Posts tagged with "vocal"

SAVIOR cover art via The Oriel Company for use by 360 Magazine

BROOKE MORIBER – SAVIOR

On July 22, 2022, Reviver Records recording artist Brooke Moriber today released her powerful new song “Savior.” Listen to the poignant track here.

“I can’t help but help you, but it doesn’t make you stronger.

You’ll fall holding onto me when you call thinking I can be your savior.

“I couldn’t be happier to release a song that is so near and dear to my heart,” said Moriber. “I hope that ‘Savior‘ inspires people to take care of themselves first and foremost and to leave unhealthy situations when their wellbeing is in jeopardy.”

Savior” is an intensely personal track that Moriber penned with Bill DiLuigi and Josh Ronen about learning how to love someone without losing too much of yourself. Produced by Todd Lombardo and Craig Alvin (Kacey Musgraves), “Savior” showcases Moriber‘s strong voice and ever-relevant lyricism.

Entertainment Focus said of “Savior,” “One listen to the track puts me firmly in mind of artists like Carly Pearce and Kelsea Ballerini. Uplifting vocals and soaring arrangements combine to produce an evocative, powerful ballad.”

Moriber‘s previous singles, “Down to Nothing” and “This Town Made Us,” both of which she co-wrote, introduced the former Broadway star to the country music scene. Since then, she has been crisscrossing the country on radio tours and introducing herself to stations as programmers and fans alike fall in love with her thoughtful songwriting and incredible vocals. A recent television performance on “Today in Nashville,” high-profile appearances at “Live in the Vineyard,” an opening stint for Dylan Scott, and performing the National Anthem at the SF Giants game have solidified Brooke as a star on the rise.

When she is not on the road, Moriber has been hard at work in Nashville with some of the industry’s top writers and producers as she continues to record for her upcoming full-length project. Inspired by the likes of Jennifer Nettles, Ingrid Andress, Brandi Carlile and her idol Linda Ronstadt among many others, Brooke is poised to take her place among the biggest voices in country music. For more information on Brooke, visit https://www.brookemoriber.com.

Photo of DURAN DURAN via HIGH RISE PR for use by 360 Magazine

DURAN DURAN – ALL OF YOU

With their highly anticipated North American tour starting next month, on July 14, Duran Duran have announced the limited 12” vinyl release of ‘ALL OF YOU’ (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK), out October 14th and available to pre-order HERE via Phantasy Sound.

Having co-produced Duran Duran’s acclaimed fifteenth studio album, ‘FUTURE PAST’, Erol Alkan returns to deliver a very special Extended Rework. Paying tribute to the band’s pioneering ‘Night Version’ remixes that tipped their earliest material towards the dance floor, this grandiose reimagining equally recalls Alkan’s beloved reworks from over the years.

Recorded with founding members Simon Le BonNick RhodesJohn Taylor, and Roger Taylor, ‘ALL OF YOU’ also features lead guitar from Graham Coxon and backing vocals by Barli. Blessed with the raw material, Alkan distills each element into a glorious disco odyssey totaling nearly ten minutes, an epic but sensual dance floor trip that already ranks amongst his finest work.

Phantasy is proud to release ALL OF YOU’ (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK) (backed with an instrumental version) on a limited run of 12” vinyl, with an exclusive red vinyl edition of only 300, available only at Rough Trade stores.

Pre-order ‘ALL OF YOU (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK)’ on 12” vinyl HERE.

Originally debuted by Erol Alkan in Ibiza at the band’s three night ‘Duran Duran: Touch The Sunrise’ immersive weekend experience that lifted the curtain on the island’s summer season, the extended rework is a hypnotic, expansive ode to the FUTURE PAST album highlight. Duran Duran‘s instantly recognizable sound is complemented with new accents and flourishes – John Taylor‘s head-nodding bass line entwines with Graham Coxon‘s guitar lead, both shot through with instant hooks and punctuated by Nick Rhodes’ cinematic keys.

