leaves listeners without a doubt as to the sheer artistry of the musician. If you’re looking for something fresh and gorgeously produced, be sure to take a listen to this woman’s work – amazing.
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Colours of Ostrava
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The moment then trot over the bridge to the main stage, where I plan to rest at a slightly alcoholic...The moment then trot over the bridge to the main stage, where I plan to rest at a slightly alcoholic beers in the beer tent, but you realize that, Posters placed around the area warn that the original announcement Ninjasonik, who had played in "New York" plane and will not be missed. For this Anomie Belle gives two consecutive concerts. One place those who come late to the airport, and then another time, when to officially withdraw. Then trot back and my reward is a spot of table. Relaxed so I give the lady who occasionally plays the guitar or the violin, which he then zasmyckuje in their samples, and all this charismatic singing voice. Along with her bassist and drummer played and it's all very pleasant affair. Music for a bar somewhere at three in the morning. Relaxed and peaceful mood swinging cocktail bar, which is finely mixed and some of the trip-hop temnení. And although the New York Stage reasonably done as non-smoking area, in this music and feel the smoke and odor nevyvetraný dark bar at night.
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Colours of Ostrava 2011
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Anomie Belle (translation)
Since they were all on Tatácích, we got on the NY stage in front of whic...Anomie Belle (translation)
Since they were all on Tatácích, we got on the NY stage in front of which were often long queues, very calm, even as we occupied a table with a perfect view of the stage absolutely perfect. Anomie Belle, I took to it before the festival. Girl, which was inspired by Portishead, I was intrigued from the festival program after Grinderman. Since it was quite an advanced hour, I was a little worried that the psychedelia me sleep, but it was quite idle concern. Fragile blonde with long, which rather looked like a little devil. And certainly played like the devil. Not only do they sing and catered for the computer, but still played keyboards and violin. The dyadic entourage then appeared to be nearly enough, but with great complemented, supported and constantly communicate with each other. And - you could see that it's fun kua, which I received in the knees. Performance also definitely not slow and boring. Initial gloom soon turned into a slightly brisker and dance tunes, but they still have in themselves a darker side, which is reflected in the gestures Anomie. At times I could not resist the comparison to Björk, but it was only a small problesky. Anomie Belle definitely deserve some similar stereotyping. The enthusiasm of the band, which is still not very famous, I just ucurávala welfare. Personally, I think it's pretty much tightened. In September, their new album comes out, hopefully will appear in Prague. For me personally the best concert of the festival (Grinderman outside over all).
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Live: Colours of Ostrava
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Since the band Ninjasonic missed the plane, took their allotted time Anomie Belle of Seattle and pla...Since the band Ninjasonic missed the plane, took their allotted time Anomie Belle of Seattle and played as two sets during the evening. It was pleasant intervention of providence, because it would otherwise be heard, which would be a shame. The festival guide was mention of the trip-hop, but I allowed to disagree - this was the ark of the sound and feel less dirty little hopeless. Demonstrated multi-instrumentalist fragile songs with internal dynamics. It really does not matter what it was for the genre. A bit carelessly at the end of the concert included a cover version of Everything In It `s Right Place by Radiohead, which displaced its dominance of its own, subtle melodies. She had to include it somewhere in the middle.
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Album Review: Anomie Belle – The Crush
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In the music world Anomie Belle is a bit of an anomaly. She’s a talented musician, composer and prod...In the music world Anomie Belle is a bit of an anomaly. She’s a talented musician, composer and producer all-in-one, a triple threat. Her music has taken her around the world and back. She has performed and collaborated with an impressive list of artists including Mr. Lif, Jon Auer, The Album Leaf and Little Dragon.
On her new album, The Crush, Anomie’s dark, sultry, sexy sound has evolved to incorporate new styles and elements. Vocals on “Electric Lullaby” take a page from Bjork. Throughout most of the rest of the album they take on the characteristics of a low-key soul singer in a smoky lounge. The production and layering flesh out the sound well. A bouncing electro hip-hop beat powers the first single “Inky Drips.”
The album features its share of guests including Mr. Lif dropping rhymes on “Machine” and Anna-Lynne Williams providing vocals on the slow-burn “Privilege.” Jon Auer of Posies fame guests on “Picture Perfect,” quite possibly the most instantly accessible song on the album. The duet is the perfect centerpiece.
The closing track, “Phantom,” is otherworldly. The floating, seemingly disembodied vocal that comes in at the beginning is as haunting as it is comforting.
Anomie Belle is so good with creating her own style. She’s grown in leaps and bounds since her first works. In the future I’d like to hear her throw something in that’s a little more musically upbeat, but that’s my opinion. This album is the perfect soundtrack to a night indoors with your crush. Add some candles, a romantic dinner and enjoy.
Review by Chris Senn
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Anomie Belle - Crush Album Review
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Review of Anomie Belle's album Crush
Composer, producer, arranger, programmer and multi-inst...Review of Anomie Belle's album Crush
Composer, producer, arranger, programmer and multi-instrumentalist Anomie Belle, better known to her Ma & Pa as Toby Campbell, is a bundle of talent that is set to realise its full potential. Having travelled the world on her musical journey of discovery; writing, producing and playing, largely for the greater benefit of others, she returned to her American homeland. Not entirely enamoured with the State Of The Nation and it's ever growing consumerist culture she set about putting her point across (directly, but eloquently, aired here with 'on TV') and decided the time was right to showcase her rather individual qualities.
Anomie Belle (Translated as Beautiful Isolation apparently) released her debut solo album, 'Sleeping Patterns' back in 2008. Critics and programming soundtrackers immediately took notice and Anomie's unique vocal styling's and electronic infused music have been heard on some unlikely platforms for an activist against the consumerist society which they sometimes perpetuate. Putting that tricky conundrum aside, what matters is that her music is good enough. It's notable for its individuality, the structure of the compositions and the skilful arrangements in which Anomie's voice is allowed to shine.
'Crush', Anomie's Sophomore album, is a more accomplished follow on to its predecessor. She's still the main element tying everything together, pulling nearly all the strings and handling every tune with the care of someone who's solely responsible for their creation. She may still derive some inspiration and influence from the likes of Beck and Radiohead but her electro leanings are brought to the fore and her vocal style is somewhere, very pleasantly situated, between Bjork and Julia Stone. Crush is also where Anomie Belle graduates into musical maturity as a refined and challenging contemporary artist.
The 12 tracks that make up Crush begin with 'Electric Lullaby'. A deep bass and off set percussion caress the sensual tones of Anomie's vocals. The eerie beginnings give way to a fuller sound as the layers build and the song breaks into waves of sonic delight. 'Inky Drips', the first single taken from the album, changes the mood and character of the set altogether. The beats are up and mood is more mischievous, the voice is altered as it becomes more playful giving the song more immediacy and commerciality. The next track lifted from Crush is the most instantly accessible. 'Machine', featuring Mr Lif on vocals, pairs all its elements seamlessly. The rumbling bass line and deep voice of Lif work as a mirror opposite to Anomies angular, razor sharp, slightly warped (Just the right side of deranged) but compelling lead.
The title track shows why she's becoming somewhat of a cinematic/televisual favourite as far as producers are concerned. You can hear this ('Crush') playing out to the final credits of any angsty, left field, edgy drama you care to imagine. Mixing up the jagged guitar and over layerd ghostly atmospherics of Anomies voice creates a very effective sound, rich in mood and almost predisposed towards a celluloid partnership. However, the best track on the album is what follows. Not as immediate maybe but 'Mosquito In The Closet' shows all of Anomies considerable talents in one great song. Adding a sumptuous string section to accompany the debauched tale works wonders. From the rewound start and the unease of the slowly building instrumentation through to the delicacy of the initial strings and the ultimate flourish the song develops and blossoms into a beautiful track.
Anomie duets with Jon Auer (The Posies) in a more symbiotic way on the gentle 'Picture Perfect' as well as with previous collaborative partner Anna Lynne Williams on the brooding, troubled and tortured tale, 'Privilege'. The electro beats and occasional guitar solo play second fiddle to a vocal pairing devoid of distortion or manipulation. The close out tracks of 'Lavender' and 'Phan
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Interview with Anomie Belle
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Interview: Anomie Belle | by Jo Whitby & CB Lux
Anomie Belle doesn’t like shopping. “Neither do w...Interview: Anomie Belle | by Jo Whitby & CB Lux
Anomie Belle doesn’t like shopping. “Neither do we” yell the poor husbands dragged religiously around ‘Marks & Spencer’ on a Saturday morning, their wives posing unanswerable questions like “what do you think?” and the dreaded “what do you mean I’ve already got a shirt like this?” (which is more of a statement than a question) – of course this is an obvious gender role stereotype but one we have witnessed on many occasions. Well, for Anomie it’s a bit more serious, not in a rash inducing kind of way, she is an artivist determined to alert you to the mind controlling evil that is consumerism via the communication tool known as music. She’s rather good at it too. We caught up with Anomie Belle via email for a chat about her latest EP, complicity and sexual identity…
Cat On The Wall: Bonjour Anomie Belle! Where are you at the moment? What are you up to?
Anomie Belle: I’m actually down in Los Angeles at the moment shooting a music video with my friend Yppah. He’s got a new album coming out on Ninja Tune this spring and I’m featured on several of the tracks. (http://ninjatune.net/release/yppah/eighty-one
COTW: The ‘Machine’ EP came out at the end of last year and features collaborations with Mr. Lif and Ian Pickering from Sneaker Pimps (a band that was very underrated in our opinion). How did you come to work with both of them? Will you consider doing more collaborations in the future? Is there anyone you’d particularly like to work with?
AB: With both Lif and Ian, when we met, working on music happened organically. In both cases we connected immediately around shared values. Lif and I have spent a lot of time together and become very close friends over the years. I love his ethics, his engagement with the world, and his sharp intellect. Ian and I found we shared a really visceral aesthetic sensibility around music right away, which made creating music together quite natural and a lot of fun. We spent several days holed up in a smoky room in London writing songs together over this past summer, which was great. I love collaborations; there is always so much to learn, and I absolutely intend to keep the list growing.
COTW: Your vocal style has changed considerably since ‘Sleeping Patterns’ which was only released 4 years ago. What brought the change in your vocals?
AB: I think of the voice as an instrument like any other. There is a lot of versatility and possibility for expression with the human voice. One of the awesome things about being a multi-instrumentalist songwriter/producer is that I am able to play with uniquely shaping the mood and aesthetic environments of each song and album in accordance with what feels right. In this way, the vocals may vary from song to song or album to album so that they suit what I’m feeling/expressing in that song or album.
COTW: ‘How Can I Be Sure’ is your most listened to track on Last.fm and was featured on the TV show Jersey Shore as well as the Xbox game Alan Wake. How did those two features in particular happen? In relation to your artivism what was your reaction to having your work featured in such commercial/consumer orientated entertainment products?
AB: Licensing existing music is actually nice in the sense that I don’t have to compromise my art form or message when someone approaches me to use a recording I’ve already created. In both cases, I was approached directly for use of the song. In the case of Xbox, I was flattered that so much thought had gone into requesting my music based on the aesthetic and fit with the game.
The ironic thing is that the song “How Can I Be Sure” is about our collective relationship to consumer culture and entertainment media, and when I license my music for use in commercial media, I walk the line between being critical of consumer culture and complicit in it. This is a line I think most of us walk these days, and I find that tension a provocative and complex source of inspiratio
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Anomie Belle: Machine EP
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By catonthewall On 19 January 2012
Anomie Belle: Machine EP | Review by Jo Whitby
I’m slightly...By catonthewall On 19 January 2012
Anomie Belle: Machine EP | Review by Jo Whitby
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that until recently I was unacquainted with the music of Anomie Belle. I have a sinking feeling that in the deep dark belly of my email account lay a discarded press release informing me of last year’s ‘The Crush’ LP unread and unloved. Shame on me because Anomie Belle is one talented woman.
The ‘Machine EP’ begins with ‘Slither’, a collaboration with Ian Pickering, a man who co-wrote many of my favourite songs by the Sneaker Pimps. Anomie Belle’s voice is effortlessly sexy, silky and slithering, drawing out the words into a breathless conclusion. ‘Slither’ is smoothly produced and is unashamedly trip-hop, a genre that has slipped out of the musical spotlight for quite some time even with the likes of Portishead and Massive Attack still producing albums.
