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Rainbow Family are Barry Christie and Marco Rea, and together they shine a ray of sonic sunlight in these dark and dangerous times. Looking back to a time when life was simpler and the tunes were better, Rainbow Family combine the organic and electronic to create a future pop sound that sparkles with melody, honesty and inspiration.
Barry grew up in Edinburgh and Marco in Glasgow, but that is where the similarities end. After a childhood spent bent over a classical guitar, the young Barry happily discovered the joys of sampling and threw himself wholeheartedly into the worlds of house and electronica. With over a hundred tracks released under guises including Milton Jackson, Napoleon Solo and The Pretty Boys (a collaboration with Scot producer du jour Mylo) it is fair to say that he knows his way around a studio.
After being inspired by the musical madness on The Muppet Show, Marco spent his childhood learning to play pretty much any instrument that came his way. A career in music naturally followed, with his bands The Marbles and then Palomino gigging all over the globe and working with production legends including Trevor Horn and Ron St Germain(whose credits include Aretha Franklin and Jimi Hendrix).
The meeting of these two musical minds came about as a result of a truly cosmic interlude. Barry was walking his dog on a pleasant summer's day and came across Marco playing his guitar in his garden. A few cups of tea later and they knew that something magical was happening - the Rainbow Family was born. Sharing a love of 50s exotica, The Beach Boys and Phil Spector along with contemporary acts such as Lemon Jelly, The Beta Band and DJ Shadow, the pair set to work creating a sound where angelic choirs from the 1950s ride atop intricate beats, and aching vocal harmonies hold hands with childlike choruses.
The Rainbow EP is the duo's first release, and across its five tracks clearly defines the Rainbow Family sound. With lyrics that celebrate the every day, and melodies that come from another world, Rainbow Family tread a deliciously fine line between innocence and experience, naivety and knowledge. With the finishing touches currently being applied to their debut album, and live dates just around the corner, Rainbow Family could just be the pot of gold that we've all been waiting for.
