Elaine Lachica
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Elaine Lachica

Band Alternative Pop

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Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Elaine Lachica"

"a flame of a voice." - The New York Times


"From 4AD Glory Days"

“The heart and soul of Lachica's music draws from 4AD's glory days, when bands like Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and This Mortal Coil dominated the ethereal landscape
(with) atmosphere, drama, and melancholia.”
- Opuszine


"Talent and Academic Discipline"

“Lachica's voice is a marvel to behold, a shining example of what raw talent and academic discipline can achieve when working in harmony with each other.” - Exclaim


"Liz Frasier to Jeff Buckley"

“...in the elusive tradition of Arthur Rimbaud, Fernand Khnoppf, the two Buckleys, Arvo Part, David Sylvian. Lachica's vocal ramifications will remind you of a Liz Fraser, Lisa Gerrard, even a certain tone Jeff Buckley used now and again...a sweeter and indier Kate Bush.” - Marco Sangiacomo


"blues to opera"

“Elaine's vocals are breathy, fluid -- all over the map. She float from alto to soprano, blues to opera with incredible ease. Sasha Lazard meets Cassandra Wilson.” - Indie Music


"Tori Amos to Radiohead"

“a bewitching amalgam ... of Tori Amos, the Cocteau Twins and Radiohead.” - Aural Innovations


"Feature"

"Almost always, a musician or band will list their influences somewhere in their press kits. Uncannily, Elaine Lachica lists a hefty load: Cocteau Twins, Tori Amos, Cassandra Wilson, Nick Drake…and what a wet dream for a writer, right? Welcome to Lachica's solo debut release, 9. This release is most impressive with it's fusion of ethereal landscaping using piano, percussion and the rumbling of a 'flanged' out guitar, all complimenting her airy, sometimes hard to control vocals.
"Sirens," opens the release. We find Lachica cooing with multi-tracks of her luscious vocals, some sound like she's just talking. The music builds around a guitar and sporadic bells poking in and out. You will need a lyric sheet to follow her due to these layers. There is so much vocal texture that it is impossible to make out what she's singing. Then there's the handsome, "Be That Day," with Lachica breathing her lyrics, remnant of Tori Amos' vocal approach in her Boys for Pele days. A brilliant song with a confidently strong piano and crying violin in the distant, making this a mesmerizing song. The song stops short and funnels into whispers only to pick up again, gaining more volume and momentum. When Lachica sings, "will it ever be that day that never ends," my heart jumped. The quiet passion she has in her vocals could knock over a misty mountain. "Drift," starts with a distant piano, as Lachica maintains a steady tone with her gigantic vocals. Having the vocal range that she has, she sounds like a wounded animal, trying to control it. During songs like, "In This Wilderness," one can easily pick up her operatic approach. "The Door," has a hauntingly familiar feel remnant of Harold Budd and his collaboration with the Cocteau Twins back in the mid-80's (The Moon and the Melody), as Lachica's vocals and lyrics drift over a soft rumbling of guitars. "Closer," has a swift beat as Lachica, seductively sings, "a cheap laugh, some cheap drama, tempered by illusions." As the final track, "Blue Blinding Sun," closes this release, gently floats with an echo-y guitar and delicate piano following Lachica's swaying and growing moans. This song speaks for itself. There are no lyrics, just music.


- Dig This Real


"Flying Saucer meets Beautiful Melodies"

"Elaine’s first album will take you off balance the first time you hear it. It is an eclectic mixing of beautiful melodies… and noise. I almost get a Flying Saucer Attack feel from some of the tracks. But, instead of having brash, harsh noises in her songs, Elaine uses noise to create another layer in the melody. She makes the noise easier to digest. -" - Indieworkshop


"Sirens a la Miranda Sex Garden"

"Listening to the opening track of "Sirens" on Elaine Lachica's debut CD 9, I was distinctly reminded of a release that came out nearly 10 years ago. Mind you, that isn't a bad thing. "Sirens" is an ethereal, spooky track along the lines of the work that the group Miranda Sex Garden were doing in their heyday. Lachcica multitracks her high vocals over subtle, reverbed guitar and twinkling chimes, and the effect is eerie and rather lovely at the same time." - Almostcool


"Cassandra Wilson and Bach"

"9 paints a languid landscape, over which Lachica's finely nuanced voice floats and flutters. Lachica's influences range from the Cocteau Twins and Tori Amos to Cassandra Wilson and Bach' - Blah3.com


Discography

'Apolune' LP 2005
'9' LP 2002
'Azure' EP 1997

Samples on Audio Page and
www.elainelachica.com/listen.html

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Elaine began studying piano, violin and singing at age 3. Growing up with a musician mother, Elaine performed and listened to all genres of music including classical, jazz, and British and American pop music. She counts the Cocteau Twins, Tori Amos, Nick Drake, Radiohead, Cassandra Wilson and Bach as major influences.

While studying classical voice at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, she formed the band ‘Azure’. Azure’s blend of vocal layers upon hypnotic guitar/keyboard atmospherics won them positive press. They performed at colleges and clubs throughout the east coast and received radio airplay. As a soloist at Peabody, Elaine toured Italy, performed opera, premiered music by Peabody composers, collaborated with visual artists from the Maryland Institute of Art for multi-media pieces and was awarded the Woodhead prize for Voice.

A critically acclaimed classical singer, Elaine performs and tours professionally throughout the U.S. Highlights have included the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center with the Mark Morris Dance Company and soprano soloist under conductor Andrew Parrott for the New York Collegium. In 2000, Elaine was awarded a Beebe fellowship to study abroad at the Royal College of Music in London. While in London she finished composing her first set of solo songs and in 2002 she produced and recorded her debut CD ‘9’. Self-described as “alternative-soul fused with electro-acoustic soundscapes”, songs from ‘9’ have received international airplay and critical acclaim around the world.

Currently she plays her songs live with New York drummer Ryan Cavan, bassist Rich Chapple, guitarist Andreas Altmann and vocalist Melissa Short. Recently seen at New York’s CB’s 313 Gallery and the Sidewalk Café, the quintet performs with a hypnotic musical chemistry. Elaine has also played solo shows at Acmeunderground, Vibe and Freddy’s as well as the Vault in Baltimore. In 2005, Elaine releases her 2nd LP ‘Apolune’ with Ryan Cavan and Rich Chapple and Elaine on vocals, piano, violin, bass and guitar and synths. Combining her signature multilayered sound with vocal and instrumental arrangements that are more ambitious in scope, ‘Apolune’ showcases a writing style that delivers lush modern indie-pop.