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TWO FREE TRACKS below in light of Britt's latest release "What Ilk?" EP (available from iTunes)

Let It Go

Sand Storm

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BIOG



Ian Britt is a Singer/Songwriter from Sheffield, England.
After a colorful youth and adolescence in Sheffield (UK), Ian fled his roots to study in the musical and cultural hub of a city, Manchester. He stayed there for 7 years, building and honing his craft as a writer and solo performer. In 2003 he signed to the London based label ‘Jalapeño Records’ who were more at home with Dance music and brealbeats (see Ikon/Kraak & Smaak.) But they saw something extra in his songs and his playing and brought him to London to record an album. After already having made a name for himself in the North of England as an acoustic artist, Britt's record label and management now had bigger plans for him.

The 2005 debut album "One Day i..." was recorded over a fairly lengthy period of time, with sessions squeezed in here and there to fit the gaps of already bursting diaries. The result was a fine collection of eclectic and considered songs, of bold and soulful sounds, drawing from various styles to appropriately accompany Britt’s diverse influences and the songs he brought forth. On its release “One Day i…” was met with a very positive and encouraging reaction from both press and radio alike. The 1st single “Life Aint Made” was up for record of the week at BBC Radio2 in the summer of 2005, coming 2nd only to the exceptional Damien Rice and the album itself screamed straight up out of the blue to 3rd in the iTunes folk chart for three weeks. Britt toured with his band as well as heaps of solo performances, working in conjunction with Jalapeno Records, Fierce Panda, Blowout (Manchester) to tour and to play festivals such as The Big Chill, BBC Radio 1 Live weekend and SXSW.

Ian split from his label in early 2006 due to ongoing funding issues and moved from Manchester back to his hometown of Sheffield to re-find himself (as it were) artistically, to recharge and ultimately to begin work on the next step.

For about a year he spent his days writing new material, ingratiating himself into the very active post-Arctic Monkeys, Sheffield music scene by regular gigging and most importantly recording new tracks in his teenie tiny little bedroom. Recordings were done on any old equipment he could muddle together and an extremely arthritic music PC. Back to basics, beating on Tupperware boxes, drafting in girlfriends for vocals…struggling through to bash out some songs… the essence of being a songwriter.

The results of all this chaotic production can be heard on the idiosyncratic and impossibly perfect “Big Light.” The six track album is entirely self-performed (except for the occasional backing vocal!) and self-produced and was independently released in 2007. Strong and timeless song writing, ingeniously arranged and layered, it received excellent reviews and a lot of new attention came towards Ian Britt, especially and rather arbitrary from the Dutch. The track “Dedicate” has been given much Dutch air play, nationally and regionally in equal measures, and the track “Instincts” has also seen its way onto BBC Radio1 back home with Huw Stephens and XFM with Clint Boon.

In March 2007 Britt made his Dutch national TV debut on NOX/TV10, where he performed live in front of a bewildering array of administrational confusion and fans alike. In 2006 to 2008 he toured The Netherlands regularly getting involved and falling in love with the Dutch and their way of doing things! He has performed as part of the Crossing Border Festival (Patti Smith, The Go! Team, Kulla Shaker) in The Hague, he also supported Justin Nozuka (Canada) in the famous "Paard van Troje" blowing him away and stealing many of his fans! In 2008 Britt was invited to the prestigious Dutch Noorderslag/Eurosonic Festival, and performed as part of the "Live in your Living Room" division of the event alongside that years "Grote Prijs" winner “Leine.” It is fair to say that if there is a place to play in Holland, Britt has by now almost definitely played there, and if he hasn’t he is more than likely about to!

Spring 2008 brought with it a tragic and unexpected turn of events, just days before a scheduled Dutch tour Britt’s manager and close personal friend Tim Westnutt died from a sudden heart attack. This Dutch tour and an American/Canadian tour planned for the summer (on the back of his acceptance into NXNE music festival, Toronto) were cancelled and Britt found himself cast adrift in uncertain and distressing times. The NXNE (Toronto) showcase he was invited to and the following dates in Canada and The U.S could not take place without the organisational and financial backing of his late manager and he spiralled into the very insecure, distraught and stressful aftermath of Tim’s death.

