Artemis came to us from the East Coast, a place where integrity and intelligence are essential to survival. Balance this out with her creative fire, fed by the fuel of the great poets - Rilke, Pablo Naruda, and Walt Whitman, and the powerful artistic legacy of countless musical sages, and we begin to see a picture of Artemis.
Music and poetry flow together in this cosmic seamstress, as she weaves together water and fire to bring us her own unforgettable voice. She is not satisfied with convention, but neither is she interested in being overly ham-fisted in her progressive tendencies. She may write songs in 15/8 meter, but she will never sacrifice emotional content for innovation.
Some will say she reminds them of Bjork, others of Lamb or EBTG. Ultimately, Artemis' talent places her in the enviable position of 'peer' next to these artists, making her influences known throughout her music without sounding like an imitation. Her vocal style is at once dynamically emotional and serenely tender, but always evocative. She gives one the feeling that her search is not a selfish one. She's trying to mine the depths of her self in order to help us all understand the multifaceted nature of being human.
Listen to the music. It's all there.
Like a force of nature, or a celestial body, Artemis radiates a magnetism which inevitably draws other like-minded individuals to her. RTFM is a great metaphor for this. Artemis, along with Keith Crusher and their cohorts, has helped create the foundation for a vision larger than themselves - a vision that, without her boundless and unique charisma, would not be what it is today. Through three releases - Gravity, Undone and Orbits - she has shown just a bare glimpse of what's underneath. Her upcoming release, expected summer 2009, will take another bold step in bringing to life her dreams and vision.
Influences
Lamb, Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Bjork, Kate Bush, Tim Love Lee, Ravel, Jean Cocteau, Peter Gabriel, life, love, art, whatever's flying by my window today...
"The extreme limit of wisdom - that's what the public calls madness." - Jean Cocteau
If such a joyous sonic welter as the music of Oakland's Artemis needs a handle, then call it “pavement psychedelia,” or “urban robot raga” or “trip-hop.” On a song like “Hypno,” spectral keyboard washes and sinuous dance beats set up a feeling of warm alienation before the singer's voice heats things further. Over the thump and shimmer, she croons with detached fervor, the production dissolving in a storm of pixie-dust disco until a rude riot of effects snaps the tether and she vanishes.
“We usually describe it as lush symphonic electro retro-pop,” says Artemis, adding “We like to blend organic real-world sounds and mix it with electronic effects.” Aesthetically, the band is a poppier variant on trip-hop, with layers of beats and synth effects providing atmospherics for sophisticated classic rock song structures and the velvet swoop of Artemis's vocals. “I started singing before I started talking,” says the vocalist,”So there was a natural progression. I was in choirs and had classical voice training all through high school and always loved being on stage. I didn't decide to pursue music as a career until a few years after college. I moved to San Francisco and met the people I'm still working with now.”
That would be the RTFM collective, which includes the polymathic likes of Daniel Berkman (multi-instrumentalist and wizard of the kora, a twelve-string harp-lute used extensively in West African music), Cliff Tune (the drummer, who adds to orthodox skin-pounding masses of programmed beats layered for pallidly funky effect) and Keith Crusher (producer, programmer and sonic theoretician) lowering the ambient temperature to dry-ice. Despite the variety of syncretic means, the whole wraps around the singer in true rockist fashion like a flash-frozen Big Brother & the Holding Company.
The fine tension between tradition and experimentation begins with the lady out front- “I grew up listening to a lot of classical and world-y music,” remembers Artemis, “The Beatles, The Police, Peter Gabriel, Van Morrison, Joni, Bowie - all over the board. When I decided I wanted to make electronic music I really didn't know what that meant and wound up writing music with someone in San Francisco who wrote with Logic. At that point, I was writing songs with a guitar because I didn't have anything else to write with. I didn't want to have a guitar band or do rock, but with synthesizers, I could write music as I heard it in my head. “
That music pulses with downtempo beats while ambient sound FX sinks tethers from the world outside into the listener only to pull them pleasantly loose with the band's coruscating riffs and hooky churn. Artemis presides over this aural slow-burn like one of Wim Wenders' angels; warm, wise, detached and waiting for you.
by Ron Garmon - dubbed the Paul Lynde of Punk, published in LA City Beat, LA Times, Mean Street, Scram Magazine, Cult Movies, The Tracking Angle, Verdugo Monthly, Rockpile, The Heinlein Journal and more. Founding editor of Worldly Remains: A Pop Culture Review. Hillbilly, commie, superstar.
Thanks for the add, I love your sounds btw, awesome!
If you get a chance, please take a listen to our first Chill out release "Beach Music, Cafe Music & Bar Music Collection" by ACO Ambient Chill Out. We'd love to know what you think of it!
Cheers
ACO
Hey, I'm just dropping by to let you know the new Ambient Falls podcast is online and it includes your fantastic song, Lagoon (Baba). You can check out the podcast on my profile page or by visiting ambientfalls.com
So I wanted to tell you that you inspired me with my new default photo (does it look somewhat familar? gravity perhaps? ;P). I got a laser projecter in the mail today and though this might look cool. Then I realised when I took it how much it looked like your album cover. So I just thought I would give you a little credit :) I'm looking forward to the new album in a few months!!!
Hi Artemis! SoundSafe loves you! Please make a local music profile page for yourself on soundsafe. org SoundSafe is a 501c3 non-profit working to preserve, strengthen, promote, and unite the Bay Area music community. Upload songs to our radio station, promote your shows, network, and take advantage of our educational resources for the music business. http://soundsafe. org/profiles/new See you there and Long Live Bay Area Music!
I still think fondly of the time you guys came to Leicester! :)
I've just released a free download album 'Doomcloud' on www. kevinhewick. co. uk - 12 things played on guitar and sung in a confused and confusing era of my life 2000-2003, I thought nobody would ever hear it after I did it but somehow it makes sense to let it be heard in 2009!I've done a song by song article about it on the site as well... and hey I just got a Micro-Korg lol! All my best to you lovely folks xxx
Thanks for the add!! I requested since I like your music. Hypno is a great track. I've been gazing my shoes for through the track. Thus so perfect from music play to that mix-mastering process.
Peace cannot come to this world until you are convinced that violence will never produce it.
Hurt does not heal hurt. Violence will not bring an end to violence. Help the world to understand this by reacting differently, responding newly, when anger and a need to hurt you is sent your way.
You will have such an opportunity in your life. And probably, more than once. Do not miss the chance to humbly send a message of love.
Hello artemis! Happy New Year, wishing you all the best for 2009! Also i want to tell you, that my debut album «Symbiosis of Сontradictions» is out now, contact Impulsive Art for more information if you are interested in it.
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Online Now!