It’s not surprising then that Belle has toured with Bristol ‘superstar’ Tricky. The next track ‘Machine’ featuring a gravelly voiced Mr. Lif could sit comfortably on the latest Tricky record but it would be unfair to suggest that Anomie is in any way regurgitating old sounds, far from it. The lyrics tackle issues concerning wealth, oppression, poverty – subject matters that many artists tend to avoid either through fear or ignorance or because it could damage their selling power. Thankfully Anomie Belle manages to avoid any preaching/condescending tones which is usually an instant put off for me when listening to songs with such focus.
The EP finishes with a selection of remixes with 2 tracks taken from ‘The Crush’ LP and a great danced up version of ‘Machine’ by Big Spider’s Back. If this is a taste of things to come from Anomie Belle then the future looks incredibly bright.
http://anomiebelle.tumblr.com/
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Anomie Belle - Machine
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added: 5 Feb 2012 // release date: 16 Jan 2012 // label: Authority
reviewer: Jayde Samuel
Anomie...added: 5 Feb 2012 // release date: 16 Jan 2012 // label: Authority
reviewer: Jayde Samuel
Anomie Belle - Machine
Different. Very Different and I can understand why Anomie Belle is one of kind in the music scene and filmmakers just love her! What was apparent was that the title of each track was highly influenced by the connotations that the song evoked, if you have a listen you’ll know exactly what I mean.
This EP features collaboration with members of the Sneaker Pimps, Mr Lif, and Big Spider’s Back.
The first track ‘Slither’ is sultry and seductive like the slither of a snake. Anomine Belle has a quirky tone that is very dark and enticing. This song is very sensual in parts but I must admit it is in my opinion quite laboured in others.
‘Machine’ is more upbeat and alluring! The layered vocals are quite unnerving and left me feeling rather uncomfortable! Errrgh! In saying that the vocal structure compliments the melody well, it is just the layering of the vocals that is too dark and sinister for my liking. On a positive note, however, the beat and melody of the song is cheery yet calm and pleasant.
The third track on the EP is ‘Electric Lullaby (Tapage Remix)’ which takes you to another dimension as if you were visiting an electric dream world. Anomie Belle voice is understated and subtle and the eclectic and wiry instruments guide you through this dream like state.
The next is ‘Bodies Offering (Other Lovers Mix)’ and woah the musicial composition of this track cannot be faulted. ‘Bodies Offering’ is very experimental with techno and string instruments and I think this my favourite track on the EP followed by the ‘Machine (Big Spider’s Back Remix’.
Machine (Big Spider’s Back Remix): I much prefer the remix of Machine. The dynamics are much more pleasant and welcoming and there is certainly a warmth in this remix that you did not find in the original. Hints of percussion instruments are added to this track and it is obvious that Big Spider’s Back’s talents enhanced this song in leaps and bounds.
Anomie Belle is unusual and interesting and if you are looking to add a more eclectic vibe to your music collection Anomie Belle is certainly a good starting point!
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Anomie Belle: Slither
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Posted Dec 12th, 2011 (2:16 pm) by Brandon Fisette
Anomie Belle - Slither
Imagine sitting in a...Posted Dec 12th, 2011 (2:16 pm) by Brandon Fisette
Anomie Belle - Slither
Imagine sitting in a dimly lit bar, late at night, an hour or two before last call. The air is thick with smoke from patrons' cigarettes, the crowd is relaxed, and suddenly, as if in a David Lynch film, a gorgeous femme fatale hits center stage. The lights go down, and as a spotlight of blue or red shines upon her figure, she begins to croon into a vintage microphone.
Portland’s Anomie Belle evokes such an image. Previously, Belle released two albums and two EPs. Her latest song, “Slither,” a collaboration with Ian Pickering of the Sneaker Pimps off of her 2011 EP Machine, brings her music into the noir Lynchian territory of films such as "Blue Velvet." The track opens with an ambient soundscape, which is quickly joined with a minimal but carefully constructed trip-hop beat. As soon as her voice cuts in, the song really begins to shine. Belle’s voice literally slithers around and the surrounding atmosphere. She sings with such soul, it is difficult not to be captivated.
Her voice is a perfect marriage of Beth Gibbons and Amy Winehouse. In fact, Belle nearly manages to convey the pain of emotional desolation on par with the aforementioned musicians. Along with the downtempo structure, her carefully restrained vibrato, and the dreamy backing ambiance, this track is not one to be missed for those familiar with trip hop and minimalism.
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Anomie Belle – The Crush
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Don’t be fooled by Anomie Belle’s gentle, down tempo electronica meets dark string arrangements. Des...Don’t be fooled by Anomie Belle’s gentle, down tempo electronica meets dark string arrangements. Despite the overall relaxed atmospheres here, Belle speaks her mind about the ills of society, never pulling any punches with her wordplay. With traces of trip-hop and synth-pop imbedded in these highly engaging and haunting arrangements, this is a very unique and creative disc of genre meshing at its finest.
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Anomie Belle - The Crush
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ANOMIE BELLE
THE CRUSH
ALBUM SELF-RELEASED RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
...ANOMIE BELLE
THE CRUSH
ALBUM SELF-RELEASED RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
Having toured and played with the likes of Tricky, Little Dragon and Kid Koala, you can guess that Anomie Belle has more than a passing interest in down tempo electronic music. This American woman produces, composes, sings and is a multi-instrumentalist, has classical training yet is more prone to experimentalism. She has lived and created music in more countries than most people have been on holidays to. Unfortunately, as Anomie Belle will be a name largely unknown to most of you, comparisons have to be made - this talented musician seems to share something more in common with Bjork than the aforementioned acts.
The reason? Well, first of all, her voice - it’s very rich, very distinctive, very soulful at times, and once heard, easily identifiable (and no, I don‘t mean it sounds exactly like Bjork, it sounds like Belle). The other reason? Her playful use of electronics, used to accentuate her lyrics and vocal stylings, rather than rigid songs with words spat out over the top. The tracks seem very organic, and quite unlike anything I’ve heard recently. Listen to “Mosquito in the Closet” and you’ll see what I mean. Classical violins meet acid squiggles, with jazz-like smoky vocals seeping through the gaps where the two styles meet.
Also “Inky Drips”, recently released as a single - it builds and falls in accordance with the voice, which is at once demanding and manly, then sweet and child like - morphing between variations of tone and texture as the track moves on.
The opening track on this third album, “Electric Lullaby, ” is very weirdly sinister and I feel it could actually put off a few people if they hear this first and “On TV“ is quite monotonous - but it merits listening to the rest of the album, as Belle is a real talent. "Bodies Offering” is the winner for me; it’s jittery, complex, but also quite laid back too - the perfect oxymoron of a track to capture what I believe the artist is all about. Overall, interesting beginnings and largely a successfully diverse album. Expect her name to just grow and grow.
MIKE WHYTE
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Anomie Belle – The Crush
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It's hard for me to find inspiration these days. Between summer blowing chilly goodbye kisses, all k...It's hard for me to find inspiration these days. Between summer blowing chilly goodbye kisses, all kinds of monetary annoyances and just this never-ending inexplicable tiredness clinging to body and brain, I need something REALLY inspiring, a punch-in-the-nose, a flashlight-straight-to-the-eye kind of inspiring. I turned down a couple of submitted albums, even though they weren't bad, they just failed to wake me up from this change of seasons languidness. Luckily, there are music geniuses out there capable of just that. Anomie Belle's new release The Crush is both a great illustration to this emotionally exhausting time of the year and a great remedy for it. What I admire about Anomie Belle (among many other things) is that she openly embraces being associated with trip-hop, and trip-hop fans will listen to The Crush and nod their trip-hop heads and think "yeah, this is is totally trip-hop". But at the same time her music is so complex and versatile that people not even familiar with the term 'trip-hop' will enjoy it just because it is (ready for it?) good music. Perhaps the strangest and most wonderful thing about nearly every song on The Crush is that if you would be cruel enough to remove one of the many elements - vocals, electronic bits and pieces or live instrumental parts - the remaining components would still make a damn good track! But it's exactly that abundance of elements and nuances, composed, layered and arranged smartly but never predictably, that makes The Crush so great. Maybe 'abundance' isn't the right word, for it implies over-fullness, but there's no excess weight on the record, everything is right where it's needed and the only abundance here is of the emotion that every track emanates. In fact, on certain tracks, like the gorgeous "Picture Perfect", where the vocal duo of Anomie Belle and Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star) is so powerful that the surrounding elements are cleverly trimmed down to the framing beat, dreamy background melody and the impactful string finale. "Mosquito In The Closet", on the other hand, is an intense audio-attack with strings galore (from droning swarm-like hum to bites of pizzicato) and (something that sounded like to my amateur ear) cymbals. Even the shorter tracks manage to carry an immense amount of energy, like the just over two minutes long "Lost Horizon" that starts out quiet but steadily escalates into cascading waves of powerful sound. "Machine" (featuring another talented guest vocalist - Mr. Lif, who had worked with Anomie Belle before) creates an image of an intelligent steam-punk-meets-cyber-punk apparatus driven by chugging beat and looping piano rhythm program, with Mr. Lif as the confident operator and Anomie Belle's echoing vocals as "ghost in the machine". Another exceptional quality of The Crush is that is able to preserve its unique style while inserting those always welcome "inspired by" moments that are like little sparks igniting great memories from music history. For instance, both "Lavender Days" and "Phantom" reminded me of different parts of Massive Attack's discography without ripping off or trying to imitate any of them. Perhaps the only track that left me a bit confused was "It's A Crush" that almost sounds like a remix of an Anomie Belle song by some British breakbeat DJ - still a great track and in line with the album's style and atmosphere, I guess it just left me wanting more (of Anomie Belle's singing mainly). I can go on forever, trying to find explanation for why is "Inky Drips" is so catchy, or how "Bodies Offering" (gloriously) enters the "nu soul" territory, but I will let you make your own fun discoveries, and there will be many of those as you listen to The Crush - the last great release of the summer, the first fantastic release of the fall.
Visit Anomie Belle's online store to purchase The Crush on CD. Digital version is available on iTunes (and in other online stores).
R.I.Y.L. Massive Attack - "Teardrop", Lamb, bonfires
persona
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CHOICE CUT- Anomie Belle ‘The Crush’
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December 7, 2011 By martinghewitt
Anomie Belle / Released December 2011
OK, so Seattle’s Anomie ...December 7, 2011 By martinghewitt
Anomie Belle / Released December 2011
OK, so Seattle’s Anomie Belle arrived a little late onto the trip hop scene. Not least as most of us, including Portishead if Third was much to go off, thought the genre was all but dead years ago. Amazingly though here we’re given something that’s as outdated as an iPad 2, with the noises she makes baring little resemblance to the sound that began life filled with unease, desperation, melancholy, beauty, and passion, before adopting a place on the CD racks of mainstream Britain.
It’s probably important to note that Belle’s not going to strike a blow against middle England with this LP. Indeed, it’s difficult to imagine anyone not appreciating the contents, at least musically. Furthermore, those hoping for a return to the kind of lovely death realised through song on the early work of Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow and Co, will find themselves coming up short here.
That said, the same stoned, hypnotic effect ensues, and so it’s hard not to call it trip hop, though more along the lines of Morcheeba, than morbidity, albeit brought bang up to date. As Machine proves with ease, a track recently released as part of an EP package that boasts additional microphone work from Thievery Corporation and Aesop Rock collaborator Mr Lif- probably the most sun-kissed moment on here, full of lazy brass and rolling percussion.
In contrast Mosquito Coast brings on more sombre sounds, as violins deliver seemingly mournful harmonies, opening up into wider string arrangements, all the while the leading lady continues to captivate with a vocal style that sits somewhere between the Coco Rosie sisters, Bjork, and star of Agoria’s third album, Kid A. All of which will be welcomed by any fan of light, evocative and engaging lyricism that has a few otherworldly traits to its delivery and tone.
Further down the line, Bodies Offering takes things towards electronic funk, as basslines squelch and filtered melodies pan in and out atop a timelessly laid back broken beat. It’s also worth noting that this is one of the instances in which we experience something of the artist’s full vocal capacity, with her voice seeming to stretch further across the arrangement.
Meanwhile, more human, Earthier styles are present in the ‘synth blues’, smoky bar-room number, Privilege (featuring a guest appearance from fellow Seattle resident Anna Lynne Williams), and the similarly downbeat On TV, which perhaps stands out as the finest point to reference on the album. Whether you think that’s true or not is irrelevant though, as there’s quality in spades here, ensuring there are countless legitimate reasons to purchase.