"It was quite simply the toughest time I’ve endured in my life so far. I never came so close to just dropping everything before, turning my back on the ego driven world that music can be and moving out to help orphans in an African village somewhere. I was broken and devastated by the loss of Tim; as a friend but also as a projection of where I was, we were heading. I lost all confidence in who I was, where I was and what I was trying to do with my life. I’m back now, just. I drank a lot. Drank a lot more. I head butted a lot of walls because I lost a lot of work and wasn’t finding anything new to stoke the fires. I hit rock bottom as far as I thought. I lost faith, confidence and direction… in myself but also in life. It’s strange how the death of someone close to you can completely remove your foundations.

A rather intense case of Sods Law (or Murphy's Law as they say in Holland,) had hit extremely hard. But Britt’s beloved Netherlands offered a chance to turn things around and threw out a life line; an invitation to be part of the celebrated annual Popronde. A festival which takes place over three months through 20 different Dutch cities and showcasing around 100 of the best new artist of that year. Being as Ian now feels ‘part-time Dutch’ anyway, this invitation to be included as one of these “best new artists” gave him the strength to rise up, get back in the game and honour his former manager. As an old RAF saying that Tim had uncovered, and now the tattoo on Britt’s right hand says: "Per Ardua ad Astra" (through struggles to the Stars.)

Three months of the Popronde proved to Ian again that he had what he needed to carry on. Often peculiar and never dull, the time gave him chances to write as well as promote and connect with new fans and friends alike. Ian returned to Sheffield from what was becoming to feel like his new home in Holland! The three months in the Netherlands and Belgium in late 2008 saw him rubbing shoulders and sharing stages with great acoustic artists such as Joe Purdy, Bart Oostindie and Davie Lawson. Besides his solo-performances this time around he also performed with a 3 piece Dutch band, sourced seemingly from thin air! He was also chosen for the big club tour to support the brilliant Belgium artist Milow, (winner of 3 Music Industry Awards and MTV/Mercury Music awards nominee.) There was even a Stephen Stills support planned at the infamous Paradiso, Amsterdam, which was cancelled last minute causing general uproar from Britt’s fans and costing Stills a rather jam-packed inbox of disgruntled emailed complaints!

So, back home and working on many new projects including the next album. The plot thickens. So far, everywhere he goes he succeeds with ease in capturing peoples' hearts with his original, idiosyncratic yet accessible music, powerful, soulful voice and nifty, tasteful guitar work. His music evades simple pigeon holes or dumbing down of styles. Ian Britt stands alone as only he can do, and will surely only get stronger with time. His three releases (“One Day I,” “Big Light” and “What ilk?”) are all available for your consideration and enjoyment and his Blogs are fast winning him a name as an entertaining writer too… so jump in and join the saga as it is unfolding!

PRESS

"One Day I" culminate in a grand and commandingly produced soulful, Trans-Atlantic sound with mature, honest, sometimes humorous lyrical writing, assured technical ability and a keen melodic pop-rock-radio sensibility" NIGEL WILLIAMSON – Uncut Magazine.

“Definitely one to keep my eyes on.” STEVE LAMACQ – BBC Radio1, U.K.

"long Live Ian Britt!" FRITS SPITS - National Radio 2, Holland.

"I dont know whay the f*ck you bother." RICHARD HALL - Best Friend.

"...his music is infused with beachy sunshine and easy island vibes... Britt is something akin to coffeehouse strummers like Howie Day or Gavin DeGraw, but with the added barefoot effortlessness of Jack Johnson. With songs that radiate positivity and good feelings, Britt’s songs would make for a wonderful soundtrack to movie title sequences... Sailing to our shores on a wave of raves from the across-the-pond outlets (Uncut, BBC Radio 1, etc.), Britt is guaranteed to add levity to any project and smiles to any listener’s lips." RUMBLEFISH - U.S.A