The extended rework arrives as Duran Duran look ahead to their long-awaited North American headlining tour this summer, celebrating the band’s spectacular four-decade career and in continued support of their critically acclaimed 15th studio album, FUTURE PAST.

Starting August 19, the 14-date tour will see the multi-platinum, award-winning legends play iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Wynn Las Vegas, and The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, amongst others. Tickets for the band’s North American tour are on sale now. Please visit http://duranduran.com/tour/ for details and to purchase tickets.

Joining as special guests for all shows except Las Vegas (which is billed as ‘an evening with’) and Los Angeles will be Nile Rodgers & CHIC.

In other exciting news, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame announced that Duran Duran will be inducted this fall, joining a long list of ground-breaking global icons before them. The 37th Annual Ceremony is set to take place November 5th at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

With a career that has seen more than 100 million record sales worldwide, 21 UK Top 20 tunes and 18 American hit singles, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction truly cements the multi-GRAMMY, BRIT Award and Ivor Novello winners as one of the most successful and influential bands of all time.

Duran Duran’s current album, ‘FUTURE PAST’ is available digitally as well as in a variety of physical formats: standard CD, cassette, a limited edition deluxe hardback book CD featuring three additional tracks, and colored vinyl here.  It is also available in immersive Sony 360 Reality Audio on Amazon Music HD, TIDAL HiFi, and Deezer HiFi.

Enlisting the help of some of the most exciting names of the last 50 years, with ‘FUTURE PAST,’ Duran Duran have delivered another incredible genre-spanning piece of work that once again sets them apart from the pack. Working alongside DJ / producer Erol Alkan and pioneering Italian composer / producer Giorgio Moroder, who added his magic to create two instant future classics (‘BEAUTIFUL LIES,’ ‘TONIGHT UNITED’), as well as some of the most unexpected and inspiring names in pop – including Swedish hitmaker, Tove Lo on ‘GIVE IT ALL UP,’ ‘Queen of Drill’ Ivorian Doll on ‘HAMMERHEAD’ and Japan’s CHAI on ‘MORE JOY!’.  In addition, Blur’s Graham Coxon co-wrote and lends his guitar to several tracks on the record and David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson adds an exquisite sonic layer to album closer ‘FALLING’. The record, which was recorded across studios in London and LA over lockdown, also features long-time collaborator Mark Ronson who co-wrote and played on ‘WING,’ and was mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

PRE-ORDER ‘ALL OF YOU (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK)’ ON 12” VINYL HERE.

LISTEN TO ‘ALL OF YOU’ (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK) HERE.

FUTURE PAST’ (DELUXE) IS AVAILABLE HERE.

Photos from Kroy's exhibition via Big Hassle Media for use by 360 Magazine

KROY – ANIMACHINA

Earlier this year, multi-disciplinary recording artist KROY teamed up with The PHI Centre in Montreal to turn her music into a live performance art piece entitled ANIMACHINADuring this residency, Jonathon Anderson at the Creative School of Ryerson University programmed three robot arms to play music and mirror KROY‘s movements, to tell a communal story that blurs the line between man and machine and what interpersonal connection looks like in the modern world. Today, KROY releases a seven-part video series for ANIMACHINA. Watch HERE.

In these videos, KROY strips down her hyper-pop and hyper-sensitive sound, to showcase her vocals in a truly haunting way. Performing alongside a robot, she leaves viewers feeling entranced and unsettled as she tackles topics like love and violence. Working through the seven videos, KROY performs recent songs like “Ryan Atwood,” teases upcoming releases, and interweaves a storyline that tethers the series together.

On ANIMACHINA, the PHI Centre said, “These monster-machines, with unforgivable tentacles, perform choreographic movements with surgical precision. In unison, they strum, modulate the artist’s voice on pedals and document the scene themselves. The danger, inherent in this dance of death where a single coordination error can lead to a fatal accident, allows KROY and his team to touch the sublime. Because it is with the machines that she finds comfort and that she fully vibrates.”