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Anomie Belle: The downtempo songstress weaves a complex, compelling album
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The world of Anomie Belle belies everything you’d instantly conjure when told about a classically tr...The world of Anomie Belle belies everything you’d instantly conjure when told about a classically trained violinist from Portland, Oregon. She’s played with Grieves and Mr. Lif for some hip-hop cred. She’s composed film scores and worked with Anna-Lynne Williams of Trespassers William for the folk side of things. She’s toured with Tricky, the Album Leaf and Sea Wolf and collaborated with The Posies. Forget the box at this point and just enjoy the music.
Anomie Belle’s latest, The Crush, is a downtempo masterpiece that echoes multiple comparisons here and there yet cohesively owns the entire affair. Here she tells us about her many friends and what she’s learning along the way about making resonant art.
SSv: Anna-Lynne Williams has written for us before and she’s quite talented. I saw you worked with her.
Anomie Belle: She just e-mailed me the other day and said she had some new songs and asked me to record some violin. I did some stuff for some of her songs a little while back. I don’t know if this is a Lotte Kestner or a Trespassers William or that project that she has with, I forgot the name of the project but anyway I don’t know actually. We are pretty good friends, so whatever she needs I’m happy to do. She has been one of the easiest people to work with. She’s awesome. I really like Anna-Lynne.
SSv: What’s the history there? How did you guys come together in the first place?
Anomie Belle: Well, we were actually introduced by my manager really early on. He showed me her music and I liked it right away. I have a lot of respect for her as a songwriter. She has a beautiful voice. And actually at the time, we only lived about a block from each other. We lived in the same neighborhood so we met up right away and became friends and then she ended up as a guest on my first album on a couple different tracks and joined the tour of the band for the first year and a half.
I have a feeling that this is somewhat of a shared experience but we live in this society where everything is really rational and intellectual. I don’t feel like we have great language to even talk about these things and express them and so for me it’s such a beautiful to me that art can be such a direct way to tap into that.
We slowly started working together and she’s going to be on a track on The Crush actually. I’m always happy to work on projects she has going on. I have a secret desire to produce an electronic album with her as a songwriter. But her taste these days is a little folky-er but maybe someday.
SSv: Can you talk about The Crush and what your headspace was in writing the majority of the songs here?
Anomie Belle: It was interesting record for me because like “Sleeping Patterns” was my little secret. I wasn’t working full-time at that point as a musician and it was my little closeted, pet, hobby. I’ve always made music but “The Crush” for me happened after “Sleeping Patterns” when I decided to do a series of events and kind of figure out my life as a musician full-time and really take care to really go for that. Working on this record, I’ve learned a ton.
I’ve got to work with so many amazing people over the past few years. Everybody I’ve toured with, I’ve learned so much from in how to transition electronic music from on my own into a live setting. I feel really fortunate. The Album Leaf and Tricky were really good examples of bands that have different styles but both have to figure that and have done really well with that in a live setting.
And the composer Gustavo Santaolalla’s and his band Bajofondo have influenced me to compose and that slips into the record a little bit too. It was really fun to get to know him and get to talk to him about his experience as a composer. He’s obviously done some really great songs. This record comes out of me just really coming out of my shell and deciding I’m really going to do this and find my musical voice and be a little bit more daring, coming out of that music closet. A
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Anomie Belle: Interview
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14th Mar 2012 in Culture
Scheduled for release on April 2nd, Yppah's Eighty One is an album of gl...14th Mar 2012 in Culture
Scheduled for release on April 2nd, Yppah's Eighty One is an album of glossy synth texture and crunching gravel percussion.
Reflecting Yppah's move to southern California to be closer to the waves he loves, the album's beachbreak beats and evocative, edge-of-consciousness aural impressions are clean, shiny, and just a little too perfect.
The perfect orthodonture of a Ventura Boulevard smile, the Euclidian spheres of Venice Beach bikini-fill, the minty-gel freshness of a Malibu curl.
Into this drops the voice of Anomie Belle, featuring on four of the tracks and bringing the grit and darkness that the album needs. A touring partner to the likes of Tricky and Little Dragon, Anomie Belle contributes the backbone of the album. Breathy and knowing, insinuating and cajoling, her vocals bring the night-time shadows of trip-hop and witch rock to balance the brightness of Yppah's sun-worship. Trebuchet Magazine caught up with her:
Trebuchet Magazine: What does Anomie Belle, the name, signify?
Anomie Belle: Beautiful alienation. The isolation of consumer capitalism, of a media-saturated culture, of an undisclosed fantasy, of the things we keep secret, of an unrequited crush...
Trebuchet Magazine: The video to your collaboration with Yppah: 'Film Burn', was available on YouTube for a little while, then suddenly became private or unavailable. What happened?
Anomie Belle: The “Film Burn” video was set to premiere on a Japanese site, so the general youtube link was deactivated for the first week while the video premiered there, and then went live again. When the initial youtube post got over 2500 views in the first 24 hours without any formal promotion, Yppah and I were delighted.
Trebuchet Magazine: What do you feel about the crowd-sourced removal of artist consent that goes with 'sharing' culture? Apologists tend to argue that they are helping the artist with promotion, but it's also perceived as something of a right. Do you think about this stuff at all, or accept it as a means to getting people to your gigs?
Anomie Belle: Times have changed. People seek out and enjoy the music I make; that is a lovely thing. And I am touched and grateful to all the fans who buy my music.
Trebuchet Magazine: Your solo work draws heavily on trip-hop influences, and you've toured with Tricky. On 'Film Burn' with Yppah, it sounds as if there's a deliberate attempt to make your voice sound like Martina Topley-Bird's work on Maxinquaye, there's quite a bit of post-processing and reverb on the vocal. Elsewhere your voice dosn't sound like that. How conscious was that reference, or is it a reference at all?
Anomie Belle: Nothing deliberate or conscious there, though a happy association. Maxinquaye is an amazing album. I recorded those vocals clean and sent them Yppah and he effected them in a way that blends well with his music. When I write vocals I try really only think about the mood and the vibe of the song, and write to that alone.
Trebuchet Magazine: Yppah sent you the album stems with the idea that you pick out a song to feature on. You ended up featuring on four. What drew you to those songs, and how did you come to work together?
Anomie Belle: Yppah and I met when we opened for Bonobo together a couple of years ago, and we connected quite naturally. He did a remix for my album The Crush, (that will come out in Japan soon!) and I offered him a trade in return. When he sent me Eighty-One, I was so impressed with the way I could hear his sound growing and evolving that it was easy to write to several of the tracks right away. As I listened through the album the first time, I used a little handheld mp3 recorder to jot down melodies that appeared in my mind. I only had two weeks, so I just started writing.
If we’d had more time, we might have done even more together. It was such a natural fit
For the four songs I ended up writing to, the melodies just sort of spilled out right away
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Anomie Belle - The Crush
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Review by Jack Foley
IndieLondon Rating: 4 out of 5
SEATTLE-based songwriter, multi-instrumental...Review by Jack Foley
IndieLondon Rating: 4 out of 5
SEATTLE-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle is rapidly becoming a name to watch.
With her distinct vocals (that sound like a mix between Bjork, Grace Jones and Morcheeba’s Skye depending on her mood), slick beats and intricate musical arrangements, she’s a captivating presence… and one that’s self-consciously difficult to pigeon-hole.
She’s currently riding high off the buzz surrounding her single Machine, which finds her teaming up with hip-hop emcee Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation) to deliver a track that has its finger firmly on the pulse of current events (the worth of the individual over corporations).
It’s intoxicating but has a dangerous edge to it, born from the slightly sinister slant that Belle places on her vocals… tailored towards the dark lyricism. Mr Lif, meanwhile, drops a well-timed rap late on, working perfectly in tandem with the slick beats and electronics to deliver his own observations on this hottest of topics.
It is one of the standout moments on the album. But there are many more…
It’s A Crush combines a nice guitar riff with some stop-start beat structures and a somewhat more seductive vocal from Belle that’s as flirtatious as it is, once more, dangerous.
Her more sensitive side is evident in the melancholy, cinematic string arrangements that accompany Mosquito In The Closet (which veer toward the Bonobo-esque), while on Picture Perfect she employs another slick beat over a duet wiith Jon Auer and one of the best, most sultry choruses on the LP.
Another duet, Privilege, finds her uniting with Anna Lynne Williams for a slice of chillout that really wouldn’t sound out of place on a Morcheeba album, while the dark vocal style she employs over Lavender Days feels distinctly Bjork-like and oddly compelling, especially when set against the layered instrumentals.
Final track Phantom, meanwhile, draws things to a close in intimate, quietly mesmerising fashion that showcases Belle at her most haunting and yet beautiful.
Put together, this is a deeply impressive body of work.
Download picks: Mosquito In The Closet, Machine, Picture Perfect, Privilege, Lavender Days, Phantom
Track listing:
Electric Lullaby
Inky Drips
Machine feat Mr Lif
It’s A Crush
Mosquito In The Closet
Bodies Offering
Picture Perfect feat Jon Auer
Lost Horizon
Privilege feat Anna-Lynne Williams
On TV
Lavender Days
Phantom
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Premiere: Anomie Belle – “Machine feat. Mr Lif” (Big Spider’s Back Remix)
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Posted by Nikki Benson on December 5th, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Anomie Belle (Toby Campelle), one of Sea...Posted by Nikki Benson on December 5th, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Anomie Belle (Toby Campelle), one of Seattle’s most prolific songwriters, is at it again. This year, Anomie Belle has released two EPs, How Can I Be Sure and Inky Drips, an LP, The Crush, and is about to release yet another EP on December 14, 2011, Machine (free album release show at Seattle’s Tractor Tavern).
Machine has collaborations with Ian Pickering of Sneaker Pimps, Mr. Lif, and a remix from Big Spider’s Back—not too shabby for a five song EP.
Folks that have been following Anomie Belle for several years likely noticed that her vocal style took a drastic turn about two years ago (Anomie Belle January 2009, Anomie Belle August 2010). It took this long for me (as one follower, not speaking for SSG Music as a whole) to get on board with her new sound. If for no other reasons, her new digs sound a little too similar to CocoRosie, we already have a CocoRosie, and I liked the way she sounded before. That being said, it takes a lot of guts for a singer to change the game after he or she has already established herself as sounding a certain way. Which raises the question, “why did she change her sound?”
Anomie Belle could have morphed her sound for a number of different reasons, not the least of which being that she felt like it. The beauty of music/art is that it’s ever evolving. If she heard something and it spoke to her, more power to her if she wanted to incorporate it into her art.
There is nothing new under the sun. The mark of a forward-thinking musician is being able take an element outside of one’s self and make it their own. Anomie Belle successfully did this with Machine. She’s taken the sharp creepiness of speak-song vocals and melded it with her strong, sultry signature sound. Collaborating with Mr. Lif on the title song was a match made in heaven. Having Big Spider’s Back remix “Machine” (both versions available on the Machine EP) added warmth and a little more dance. Please enjoy a stream of the song below (also available for purchase), and be sure to support Anomie Belle at her free EP release show on December 14th at The Tractor Tavern.
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Anomie Belle – Machine EP
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Well, let's listen to the thing, shall we? Yes, we sure shall. Machine EP is 5 tracks packed with al...Well, let's listen to the thing, shall we? Yes, we sure shall. Machine EP is 5 tracks packed with all kinds of electronica goodness. If you haven't heard The Crush, you're a loser you should definitely check out Machine EP, because it based around the title track (featuring Mr.Lif) that perfectly captures the dark, sexy and intense drive of the album, and the remixes are guaranteed to intrigue you enough to make you want to listen to the originals. If you heard The Crush, you should definitely check out Machine EP as well, because it features "Slither" - a brand new and absolutely gorgeous collaboration with Ian Pickering of Sneaker Pimps, and three remixes that make Anomie Belle's genius sparkle in new lights. "Machine" is my favorite track on The Crush, but on the EP it isn't the star of the show. Actually, it's just one of the show's 5 stars. I found myself completely dissolved in "Slither"'s dark atmosphere, hypnotic beat and those unearthly strings (warning! the may tear your soul apart!) and only Anomie Belle's silky vocals guided me through the darkness. It is so damn good that could easily spawn an entire album - and maybe (fingers crossed!) we will see something like that - "Slither" wasn't the only product of the collaboration. "Machine" follows, quickly getting us back to reality (maybe a bit too quickly, but I understand that on a 5-track EP there's not much room for subtleties). And Tapage's glitchy re-working of "Electric Lullaby" brings us right back to the dream world. Listening to Machine EP is sort of like swimming butterfly stroke - one moment you're underwater, you can't breathe, all you can see is bottomless deep darkness. Next moment you're above the surface, you catch the light reflecting in splashing water, you hear all the sounds of the world at once. And then you go back under. "Electric Lullaby" is definitely one of the "underwater" moments - very Radiohead-y, with Anomie Belle's digitized vocals shimmering between glitchy beats. Then you're above again - in the uptempo "Bodies Offering" (Other Lovers Mix) made by Anomie Belle herself, breathing twilight becomes an urban romance - fast, direct but tender and sensual (adding strings was such a nice touch). Big Spider's Back concludes the EP with the dance remix of "Machine". I picked the wrong word to describe it in the Q&A - it isn't bouncy, it's not fist-pumping-jump-around-in-da-club kind of dance remix. It's more like "I close my eyes and give myself to the beat" kind of dance. Definitely an "under" moment, more Moby than Fatboy Slim.
