‘Melatonin’ points out Rookley's thriving, blooming ambience style with a strong, pushing urban influence. The track is product of nights without sleep and his immediate creative urges and melatonin being the steering element in human day & night-rhythm.
The track splits between agitation and release, flurry percussive breaks at the beginning and uplifting onsets of singing, vibrant midtones, Restlessly the rhythm reaches forward, until finding itself opening up into a dim, blurry night dancefloor. Melatonin is full of longing and bit of the desire to live in Berlin back in the 90s, yet fully infused with the feeling of nowadays big city-life. The ringing synths appear from the second half of the track, riding on a wave of humming bass, whereas an abundance of detailed sounds complete the organic sound spectrum.
The story of ‘Melatonin’ is about a night without sleep, and the exacerbated rhythm of the creative working process. It’s a split between anxiety and celebration, introduced through the pressure of feeling, and the release by a dancing crowd. It is danceable, Melatonin is a track that moves the heartbeat [and your feet], yet also inspires the ambience of nostalgia, a hint of longing and desire.
Did you ever feel La Haine? Hate adapted underneath a surface, just a membrane above held-back pressure. Being yet part of the controlled, the well-behaving, the tired, on-the-edge to losing it generation.
The 6 months of silence down in his NY studio were a boost of creative energy. La Haine’s movie-inspired appeal soaks into the mind like fluid. The track is inspired by the 1995 Mathieu Kassowitz motion picture. And it brings in all the city vibes the streets if New York gave into Rookley’s fingers and ears.
Rookley resembles the modern urban spirit, and with his new Single „La Haine“, he lands pin-point on the struggle of these strangled by city-life. We exist looking out to be „true“ again. La Haine brings out this nostalgia, it means 'hate' in French, to hate and yet move on.
La Haine wouldn't scare you, it's just letting you know: I'm there. When the surface breaks, new daylight may shimmer through grey urban skies. And that is what it sounds like. La Haine's production and the ticking, rolling pace between Jamie XX and a Gorillaz-inspired beat brings back the memories of our favourite 00's tracks. A clear synth line, a melody to a bus ride, to a stroll along a site you once knew, to take a walk after a breakdown.
Rookley gave this track an intricately planned production to raise the impression of New York's afternoons and repeated one-week runs. The track boasts with its organic bass melody, gets in between your ears and holds you there until it's done. Rookley’s new Single La Haine gives Urban Electronica a Playlist entry to your favourite piece. La Haine is subtle, clear, Rookley's statement for an autumn in a Metropole.
"Mechanic's Alley" shows Rookley’s nostalgic interpretation of the urban lifestyle. It's a downbeat, ambient track with strong images of the founding days of the New York metropolis. Untouched by the development of the neighboring streets, the Mechanics' Alley still preserves it's 1930's atmosphere, with memories of street workers and the typical old red-brick buildings.
This atmosphere was put together by Rookley into a track of intense feelings, the city crawling up your hair, far away sirens and the ever fast-paced traffic, of New York. Mechanic’s Alley is one of the well-kept secrets in our urban jungle, a fine encounter with the soothing side of the city.
Lofty trumpet samples open up before the listener’s ear, the ticking percussions show the fast paced pedestrian lanes, passing by a forgotten entry to a somber street. Nobody seems to notice the abandoned backyard alley, until a sole passer-by pedestrian stops and by a split second of marvel, perceives how the city is showing her hidden side, beyond the surface. Elaborate organic sounds stack together into rhythmic patterns that invite the listener to zoom out and see the bigger picture of a city that pulsates, in all its living beauty.
The whole story is underlined by the strong cover Image taken by Dan Larson in the 80’s.
"Weak or Absent Signal" is the waymark for Rookley's thriving, moody and uplifting urban spirit. Full of verve and yet melancholic, Rookley gives an insight into the modern city life-feeling with his tracks. The opener, "Youth in Beijing" feels like a time-warp travel, fast forward through gloomy, neon-lighted modern metropolis streets at night.