These videos are a hint at what is to come from the avantgarde artist later this year as she closes one chapter of her artistry, and fiercely blows open the next.

ANIMACHINA PLAYLIST

performance ONE . approaching and becoming

performance TWO . trust and alter

performance THREE . gate and infiltrate

performance FOUR . translation and connection

performance FIVE . strong and tame

performance SIX . cycle and breath

performance SEVEN . love and violence

ABOUT KROY

Introspection. Lust for connection. Loneliness can transform you in many ways. Isolation will move you to places you never thought you could find yourself. Some would choose to wait for a human connection. Others would wish for rooms full of strangers. Social anxiety has pushed KROY in the direction of finding intimacy elsewhere. Finding comfort in the digital world, having rooted most of her personality in Myspace and Tumblr, KROY finds freedom online. Connecting with people she’ll never meet. Confessing secrets she’d never tell any physical being. Merging her obsession with robots with her musical abilities, a pandemic became a playground. Getting in contact with other creatives also in a state of emergency, a team was quickly formed. With consultants in AI, digital arts, physics and computer sciences. With Ryerson University’s Creative Lab supporting and hosting the project. With three KUKA arms ready to learn how to play live instruments. Ready to learn choreography and movements that match KROY’s.

Ty Dolla $ign × Capella Grey – OT

Bronx singer-songwriter Capella Grey returns with OT a breezily stylish new single laced with West Coast funk and guest vocals from the one and only Ty Dolla $ign. OT (slang for “out of town”) evokes positive vibes and the carefree lifestyle of an eligible bachelor – a fitting release for the beginning of summer. Accompanied by a luxurious, sun-drenched new video set in Cali, OT evokes positive vibes and the carefree lifestyle of an eligible bachelor – a fitting release for the beginning of summer.

Leading things off is Capella, who slides into the bouncy bass as he lets loose a credo for all the ballers without borders: “Why would I take a shorty OT? / There’s already shorties OT / Why would I bring sand to the beach / When they’re all on me and they’re all OD? ” For his part, Ty opens with a quippy rhetorical question about why he’d ever bring a baddie to Tulum. After all, they all go to Tulum. Playful and effortlessly stylish, OT emits energy and sunshine.

OT only continues a lengthy winning streak for Capella, who’s become one of New York’s fastest-rising stars over the last year. Pairing a flexible voice with an equally malleable style, the Capitol Music Group signee has captivated fans with a nostalgic, shape-shifting mix of R&B, dancehall, and soul. Last year, his breakout single, “Gyalis,” peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and, to date, the track has earned over 55 million Spotify streams. Combining sensuous vocals with a feature from Nija, he continued building momentum with “Confujawn,” a thoughtful rumination on a struggling relationship. With OT at his back and summer just ahead, Capella is all set to make the rest of 2022 his biggest year yet.

'Honest' cover art via Leo Lavoro for use by 360 MAGAZINE

Peking Duk × Slayyyter – Honest

The high-engery, Australian music duo Peking Duk start off 2022 with a bang, debuting their hot new single ‘Honest featuring the one and only Slayyyter.

Stream ‘Honest’ (feat. Slayyyter) HERE and catch the visualizer HERE.

The song was produced and written with the Australian likes of KLP. Illustrated as a pulsing dance hit sure to get you up out of your seat, the duo had a few words to say regarding the release of this hit. Peking Duk stated, “This song came together as a result of an impromptu jam we had after running 10ks and almost dying in the process. Heading straight into the studio we realized there was some fuego in the ideas we were recording and there was only one person to call to take it to the next level – KLP. We wrote the lyrics alongside the theme that the music created – A sweaty journey through thunder, mountaintops, marching to the drums and chanting as we follow each other. Slayyyter was down to jump on board and add her vocals to the mix and we couldn’t be more stoked with the magic that we now get to share with the world. Play it loud and scream it proud.”