As usual, Anomie Belle provides more than a few great tunes. She (and, here on Machine EP, her talented collaborators) gives us an experience, a chance to... take chances, to open our minds after we opened our ears to her music. Machine EP comes out tomorrow, go to www.anomiebelle.com to get your copy.
R.I.Y.L. Massive Attack - "Paradise Circus", Radiohead - Kid A, swimming butterfly stroke
personal favs: "Slither", "Bodies Offering" (Other Lovers Mix)
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Anomie Belle: “Everything is always changing”
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Anomie Belle does not waste any of her time or talent. Less than two months ago The Crush was releas...Anomie Belle does not waste any of her time or talent. Less than two months ago The Crush was released (and my, what a great record that is), but instead of taking a well-deserved break, Anomie Belle dived even deeper into work and in a few days (on December 6th, to be exact) she's releasing a new EP, featuring some very exciting material. I was lucky to snatch a few moments of her time for a quick Q&A for trippin' the rift.
tipkin - First of all, congratulations on the success of The Crush and on the new EP release! You sure keep busy. How did the idea for the EP come around? The timing couldn’t be better – the Occupy movement is fighting the corporate machine as we speak.
Anomie Belle - Yea, the values and critiques that are coming out through Occupy are really exciting to me. It’s inspiring to see the general public talking about the effect of “the corporate machine” on our lives, our culture, our values and our communities. I have long admired the contributions artists have been making to the conversation (I am a huge fan of culture jamming) and am happy to be able to contribute as an artist myself. When Occupy started springing up, Lif and I felt like the match with the track and video we did for "Machine" was really striking. I’d just returned from England having written some new songs with Ian [Pickering] from Sneaker Pimps around similar issues and ideas, so it seemed like a good time to pull these songs together with some of the great remixes I’d had done for The Crush (including an awesome remix of “Machine” by Big Spider’s Back) and put them out.
t. - Most of your fans (myself included) appreciate your adventurousness in terms of genre and style, but I personally did encounter one hardcore trip-hop fan who said after listening to The Crush: “Anomie Belle is dead to me”. And you keep broadening the range with the EP – from “Slither”, which is guaranteed to please any “traditional trip-hop” fan to a bouncy dance remix of “Machine”. Do you like getting your fans out of their comfort zone?
A.B. - In general, I think getting out of our comfort zones in life is an important part of challenging ourselves to be humble, to grow, to broaden our perspectives, and to reconnect to the world outside of ourselves. We want things in life to live in boxes, to be easily identifiable, predictable… not to change. People, ideas, art, our self-identities… The truth is that nothing is fixed. Everything is always changing. For me, it’s about pushing myself where I’m most afraid, challenging myself to confront the areas where I know I have judgments, to grow… This is the spirit in which The Crush was made, so it would make sense if that came through to people in the music.
t. - Let’s talk about “Slither” more. The legendary Sneaker Pimps! Did you know Ian Pickering before? What was it like working with him? Are we going to see more collaborations with him in the future?
A.B. - I loved working with Ian. He is a delightful person – sincere, kind, positive, and with such a genuine spirit of openness in collaboration that made him a real pleasure to work with. Making music with someone can be such a great opportunity to connect. With Ian, we spent several days holed up in a little smoky room in London, bouncing music, lyrics and melodies back and forth, and came out with some material I think we’re both really excited about. "Slither" is the first thing we worked on together, and since it was written over production from Augustus Skinner (who had worked on the Sneaker Pimps Becoming X album years ago), it was easy to finish and release quickly. That said, folks can definitely anticipate more from Ian and I in the future.
t. - Where did the remixes come from? What were the criteria for choosing the right remixes for the EP?
A.B. - Choosing folks to do remixes for The Crush was a lot of fun. In general, I reached out to folks whose music I like. I think Big Spider’s Back did a fantastic job on this remix of "Machine", and
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Anomie Belle to Release New EP Next Month
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Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
Seattle-based neo-soul artist Anomie Belle ha...Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
Seattle-based neo-soul artist Anomie Belle has announced the release of her new EP ‘Machine’, which is due out on 5th December. The EP features collaborations with Ian Pickering of The Sneaker Pimps and rapper Mr Lif, who appears on lead single ‘Machine’. The track, which can be heard below in an accompanying video, was included on Anomie’s recent album ‘The Crush’.
Speaking about the EP’s opening track ‘Slither’, which was written with Sneaker Pimps’ Ian Pickering, Anomie Belle said: “I was in Europe for a festival and decided to stop through London to visit Ian on my way home. We shut ourselves in a smoky little room for four days and just wrote music together. Ian and I connected musically right away. I love the darkness in Ian’s lyrics - they strike an intriguing balance with his genuine and compassionate demeanour as a person.”
‘The Crush’, which was released earlier this year, is the follow-up to Anomie Belles’ 2008 debut ‘Sleeping Patterns’. The new album also features a contribution from Jon Auer of The Posies.
“I have been fortunate to get to perform and collaborate with so many talented folks,” said Anomie. “There is so much to learn and I am thrilled to have been given so many opportunities to grow as a musician through collaboration.”
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Anomie Belle - Machine EP
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Submitted by Sarah Bargiela on Tue, 01/17/2012
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, p...Submitted by Sarah Bargiela on Tue, 01/17/2012
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer, Anomie Belle, releases her new EP Machine. EF had a listen and here are our thoughts.
The EP starts off with the haunting Slither and there it is straight away that sexy, fragile voice that we love about Anomie Belle taking over. The track remains haunting and almost leaves you in a haze as it stops and gives way to the title track, which sees an interesting and brilliant collaboration with Mr Lif. The track, which is also haunting but at the same time pretty darn dark with captivating vocals completely takes you by surprise. The combination of Anomie Belle and Mr Lif’s lyrics and vocals is perfect.
Next up is Tapage’s remix of Electric Lullaby and the EP descends into even darker territories. Then comes Other Lovers’ mix of Bodies Offering. Anomie Belle’s music is sexier and seductive here with some really good beats making this almost dance worthy. And just as we think about dancing Big Spider’s Back’s come to the rescue with a house remix of Machine. A great finish.
Anomie Belle’s new EP is just another perfect example as to why this artist deservers a place in the music scene. We are simply amazed and captivated by this woman.
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Local Reviews: It's December 2011 and Seattle Sounds Like...
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Anomie Belle, Machine (out now, self-released, anomiebelle.com:) On trip-hop maven Anomie Belle's ne...Anomie Belle, Machine (out now, self-released, anomiebelle.com:) On trip-hop maven Anomie Belle's new EP (her fifth release), all is not right with the world. The bleak portrait of America presented in the title track is a rallying cry for the 99 percent, and features a verse from socially conscious MC Mr. Lif. JMG (Wed., Dec. 14, Tractor Tavern)
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Anomie Belle - Slither
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Anomie Belle’s new single, ‘Slither’, follows November’s ‘Machine’, a single widely cited as an impo...Anomie Belle’s new single, ‘Slither’, follows November’s ‘Machine’, a single widely cited as an important part of the soundtrack to Occupy Wall Street. ‘Slither’, a collaboration with Sneaker Pimps’ Ian Pickering, is much less urgent - a new age, floating down the river kind of track. Frictionless and sleek in its dynamics, it’s both unchallenging and subtly sophisticated.
Anomie chews her words in a strange sort of way, with tones, pronunciations, and articulations the conventional singer wouldn’t go near. In a way it’s very similar to what Joanna Newsom does, but in place of Joanna’s folky innocence Anomie has a cool similar to Bajka (known for her work on Bonobo’s ‘Days To Come’).
‘Slither’ might not have the punch of protest that ‘Machines’ brandished, but its understated presence has a tender, almost otherworldly beauty. With its gentle gongs and House Of Flying Daggers strings towards the end, this is the sort of track Buddhist monks would be swaying to if they’d entered the iPod age.
Lars Donohoe
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New Music Video for you from ANOMIE BELLE
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Thursday, August 25th, 2011
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb. The manicured lawns...Thursday, August 25th, 2011
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb. The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream,” states Anomie Belle.
The sultry singer-songwriter Anomie Belle has just released her newest video for the track “Inky Drips,” the first single off her upcoming album, The Crush. Lively and colored in with tattoo ink running down the backs of attractive bodies, the steamy and seductive video will surely be making it’s way onto many playlists soon. Anomie looks stunning as she sings the sultry tune hiding behind the bare skin of the sleek flesh in front of her. Just premiering on Baeble yesterday afternoon, the buzz is already out.
Belle’s voice is heavenly as she whisks you away into musical bliss, only leaving you to want to fly higher. If this is your first taste of Anomie, you will be wondering where she has been all of your life. Feel free to indulge.
Anomie Belle is not your typical singer-songwriter. She’s a whole new element of surprise. Starting when she was ten years old, Belle refurbished an old karaoke player to multi-track record her own songs. Already having been a classical violinist performing in an orchestra, she had self-taught herself the piano. Learning how to layer music, Belle’s musical focus carried her into college where she learned audio engineering and electronic programming. She spent the next four years working as a studio musician, chamber violinist, radio DJ and producer in Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Amsterdam. Boys, are you intimidated yet?
She’s also an active film composter, and her music has been featured in Xbox’s “Alan Wake,” the United States of Tara and MTV’s Jersey Shore. She has composed scores for award winning short films that have screened at the Seattle International Film Festival, Toronto Hot Docs, and Bumbershoot, and is currently scoring a new television pilot.
Arriving in Seattle, Belle released her debut effort in 2008 titled Sleeping Patterns, and she is set to release her newest effort, The Crush, on September 19th.
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Soundcloud Gems: Anomie Belle
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By Sal Christ on May 14, 2012
Otherworldly music that transports me from my own skin to somewhere...By Sal Christ on May 14, 2012
Otherworldly music that transports me from my own skin to somewhere other than here always garners a guaranteed future listen; when combined with decomposing trip-hop beats and pneumatic synths, my ears get weak in the knees (if they had knees that could get weak, that is.)
A serendipitous detour after hearing a Thievery Corporation track with Mr. Lif, Anomie Belle is a gorgeous curio of the Seattle scene with her Sia meets Portishead meets Björk sound. Featuring classical composition as a foundation, the Oregon native layers everything from violins to electric guitar to glitchy bleeps under a vocal style that vacillates between neo-soul and something more dramatic. The experience is definitely one for fans of English trip hop, industrial, or post-rock.
“Machine” is one of the artist’s own collaborations with Mr. Lif–a cool, Steve McQueen vibe with Lif’s spitting popping up here and there before swooping low like a vulture hovering just below the surface. Another doozy that floats light as mist in the Pacific northwest is “Phantom,” a reflective tune stripped down to the barest of elements–plucked and played strings, soft backgrounds pads, and sheer vocals. If vamping is more your style and who couldn’t use a little vamp, “Lavender Days,” creeps about with drama shades darker than would befit lavender.
Whether heavy, cobalt musical discomposure is your shtick or you just like feeling music reverberate in your ribcage, Anomie Belle is certain to take you into the twilight hours while you decompress.
Anomie Belle can be found online at Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, and her official site.
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Anomie Belle new single & video – 'Machine' feat. Mr. Lif
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25th October 2011
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Ano...25th October 2011
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle teams up with hip-hop emcee Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation) to release her new music video for “Machine.”
Lif and Anomie first teamed up in 2009 to perform at Bumbershoot in Seattle and immediately connected around their shared values and musical sensibilities. These days, the two find that they are not alone. “A bright and prescient lyricist, [Anomie Belle’s music] should be the theme song to the Occupy Wall Street movement,” writes James Stafford. “I'm elated so many are mobilizing with "Occupy" protests in many cities,” Lif writes. “Without these types of movements, corporate greed will continue to run amok & destroy everything in it's path unchecked. [My music] is made in the spirit of sparking & supporting these types of efforts… musical ammo for the movement.”
