Sweden, the unofficial headquarters of epic-creative-pop, seems an inevitable launching pad for Versant. Led by Carah Faye, former frontwoman of the Grammy-nominated Shiny Toy Guns, and produced by fellow band-mate Daniel Johansson, Versant synthesizes the melodicism of a true pop siren with up-to-the-minute textures that can ignite both dance floors and dirty rock clubs. “Versant is a summation of dreams,” says Carah Faye. “It’s music we believe ‘belongs’ but is rarely understood, much less brought to reality.” Lyrically, Faye draws from real-life experiences and reveals their difficult, but ultimately transcendent, lessons: “I will wait for the truth to find me/ But I will never leave it to you” (“Out of Touch”). The band has a goal of encouragement and inspiration through their music as well as hoping to “help people to heal or be inspired to reach for more.” Johansson and Faye met in the most organic of ways—on the road. Johansson worked as a front of house engineer for Shiny Toy Guns as well as for fellow Swedes The Sounds, who tapped him to produce the title track of their 2009 release, Crossing the Rubicon. Similarly, Johansson met drummer Richard Ankers on the road with Anker's previous band Melody Club. Along with Ankers, bassist Nicholas Oja, who Johansson met while living in LA in 2005, and Grettve, who had been a childhood friend, they became the three obvious choices for Johansson and Faye to invite on the envisioned journey. Unsurprisingly, they draw artistic inspiration from a diverse playlist. “Mew, Kent, Coldplay, The Cardigans and Michael Jackson have been in rotation in 2009—anybody with an individual sound who likes espresso and walks on the beach,” Carah laughs. Now splitting their time between Sweden, where they will be touring through November, and America, which will feature a highly anticipated showcase at South by Southwest, Versant will drop their self-titled debut on February 17, 2010. Reaction to demos posted on their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/versantmusic) has been unanimous: Although only debuting, Versant exceeds high expectations, and introduces loyal fans to a bristling new musical collaboration.
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