The notarized duo has accumulated over 445 million streams internationally around a variety of streaming platforms combined with 27 million video views! There most noteworthy breakout hits include the 5 x platinum ‘Stranger,’ 4 x platinum ‘Fire’ and 3 x platinum ‘High.’

Peking Duk music duo press photo via Leo Lavoro for use by 360 MAGAZINE

CALUM SCOTT – RISE

CALUM SCOTT SHARES TRIUMPHANT NEW SINGLE “RISE”

LISTEN HERE & WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO HERE

SCOTT PERFORMS “RISE” ON “LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN” OCTOBER 7TH

Today, multi-platinum-selling singer/songwriter Calum Scott premieres his triumphant new single “Rise”, a timely and exhilarating anthem of resilience. Go HERE to stream/download “Rise” now and watch the lyric video HERE.

Produced by Gabe Simon and Jon Maguire, “Rise” offers exactly the kind of reassurance needed in difficult times. As the song unfolds in a joyful and majestic sound: pounding drums, glorious harmonies, urgent piano work. Calum delivers a spirited vocal performance that perfectly captures the uplifting message at the heart of “Rise”. Tune in to see Calum perform the song on October 7th on “Live with Kelly and Ryan.”

“Rise celebrates overcoming, defeating the odds, and prevailing despite the obstacles or the knock-backs you face along the way,” says Calum. “We’ve all faced it during our lifetimes: feeling demotivated or uninspired, feeling like life is out to get you, that it’s easier to stay on the ground when life throws its punches. I wanted to write a song that would empower people to chase down their dreams and to try to embrace life, no matter what they are going through or what their circumstances are. We all have the opportunity to do it our way, to put our best foot forward and to rise.”

At turns wildly soaring and gently reflective, “Rise” marks a bold departure from the soulful minimalism of Calum’s recent single “Biblical”. After performing the heart-on-sleeve ballad on “The TODAY Show”, and releasing its breathtaking video back in June, last month Calum unveiled an American Sign Language (ASL) version of “Biblical” made in collaboration with the Tony Award-winning Deaf West Theatre. Check out the powerfully moving visual HERE.

Calum also featured on Lost Frequencies’ new track, “Where Are You Now” which has already amassed over 50 million global streams. With the official video for “Rise” coming soon, Calum is now gearing up for the release of his eagerly anticipated sophomore album. Due out in early 2022, the album will follow his 2018 full-length debut a widely acclaimed release that hit No. 1 on the iTunes album chart in 21 countries across the globe, in addition to selling more than 3.6 million in adjusted album sales and amassing over 7.5 billion combined streams.

The Warning Evolve art from Taylor Vaughn, Republic Records, for use by 360 Magazine

HARD ROCK TRIO THE WARNING NEW SINGLE – EVOLVE

As they continue racking up fans, followers, and acclaim from the media and music icons alike, the Monterrey Mexico hard rock sister trio The Warning have emerged to unveil “EVOLVE,” their new single released via LAVA/Republic Records.

“We wrote ‘EVOLVE’ about humanity’s dangerous obsession with evolving,” the band said. “And how sometimes that evolution leads us to slowly leave our humanity behind. Is this dehumanizing evolution right or wrong?”

Produced by the legendary David Beneath (Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, Breaking Benjamin), “Evolve” is a musical journey led by Daniela Daniela “Dany” [guitar, lead vocals, piano], Paulina “Pau” [drums, vocals, piano], and Alejandra “Ale” Villarreal [bass, piano, backing vocals]. Dany’s vocals simmer with intensity, building tension before exploding into a chorus that unleashes the full force of the energy the sisters bring to every performance. With its signature changes and transformational truth-telling, “EVOLVE” is a track that will keep listeners on the edge of their seats throughout the entire sonic ride. The video, recorded with 16 iPhones and a drone, is a dangerous, fast-paced trip that visually amplifies the anxiety of “EVOLVE” in stunning fashion.