In “Machine,” Lif and Anomie dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterize modern society. “We create systems that justify our greed, embody culture that makes it easy to believe that hollow pleasures and the lassitude of wealth are not days squandered on fixation with yourself,” Belle sings.
In “Machine,” the two are quick to point fingers inward as well as outward, donning the attire of both the perpetrators and the victims of economic inequality in their new music video. “I have done unconscionable things in pursuit of dreams fed to me on the screen, and how is my life so much more precious than anybody else?” The chorus rings.
“Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically,” writes Seattle Weekly. “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
Lif has long been noted for his socially conscious and critical lyrics, and is currently touring with Thievery Corporation in support of his appearance on the title track of their new album, Culture of Fear. “Mr. Lif's lyrics often have a sharp political edge and a strong message of uplift and community,” writes NPR.
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream.”
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'Machine' by Anomie Belle
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November 21, 2011 | by Fred
No matter what does it for you, it’s almost certain that you could di...November 21, 2011 | by Fred
No matter what does it for you, it’s almost certain that you could dig up an equal and opposite view, decrying your preferences as “hollow pleasures” or “false choices.” Refreshing, then, for Anomie Belle’s track “Machine” to turn the lens on the songwriter herself: “I have done unconscionable things/ in pursuit of dreams fed to me.”
The track features Mr. Lif, and the promotional clip creates a tense imbalance between audio and video: the skateboarding and the wild-eyed chanteuse in elegant dress alongside the even-pulsed trip-hop and unabashed social commentary. Even the lipsynching is jarringly unreal, as Anomie Belle makes her case that much of what we see on-screen is a lie. Look for the new EP Machine on December 6, featuring collaborations with Sneaker Pimps and Big Spider’s Back.
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GET READY TO HAVE A CRUSH ON ANOMIE BELLE
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Anomie Belle wants your undivided attention. She’s been wooing you with her seductive single, remixe...Anomie Belle wants your undivided attention. She’s been wooing you with her seductive single, remixes and video for “Inky Drips.” You’ll fall quickly in love when Anomie Belle drops her second full-length album, The Crush, on September 13th.
With twelve songs oozing with sultry vocals and melodies that will make your heart melt, each song tells a sensual tale that will have you anticipating the next chapter.
You can’t help be in awe of how Anomie Belle creates her layers of sound. Lush strings, electronic programming, live drums, guitars, and hypnotic synthesizers seep into your skin. All the while, Belle’s smooth and powerful voice moves through you on every track. Each song is so delicately crafted that it is hard to pick a favorite, but easy to have a crush.
The haunting and orchestral “Phantom” is striking and beautiful, while trip-hop meets hip-hop on “Machine,” which features the infamous Mr Lif. A duet with Jon Auer (of The Posies & Big Star) on “Picture Perfect” is perfectly melancholy folktronica, amidst charismatic and steamy tracks like “Bodies Offering” and “Lost Horizon.”
Critics and filmmakers have already been lured into the sexy darkness of Anomie Belle’s music. It has recently been featured in Xbox’s Alan Wake and in steamy scenes on Showtime’s United States of Tara and MTV’s Jersey Shore. Anomie Belle has toured with Tricky, Little Dragon, The Album Leaf and Bajofondo and has also shared the stage with Bonobo, Phantogram, Asobi Seksu, The Heavy, Azure Ray, Efterklang, Kid Koala, Emily Wells, Sea Wolf, and Tristeza.
Every track on The Crush brings the record closer to your heart, with a passion and sensuality that both provokes and invites you to linger... Get ready to have a crush on Anomie Belle.
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FREE MP3: ANOMIE BELLE
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Anomie Belle's music has been popping up all over the place from X Box's Alan Wake to, er, MTV's Jer...Anomie Belle's music has been popping up all over the place from X Box's Alan Wake to, er, MTV's Jersey Shore. She's also been on tour and collaborated with a rather impressive array of people including Tricky, Little Dragon and Bonobo.
On October 17 she releases the four track EP, Inky Drips. Below you can listen to and download the sultry and seductive Damiak remix of the title track.
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FAME RECOMMENDS: ANOMIE BELLE – ‘INKY DRIPS’ + ‘AIN’T NO SUNSHINE’ FREE DOWNLOAD
[+ Show ]
Anomie Belle Gives Away Free Track – Ain’t No Sunshine – From Single Inky Drips (drops on 17th Octob...Anomie Belle Gives Away Free Track – Ain’t No Sunshine – From Single Inky Drips (drops on 17th October). Ain’t No Sunshine by Anomie Belle
Anomie Belle’s dark, introspective and sensual electronic music has been garnering much attention since her debut in 2008, and she is back with the provocative new single Inky Drips. Listen for yourself.
It didn’t take long for critics and filmmakers to notice Anomie Belle’s music. Her music has been featured in Xbox’s Alan Wake, Showtime’s United States of Tara, and MTV’s Jersey Shore.
Her music is a mix of electronic and organic instrumentation, fiercely sensual vocals, and thickly layered, ethereal soundscapes. The more you listen, the more you’ll find.
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream. Growing up, music became my outlet. Bored by video games and dollhouses, I plunked away on my parent’s piano for hours at a time, teaching myself to play blues riffs and writing little pop songs.”
This 4-song EP centers around the track “Inky Drips” off her upcoming record The Crush, which releases on 7th November.
www.facebook.com/anomiebellemusic
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The Best Albums of 2011
[+ Show ]
The best albums of 2011
J Mascis, Several Shades of Why
THE time has come for the annual round-u...The best albums of 2011
J Mascis, Several Shades of Why
THE time has come for the annual round-up of the year’s best albums – but while there are plenty to choose from (such as new releases from Kasabian, Paul Simon and PJ Harvey), we’ve decided to mix in some of the hidden gems that you may have missed out on buying.
Hence, while the likes of undoubtedly (and deservedly) get a mention, what of lesser known gems such as Death Cab For Cutie, Fountains of Wayne, Ben Howard and Noah & The Whale.
Keep an eye out, too, for outstanding albums from the likes of Anomie Belle, Norman Palm, Marcus Foster, Matt And Kim and Squarehead. We’ve picked just 50 long-players to lead your life by… they’re not listed in any particular order of preference, though – just all good listens in their own right!
Anomie Belle – The Crush
What we said: Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle is rapidly becoming a name to watch. With her distinct vocals (that sound like a mix between Bjork, Grace Jones and Morcheeba’s Skye depending on her mood), slick beats and intricate musical arrangements, she’s a captivating presence… and one that’s self-consciously difficult to pigeon-hole.
Best tracks: Mosquito In The Closet, Machine, Picture Perfect, Privilege, Lavender Days, Phantom
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Anomie Belle Announces New EP - Machine
[+ Show ]
Anomie Belle Announces New EP- Machine ( Audio) (Video)
by Sacha HTF
Wow! Anomie Belle is set to...Anomie Belle Announces New EP- Machine ( Audio) (Video)
by Sacha HTF
Wow! Anomie Belle is set to hit us with a masterpiece of with new EP-‘Machine’.
This EP will feature member’s of the Sneaker Pimps, Mr. Lif, Big Spider’s Back and a FREE stream below!
Machine (feat. Mr Lif) by Anomie Belle
Anomie Belle’s Machine EP will be released on 12th December 2011 so jot that date down! for a very tasty and exciting EP indeed!
Tracklist-
1. Slither
2. Machine Feat. Mr Lif
3. Electric Lullaby (Tapage Remix)
4. Bodies Offering (Other Lovers Mix)
5. Machine (Big Spider’s Back Remix) Feat. Mr Lif
Watch track Machine (Feat Mr. Lif) here-
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Anomie Belle - The Crush
[+ Show ]
Sounds like: Zola Jesus, St Vincent, Baxter, Joanna Newsom
What's so good?
By Jessica Deeken |...Sounds like: Zola Jesus, St Vincent, Baxter, Joanna Newsom
What's so good?
By Jessica Deeken | November 29th, 2011
Anomie Belle is a rare breed of artist that cracks into my cynicism. As indie music becomes a fragmented jigsaw of hi-fi and lo-fi, remixes and mashups, she releases The Crush with a full spectrum of whimsical electronic effects, strings, and grainy allegorical vocals. Far from recycled pop hooks, her music is ominous and theatrical, composed layer by layer, somewhat like Zola Jesus.
The album opens on “Electric Lullaby,” loops of vocals, keys and drums ever so delicately mixed behind Belle’s raspy voice. The single “Machine” strikes with an enigmatic chorus: “I have done unconscionable things/ in pursuit of dreams fed to me on the screen.” She sings like she’s back from a long journey to a dark place, distrusting her own motivations. This one gets guest support with political hip-hop artist Mr Lif, another with Posies guitarist Jon Auer. With titles like “Inky Drips,” “Bodies Offering,” and “Lost Horizon,” it’s chills and shivers, start to finish.
After her self-released debut album Sleeping Patterns in 2008 had, ahem, moderate success including tours with Little Dragon and Tricky, she’s been writing film scores like Dark Material shown at the Seattle Int’l Film Festival, appeared on Xbox game Alan Wake soundtrack alongside David Bowie and Roy Orbison, and took home a couple appearances on Jersey Shore (no kidding), besides penning The Crush.
Soon she’ll be releasing Machine as an EP, so if you’re in Seattle, you can look for her at the Tractor Tavern December 14with an all new composition for a string quartet.
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Anomie Belle: Machine
[+ Show ]
Neo-soul and trip-hop artist Anomie Belle is back with her fourth release of 2011, Machine. The open...Neo-soul and trip-hop artist Anomie Belle is back with her fourth release of 2011, Machine. The opening cut, “Slither,” features soft, minimalistic drums and magical synths, which augment Belle’s strong voice. Opting for a funkier beat, “Machine” focuses on how self-absorbed people are today. Boston’s own Mr. Lif spits tight rhymes that just add an extra bit of flavor to the title track.
Anomie Belle returns to a more serene sound for “Electric Lullaby (Tapage Remix).” The intro contains light breathing, claps and feels like an outer-body experience waiting to happen. Though the direction where Anomie Belle was going with this song had me intrigued for a bit, the effects on the vocals made it seem like she was trying too hard to make it stand out. Her voice is powerful naturally and the effects are just painful to listen to.
The disappointing previous tune is redeemed by “Bodies Offering.” What truly makes it stand out is not only Belle’s voice restored to a more natural sound, but the cello. The dejected tone of the cello contrasts against the hypnotizing and catchy synth and completes the track. To close off Machine is a remix of the title track. Like most remakes, it lacks the glow of the original.
Machine started off strong but sadly lost its momentum. However, if one takes away the third track and the final one, it flows well to form a truly emotive piece of work.
—by Roz Smith, December 21, 2011
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Anomie Belle New Single - Machine (feat. Mr Lif)
[+ Show ]
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle teams up wi...Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle teams up with hip-hop emcee Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation) to release her new music video for “Machine.”
Lif and Anomie first teamed up in 2009 to perform at Bumbershoot in Seattle and immediately connected around their shared values and musical sensibilities. These days, the two find that they are not alone. “A bright and prescient lyricist, [Anomie Belle’s music] should be the theme song to the Occupy Wall Street movement,” writes James Stafford. “I’m elated so many are mobilizing with “Occupy” protests in many cities,” Lif writes. “Without these types of movements, corporate greed will continue to run amok & destroy everything in it’s path unchecked. [My music] is made in the spirit of sparking & supporting these types of efforts… musical ammo for the movement.”
In “Machine,” Lif and Anomie dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterize modern society. “We create systems that justify our greed, embody culture that makes it easy to believe that hollow pleasures and the lassitude of wealth are not days squandered on fixation with yourself,” Belle sings.
In “Machine,” the two are quick to point fingers inward as well as outward, donning the attire of both the perpetrators and the victims of economic inequality in their new music video. “I have done unconscionable things in pursuit of dreams fed to me on the screen, and how is my life so much more precious than anybody else?” The chorus rings.
“Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically,” writes Seattle Weekly. “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
Lif has long been noted for his socially conscious and critical lyrics, and is currently touring with Thievery Corporation in support of his appearance on the title track of their new album, Culture of Fear. “Mr. Lif’s lyrics often have a sharp political edge and a strong message of uplift and community,” writes NPR.
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream.”
