HILARY davis. violin, programming. + LAURA boland . vocals, stories. + MATTE franklin . drums, found objects. + MATT vannelli . guitars, programming. + TIM ritter. bass.
on the "Slow Dancing on the Ocean Floor" recordings:
Programming/samples by Nathan Tensen-Woolery and Brad Carmack.
Guitar, bass, keys, and mixes by Darren Jackson [Shortman Studio].
Drums by Ian Prince.
Mastering by Greg Reierson [Rare Form Mastering].
www.sonicbids.com/bellakoshka
Influences
danny elfman . bat for lashes. halou . sigur ros . andrew bird . patrick wolf . tori amos . kate bush. m83. noi. kid dakota. ghost in the water. revolver modele. a whisper in the noise. blonde redhead . lush . cocteau twins . mum . placebo . the cure . the arcade fire . curve . depeche mode . azure ray . hooverphonic . portishead . sneaker pimps . switchblade symphony . iamx . nin . bjork . goldfrapp . interpol .
Buy our Debut CD, "Slow Dancing on the Ocean Floor" here...
~ "Slow Dancing on the Ocean Floor" was recorded and mixed by Darren Jackson @ Shortman Studio 2007.~
A dusty violin and the diary of a girl. A tale of two dreamers and their stories lost in time. Bella Koshka formed in Minneapolis, MN in Autumn of 2006 when violinist Hilary Davis and vocalist Laura Boland began composing organic and electronic melodies. In winter of 2007, the pair collaborated with Minneapolis producer Darren Jackson [The Hopefuls and Kid Dakota] on their debut album, "Slow Dancing on the Ocean Floor." Scheduled to be released early 2008, the album is a unique collection of dreamy melancholic lullabies featuring emotionally rich vocals layered with haunting violin arrangements and electronic textures. The duo recruited musicians Matte Franklin [drums], Matt Vannelli [guitar] and Tim Ritter [bass] to join Bella Koshka and inflict a dynamic intensity to their symphonic-electronic fusion.
"A bewitchingly baroque musical experience...strikingly original" ~ Rob van Alstyne [Reveille Magazine]
"Quiet layers of sound building up on each other--a wash of electronic texture under a slow beat under an ethereal, sadly romantic vocal." ~ The Onion
"Laura Boland whispers, sighs and trills through her dark, grown-up poetry; Hilary Davis' violin adds lithesome textures, and the overall effect is something like a lost classic from the underground British dream-pop label 4AD" ~ Simon Peter Groebner [vita.mn]
"Highly atmospheric songs that suggest Kate Bush.." ~ Ross Raihala [Saint Paul Pioneer Press]
"The Minneapolis band Bella Koshka sounds like it’s from the future—some industrial, post-apocalyptic future. The musicians create a world that’s kinda eerie, and kinda bleak, but you also think David Bowie might be there, wearing a really cool outfit. The group’s moody debut features Hilary Davis’s keening violin and Laura Boland’s aching lyrics. Heavy bass lines and a procession of other electronica keeps you suspended in murky, lovely limbo land. “Echo” plays like a creepy, slow-moving carousel that’s about to break down, and “Stitches” conjures a lost kitten, yearning to be rescued."
—JESSICA CHAPMAN [Minnesota Monthly]
“Bella Koskha play a violin-laced dreamy music topped with Laura Boland’s
gorgeous vocals. Relic suggests the Decemberists making friends with Kate
Bush, all hissing vocals and expansive sound. Fiction sees a metaphor of
fiction imitating life or vice versa stretched to encompass the words. Coma
sees the band playing in a sumptuous style, Hilary Davis’ violin taking
charge. Boland’s dreamy meander is icing on the cake. Stitches is a sweet
piano ballad that has subtly poetic lyrics and Boland sounding lovely.
This is a wonderful record.”
~ Anna Maria Stjärnell [Collected Sounds Blog, SWEDEN]
"Bella Koshka’s beautifully stricken Coma's bitter cord-plucking sets the tone for the song, a plaintive and enamouring song, thriving off the inconsolable mewl of traditional Eastern European violins, and dramatized by the ominous boom of a bass drum, above which Laura Boland’s wistful, dreamy vocals yearn in perfect broken romanticism. But this airy, baroque vista has a story tell, one which pushes itself into becoming frustratingly desperate with the jangling echoes of guitars building up to a wrenching, broken flourish, dishearteningly striving for something unachievable, purposefully failing to break into a truly elevating escape."