Alien synth- lines combine with pushing, crackling percussions to give a starting feel for the city-inspired EP. Third track is the lead single of Rookley’s EP "N0 Glory". Nashira Cole's voice, full of pureness and grandeur, upon Rookley's intricate, complex song patterns fill up the listener with intimacy, like meeting a friend in the featureless whirlwind of urban city life. The tender encounter of two souls amongst a crazy, chaotic overflow, like a deep conversation as in the heart of a storm. Airy piano chords and delicate bells outline the sensitive impression that Nashira Cole and Rookley create together. 4th Track "Melatonin", Rookley's celebrated first single takes up the city theme with it's restless, hazy ambient-infused Electronica drive. Upbeat rhythm and an ethereal vocal part create the feeling of the nightlife, a tension-release q&a about sleepless nights and party. The rest comes with "Straight", fifth song on the EP. Again somewhat Asian, prickling guitar picks and a soothing vocal effect close the circle in line with "Youth in Beijing" – The city zooms out, the urban vanishes into light spots in the dark. Organic variations and details sum up the feeling of return. Droning synth and iron percussions give the modern, urban EP an overall smooth ending with the last track. Rookley, with this EP, gives us his interpretation of the urban. The EP’s title emphasizes nature’s last weak signal sent to the polluters all over the world. With “Weak Or Absent Signal” Rookley underlines a new genre - Urban Electronica.
Wide open sky, Rookley invites for a flight above the city.
With “Open Eyes” the NY-Artist releases his new single on the 17th August 2018.
Rookley works most of the time travelling between the States and Europe, and recently on one of his visits to Berlin found the inspiration for this light-weight city-inspired track: The feeling of the city overwhelming you. The track builds up to a climax, Rookley composed the track with an image in mind: The image of a orchestral conductor, slowly driving the music into a swell with his baton - until the song becomes a wave overpowering you with an ocean of shimmering impressions of city lights flying by. Analog Waldorf Synths blended into shoving beat kicks, then a moment of ease, underlined by laughing voices and a solo guitar - just to grow back into a flood of neon light colours.
The story behind the Open Eyes Cover is the mesmerizing view of a Festival-Skyline, or better – the view of a Festival Crowd, dancing, seen from above in a bird-flight.
While taking photos at a festival, Rookley took some time to lay down and look at the scenery upside-down. That new perspective gave his the idea for Open Eyes - looking at the people, the stage and the things happening from a changed perspective made his see people's’ emotions in a new way, distanced, yet more humane: Being in the world, but not part of it.
Rookley adds a new emotional platform to his music, the distanced observation of nostalgic emotion, set in the urban, triggered by a wish: To be stronger, to withstand the overwhelming, just like the wave a bass overcoming the listener
DALEE in on! The arabic-german R’n’B singer releases her debut Single on April fifth through Aimend. Her soulful energetic opening track promises our R’n’B Charts a new ladyship!
The name of DALEE’s new single is Supernova, and will be featured on her first EP released on the berlin-based label Aimend. Drawing inspiration from timeless Soul & R’n’B, DALEE developed her era bridging style, telling her story in a modern sound spectrum.
Connecting art with day-to-day experiences her open hearted approach combines jazzy melody lines with lofi sound aesthetics. DALEE comes from the western part of Germany, has her artistic roots in London and Iraq and is based in Berlin right now. She draws influences from fellow artists like Floetry and Jill Scott. DALEE is the modern-day Audrey Hepburn, combining an avid fighting spirit with a bright naiveté. Taking up Viola at the age of 6, she began piano lessons three years later and by the age of 14, she was composing her own manifold material.
The track Supernova introduces into DALEE’s storyline. Her next releases will disclose the chapters of her first EP little by little.
Full of feel and softness, her voice wraps around the ears and spill a drop of pure rose-red joy into your brain. Leon P’s productions give her new track the proper kick. The perfect tonality of sweet mellow ripeness and a touch of peach skin deliver the listener softly upon a bed of silk cushions.
Over the next releases, DALEE will expose the full extend of her biography. „I'm taking the audience on a journey, a journey shared for everyone.” She says.DALEE tells stories about the setbacks in life, and how they can be overcome with an open heart. In the radiating mixture between Neo Soul music and her arabic roots, DALEE allows only for a single description to her music: “pure”.
Drawing inspiration from timeless soul and r&b DALEE developed her era bridging style telling her stories in a modern spectrum.
Connecting art with day-to-day experiences her open hearted approach combines jazzy melody lines with modern sound aesthetics. She finds herself lost in a world between the freedom of artistry and real-life responsibilities playing viola and piano since childhood and composing her first own material in the age of 14.
"I'm taking the audience on a journey, a journey shared for everyone[...]