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Anomie Belle
[+ Show ]
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle returns, te...Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle returns, teaming up with hip-hop MC Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation) for her new single “Machine” which will be released November 14th on her own label; Anomie Belle Records.
The third track off new album “The Crush” released on September 13th of this year is an enticing piece of work. Toby Campbell’s (Anomie Belle) vocals are reminiscent of a sensitive Cerys Matthews of Catatonia in tone, uttering lyrics that bare high relevance to the contemporary economic climate and furor. In “Machine,” Anomie and musical partner Mr Lif dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterise modern society. “We create systems that justify our greed, embody culture that makes it easy to believe that hollow pleasures and the lassitude of wealth are not days squandered on fixation with yourself,” Toby sings. This is a stirring song, fantastically produced and dressed in an outfit of elegance surrounding two critical and conscious individuals.
Nick Otter
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WMSE Song of the Day (Tune In Turn Up): Anomie Belle “Inky Drips”
[+ Show ]
Sonic Diet
How to Submit Music For Airplay
Local/Live
Weekly Top Airplay
Who
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How to Submit Music For Airplay
Local/Live
Weekly Top Airplay
Who
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WMSE Song of the Day (Tune In Turn Up): Anomie Belle “Inky Drips”
It seems appropriate that Seattle’s Toby Campbell should have chosen a stage name which loosely translates to ‘a restless charming woman’ (Anomie Belle) — her music delves into a darker spirit for an unsettling but beautiful balance of classical strings, trip hop beats and icy vocals. Also, Campbell, a bit of a globetrotter, originally called Portland, Oregon her home before skipping off to New York, Glasgow, London, Amsterdam, Glasgow and Buenos Aires, staying put in Seattle in 2006 only to focus on her music. Occasionally Anomie Belle curbs her restless spirit to settle down and work with her full band and guest hip hop artist, Mr. Lif. Campbell will surely have both by her side for her release of The Crush next week in Seattle. Check out the single, “Inky Drips”, above.
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Anomie Belle Announces New Single ‘Inky Drips’
[+ Show ]
09/26/2011 by admin
Tracklisting: 1. Inky Drips. 2. Inky Drips (Atropolis Remix). 3. Inky Drips (...09/26/2011 by admin
Tracklisting: 1. Inky Drips. 2. Inky Drips (Atropolis Remix). 3. Inky Drips (Damiak Remix). 4. Ain’t No Sunshine
Anomie Belle’s Inky Drips drops on 17 October 2011. This 4-song EP centers around the track “Inky Drips” off her upcoming record The Crush, which releases on 7 November 2011.
It didn’t take long for critics and filmmakers to notice Anomie Belle’s music. Her music has been featured in Xbox’s Alan Wake, Showtime’s United States of Tara, and MTV’s Jersey Shore. Anomie Belle has also toured and collaborated with an impressive roster of folks including Tricky, The Album Leaf, Mr. Lif (The Perceptionists), Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star), Little Dragon, and Bajofondo. She also shared the stage with Bonobo, Phantogram, Kid Koala, Azure Ray, The Heavy, Efterklang, Emily Wells, Grieves & Budo, Sea Wolf, Asobi Seksu, Kimya Dawson, Mirah, Tristeza, Yppah and others.
URB Magazine has called her music “sultry, smoky, seductive, sexy and dark.” Performer Magazine called her songs “beautiful symphonies,” “melancholy with sensual beats, lush strings and layered vocals.” Innocent Words magazine went as far as to call Anomie Belle “a musical mastermind.” Decide for yourself. Her music is a mix of electronic and organic instrumentation, fiercely sensual vocals, and thickly layered, ethereal soundscapes. The more you listen, the more you’ll find.
The deep layers in Anomie Belle music are accompanied equally complex emotions. “Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a more powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment than classroom teachings. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically,” writes Seattle Weekly. “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream. Growing up, music became my outlet. Bored by video games and dollhouses, I plunked away on my parent’s piano for hours at a time, teaching myself to play blues riffs and writing little pop songs.”
From there she was off. Once Anomie Belle figured out how to multi-track record she studied guitar, drums, voice, and audio engineering, and continued to play classical violin in orchestras throughout. She spent four years working as a studio musician, chamber violinist and producer in Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Amsterdam. When she returned to the United States, Anomie began concocting her eloquently sultry, sexy style, drawing upon the multitude of genres that had surrounded her. Anomie Belle’s dark, introspective and sensual electronic music has been garnering much attention since her debut in 2008, and she is back with the provocative new single Inky Drips. Listen for yourself.
www.facebook.com/anomiebelle
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Anomie Belle Announces Free Track ‘Slither’ From ‘Machine’ EP
[+ Show ]
12/07/2011 by admin
Anomie Belle – Slither (Taken from Machine EP)
featuring members of the
Sne...12/07/2011 by admin
Anomie Belle – Slither (Taken from Machine EP)
featuring members of the
Sneaker Pimps, Mr Lif
& Big Spider’s Back
Many have already heralded Belle’s music as a soundtrack for the Occupy movement, and once again her potent music speaks out against the Machine. Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer, Anomie Belle, releases her new EP, Machine, on December 5th, featuring collaborations with members of the Sneaker Pimps, Mr Lif, and Big Spider’s Back.
Her new EP kicks off with “Slither,” a dark, sinister, sexy track written in collaboration with Ian Pickering of the Sneaker Pimps. “I was in Europe for a festival and decided to stop through London to visit Ian on my way home,” Anomie explains. “We shut ourselves in a smoky little room for four days and just wrote music together. Ian and I connected musically right away. I love the darkness in Ian’s lyrics… they strike an intriguing balance with his genuine and compassionate demeanor as a person.”
The dark themes of greed and suffering in “Slither” are followed by “Machine,” a collaboration between Belle and hip-hop emcee, Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation). In “Machine,” Lif and Anomie dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterize modern society. (Check out the music video here: http://youtu.be/bwqKCkr6IDc)
Lif and Anomie first teamed up in 2009 to perform at Bumbershoot and have continued to perform together since. The two immediately connected around their shared values and musical sensibilities. Lif has long been noted for his socially conscious lyrics, and Belle is known for tackling critiques of greed, oppression, mass media, corporate power, inequality, and alienation in her music.
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream.”
“Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
Machine (feat. Mr Lif) is followed by three remixes of tracks from Anomie Belle’s recent LP, The Crush, including an infectious dance remix of “Machine” by Big Spider’s Back.
Anomie’s love of collaborations is no secret. Her work as a producer has recently led her to collaborate with members of The Posies, Trespassers William, and Ninjatune’s Yppah. She has also recently toured with Tricky, Little Dragon, The Album Leaf, Bajofondo, and Kathryn Calder (of the New Pornographers). “I have been fortunate to get to perform and collaborate with so many talented folks,” Belle comments. “There is so much to learn, and I am thrilled to have been given so many opportunities to grow as a musician through collaboration.”
https://www.facebook.com/Anomie-Belle
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Anomie Belle Announces New Single ‘Machine’ Feat MR. LIF + Music Video
[+ Show ]
ANOMIE BELLE
NEW SINGLE – MACHINE FEAT. MR. LIF
RELEASED 14 NOVEMBER 2011
Seattle-based songwri...ANOMIE BELLE
NEW SINGLE – MACHINE FEAT. MR. LIF
RELEASED 14 NOVEMBER 2011
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer Anomie Belle teams up with hip-hop emcee Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation) to release her new music video for “Machine.”
Lif and Anomie first teamed up in 2009 to perform at Bumbershoot in Seattle and immediately connected around their shared values and musical sensibilities. These days, the two find that they are not alone. “A bright and prescient lyricist, [Anomie Belle’s music] should be the theme song to the Occupy Wall Street movement,” writes James Stafford. “I’m elated so many are mobilizing with “Occupy” protests in many cities,” Lif writes. “Without these types of movements, corporate greed will continue to run amok & destroy everything in it’s path unchecked. [My music] is made in the spirit of sparking & supporting these types of efforts… musical ammo for the movement.”
In “Machine,” Lif and Anomie dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterize modern society. “We create systems that justify our greed, embody culture that makes it easy to believe that hollow pleasures and the lassitude of wealth are not days squandered on fixation with yourself,” Belle sings.
In “Machine,” the two are quick to point fingers inward as well as outward, donning the attire of both the perpetrators and the victims of economic inequality in their new music video. “I have done unconscionable things in pursuit of dreams fed to me on the screen, and how is my life so much more precious than anybody else?” The chorus rings.
“Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically,” writes Seattle Weekly. “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
Lif has long been noted for his socially conscious and critical lyrics, and is currently touring with Thievery Corporation in support of his appearance on the title track of their new album, Culture of Fear. “Mr. Lif’s lyrics often have a sharp political edge and a strong message of uplift and community,” writes NPR.
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream.”
www.facebook.com/pages/Anomie-Belle
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Anomie Belle announces new EP ‘Machine’ Feat. Sneaker Pimps, Mr. Lif
[+ Show ]
Posted by Salad Days On November - 27 - 2011
Anomie Belle – Machine EP
Many have already heral...Posted by Salad Days On November - 27 - 2011
Anomie Belle – Machine EP
Many have already heralded Belle’s music as a soundtrack for the Occupy movement, and once again her potent music speaks out against the ‘Machine’. Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer, Anomie Belle, releases her new EP, ‘Machine’, on December 5th, featuring collaborations with members of the Sneaker Pimps, Mr Lif, and Big Spider’s Back. Her new EP kicks off with ‘Slither’ a dark, sinister, sexy track written in collaboration with Ian Pickering of the Sneaker Pimps. “I was in Europe for a festival and decided to stop through London to visit Ian on my way home,” Anomie explains. “We shut ourselves in a smoky little room for four days and just wrote music together. Ian and I connected musically right away. I love the darkness in Ian’s lyrics… they strike an intriguing balance with his genuine and compassionate demeanor as a person.”
The dark themes of greed and suffering in ‘Slither’ are followed by ‘Machine’ a collaboration between Belle and hip-hop emcee, Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation). In ‘Machine’ Lif and Anomie dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterize modern society.
Machine (feat. Mr Lif) by Anomie Belle
Lif and Anomie first teamed up in 2009 to perform at Bumbershoot and have continued to perform together since. The two immediately connected around their shared values and musical sensibilities. Lif has long been noted for his socially conscious lyrics, and Belle is known for tackling critiques of greed, oppression, mass media, corporate power, inequality, and alienation in her music. “I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream.” “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.” ‘Machine’ (feat. Mr Lif) is followed by three remixes of tracks from Anomie Belle’s recent LP, ‘The Crush’, including an infectious dance remix of ‘Machine’ by Big Spider’s Back.
Anomie’s love of collaborations is no secret. Her work as a producer has recently led her to collaborate with members of The Posies, Trespassers William, and Ninjatune’s Yppah. She has also recently toured with Tricky, Little Dragon, The Album Leaf, Bajofondo, and Kathryn Calder (of the New Pornographers). “I have been fortunate to get to perform and collaborate with so many talented folks,” Belle comments. “There is so much to learn, and I am thrilled to have been given so many opportunities to grow as a musician through collaboration.”
http://anomiebelle.tumblr.com/
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Anomie Belle - Inky Drips
[+ Show ]
Anomie Belle’s Inky Drips drops on 17 October 2011. This 4-song EP centers around the track “Inky Dr...Anomie Belle’s Inky Drips drops on 17 October 2011. This 4-song EP centers around the track “Inky Drips” off her upcoming record The Crush, which releases on 7 November 2011.
It didn’t take long for critics and filmmakers to notice Anomie Belle’s music. Her music has been featured in Xbox’s Alan Wake, Showtime’s United States of Tara, and MTV’s Jersey Shore. Anomie Belle has also toured and collaborated with an impressive roster of folks including Tricky, The Album Leaf, Mr. Lif (The Perceptionists), Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star), Little Dragon, and Bajofondo. She also shared the stage with Bonobo, Phantogram, Kid Koala, Azure Ray, The Heavy, Efterklang, Emily Wells, Grieves & Budo, Sea Wolf, Asobi Seksu, Kimya Dawson, Mirah, Tristeza, Yppah and others.
URB Magazine has called her music “sultry, smoky, seductive, sexy and dark.” Performer Magazine called her songs “beautiful symphonies,” “melancholy with sensual beats, lush strings and layered vocals.” Innocent Words magazine went as far as to call Anomie Belle “a musical mastermind.” Decide for yourself. Her music is a mix of electronic and organic instrumentation, fiercely sensual vocals, and thickly layered, ethereal soundscapes. The more you listen, the more you’ll find.
