Latest News
Portico Quartet New Track
Portico Quartet still sound like nothing you ever heard before. The Mercury nominated East London based outfit's unique music has expanded to embrace new sonic territories. Drawing on the inspiration of electronica, ambient, classical and dance music as they take their strange, beautiful, cinematic, future music to exciting new vistas where the inspiration of Burial, Mount Kimbie and Flying Lotus rubs shoulders with the textures of Arve Henriksen and Bon Iver and echoes of Steve Reich and Max Richter. But all underpinned by a shared joy in collective music making as the band push their inimitable music into the future.
Portico Quartet's third, self-titled, album is released in January 2012 on Real World Records.
First listen to New Blood - the full album
Stream new tracks from Peter Gabriel's forthcoming album 'New Blood' from his official website.
As of today a new track will be made available to listen to each and every hour throughout the day. The first track 'The Rhythm of the Heat' will be live as of 12.00 (GMT).
Make sure you check back throughout the day to hear all of the full length tracks.
Peter Gabriel talks 'New Blood' with Guy Garvey
Guy Garvey, lead singer of Elbow beams into The Big Room at Real World Studios to talk New Blood with Peter Gabriel.
From flying on a bus to following a conductor, all via the miracles of video conferenceing. What could go wrong? Stay tuned for the full length version which will be available to watch on October 5th 2011.
Samuel Yirga Releases Debut Solo 'Hagere'
Samuel Yirga made his first solo appearance this weekend at WOMAD Charlton Park, delighting the festival crowd with a virtuosic and impassioned performance that seemed mature beyond his young age. He was delighted by the warm reaction and spend time signing CDs for enthusiastic new fans.
Today he releases his debut solo recording, a four track EP 'Hagere'. Samuel is carving out a reputation as the brightest rising star in the new generation of Ethio-jazz musicians. His piano playing celebrates the golden era of Ethiopian jazz, pop and traditional roots music which he explores in his unique personal style.
Aurelio Returns To Europe
We are delighted welcome Honduran rising star, Aurelio, for a run of concerts and festivals, including WOMAD, Paleo and Etnosur.
On Saturday 23rd July, Aurelio performs in London at the Barbican's Blaze Festival, joining Danyel Waro and Carlou D for an evening of fresh and emerging global voices.
Aurelio is a WOMAD Charlton Park festival highlight with two performances over the weekend, Friday on the Charlie Gillett Stage and Saturday in the Siam Tent.
Aurelio's new album 'Laru Beya' has been described as ' one of the albums of the year so far' (The Guardian), "... just beautiful" (Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2) and ' an outstanding, surprise-filled offering' (The Observer).
JuJu record 'In Trance' live in The Wood Room
"We just came together, plugged in and played," says Adams of In Trance, a one-take marvel that begs repeated listening. "We played it exactly as we play it live. It was a bit like controlling a runaway horse - that is completely spooked!"
The recording magic took place at Real World Studios, where new band members, Dave Smith and Billy Fuller, brought their own unique strengths to the mix. In the studio, JuJu created five new tracks that make your body pulsate - music that is raw and swinging and has that slightly distorted sheet-of-sound vibe that Moroccan artists like The Musicians of Jajouka have, where everyone is doing their own little pushes and pulls and twists and twiddles and weaving an incredible sonic web. Two tracks, Mariama Trance and Deep Sahara have previously appeared on the EP, The Trance Sessions.
"The whole album evolved in a very fast and spontaneous manner," says Adams. "We just went into the studio and did five live takes without headphones or overdubbing. We set out to make swing music, dance music, trance music; we got all those things."
Direct from Addis - Introducing Samuel Yirga
An exciting young pianist from Ethiopia, Samuel Yirga first became known through his outstanding playing with Dub Colossus. Against the odds, Samuel found his way to music school in Addis Ababa and this rising young star is now re-writing contemporary Ethiopian music for the new generation . Experimenting with Jazz, Latin, the traditional songs and sounds of his country's roots and more contemporary Ethiojazz, Samuel's remarkable talent shines. His new recordings are bold and sensitive, often improvised, always deeply impassioned.
Samuel will be performing at WOMAD Charlton Park and festival goers will have the chance to discover his first solo release - a limited edition CD showcasing his remarkable playing.
Eagle draws New Blood from key players
Peter, arranger John Metcalfe and conductor Ben Foster spent yesterday talking New Blood in front of 3D cameras from Eagle Rock with comedian David Baddiel on hand to tickle out some of the details.
The interviews will be seeing the light of day around the release of the recently filmed Hammersmith show. Hot from the cameras everyone rushed off to continue packing - New Blood arrives in Berkeley at the start of it's North American journey on Friday - in fact that may be Peter overhead right now.
Photograph: York Tillyer
Real World Remixed Is Back
Our legendary site Real World Remixed has been dormant for a few months, but is now back in action with a new remix pack to get your hands on. Download the original multitrack recordings of music from Real World Records or Peter Gabriel and use whatever (legal!) means possible to re-work, re-define, re-invent in your own creative style. Join the Real World Remixed community - upload your remix, vote, comment and join the discussion.
The new track available is taken from the new album 'Addis Through The Looking Glass' by the mighty Dub Colossus. Back with their inventive fusion of jazz-dub, reggae, Seventies Ethiojazz and traditional tunes the Ethio/UK musical collective have created a gorgeous grooving love song, 'Wey Fakir', featuring the vocals of Tsedenia Gebremarkos and extraordinary young pianist Samuel Yirga.
"Smash it, mash and have fun!" says producer Dubulah