"I remember learning a lot about professionality and persistence back in London", she remembers, "It was where I tasted blood for the first time"
The Track "Golden Cup"
Life can be full of doubts. Only few things are for sure. Love certainly is. Finding the person you care more about than yourself erases fear and negativity in a glimpse. You share yourself, unify, become one and powerfully wander through the world while collecting every experience, filling your golden cup up to the rim.
Rookley releases his gritty sleek new track “Rush” on 12th of May through AIMEND. The NY-Italian artist has recently been covered on Visual Atelier 8 and Highcloud Magazine and has released his first major production music video to La Haine.
His debut track Melatonin got listed on the New Music Friday on Spotify upon release. Rookley has been creating extraordinary music. He leaves no doubt about that from the very first beats in his new track “Rush”. The intricate patterns and a pulsing drum section make clear that this is the feeling of his own new kind of music.
His inspiration lays amongst Lorn, Jamie XX and Moderat, but Rookley brings this special uplifting hope to his tracks that none of the other artists have. Solid electronica at its finest, Rookley desists from calling his tracks IDM, to him, his tracks may be best described as Urban Electronica.
Opening to a strong synthline, Rush bounces up to neon heights right after the introductory pattern. The artist has been absorbing city vibe and internet culture alike, and that can be heard in his track “I guess rush is the result of today’s speed, especially if you live in a big city everything moves fast. Eat fast, work fast, be on point.
You eat a sandwich on the metro while going to the office or to class, you scroll Instagram, you call your best friend, meanwhile you think about your life, that you are old or you’ll soon be. What’s the best place on earth and if by the end of the year you can afford to go there? Yeah, what’s left in the fridge -
You roll a joint, life seems lighter and you think about that thing you said the other day, if I could somehow have a negative impact, but no, that’s just paranoia.
Rookley once again binds together the notion of overwhelming urban structures, concrete-grey longing and the uplifting feel of a new generation.
Over the clear beat productions of Beatmensch 5000, DALEE tells the story of Eden which is based on the idea of a utopia, where extasy is reached – but as in any fantasy world, DALEE’s jungle is more of a dream than the truth. In her song, DALEE is rescued by a ranger that brings her back into the real world. The transition is harsh, but once it’s overcome one can see that the real world is even more beautiful. Out of the dream-like state of Eden into a reality that, with aid of one’s own creativity, can be turned into paradise itself.
Partially, the story is inspired by the tale of Mowgli, who himself grew up in a fantasy world. Once brought back into what is to be understood as the real world, he becomes an adult. The characteristic of the figure of Mowgli is his maintaining of his inner child – he never loses connection with his friends in the jungle, he can go back to his childhood spirits and feel safe there.
EDEN is the paradise, in its utopic presentation – while this song explains the human nature towards it. We want to live in Eden, make up our fantasy world, but reality is out there and with a positive, inspired mindset, you can take over reality and turn it into real paradise.
Berlin based Contemporary R’n’B Singer DALEE is releasing her first EP, after three successful singles breaking the seal and launching her career – Natural Cycles will appear on AIMEND on 6th September 2019.
Lo-fi Beats and soulful vocals are the ingredients for DALEE’s sensual debut- EP.
Natural Cycles lifts off with SUPERNOVA, the Hit she first produced together with her cherished song producer beatmensch5000. A good wave of 90’s R’n’B HipHop vibe will grasp you when listening to DALEE’s soft, satin voice, gently moving you on the beat. SUPERNOVA will also be covered with an official music video. DALEE picked up viola the age of 6, at age 14 she was composing her first material on piano and guitar – a musical prodigy that grew with all experiences life handed to her, the positive and the negative ones. Leaving first for Berlin, then to London, she began to focus more on developing her stage shows and collaborating with other artists.
If you were to describe DALEE’s lyrics in one word, it would be „pure“. A purity arising from an honest and sincere perspective that lets the listener feel understood. Natural Cycles is full of fundamental emotions, strong and natural feelings that connect the artist and her audience. Natural Cycles is strong, feminine, and influential in its fresh approach to the female R’n’B Singer. DALEE’s lyrics and her R’n’B sound invoke names like Erykah Badu, Destiny’s Child, Jill Scott and Jorja Smith. Her new EP Natural Cycles takes up all these affluences and adds in DALEE’s sublime vocals.
The Finish-Armenian singer and songwriter A GIRL CALLED FRANK releases her debut single! Set out to build her own artist career, she releases the track “Sabotage” via her own Label FRANKLY on 19.09.19.