The deep layers in Anomie Belle music are accompanied equally complex emotions. “Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a more powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment than classroom teachings. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically,” writes Seattle Weekly. “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream. Growing up, music became my outlet. Bored by video games and dollhouses, I plunked away on my parent’s piano for hours at a time, teaching myself to play blues riffs and writing little pop songs.”
From there she was off. Once Anomie Belle figured out how to multi-track record she studied guitar, drums, voice, and audio engineering, and continued to play classical violin in orchestras throughout. She spent four years working as a studio musician, chamber violinist and producer in Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Amsterdam. When she returned to the United States, Anomie began concocting her eloquently sultry, sexy style, drawing upon the multitude of genres that had surrounded her. Anomie Belle's dark, introspective and sensual electronic music has been garnering much attention since her debut in 2008, and she is back with the provocative new single Inky Drips. Listen for yourself.
Stream here: http://bit.ly/p7lmVn
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Anomie Belle
[+ Show ]
Anomie Belle
November11
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film com...Anomie Belle
November11
Seattle-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and film composer, Anomie Belle, releases her new EP, Machine, on December 5th, featuring collaborations with members of the Sneaker Pimps, Mr Lif, and Big Spider’s Back. Many have already heralded Belle’s music as a soundtrack for the Occupy movement, and once again her potent music speaks out against the Machine.
Her new EP kicks off with “Slither,” a dark, sinister, sexy track written in collaboration with Ian Pickering of the Sneaker Pimps. “I was in Europe for a festival and decided to stop through London to visit Ian on my way home,” Anomie explains. “We shut ourselves in a smoky little room for four days and just wrote music together. Ian and I connected musically right away. I love the darkness in Ian’s lyrics… they strike an intriguing balance with his genuine and compassionate demeanor as a person.”
The dark themes of greed and suffering in “Slither” are followed by “Machine,” a collaboration between Belle and hip-hop emcee, Mr Lif (The Perceptionists, Thievery Corporation). In “Machine,” Lif and Anomie dish out harsh criticism of the enormous discrepancies in wealth, avarice, oppression and poverty that characterize modern society.
Lif and Anomie first teamed up in 2009 to perform at Bumbershoot and have continued to perform together since. The two immediately connected around their shared values and musical sensibilities. Lif has long been noted for his socially conscious lyrics, and Belle is known for tackling critiques of greed, oppression, mass media, corporate power, inequality, and alienation in her music.
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream.”
“Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
Machine (feat. Mr Lif) is followed by three remixes of tracks from Anomie Belle’s recent LP, The Crush, including an infectious dance remix of “Machine” by Big Spider’s Back.
Anomie’s love of collaborations is no secret. Her work as a producer has recently led her to collaborate with members of The Posies, Trespassers William, and Ninjatune’s Yppah. She has also recently toured with Tricky, Little Dragon, The Album Leaf, Bajofondo, and Kathryn Calder (of the New Pornographers). “I have been fortunate to get to perform and collaborate with so many talented folks,” Belle comments. “There is so much to learn, and I am thrilled to have been given so many opportunities to grow as a musician through collaboration.”
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/anomie-belle/machine-feat-mr-lif
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Anomie Belle Announces New Album and Single – Watch Video Now
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Saturday, 17 September 2011 Written by Rob Sleigh
Anomie Belle Announces New Album and Single – Wa...Saturday, 17 September 2011 Written by Rob Sleigh
Anomie Belle Announces New Album and Single – Watch Video Now
Seattle-based neo-soul artist Anomie Belle has released the video for her new single ‘Inky Drips’, which is due for release on 17th October. The track is the latest to be taken from her forthcoming second album ‘The Crush’, which will be released on 7th November. See below to watch the video for ‘Inky Drips’.
‘The Crush’ is the follow-up to Anomie Belles’ 2008 debut album ‘Sleeping Patterns’. She has previously toured and worked with the likes of Tricky, Little Dragon and Jon Auer (The Posies/Big Star), who also features on ‘The Crush’.
Anomie Belle - real name Toby Campbell - began her musical career as a classical violinist before starting work on her own solo material. Speaking about her music, she said: “I grew up in your prototypical American suburb. The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream. Growing up, music became my outlet. Bored by video games and dollhouses, I plunked away on my parent’s piano for hours at a time, teaching myself to play blues riffs and writing little pop songs.”
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Album Review... Anomie Belle The Crush
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Much fancied, self proclaimed 'anti consumerist queer' survives the sophomore slump.
7/10
Atmosp...Much fancied, self proclaimed 'anti consumerist queer' survives the sophomore slump.
7/10
Atmospherically dense, female fronted pop is as common-place these days as lager driven guitar pop was in the mid 90's but that doesn't mean there isn't still room on the bandwagon for a rebel. Portland born musician, composer and 'activist' Anomie Belle might be just that rebel with her androgynous good looks, peerlessly strange, intoxicating and beguiling voice and (most importantly) her keen melodic sense and experimental spirit.
Musically it feels like well-worn ground at first as wispy, atonal synths and sharp beats fight for focus against Belle's seductive vocals, icy cool guitars and a sense of cinematic drama. In essence I could just as easily be describing the first Portishead album as it can't be denied 'The Crush' shares a similar aesthetic to that noted genre classic. However despite Belle's defiantly anti-consumerist stance there are genuine moments of pop immediacy here. 'Inky Drips' for example could almost be a Lady Gaga song if it was remixed as such and there's a modern hip-hop edge the the industrial beats of 'Machine'. 'Privilege' meanwhile is as immediate as a Dido single. Don't let that put you off mind, this is after-all far more credible and (crucially) far more interesting.
Take the treated synths in 'Mosquito In The Closer' that actually SOUND like 'mosquito's in the closet' or the way post-rock string arrangements strike up against dirty, overdriven guitars and dramatic, Bjork indebted electronica on the daring 'It's A Crush'. These are songs which might seem slight and undernourished at first, in fact if you took them apart and pared them back to simple voice and piano tracks they would probably seem quite generic. It's the way Belle and her cohorts manage to make so many disparate elements work together though that keeps listener fatigue from setting in.
The album falls short occasionally, generally when Belle either loses track of her own ambition such as on the listless 'Lost Horizon' (which sounds more like backing music for a mobile phone commercial than a fully fledged song) or starts preaching to the converted with her limited vocabulary (the otherwise quite lovely 'On TV' reads like bad 6th form poetry). But at least half of the tracks here reveal an artist as willing to push herself as she is her audience and for that Anomie Belle deserves vindication.
http://anomiebelle.tumblr.com/
Benjamin Hiorns
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Free Inky Drips Damiak Remix!
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Posted 07 November 2011 | Tracks / Mixes
Anomie Belle’s Inky Drips drops on 17 Oct. This 4-son...Posted 07 November 2011 | Tracks / Mixes
Anomie Belle’s Inky Drips drops on 17 Oct. This 4-song EP centers around the track “Inky Drips” off her upcoming record The Crush, which releases on Nov 7.
It didn’t take long for critics and filmmakers to notice Anomie Belle’s music. Her music has been featured in Xbox’s Alan Wake, Showtime’s United States of Tara, and MTV’s Jersey Shore. Anomie Belle has also toured and collaborated with an impressive roster of folks including Tricky, The Album Leaf, Mr. Lif (The Perceptionists), Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star), Little Dragon, and Bajofondo. She also shared the stage with Bonobo, Phantogram, Kid Koala, Azure Ray, The Heavy, Efterklang, Emily Wells, Grieves & Budo, Sea Wolf, Asobi Seksu, Kimya Dawson, Mirah, Tristeza, Yppah and others.
URB Magazine has called her music “sultry, smoky, seductive, sexy and dark.” Performer Magazine called her songs “beautiful symphonies,” “melancholy with sensual beats, lush strings and layered vocals.” Innocent Words magazine went as far as to call Anomie Belle “a musical mastermind.” Decide for yourself. Her music is a mix of electronic and organic instrumentation, fiercely sensual vocals, and thickly layered, ethereal soundscapes. The more you listen, the more you’ll find.
The deep layers in Anomie Belle music are accompanied equally complex emotions. “Piecing her name together from words meaning social unrest and a beautiful and charming woman, Seattle trip-hopper Anomie Belle has lofty aims echoing her view of music as a more powerful vehicle for education and enlightenment than classroom teachings. Meshing sultry vocals and moody instrumental programming, with a healthy amount of layering added to both, Anomie Belle tackles spectacle and alienation both lyrically and sonically,” writes Seattle Weekly. “Beautiful Desocialization and is a moniker quite apropos for Anomie Belle,” writes Hellbomb. “Her songs are critical of blind adherence to consumerism. They’re swanky and sexy, but they also champion individuality and critical thinking.”
“I grew up in your prototypical American suburb,” Anomie Belle explains. “The manicured lawns, strip mall parking lots, chain stores, and massive expanses of cement and housing developments depressed me. I chose the moniker Anomie Belle to speak to the decadent alienation of the American dream. Growing up, music became my outlet. Bored by video games and dollhouses, I plunked away on my parent’s piano for hours at a time, teaching myself to play blues riffs and writing little pop songs.”
From there she was off. Once Anomie Belle figured out how to multi-track record she studied guitar, drums, voice, and audio engineering, and continued to play classical violin in orchestras throughout. She spent four years working as a studio musician, chamber violinist and producer in Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Amsterdam. When she returned to the United States, Anomie began concocting her eloquently sultry, sexy style, drawing upon the multitude of genres that had surrounded her. Anomie Belle’s dark, introspective and sensual electronic music has been garnering much attention since her debut in 2008, and she is back with the provocative new single Inky Drips. Listen for yourself.
www.facebook.com/anomiebellemusic
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Anomie Belle at the Blue Lamp, 10/30/11
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You’re not familiar with Anomie Belle? I’d much rather light a candle than curse your darkness. She...You’re not familiar with Anomie Belle? I’d much rather light a candle than curse your darkness. She is one of the most interesting indies out there right now — no allegiance to genres, instruments (acoustic or electronic), or even to her own voice. Her only loyalty appears to be to the songs, and each one is a perfect little snow globe of a world ranging from the ethereal and moody to some of the most challenging experimental (yet melodic) stuff I’ve heard in years.
For example, ”How Can I Be Sure” from Sleeping Patterns has all the moody sexiness you’ll ever need:
So you’ve got her pegged, right? She’s some kind of contemporary Sade, laying down the tasty seduction groove. But then she offers up what should be the theme song to the Occupy Wall Street movement (though it predates it). Here she demonstrates what a bright and prescient lyricist she is, but doesn’t forget that it’s all about the song. Listen closely — goosebump music.
Okay, now you have a bead on her, right? Luscious voice, sleepy melody, razor-sharp lyrics. Well, while you were zigging she was zagging. Here come the beats along with an extended use of that big voice to create new characters. The video itself is pretty damned amazing, too.
“But James, I don’t like all that electronicky wockawoll these kids today listen to,” you say. “Whatever happened to talented people playing real instruments?” Wow, you just never learn, do you, Chumpfrey?
I haven’t been this excited about a new artist in years. I’m thinking back to my days in Los Angeles, seeing bands like Jane’s Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in clubs and knowing that someday I’d be telling the tale (which I just did, I guess. Yeah, that’s right — I was there).
If you’re in the Sacramento area you need to come out for this show and grab yourself an “I saw her back when…” story. There might not be a music industry as we once knew it, but when Anomie Belle manages to find a foothold in the new world order she’s going to break out; and if she doesn’t, we can all be in on the best kept secret in the indie music world.
Tickets are only 8 bucks and are available at the door. See you Sunday, October 30 at:
Blue Lamp
1400 Alhambra Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95816-6509
(916) 455-3400
Wait! Wait! Don’t leave without your freebies! You can download a couple of free tracks here:
http://soundcloud.com/anomie-belle/aint-no-sunshine
http://soundcloud.com/anomie-belle/inky-drips-damiak-remix
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Anomie Belle Live, Chocolate Shakes, and Change
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“Hey, you got a haircut.” I’ve known Ryan since his hair was black and his biggest concern was fina...“Hey, you got a haircut.” I’ve known Ryan since his hair was black and his biggest concern was finals. Now his Pierce Brosnan ‘do is cropped short and peppered with the gray that age, fatherhood, and work brings. He pulled his camera from the trunk, I grabbed my notebook, and we headed for The Blue Lamp.
