CIAM

Ciam, pronounced (See-am) is rock band whose members come from art/design backgrounds (named after the Congress Internationaux d'archetcture Moderne, developed in 1927 to revamp Europe's modern appearance). In June 2007 the group performed in the U.S. for the first time in on KCRW / NPR's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and again on June 25th when the ensemble brought their visual show to Tangier in Los Angeles.

With their forthcoming CD / DVD Anonymous, produced by Ciam and John Fryer (NIN, Depeche Mode, HIM, White Zombie) slated for release on January 27th, 2009, CIAM will give their audiences a visual experience by matching each song with a cinematic representation (short film).

CIAM began when vocalist and guitarist Jeff Shapiro found that he and Hadar Goldman, a viola and violin player had an instant rapport when it came to writing material. The process was effortless; yielding provocative new music so ambitious it defied conventional presentation. Routine live gigs would not do justice to the vision, the work called for artistic installations and mixed-media events.

Together, they set about finding suitable collaborators: drummer Chris Hall had worked with Jeff Shapiro previously in a band named Astrohound who had released an EP and single in London. Farrell Lennon was brought on for programming. Mark Ferguson fleshes out the sound on bass.

The music has a foot in rock - Radiohead, Velvet Underground, Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Joy Division are pointers to where the music has evolved from - but the sound CIAM have created on their album, is multi-layered and thoroughly concerned with the future. Anonymous opens with "Here I Am" begins with a floating mix of vocals and guitars, with viola weaving in and around the melody like a thread pulling together a strange embroidery. Likely to cause a stir is a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Venus In Furs".

Shapiro admits it was done tongue-in-cheek, just as a little nod to the forbearers of the art & rock confluence of the '60s, taken to dazzling heights by the searing relationship between the Velvet Underground and visual artist/ filmmaker, Andy Warhol. There's dark humor here too - the Eastern sounding electric violin and cello of "It Takes A Friend (To Bring You Down)" smirk mercilessly at the protagonist's plight, while the plaintive bass melody of "The Journey", sends the listener into an intricate phalanx of acoustic and wah-wah guitars. It's a highly developed and intelligent record, extraordinarily assured for a debut album.

Shapiro is involved in many things - some of which are art, some of which are design, some architecture. Goldman is involved in advertising and is a classically trained musician. Between them there has always been more than music. But Shapiro's passion lies first and foremost in relating these things to music. By associating his musical project with the architectural innovations of the original CIAM, Shapiro has found the key with which to unlock a tremendously exciting, even revolutionary way of combining his various artistic endeavors.

CIAM are ready for their debut. With a project as big and ambitious as this, the presentation has to be exactly right. Films are being made to accompany every track that will be performed. Shapiro is currently engaged in putting together a mixed-media installation in collaboration with two architects, a photographer and a video artist. Based around the CIAM song "Here I Am", the full package will be presented in galleries and museums as an installation with the band playing live accompaniment.

Driven, restless even, CIAM aim to change forever your spatial awareness of music. "I'll be very happy with recognition", says Shapiro, "and if CIAM can inspire artistic aspirations in people. I think that's very important."