“EVOLVE” comes hot on the heels of the release of their Lava Records debut single, “CHOKE,” for which the band took part in a streamed event/interview with legendary rock tastemaker Matt Pinfield. “CHOKE” cracked over a million streams right out of the gate, drawing acclaim from Loudwire, Rolling Stone Mexico, and Billboard Argentina. Adding to the praise, Pau was called out by the band’s musical peers Olivia Rodrigo and WILLOW for her stunning drum covers of their songs “brutal” and “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l” on TikTok.

Coming soon: the band has been tapped by Metallica for a cover of “Enter Sandman,” the track that first sent the trio into viral music stardom. The single will be featured on The Metallica Blacklist album, the 30-year anniversary reissue of Metallica’s iconic self-titled 5th album, also known as The Black Album. The reissue is set for release on September 10. In addition, fans will be able to catch The Warning on the road as they perform at the Welcome To Rockville Festival, open for the Foo Fighters in front of a 60,000-person crowd at Mexico City’s Foro Sol, and at a two-night sold-out run at the Troubadour in January 2022.

Stay tuned for more music and news to come as The Warning continues to surge to the forefront of hard rock!

Follow The Warning

The Warning Band Website // Instagram // TikTok // YouTube // Facebook

About The Warning

The Warning infuse rock music with a much-needed shot of adrenaline. The Monterrey, Mexico trio of sisters—Daniela “Dany” [guitar, lead vocals, piano], Paulina “Pau” [drums, vocals, piano], and Alejandra “Ale” Villarreal [bass, piano, backing vocals]—charge forward with head-spinning riffs, unpredictable rhythms, stadium-size beats, and skyscraping vocals. They stand out as the rare presence equally at home on network television and on stage at Heaven & Hell Festival. If anybody can usher rock’s comeback along, it’s these three ladies. After exploding online with one viral moment after another, The Warning parlayed this momentum into a series of independent releases, including Escape the Mind EP [2015], XXI Century Blood [2017], and Queen of the Murder Scene [2019]. They graced a stacked bill at Mother of All Rock Festival as the only Mexican band and opened up two sold out Monterrey shows for The Killers and for Def Leppard in Mexico City and Guadalajara. After quietly amassing over 120 million YouTube views and 10 million streams, they surge to the forefront of hard rock with a series of new music being released on LAVA Records in 2021.

About Republic Records

A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company, Republic Records is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as Ariana Grande, Black Thought, Drake, Florence + the Machine, Greta Van Fleet, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack Johnson, James Blake, James Bay, Jessie J, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Julia Michaels, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Metro Boomin, NAV, Nicki Minaj, Of Monsters and Men, Pearl Jam, Post Malone, Seth MacFarlane, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and more. Founded by brothers and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman, it is also comprised of innovative business ventures, including American Recordings, Boominati Worldwide, Brushfire, Casablanca Records, Cash Money, Lava Records, XO, Young Money, among others. Republic also maintains a long-standing strategic alliance with Universal Music Latin Entertainment (J Balvin and Karol G).  In addition, Republic has expanded to release high-profile soundtracks for Universal Pictures (Fifty Shades of Grey), Sony Pictures (Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse) and NBC TV (The Voice), as well as other notable film and television franchises. Extending further into the worlds of film, television, and content, Republic launched Federal Films in order to produce movies and series powered by the label’s catalog and artists. Its first production was the Jonas Brothers documentary Chasing Happiness for Amazon Prime Video.

Music note illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

SEVENTEEN – YOUR CHOICE

Self-producing idols SEVENTEEN’s 8th EP Your Choice debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 yesterday.

Your Choice additionally catapulted to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, ranking as America’s best-selling album of the week.

Released on June 18, the EP recorded 1.36 million sales during the first week of release, bringing in the act’s fourth million seller achievement and setting a new sales record with the most first-week sales of any album released in Korea in 2021.