Together with Jan & Lavon Van der Toorn, FRANK wrote and produced her first Single to be released. SABOTAGE is a contemporary pop song with alt-rock mixed with bass driven electronica and R’n’B influences.
FRANK lends inspiration from different genres, growing up with a strong rock influence she developed her tastes through stylish underground electronica and contemporary R’n’B but as a child of the 90’s of course, she always finds her way back to pop music. Everything with a strong message or a new approach grasps her attention, so it happens that in one second she is grooving to Burial’s evolving garage vibes, and in the other tearing up over the emotional song writings of Alec Benjamin.
F**k genres is thrown around a lot these days, but FRANK actually incorporates it.
Sabotage starts off with a massive synth scenery, entering her vulnerable, forceful voice. On hard, dominant bass drums she almost drowns with the words “I self sabotage like a Pro it’s an art / And I don’t mind company / If you don’t mind the honesty” – just when the production of Jan van der Toorn builds up. A flowing chorus with heartbreaking vocals comes in and ends on a violent reveal.
After years of being the featured voice and gaining millions of plays on Tracks with Henri Purnell, CV Blank, Hillow and other producers, the Singer & Songwriter Zekt (aka Andrew Kim) finally comes forward with more of his own project, and he is here to stay.
The Hawian songwriter with South korean roots is going to release his track 925 on the 11th October together with the Label & Managment AIMEND.
You know the saying - „Happiness is only real when shared“? Zekt incorporated a lot of that when he grew up in Hawaii. Zekt's sound has been so deeply in love with his hometown Honolulu, that you can feel the ecuatorial sun no matter where you listen to it.
His music has a mixture between soulful vocals à la James Blake and such a bright timbre that it inherently puts a smile upon your face.
Zekt rose up from practically having no musical background until his teenage years. Making small steps in the Music industry with several features and producing his own tracks.
But after a trip to Berlin to work with Producer like Dillistone and Made in M, he smelled blood and committed completely to music.
The afterwork-soundtrack '925' was recorded during a short stay in Berlin in spring 2019.
Zekt's tracks are bound to touch you. His writing is always tuck to reality.
He sais that you stagnate as a writer if you stay out of reality for too long: „your writing just becomes shit.“ he states, „some musicians are so full of themselves – they don't realise that it's more – it's a lot of all the people you meet.“
Zekt's light-weighted lyrics talk of the wish to relax after work and the everyday hassle, and together with gentle synth waves and sky-blue melody lines, he sure does get the listener started for a perfect 420 liftoff.
Rookley is releasing his new Single Konavle on 05.06.2020.The NY electronica artist brings his long-awaited new piece to his audience via AIMEND. The track is about childhood experiences in the Croatian post-war scenery.
Rookley himself was there, he witnessed the story many of the families from the Konavle region went through. In his pushing, bright and synth-heavy electronica track he tells this story from his own point of view. Radio static introduces a menacing Elektron Analog Four synth melody, the first drop lifts off to a rolling percussion interwoven with claps that give ground to a vibrant build-up of childhood memories.
His new electronica track is handling the delicate theme of post-war Croatia, but with the intimacy of the artist’s own remembrance.The surprising view and the ability of the child to embellish, to make the best out of a life amongst decay. In the war shattered houses of Konavle is where he and his friends used to find friendship and adventure.
The background of Konavle will be released through 3 separate story posts on Rookley’s Instagram Account.
“In 1996 none of us spoke English or Croatian, except my father but just few words, so we were literally mimicking to communicate. Myself as a 6 years old and their first son Domagoj, who was 3 years older, quickly became pretty good at it and in 2 years we mastered this primitive communication.
With him, I got introduced to all the kids on the gulf, and we were hundreds! Hundreds of kids in an abandoned place after a war and we just wanted to have fun and riot.”
The cover picture contributed by US war photographer Ron Haviv was taken from a house in Sarajevo. It shows a family portrait, the faces scraped off by Serbian soldiers. The Serbs who had occupied the house left as the city was reunified under the Muslim-led Bosnian government, taking the Bosnian family's furniture and the rest of the belongings from the house and leaving only the photograph. The mix of Konavle was entirely done with audio engineer Stefano Privato of No Shoes Recording Studio. Mastering was dutifully done by Grammy-award nominated audio engineer Shawn Hatfield.
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