Life Project

It has been three years since the transplanted Aussie-duo, lyricist and vocalist Angie Giles and her nephew-producer Patrick Giles(a.k.a. HiRO?), released its eponymous debut album, LIFE PROJECT, under the banner of BASE/Music For LIfe, the label of BASE, the lifestyle store on South Beach's Lincoln Road.

Angie says the process of creating the new album, LP2, "was far more relaxed and easier in every way," adding that the new material refers to episodes not just in her life, but in the lives of those around her. "My Mother died just before I came back to Miami in 2006, and then a much loved ex-boyfriend committed suicide," she said. "In between these two events my niece, Pat's sister, had a baby. That's where 'Nu World' came from, for instance."

The new release, LP2, which LIFE PROJECT has previewed for one year at its residency at the Delano Hotel, is as rich in contagious electronic beats as its predecessor. The sound is just as ambient, lounge-y and soaring as ever, but it definitely has a harder edge. Miami Living chatted with LIFE PROJECT on the eve of its album's spring release.

ML: What was the inspiration behind the new album?

Angie Giles: The new album is about renewed energy and faith in the collaboration between LIFE PROJECT and Base, and, of course, it was largely inspired by our surroundings on South Beach. From Pat's perspective, eating scrambled eggs with a dsh of hot sauce at David's Cafe in the mornings, accompanied by lashings of Latin and Afro-Cuban beats, was the perfect way to start each studio day. His beats inspire the melodies and lyrics I write. I tend to write lyrics all the time anyway. I fill notebooks with ideas and lines, all of which are just waiting for the right track to give them life as a new song.

ML: Did you record the album in Miami?

Patrick Giles: We did, and it was an amazing experience. It definitely had and effect on the end result, and on us. Angie and I didn't actually start working on the album until we settled back in South Beach in November, 2006.
We're the type of people who like to keep editing and evolving our ideas. But we also understand that there comes a point where you must share those ideas with the public,otherwise it's pointless.

ML: what comes first, the music or the lyrics?

PG: Generally, i'll create the bones of a track and then Angie will have worked out the basic hook and the melody within moments. It's a long- running joke that it takes me hours of programming to create the tracks, but it takes her just minutes to have the song worked out.

ML: Tell us about the residency at the Delano Hotel.

AG: The Delano residency came about through a strong association between the hotel and BASE, which has the store in the lobby. In the last two years we'd been asked to take part in a couple of events for Winter Music Conference, so when the offer came of a regular Thursday night there, we leapt at it. The entire staff has been incredible to us since our first gig back in May, 2007. We have been able to road-test every one of our new tracks before committing them to the final recording, and frankly, that's been an absolute gift. People from all over the world come to the Delano, and it never ceases to amaze and delight us the broad spectrum of those who will stay to enjoy the whole set. It's brilliant.

ML: What would you say if I called you the next big thing in music?

AG: We'd say thanks very much, that'd be very nice.....and can we quote you? ML
- Miami Living, May 2008, Martin Haro

A collaboration between a talented Perth duo linked by blood and by music, this is a Project of Life. Local producer, DJ and all round musical chameleon, HiRO? creates the beats and soundscapes for which vocal diva extraordinaire Angie Giles stamps her distinctive and powerful voice all over. Recorded in Miami, this debut is a fine sample of the classy international flavours cooking in the Life Project hotpot. On the whole their music is ambient, downtempo, lush and loungey, with themes of life and love (Me and My Tribe, Are You Ready, Breath of Life, Charmed), and world-class production. You could hear most of these tracks sitting comfortable alongside Lamb, Groove Armada and Moby on any given MoS Chillout album, but it's the ease with which they break out of this mould into more diverse territory that hints at the potential here. High Life is based on an infectiously tight tribal beat and vocal hook, Here And Now has a charming pop innocence and sweet melody, while current single Never Too Late reveals Giles' love of a good garage breakbeat. Elsewhere Giles' trained, pitch-perfect voice transports you to the Deep South, with the soul revival sing-along Love Rocks, Love Rules and Life Is The Messenger.
Alfred Gorman - xpressmag - XPress