~ A Limerick Ox [blog]
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Greetings WondrousGalacticCreature ~I am sending... ☼Light to Shine Thy Inner Core ❤ Love to Fill Thy Mighty Soul ☆Strength to Walk Beside Thee
Have most adventurous mucho L ♥ve & Respect ~Ann R.
Eternal Universal Explorers
spiral ascension dominant luminous mind sphere glorified immortal holy soul halcyon in infinite landscapes unified
sacred refuge within conquer layers challenging the mystic enigma endless boldly walk the path purifying
explore limitless mysteries an eternal light indestructible swirling in an unfathomable vastness harmonious complete and magnificent
Come grab an advanced copy of the new disc from my fuzzgrunge noisepop band The Sextons, and as always let me know how I can help out with your next tasty record!
Angie releases her second solo album 'Eat My Shadow' in Australia tomorrow!
We have a very special deal for you all, JB Hi-Fi are offering a SIGNED, TWO DISC edition of Angie's album.
The
first disc contains the full 12 track album, the second disc contains a
5 track EP of Angie covering some of her favourite songs, including
tracks by The Smiths, Australian Crawl, Laura Veirs and others.
On top of that we're offering a beautiful Angie Hart tea-towel (dishcloth to you Americans!) as part of the deal. Be quick!
Hello. Represent a new album ARX KAELI - Highway. 2009. Cd packed in wooden box with laser engraving, covered a grey varnish. Time 62 min. Best Regards.
Hey Hillary, hope you and the band are doing well!?? Looking forward to hearing some new tunes from you all soon. Here is a new video we just produced for our latest track.
We are debuting a project called Sonic Transformations. Every month or so we will present a new audio-visual performance based on a different theme/story. We will be collaborating with artists and other creative musicians along the way so let us know if you have something you'd want to bring into this project.
The first in the series is called "AN OBJECT TO CRAVE". Live music and visuals based on a short story about life, love, loss, fantasy, obsession and death.
Another group of mine, The Magnetrons, which plays an exciting and innovative Livetronica set (i.e. STS9, Disco Biscuits, The Histronic) will also be playing. It will be a musical adventure, and we hope that you can come participate :)
Here's the info:
Blood Root Mother - "An Object to Crave" w/ The Magnetrons & Thought Thieves Friday, October 16th Station 4 201 E 4th St St Paul, MN 55101 9pm / $5 / 18+
Greetings from naked j. I want to say thanks for your support of my 52 acoustic songs in 52 week and thanks for making it a great success. I have just posted song 27 of 52: “Hookers and Blow” it's a post modern love song Thanks for listening,
Hello à tous,
On espère que ça roule pour vous.
Ce petit message pour faire savoir que Eté 67 sera souvent à Paris de Septembre à Décembre et ce pour enregistrer son nouvel album. Pour ne pas perdre ses soirées, le groupe propose de venir jouer chez vous gratuitement en formule acoustique. Vous habitez Paris, vous êtes capables de ramener 25 personnes minimum dans votre piaule, de nourrir les 6 muzicos et l’expérience vous tente, contactez-nous à info@ete67.be et l’on s’arrangera ensemble pour que le groupe vienne donner un concert de poche chez vous.
Deuxième info : dès aujourd’hui, tous les 15 jours, Eté 67 mettra en ligne sur son myspace, un morceau du nouvel album. Celui-ci sera retiré du player après un mois. Ca commence avec « Une vie saine ».
Portez-vous bien. Serrez-vous les coudes. A bientôt.
UZZA actually goes on first (10:00) for all you old timers out there! But you really should stay and hear the other bands. Big V's is located at 1567 University Ave W (University & Snelling) Saint Paul. $5 cover and free parking in the parking lot directly in back of Big V's in the alley.
UZZA doesn't take themselves too seriously and neither should you! We want you to laugh with us and dance our strange dance. Please bring your best alter ego!
