closethuman
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
I was going to do a spoof today, since this blog has gotten rather serious for the last few months and could use some humor again. But as I was adding friends from my myspace friend request list, I happened to hear something rather extraordinary.
So I'm going to do a quick writeup of a band (or a duo that sounds rather like a band) called ClosetHuman. (or Closet Human...not sure which way would be more appropriate!) They list themselves as a blend of Electro, Alternative and Pop. Now, I'm often quite disappointed by electro, electronica and so forth type bands, but this time, I am most definitely not disappointed.
Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, aka Canada, Jack Fang and JS Roy (no, I'm not kidding, those are the names given) might look like they belong on the cover of Spin or even Vogue, but these two gentlemen manage to bring a full, robust sound to their music without overdoing or overpowering it. Instead of the often overused electronica tricks that bury a good song, they use the sounds, beats and amps judiciously and appropriately.
The music enhances the lyrics and vocals rather than overshadowing it. The lyrics are strong, delivered with passion and while a bit hard to decipher at times, they are actually quite emotionally evocative and socially aware.
Jack Fang's vocals backed up by JS Roy's bass and guitar (and probably his production skills at blending the lyrics and music just right) make an impressive and compelling mix.
There are two very surprising things about this duo. First, I wouldn't necessarily type them as Electro, save for the heavy use of synth. Alternative with a slightly pop and punk feel seems to fit them better. Then again, all music is so fluid now that trying to stereotype a group as 'this' or 'that' now seems unfair and pointless. They are good and a good listen, that's the main point.
The second surprising thing is the fact that they are apparently unsigned. They sound like a professionally mixed and produced group. That they are doing all this themselves with such an amazingly good result makes them all the more impressive. Put them with a good label and a great producer and it's almost scary to think about how far they might rise and how many established names they might shake up in the process.
Their song, The Thief, was my favorite, but all four of their myspace offerings were a fun ride.
Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/closethuman. They are worth a listen.
- CG Anderson (Aha! Blogalicious)
Discography
My Pet Torpedo EP (2007)
1. Stances
2. Come Corrupt
3. The Thief
4. She Said
5. Close Your Eyes
6. Needles and Dreams
Close Your Eyes and Come Corrupt are getting radio play in Canada, US, and Europe.
Photos
Bio
CLOSETHUMAN ::: ARTIST BIO
October 2007
When Jamie Golledge (Alias: Jack Fang) and J.S Roy (just J.S) joined forces in a west-end Toronto basement at the close of 2006, they thought they might be taking a wild stab in the dark with posthumous musical experimentation. Often contrary in their approach to recording and running parallel in their cited influences - their commonalities rested in their dedication to their craft and a temporary suspension of disbelief...
...but somehow, it worked. Four sterling demo tracks were dropped online over a period of three months, received with a few thousand downloads and equal doses of praise. It became apparent to the duo that Closethuman was no common accident.
The initial success of the project isn't exactly based on beginners luck or serendipitous coincidence - both Golledge and Roy entered the project with equal musical mettle:
The origin of Golledge's unique stylings can be traced back to age 5 - the son of a talent booker, Jamie quickly discovered the joys of Drums, Piano, and Michael Jackson. Formally trained on piano in classical, blues and jazz disciplines, he was en-route to becoming an accomplished player and started song writing by the age of 12. By the age of 22, Golledge had already immersed himself in over 20 musical projects (from 60's revival, to rock, to reggae), including two projects he orchestrated with Madonna's band manager. Pre-Closethuman, he worked to nurture his synth and programming skills with down-tempo Toronto trip-hoppers Il Attire.
Roy's induction to the recording industry was less conspicuous – a Quebec native, the 14-year-old J.S and a gaggle of his childhood friends decided to evade suburban boredom by forming a ska band they knighted The Undercovers. Brought to the limelight by Montreal's Stomp Records, the young keyboardist had national tours under his belt by the age of 16. As The Undercovers inevitably matured, so did their pop sensibilities - they reformed into the present-day 'The Stills', took a brief sabbatical in NYC, then re-entered the circuit with international dates alongside the likes of The Streets and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to help ferment their status.
J.S was composing his own musical projects as well as producing, and realized that The Stills could never fully satiate his musical ambitions. He made the tough decision to relocate to Toronto, where he formed the dusky local media darlings "Les Six". Roy and Golledge were acquainted between the occasional gigs with their respective bands, and valued their similarly passionate "no nonsense" approach. In 2006 Les Six dissolved, Il Attire mellowed on the circuit, and we may now illustrate the phone calls that paved the road to the west-end basement.
Future forward: Closethuman has just wrapped up a brilliant incubation period. While their creation continues to take shape, Jamie and J.S spent 7 months in rigorous rehearsals alongside their new live players, Ben (drums) and Steph (bass). After a low-key debut show at Toronto's historic El Mocambo, they embarked on their first Canadian mini-tour with Berlin via UK electro-outfit IAMX (the successive musical lovechild by Chris Corner of Sneaker Pimps) and were welcomed with some
rave reviews and freshly-minted devotees. Currently being romanced with solid production offers, Closethuman are weighing distribution options for their currently online-only EP 'My Pet Torpedo', and are preparing for more continental support touring beyond the winter. With only eleven months of work behind them now, everything else remains a promising
mystery.
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