two of us PAULA AUBIN
Patrick: Angie will always have a place in musical
history. She’s worked with Ronan Keating, Atomic
Kitten, Michael Jackson, Julia Fordham, Kim Wilde,
Wishbone Ash. I could reel off so many names. Backing singers need to be very patient and Angie is definitely patient and a great collaborator.
I was nearly 15 when Angie came to Perth from London for
a few weeks in 1996. I went round to see her with my guitar.
I took it to show her that I had one and that she should be
ready and waiting! Growing up I’d heard so much about
Auntie Angie and had heard some of her music.
Winning an APRA award in 2001 gave me the chance to
record overseas. I knew I wanted to meet Angie properly
and to see if we couldn’t get the ball rolling. I was
living at the resort at Uluru at the time and you don’t
get too many industry contacts in Uluru. Visiting
Angie in London just seemed the right thing to do.
I stayed with Angie for three months. One of the
tracks we worked on together was You Know What
Time It Is? It ended up being my signature tune.
I remember on the first track Angie and I did
together, my jaw was just on the ground. I
remember thinking it sounded like I had six
full-on singers in the studio; all doing the different
harmonies and all spot on. It was amazing.
Angie adds the glitter. When I heard Angie was moving back to Perth two years ago I was so excited. I remember getting
ready to meet her again, trying to look as cool
as I possibly could. Trying to make myself look hip;
like “Yeah, I’m a producer!”
It takes me days to write, compose and produce
a track and then I’ll call Angie and 10 minutes later
she’s there. Four and a half minutes later it’s all done.
Even before I’ve got everything set up properly she’s
got it done first take. Angie doesn’t give herself enough
credit with the actual production.
Sometimes I’ve not even finished playing Angie the track
and she’s saying “I’ve got it, I’ve got it! Come on.” I’m sitting
there still trying to plug in wires.
Before I met Angie I’d worked with lots of different music
genres but I’d never felt I liked any one type. The music was
cool but I felt I was just doing a job. When Angie and I started
doing our own tracks it was the first time in my life that I felt
“Yeah, I’m meant to be making this music.”
Angie introduced me to this particular world of music and it
just felt so natural. I’d never cried over a piece of music before
but now I’m like “This is such a beautiful piece of music, whoever’s
made it”. I do kind of forget that it’s us.
The music industry is a constant gamble and you’re not really
in control of your own future that much. Angie has taught
me to “not sweat it”. The process is what we enjoy. As long as
you keep making cool music people will want to hear it.
She’s taught me to enjoy what I’m doing, to enjoy the
moment, keep going with it and just have fun. Get on stage
and enjoy yourself.
Our family is very supportive of us. At the first Life Project
gig we had three generations of Gileses there.
We always have fun. Angie comes out and parties with us
when we’re not working. She’s like another mate. We hang
out with the same group of friends. She’s everyone’s Auntie
Angie. You wouldn’t know there is an age difference – she
looks my age! I couldn’t even tell you how old she is.
I don’t see Angie just as a vocalist. She’s more of a production
team. I keep telling her “You’ve got to take care of
yourself because I’ve got to get years out of you yet!”
_ Life Project supports Jamiroquai tonight at the Supreme
Court Gardens.
When Patrick Giles – aka contemporary composer HiRO? – won a trip to London, the first person he looked up was his aunt, singer/songwriter Angie Giles. Four years
and an album later, the Life Project duo are supporting Jamiroquai in Perth tonight.
Angie: I’d left Australia in 1983 for London but
had come back to Perth for about five weeks in 1996.
Pat was this adorable, very earnest boy about to turn
15. He’s the son of one of my brothers. He came strolling
round to see me with his guitar. I’d just finished a really big
tour at the time and I remember thinking “Am I meant to be
doing something here with this little boy?”
It wasn’t until several years later that I really met Pat properly
when he came to London to do some recording and to
do some work with me and my then writing partner Martin
Lister. I had never heard any of Pat’s stuff until then. I didn’t
know how serious he was and then suddenly there he was,
this completely insane 20-year-old bouncing endlessly.
We did four tracks and it was just one of the most magical,
inspiring, fabulous and fulfilling things, musically. I was just
blown away by what he’d done. It was like he had come to
help Martin and me in many ways. It was just wonderful.
That was our first musical meeting and we both made a very
large mental note: “Must work together again”.
Patrick has done the music for an episode of The Secret
Life of Us. He’s also done various short films and won several
awards. He composes these tracks, these orchestrated,
wonderful arrangements and then he calls me up and says
“I’ve got something” and I’ll say “I’ll be round in 10
minutes.” Our collaboration works so well. When one
of us knows there is something wrong with something,
the other one will go “It’s this”. It works completely
for each of us.
Patrick is non-stop. Every single minute of every
day he is expanding his knowledge, his skills and
his fan base. It’s impossible to stay angry with
him. I really try but it’s impossible!
The most exciting thing for me is knowing
that we are both working to the top of our
game. When we get together we are absolutely
raising the bar for each other.
Pat is an extremely fast learner. We are
so excited all the time at the prospect
of getting another track out. That’s the
motivation all the time.
When Pat plays me a track that he’s composed
it’s like “Let me at it!” I feel terrible about it
sometimes but I’m like “Come on, come on, get
me the mic up!” And he’s saying “Hang on! Give
me a second.”
We are so excited about supporting Jamiroquai
at the Supreme Court Gardens. We are going to
do 40 minutes of our best, most heartfelt, authentic
music. It doesn’t matter what arena we’re in,
we’re just us. We always love being up on stage
and performing together.
At the beginning of this year, Patrick and I
recorded our album, Life Project, at the South
Beach studios in Miami where artists such as
Beyonce and Motley Crue record. My other
brother lives in Miami and I went to stay with
him. I was playing him the latest Life Project
demos and he said “So where’s Patrick?” Our
demos finally inspired him to set up an independent
record label and three weeks later Patrick was
in South Beach.
When you do find collaborative situations it’s
like a life line. You think “Thank God there are
other like-minded people who aren’t out to get
you and who aren’t afraid of you competition-wise.”
You think “Yeah, let’s do it. It’s music.
It’s pop music at the end of the day, get over
it. We’re not trying to save the world.”
8 THE SUNDAY TIMES, December 11, 2005
- Sunday Times, Perth, WA Dec 11, 2005