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Chris Brann, the multitalented and prolific Atlanta-based producer / composer / remixer, has carved his own niche (and sound) in the ever-evolving dance underground. Combining mesmerizing textures with sophisticated beats, he creates lush and sublime sonic panoramas tempered with eclectic musical influences from soul, experimental electronica, early Chicago house, Afro-Brazilian rhythms and experimental jazz. Under the innovative WAMDUE (short for “What I’m Gonna Do”) MUSICproduktion banner, Brann has forged a musical lineage that has borne an amalgam of critically acclaimed projects, most notably Wamdue Project (Strictly Rhythm / AM:PM UK), Ananda Project (King Street US / VC Recordings UK), P’TAAH (Ubiquity), Wamdue Kidz (Peacefrog / Studio K7). Through his various guises, Brann has explored avant jazz, drum & bass, deep house, ambient and beyond in his continuing quest to reinvent and redefine musical parameters.
His well-publicized love/hate of pop music spurs him on to create music that goes beyond simple categorization. At age 17, Chris dropped out of high school to seriously pursue his musical ambitions. With diverse influences ranging from Yellow Magic Orchestra, Airto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Keith Jarrett, David Sylvian, Kate Bush, Flora Purim and Kraftwerk, as well as, the early Chicago house sounds of Mr. Fingers’ Larry Heard (which he first encountered in 1989, while accompanying out-of-town guests to the local Atlanta clubs) Brann formed Wamdue (an abbreviation for "what I'm gonna do") MUSICProducktion collective.
Collaborating with various local talent including vocalist / songwriter Gaelle Adisson and DJ / producers Deep C and Chris Udoh, the banner title would spawn Wamdue Kids. In 1996 Brann and company would sign with New York-based, independent dance maverick Strictly Rhythm Records as Wamdue Project. Following a series of EP releases, Wamdue Project would release two critically lauded full-lengths: Resource Toolbook Volume One (1996) and Program Yourself (1998). With these releases, Brann developed the Wamdue “sound” – a lush concoction of ethereal and soulful house with four-to-the-floor rhythms, searing lyrics and engaging melodies, while staying true to his underground ideology. In late ’99, Brann’s sublime and atmospheric song “King Of My Castle” (which features Gaelle Adisson on vocals) surprisingly burst onto the European charts (courtesy of a innovative dance mix from Italian remixer, Roy Malone). The single would spend an astonishing 32 weeks in the European charts, debuting at 1 on the UK Pop Charts and selling over 2 million copies worldwide, becoming Strictly Rhythm’s most successful single ever! On June 7, 2001, “King Of My Castle” was honored at ASCAP’s prestigious 14th Annual Rhythm & Soul Awards as one of 2000’s award-winning dance songs along with Madonna’s “Music,” Madison Avenue’s “Don’t Call Me Baby” and Whitney Houston’s “I Learned From The Best.”
In addition to Wamdue Project, Brann has also created various off shoots of Wamdue including: Ananda Project [which scored an international underground hit with the hypnotic anthem “Cascades Of Colour” that was embraced by a worldwide collective of dance music pioneers including Danny Tenaglia, Pete Tong, Dave Seaman, Joe Claussell, Dimitri From Paris and Satoshi Tomeii], P’TAAH [whose critically acclaimed, left-field debut Compressed Light subsequent remix collection De-Compressed Light and sophomore effort Staring at the Sun have engendered an impressive list of international devotees including Gilles Peterson, Kirk Degiorgio, I:Cube, 4Hero, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Atjazz, LTJ Bukem, Patrick Forge and more] Feral and WAMKIDZ for labels such as King Street, Ubiquity Recordings, Guidance, Junior Boy's Own and Plastic City. The success of these projects is a further testament to Brann’s immensely diverse talents.
The soft-spoken and reserved artist explains: “I didn’t set out to become a pop star...I don’t even like going out that much. Basically, I’m kind of reclusive. I appreciate any success that I have, but my main aspiration has always been to explore the deeper side of music, no matter what style it is. I want to create material that’s interesting, timeless and evocative - maybe even provocative! I would hate to repeat myself or become mundane. That’s probably why I work under so many pseudonyms. It gives me freedom to continually morph or evolve into something else.”
Brann has not only carved a niche for himself in the annals of dance music's nether world as a producer/composer, but has remixed artists as diverse as smoky chanteuse KD Lang, contemporary jazz icons Boney James and Rick Braun, Brit electronica act Everything But the Girl, Gaul combo I:Cube and underground dance diva Kim English. Recently, Chris has contributed his artistic stamp to remixes from acclaimed Golden Globe Award winning HBO Drama Six Feet Under, Susana Baca, Mondo Grosso feat. Amel Larrieaux, Tweaker [aka Nine Inch Nail keyboardist Chris Vrenna] feat. David Sylvian, Bebel Gilberto, Snooze and Charles Webster. His music has also been featured on the groundbreaking cable programs: Sex And The City [HBO], Undressed [MTV] and Queer As Folk [Showtime]. In early 2002, Chris was once again in the international spotlight with his 3 releases: No Room For Form Volume One [Bombay Records], Inspirations [Karma Giraffe Music] and 12” single “Delilah” [Yoshitoshi Recordings]. Inspirations was of particular interest because Brann compiled an essential collection of his most influential and inspiring artists that included rare and hard-to-find gems from Andy Bey, Alice Coltrane, Mr. Fingers, Marvin Gaye, Jobim, Can, Roy Ayers and more [released on cd and limited edition triple vinyl]. As he forges ahea
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