The Blue Lamp sits square in the taint of downtown Sacramento. To the east are streets lined with old trees and older mansions right out of a John Hughes movie; to the west is Midtown with its lofts, galleries, restaurants and hipsters on fixies. When I moved here almost twenty years ago The Blue Lamp was a strip club, and the Motel 6 next door had that “meth lab and hooker” patina. Now there’s a Starbucks across the street, and the motel appears to be cleaned up.
“I need your ID’s and eight bucks each.”
“We should be on the list.” I peeked past the bouncer. The only people in the place were the bartender and four people frantically setting up gear.
“I don’t have a list yet,” he said and then added “you cheap bastard.” Fortunately he was kind enough to toss in this last clause with his eyes. He turned toward the stage. “Hey, this guy says he’s on the list.”
“What’s his name?”
“James Stafford.”
“Yeah, he’s good.”
I never entered The Blue Lamp in its previous incarnation, and in fact this was my first time in the place at all. The club is a long, narrow rectangle maybe 50' x 150' with painted brick walls and a fully stocked bar. At the end nearest the door rests the stage and at the back is a lounge-type area lined with couches and decorated with local art. Whatever it looked like as a strip club this is a vast improvement.
Ryan and I grabbed a table against one of the brick walls so that he could shoot and I could scribble notes. We babbled while the band ran through their sound check. Ryan took some test shots and I wrestled with the impulse to gather mind numbing minutiae more to stay busy than anything. As a kid I glazed over when the guitar magazines launched into granular detail about Eric Clapton’s guitar rig or whatever, so the last thing I wanted was to turn this into a gear porn piece. I will say this, though: For three musicians it was a pretty impressive collection of computers, keyboards, and analog instruments. Kathryn Calder and her band lingered near the merch table back by the couches, waiting to headline the empty room.
(c) Ryan Wilkerson
One beautiful voice filled the empty rectangle, Anomie Belle wringing the emotion out of Bill Withers’s “Ain’t No Sunshine,” transforming it from broken heart to a spiritual. The hair on my arms stood up; a tingle literally moved down my spine. I wasn’t sitting in a club, I was graveside and these were the last moments before they lowered –
“That’s good. Same level for the other mic, please.”
Sound check, witherus interruptus. I’d never hear whether that house is just a home anytime she goes away. It was like having to pull out in the back seat of the primer gray Camaro because the prom queen had a sudden fit of conscience. But man, for those few seconds it was so good.
About forty minutes later they were officially on, opening with “Phantom” off of The Crush. I’d been struggling for weeks to find a corollary for her voice, which cuts through me so easily. It hit me before the chorus: Sinead O’Connor. This isn’t so much a question of tone or phrasing as one of character. Anomie Belle has that same combination of power, vulnerability, and emotion. And while she tears up fewer Pope photos (Sinead: 1, Anomie: 0), she certainly shares with Sinead a desire to blend music and social consciousness. The difference? Anomie’s concerns are rooted in the American dream, suburban lifestyles, events like the recent Occupy movement.
Next up comes “Lost Horizon” off of the same album. I’m embarrassed to reach for the hackneyed adjective “atmospheric,” but later she agrees with me so I don’t feel quite so bad.
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Cascading with Anomie Belle: A Transcendental vocalist
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Anomie Belle is the solo project of composer, producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Toby Cam...Anomie Belle is the solo project of composer, producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Toby Campbell. Originally a classical violinist and songwriter, she released multiple solo records under her own name before making her way into indie, experimental, trip-hop music. A Portland, Oregon native, Campbell has performed at top venues throughout the Pacific Northwest, and has worked as a musician and producer in Madrid, Glasgow, Amsterdam, New York, Buenos Aires, and London. In 2006 she moved to Seattle to focus exclusively on Anomie Belle. Have a listen @ her sultry vocals ….
Anomie Belle features several contributing artists: Penelope Sheets supplies keys and harmony during live performances, and Anne-Lynne Williams (Trespassers William, Lotte Kestner, Chemical Brothers) is a regular guest vocalist. Other collaborators include Bryan Smith and Peter Lynch (Library Science). Sheets, Williams and Smith are all featured on the upcoming release, Sleeping Patterns.
Anomie Belle’s material grapples with social issues ranging from American political apathy to suburban alienation, passive media spectatorship, social injustice, and consumerism. Anomie Belle makes dark social issues eerily lovely; befitting the name, in this music, alienation and social unrest mingle with charm and beauty. You can catch her sultry vocals here ?Anomie Belle
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Anomie Belle: Exclusive Interview
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by D. House
October 29, 2011
Classically trained on violin, Anomie Belle is a politically and so...by D. House
October 29, 2011
Classically trained on violin, Anomie Belle is a politically and socially conscientious, Seattle-based electronic trip-hop multi-instrumentalist/composer who taught herself piano and guitar at a young age. She produces her own music and does all of her drum and synthesizer programming. She has lived and worked in Madrid, Glasgow, Amsterdam, New York, Buenos Aires, and London, and has shared the stage with Tricky, Sea Wolf, Mr. Lif and Album Leaf (with whom she has also played as part of a string quartet). Not bad for somebody who is just barely in her 30s.
I read that you’ve lived internationally – Spain, London, New York City, Scotland, Amsterdam and Buenos Aires? What brought you to all those places and what started that journey?
Anomie Belle:
When I was in high school in Portland (OR.), I had an unusual opportunity to participate in a bilingual program which allowed me to learn Spanish from people who were from other countries. There were a lot of Spanish speaking immigrants and it whet my appetite to live in other places. I was really fascinated by experiencing different cultures and refreshed by different points of views. I first moved to Spain and I enrolled in a University there, interned with a record company, and played in a local symphony. When I finished school, I got a fellowship to travel and I spend two years living in different countries and participated in different musical communities. In Argentina, I slept on the floor of a recording studio for a few months and got to engineer during the day. In Amsterdam I volunteered with an experimental record label and learned a lot about producing electronic music. In Glasgow I joined a band and did studio work. I made my way around and got to know the music industry from a really unique perspective all over the world. It was pretty amazing.
After living in all these places, what brought you back Seattle? Was it the familiarity of the Northwest?
Anomie:
The honest truth is that I came here to get my PhD, but eventually I left the program once I realized that I was studying the things that I write about with respect to keeping a critical perspective on culture and society as well as looking at the music industry from the perspective of their political economies. I realized after a couple of years that I wasn’t actually interested in studying these things as much as I was interested in being a part of them.
I wasn’t actually interested in studying these things as much as I was interested in being a part of them
And music is a powerful medium for discussing these sorts of topics and it’s a great platform for making a personal statement on them…?
Anomie:
Yeah, definitely. Initially I was attracted to school because I felt that that was one place where people were very directly talking about issues that were important to me. I realized however – getting to know what life as a professor would look like –that not only is my true passion music, but it’s a better platform for me. It’s more accessible and it’s a way to express the emotional and spiritual things that don’t fit easily into rational/intellectual boxes. Also music lets me interact with a lot more people than an academic life would offer.
So…speaking to that, what are your thoughts about the whole Occupy movement going on right now?
Anomie:
I think it’s awesome. I think it’s really badass! A lot of the themes that I’m hearing in the Occupy movement mirror themes I’ve always spoken about in my music: issues like consumerism, corporate power, suburban alienation and societal inequality. Occupy helps to create a central frame of reference. It helps to shed some light on the systems of power and oppression and is being talked about in a way that’s exciting to me. People are talking about more systemic issues. These systems that we’re living with are essentially defunct, and they need to change. I’ve heard that three-quarters of the people involved in the movemen
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ANOMIE BELLE - The Crush (Autoproduzione, 2011)
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Martedì 07 Febbraio 2012 00:00
ANOMIE BELLE - The CrushUn’americana dai suoni europei. E’ Anomie ...Martedì 07 Febbraio 2012 00:00
ANOMIE BELLE - The CrushUn’americana dai suoni europei. E’ Anomie Belle al secondo album con “The Crush”.
Genere: trip hop, elettronica, downtempo
Ascolta anche: Tricky, Bjork, Hooverphonic
Che musica potrà mai fare una bella trentunenne che arriva da Seattle? Ovviamente qualcosa che non c’entra un bel niente con Nirvana, Pearl Jam e la vecchia guardia del grunge. Evidentemente un accostamento con quelle sonorità sarebbe fin troppo facile, così la signorina in questione, ha pensato bene di lasciare ad altri camice a scacchi, Fender Mustang e pedali Big Muff e rivolgere il suo interesse ad elettronica, downtempo ed affini: tutta roba che va forte principalmente nel vecchio continente ma non certo nella piovosa città statunitense.
Con qualche incursione nell’hip hop con Mr. Lif dei Thievery Corporation e con un “guest” dell’indie-pop come Jon Auer (di The Posies ma anche dei sommi Big Star post reunion) le strade percorse sono quelle del trip-hop, leggasi Tricky, Massive Attack, Lamb, Mandalay, con qualche sperimentazione degna della signora Bjork.
In questo abbondare di citazioni è lecito chiedersi se questo disco sia poco originale. In un mondo dove trovare cose veramente nuove è ormai pura utopia ad Anomie Belle possiamo tranquillamente perdonarlo. Semmai il problema è un altro e cioè che in mezzo ad arrangiamenti pur di qualità, infarciti da una bella voce, i dodici brani presenti faticano a colpire ed a convincere fino in fondo.
Manca qualcosa in grado di colpire veramente al cuore dell’ascoltatore, e di portare “The crush” al di sopra di una pur meritata sufficienza.
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Anomie Belle - Slither
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Saturday, 18 February 2012
Anomie Belle - Slither
Anomie Belle’s new single, ‘Slither’, follows No...Saturday, 18 February 2012
Anomie Belle - Slither
Anomie Belle’s new single, ‘Slither’, follows November’s ‘Machine’, a single widely cited as an important part of the soundtrack to Occupy Wall Street. ‘Slither’, a collaboration with Sneaker Pimps’ Ian Pickering, suggests she's since got her hands on some chill pills - this one's much less urgent, a new age, floating down the river kind of track. Frictionless and sleek in its dynamics, it’s both unchallenging and subtly sophisticated.
Belle chews her words in a strange sort of way, with tones, pronunciations, and articulations the conventional singer wouldn’t go near. In a way it’s very similar to what Joanna Newsom does, but in place of Joanna’s folky innocence Anomie has a cool similar to Bajka (known for her work on Bonobo’s ‘Days To Come’).
‘Slither’ might not have the punch of protest that ‘Machines’ brandished, but its understated presence has a tender, almost surreal beauty. With its gentle gongs and House Of Flying Daggers strings towards the end, this is the sort of track Buddhist monks would be swaying to if they’d entered the iPod age.
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Flow Friday: Anomie Belle – Crush
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Flow Friday: Anomie Belle – Crush
By rentdownstairs
Anomie is a singer/songwriter/violinist who ...Flow Friday: Anomie Belle – Crush
By rentdownstairs
Anomie is a singer/songwriter/violinist who is not only a musical artist, but is a film composer and a giant hippie. I could say she’s an activist, which she is, but really she’s a big ol’ hippie. Anti-consumerism, with a focus on human spirituality and sexuality. Call it what you want, I call it hippie. It has a strong influence on her musical lyrics, as you might imagine, but that doesn’t change the fact she’s pretty awesome. She reminds me of a more socially conscious version of Esthero, with less of a pure hip hop influence and more of a soul influence. Also, kinda like a non-shitty Joanna Newsome.
1. Electric Lullaby
2. Inky Drips
3. Machine
4. It’s a Crush
5. Mosquito in the Closet
6. Bodies Offering
7. Picture Perfect (personal favorite)
8. Lost Horizon
9. Privilege
10. On TV
11. Lavender Days
12. Phantom
I had some issues finding all the songs, but whatcha gonna do?
The playlist as I could find it!
Anomie Belle – Crush
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Anomie Belle Spotlight
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Who: Anomie Belle
From: Seattle, Washington
Sound: Smooth electronic, with hints of jazz and b...Who: Anomie Belle
From: Seattle, Washington
Sound: Smooth electronic, with hints of jazz and blues
www.anomiebelle.com
Promoter: Ninja Tune @ Electric Owl
She’s a quadruple threat; she plays multiple instruments, sings, composes and produces her own music. With smooth, sultry vocals and dark, sexy instrumentation she owns any stage she touches. Definitely not a newcomer to the west coast music scene, Anomie has toured and performed with some amazing artists, including Yppah (Ninja Tune) and the Posies. Talking to her, you can sense the confidence of a seasoned musician, and the intelligence of someone who knows exactly where she’s going.
supersonic
