Music
Press
"...a deep, smooth sound, a bit on the country side. His highly original music, however, departs from the C&W formula, with occasional echoes of The Beatles or Joni Mitchell or other of his favorite inspirations, a style he calls Americana. Alluvial Soil (his collaboration with Los Angeles film composer Edwin Wendler) wrote the opening title for Dreamscape Films' The Interior (see it and hear it at www.theinterior.tv). Ator is currently promoting his iTunes single “Happy” and an accompanying video to benefit OutYouth Austin's Lance Benjamin Memorial Scholarship Fund."
-Brandon Wolf, OutSmart Magazine
Full article at http://outsmartmagazine.com/cms-this_issue/200808--Houston%92s+Singing+Bear.html?PHPSESSID=b3ed344640a9fe2efb32e3ee330371e8
- Up & Out Communications
"At first listen, Ator's contemplative songs seem a perfect fit for country radio. But dip deeper and you'll hear swirling electronic touches and a polished folk-pop sensibility."
-Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/music/5854380.html - Houston Chronicle
Discography
"Happy" Digital single / independent release, 2007. Available through iTunesTM online distribution. Produced by Mike Ator.
"Happy (Lil' Fluffy Clouds Mix)" Digital single / independent release, 2008. Free promotional download: www.myspace.com/mikeator. Produced by Mike Ator.
"4 Demos" Digital EP / independent release, 2008. Available through SnoCapTM online distribution. Produced by Mike Ator.
As Alluvial Soil: "The Gold You Seek (Main Title from The Interior)" The Interior Original Motion Picture Soundtrack / Perseverance Records, 2008. Available through iTunesTM online distribution. Produced by Edwin Wendler.
As Alluvial Soil: Various tracks for Joni & Friends cable television series, 2008 (unreleased). Produced by Edwin Wendler.
"37" Digital LP. Anticipated release in Fall, 2008.
Photos
Bio
In sixty seconds or less...
...Mike Ator can possess your memory. He has discovered the shortcut between your senses and the subconscious clinging that leave you parroting a melody hours away from the play button, or Googling lyrics days later to reveal the source. While simple guitar and vocal presentations of songs like "Have You Met Lonely" and "Nobody's Dancin'" appear to tag him as a country act, his 2008 iTunes debut single "Happy" and its accompanying video seem pleasantly out of place in the catalog and are a suggestive of a wider style base. In 2007, Mike was commissioned for two choral arrangements of his own songs which premiered in Houston, Texas ("Angel Beside Me" commissioned by Bayou City Performing Arts) and Ottawa, Canada ("Have You Met Lonely" commissioned and performed by University of Ottawa Chorus). Mike began collaborating in 2007 with Los Angeles film composer Edwin Wendler (who also aided in the production of "Happy") under the name Alluvial Soil. The duo's output features pulsing techno foundations, sampled orchestral swells and eerie tonal interludes - states away from Mike's folk roots. AS's first offering, "The Gold You Seek" was featured as the opening title for DreamScape Films LLC's 'The Interior' and is due out in an iTunes soundtrack release during the Summer. Mike's first solo album is currently in production, with an anticipated digital release this coming October.
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