SEVENTEEN will be holding their on- and off-line fan meet 2021 SVT 5TH FAN MEETING ‘SEVENTEEN in CARAT LAND’ from 6th to 8th of August.

About SEVENTEEN:

Racking up 2 billion streams and selling 7.5 million albums, SEVENTEEN has rocketed to the forefront of the global music industry fueled by a fiercely independent spirit, in-house creative ecosystem, and one irresistible work after another. The group’s innovative structure hinges on the interplay of three units: the hip-hop team led by S.COUPS, vocal team led by WOOZI, and performance team led by HOSHI. Living up to the title of “self-producing idols” the self-contained and self-empowered act has unassumingly made history and become one of the biggest K-pop groups ever due to their world-class synchronization, jaw-dropping choreography, and tight teamwork.

SEVENTEEN’s 2015 debut EP, 17 CARAT, emerged as “the longest running album on the Billboard World Albums Chart,” remaining in the chart for eleven weeks. Billboard crowned An Ode the “Best K-pop Album of 2019” as the act packed arenas and sold over half a million tickets. The EP Heng:garæ elevated them to rarified air in 2020. Over 1 million copies were sold during the week of release. Not to mention, it earned “the third best first-week sales in South Korea.” On its heels, they eclipsed 1 billion total streams on Spotify. With their following EP ; [Semicolon], the act made their U.S. TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Follow SEVENTEEN:

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music

Oliver Malcolm by Kay Ibrahim from Kasturi Shan (Kaz) at Interscope Records for use by 360 Magazine

Oliver Malcolm Remixes Glass Animals – Tokyo Drifting

Rising artist Oliver Malcolm joins Glass Animals front man Dave Bayley for a new episode of “Cereal Bars” — a show where artists share their come up story and freestyle over a beat made fresh by Dave. The result is a cowboy inspired apocalyptic anthem that combines Dave’s beat prowess and Oliver’s imaginative storytelling. In the very special edition of the episode, the young producer/songwriter also shared a remix he made of a Glass Animals’ track; “Tokyo Drifting” featuring Denzel Curry. Watch the full episode and sneak peek of Oliver’s remix here. Listen to the remix of Glass Animals’ “Tokyo Drifting” feat. Denzel Curry here.

The appearance comes at the heels of Oliver Malcolm’s debut EP, Are You Living in The Real World? which features critically acclaimed tracks like “Switched Up,” “Skywalker,” “Helen” and more. Listen to the project in full here.

About Oliver Malcolm

Oliver Malcolm got his start early, teaching himself how to spin records at 12 years old. Shortly after, he downloaded Logic and taught himself how to produce – working with IDK, Aluna George, Joey Bada$$, Jay Rock, Masego, Tinashe and more. Now twenty, Oliver has developed his own voice. Touching everything from the production, vocals, songwriting, engineering, mixing and mastering,  Oliver’s sound is unique and does not fit the mold of one genre. Quick to be praised by the likes of New York Times, TIME Magazine, Pigeons & Planes, Interview Magazine, CLASH, NME and more, Oliver Malcolm is priming his trajectory to be a long and critical one. A multidisciplinary at heart, this is just the beginning of what music lovers can look forward to from the new artist.

Praise for Oliver Malcolm

“Oliver Malcolm is the dynamic rising star ready kick up a storm with his diverse, new punk-indebted EP.” — NME

“With its deep bassline and bluesy melodies alchemizing jazz and pop influences, he crafts an almost tangible atmosphere of melancholy [in “Helen”] as pleas to a woman echo throughout.” — Pigeons & Planes, Best New Artist

“Oliver Malcolm’s ‘Switched Up’ Is Intoxicating… new single ‘Switched Up’ is a mesh of influences, a confluence of sounds, a mosaic of techniques.” — CLASH

