The new single from chanteuse Angela McCluskey, "You & Me," premiered today exclusively at Brightest Young Things. The complete album entitled The Roxy Sessions will be released on September 9th via Angela's own imprint, Bernadette Records.
Recently, Angela was heard on KENDRICK LAMAR's Is it Love ; on AZALEA BANKS' supreme Ice Princess; with BIG GIGANTIC on the smash hit - The Little Things ; with TELEPOPMUSIK on several cuts including the worldwide #1 hit Breathe, and now the 'featured' vocalist behind those massive hits is stepping into the light with a new album, The Roxy Sessions. On this project Angela shares songwriting duties with her producer and collaborator, Kiran Shahani (Bitter:sweet, Supreme Beings of Leisure.) Leading up to the September 9th album release Angela will be 'Artist in Residence' at THE ROXY HOTEL in NYC.
Angela McCluskey's world is orbited by a diverse array of cultural superstars that both influence and inspire her works, disrupters and collaborators; Morgan Page, Michael Stipe, Cyndi Lauper (whom Angela's guested with for years) Paul Oakenfold and Robbie Robertson.
Prior to her solo career, Angela was signed to Geffen Records and toured extensively with her LA band the Wild Colonials, before joining French electronic trio, Telepopmusik with whom she wrote and recorded the world-wide hit Breathe as well as Don't Look Back, the oft-sampled track most notably by Kendrick Lamar. During this period she caught the ear of legendary music producer Arif Mardin at BLUE NOTE RECORDS, who signed her to a solo deal and was instrumental in developing Angela's sound and releasing her first solo album The Things We Do,co-written and produced by the inimitable Nathan Larson. Her dance track, In The Air, with Morgan Page, went to number #1 on the Billboard Dance charts and she collaborated with Electro Swing King, Parov Stelar, on Don't Believe What They Say and Paul Oakenfold on the dance track You Could Be Happy.
Today Brightest Young Things exclusively premieres the retro/electro cut You & Me. The track was produced by Kiran Shahani (Bitter:sweet, Supreme Beings of Leisure.) The full length ROXY SESSIONS features a wide range of styles and genres from vintage James Bond themes to surf guitar good vibes to post-modern trip-hop chill outs. Cuts such as Paris to Hollywood, a bright & breezy carefree intercontinental romance, Hit & Run a trip groove laden gem, Lets Get Lost - a jaunty dance track that will make flappers drop their champagne flutes and hit the dance floor and Electric Sky a cinematic monster of a chill-out track.
The idea for the album was inspired by Time Warp, and event that Angela created, where she picks a decade and recreates a night around that theme. After recording a track for the HBO hit show Boardwalk Empire, Angela was excited to do a night around the '20s. It was an enormous success. Angela immediately realized the music appealed to just about every age group. Angela and her producer Kiran penned 10 original songs at the Roxy in 3 weeks. Using the roaring '20s as inspiration, the pair added a modern beat and fashioned an addictive blend of electro swing that propels listeners to the dance floor in a feel good frenzy.
Of THE ROXY SESSIONS, Angela recalls "In many ways, the theme of the album was inspired by the events surrounding it. It is a record that celebrates coming through it all-the success, the failure, the heartache and despair- and finding yourself being a little less dramatic about love and intent on just enjoying your life and being thankful for what you've got- and that's something worth celebrating."
Many of Angela's previous works have been chosen for placement in major studio films, hit television shows and high profile national ad campaigns. Her distinct sound and talent is striking and eminently memorable. Angela's voice and artistry has appeared in pop culture juggernauts such as: HBO's Boardwalk Empire, Nike, American Express, Mercedes, ESPN, MITSUBISHI,Chicos, Fox TV's Empire and countless more...
THE ROXY SESSIONS will be released on September 9th. Angela and her band will be performing at the THE ROXY HOTEL in downtown Manhattan July 27 and through September.
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