Tricky Bizzniss featuring Trixie Reiss
"C'mon c'mon c'mon / make it fun again."
With those words (from her electro-rock anthem "C'mon C'mon"), singer Trixie Reiss has laid out an ambitious plan on her debut album: to make a positive, upbeat and musically relevant album that touches on both her musical past and present … and makes it fun.
Easier said than done, right? But in an era when bands are content to simply echo their musical idols and play it safe (and dark), Reiss has done something remarkable with her debut record: she's made something that sounds both instantly familiar and yet completely unique.
"I see this record as touching on everything in my past and present," says Reiss, a New York native best known for her work on The Crystal Method's platinum debut Vegas. "I'm a big fan of Goldfrapp, Ladytron, Blondie, Kraftwerk, and a lot of what's going on in the New York rock scene. It's all been a huge influence on me.
On the debut album by Tricky Bizzniss (Reiss's collaboration with two-time Grammy nominee Ernie Lake), the singer finally has the chance to let nascent musical vision bloom. The record, kicks off with the deliberately retro-pop of "Cybertronic", then shifts gears into droll electro-rock anthems ("Love Ain't Money") and New Wave throwbacks ("Familiar"). Add in some synth-pop, hip-hop and a little rock guitar, and you have one of the most diverse albums of the last few years.
Reiss, already well-known for her work in the dance and electronica community (including singles with Real McCoy, Skylark and Karsh Kale) took an unusual route to music stardom. "It all started when I was attending art school in New York," she explains. "I ended up going to L.A. to put on an art show – a lot of sculpture, painting, multimedia. But I had also recorded all these four-track a capella tracks that I'd play during my gallery shows and pass them out to friends. My friend knew the guys in The Crystal Method, and they liked what I was doing. Even though it was all vocals, it really fit into their sound.
One thing led to another, and soon Reiss and the electronic duo were buddies. "I just remember at one point standing in their home studio during a party and just getting this weird feeling I'd be recording in there really soon." And her instincts proved correct: a few months later, Reiss was called back to L.A. to record two tracks for the Method's debut album, including the eventual single "Comin' Back." Remembers Reiss: "They actually said, we're going to make you famous."
And they did, though it took a few years. Reiss's contributions become a focus point of The Crystal Method album, and soon afterwards, the singer found herself on the road and playing arenas...n..n";
"I never really imagined I'd be performing in front of thousands of people," she remembers. "But when it happened, it blew my mind and made me realize this was my true calling. I was always told I was talented by many producers, but I never thought, 'One day, I'm going to make my living on this.' The idea of being a rock star seems so magical, so unattainable, when you're a kid. Then I got to the point where I realized I was doing it! Then it became the most important thing in my life.
While her work with The Crystal Method helped put Reiss in the spotlight, it also proved to be slightly frustrating. "In that situation, you're kind of in the background," she says. "I thought I had really given that kind of music a voice. So, when I started doing things on my own, I decided to just go all the way. I wanted to prove I'm not just a singer. I wanted to write, produce and let my personality come through in my music.
After a number of one-off collaborations, Reiss met producer and two-time Grammy nominee Ernie Lake in September of 2001 and formed an instant musical bond. Lake, a musical jack-of-all-trades (producer, writer, remixer) who's worked with everyone from the Blondie to Usher to the Rolling Stones, was immediately taken by Reiss's dedication and voice. "We clicked immediately," he says. "Me and my keyboardist friend Michael had wanted to do this electronic thing with a retro feel. Trixie was a perfect fit.
But the events of 9/11 delayed, and eventually shaped, their collaboration. "It's strange, we had to really re-think what we were doing after that, but it also inspired the album so much," says Reiss. "I remember thinking how depressed the whole scene in New York was after that day. That's where my line about 'make it fun again' came from. I wanted to make this whole album an escape from depression." Adds Lake: "After that, we wanted to make a good feeling record, where people feel positive afterwards.
Eventually, the record started taking its own shape. The denser, darker elements were jettisoned in favor of a more personal, upbeat style. "I wanted it to be very retro and very minimal," says Reiss. "A lot of 80s, and also incorporating the New York rock scene; bands like Radio 4 and such." Reiss took an active role in the project, writing all the vocals, lyrics and melodies, while Ernie and keyboardist Michael Nigro contributed to the band's eclectic musical style.
The result is already being felt in the music community. "Day to Day," Tricky Bizzniss's first single, has already been getting a strong response from DJs, thanks to the song's club-friendly vibe. Other tracks gaining notice include the electro-rockin' second single "C'mon C'mon" ("It has a cool, retro go-go vibe," says Lake), the Depeche Mode-style "Familiar" ("it's got this double meaning … it's both a love song and talking about a melody that's familiar" says Reiss) and "Jet Set Ride," Reiss's most personal contribution to the record.
Looking back on recording this record, Reiss thinks she knows what her record is really all about … and it's more than just fun. "Before this, I never got to be who I wanted to be as an artist," she says. "Nobody saw me. They only saw one of my eyes; with this record, I feel like they can see my whole face for the first time. And I'm finally ready to succeed in my own way.
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