“Oliver Malcolm [is] The UK’s Most Talented Bad Boy.” — Interview Magazine

“A lot of artists claim genre-blending style, but Malcolm’s is altogether impossible to define. Is it alt-blues? Dark electro-pop? Folk-hip-hop? Does it matter?” — TIME Magazine, Best New Song

“The hip-hop producer-turned-twisted musical anarchist is making songs for nobody but himself. You’ll love them anyway.” — i-D Magazine

“The drums lurch toward the offbeats, some looped guitar picking tugs against that pulse and Malcolm’s voice is a rattled, quavery moan…Everything stays off-kilter for the two and a half paranoid minutes of “Switched Off” by Oliver Malcolm.” — New York Times, Playlist

Don’t sleep on Oliver Malcolm, follow now on:

Instagram | Twitter | Youtube

 

Mikey Lion For The Love from Christina Hernandez and Desert Hearts for use by 360 Magazine

Mikey Lion – For The Love

Love—it’s one of the strongest and most universal connectors in our world. It’s also the driving force behind everything Mikey Lion does, from the music he crafts to the events he runs as the leader of Desert Hearts, to the circles he keeps. To honor this all-encompassing force, the artist today releases the full rendition of For The Love, his debut studio album, and the 100th release on Desert Hearts Records. A patchwork of nine tracks depicts Lion’s saga spanning from the day he discovered his true purpose, to the highs and lows of realizing it, and up to the present where he ponders on reaching the next chapter for himself and his community.

Before nurturing his brand and record label into the behemoth that it is today, a young Mikey Lion had been living with his parents and questioning the direction to take his life. Mesmeric album closer “Talking To The Trees” with its lush synth layers and gossamer vocals, sketches out how his path was revealed to him. During a fateful psychedelic trip, he was guided to spread love and community under the banner of House, Techno, and Love that fans know today. Desert Hearts was officially launched in 2012, and the rest is history.

Listen to For The Love here.

Elsewhere in For The Love, Lion reminisces on the moments and feelings that reaffirmed his direction. “When I’m With You,” a breezy vocal jam crafted alongside Lubelski and Jackson Englund, pays homage to blissful times spent with loved ones in and out of the rave. The peak time ready “Spot Freak” represents cheeky dancefloor moments with the crew via off-kilter synth effects, licks of acid, and hard-hitting percussion. “Above The Clouds,” which leads For The Love with dulcet melodies, is Lion’s interpretation of house music heaven—a feeling he seeks to emulate at each Desert Hearts event.

Trial arrived in Mikey’s journey in 2020, when the pandemic brought his and Desert Hearts’ momentum to a screeching halt. Written in minor key with tense buildups and heavy synthwork, “For The Love Of What” is the label head’s expression of this doubtful time, where existential crisis set in and he was left questioning what the point of it all was, and how the mission of spreading love would continue in the absence of shows.

Luckily, reprise was found within the dedicated community he built over the years. As Mikey led Desert Hearts into the virtual world, launching a TV station on Twitch, followers swiftly hopped on for the ride. He found himself reaching even more people across the globe with DH’s message of House Techno Love, receiving donations and pledges of support from across the globe, and interacting with the DH community on a virtual dancefloor. It was an affirmation of a different sort, but no less powerful, convincing him again that love and music would sustain him, regardless if the dancefloor was digital.

For The Love is ultimately a culmination of the triumphs and tribulations Mikey Lion has faced through the years since he first set out to bring the mantra of House, Techno, Love to a global scale—and is also a marker of an artist just beginning to step into his own sonically. Its timeless influences and multifaceted, yet polished sound design point to an artist who’s put in the work to master his craft. Through painstaking detail, instrumentation, and arrangement, Mikey manages to tell years’ worth of stories in just nine compositions.

At the end of the day, the lesson remains: community comes first always, and the decisions we make should be guided by, if not entirely, For The Love.

Connect with Mikey Lion:

Spotify | SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Connect with Desert Hearts:

Spotify | SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter