7digital’s Month In Music // August
MUSIC
What a month for music! Come explore our month of goodies, including but not limited to notable artist interviews, discounts on some of the best new music on our site and festival-wide video and radio coverage for the Cambridge Folk Festival. From a ‘chilling’ look at classical crossovers with pop music on Radio 1 to a barrage of indie label features – we seem to have gotten across a number of exciting projects.
What’s new on 7digital.com
This month the Music Team has interviewed four fresh and up-and-coming bands from across the globe. The Maccabees dished on their new album, Julio Bashmore explained why he’s championing emerging vocalists on his new soulful house tracks, Rhodes told us what made him ‘try singing’ and Nathaniel Rateliff reflected on his recent signing to legendary label, Stax Records.
Summer festivals may be winding down – but we are keeping the spirit alive in our stores. The 7digital.com website put out a number of festival guides this month for Wilderness, V Festival, Bonnaroo, End of the Road, and Festival no. 6. Lineups get longer and longer – but we help to narrow it down with ‘Top Picks’ of some of the most exciting and talented performers at the festival. ‘Big Names’ listed some of the most notable performers on the lineup and ‘Don’t Miss’, more acts that deserved special recognition.
August also saw the relaunch of 7digital Label Focuses, joining the dots between the artists and the labels behind them. Our first label focus looked at groundbreaking electronic label, Warp, known for acts such as Aphex Twin and Flying Lotus. Another label focus showcased [PIAS] Recordings, with albums from Roisin Murphy, Enter Shikari and Ghostpoet – the latter a champion of urban British poetry. Another Label Focus this month was on the much-loved Domino roster, with featured albums from Hot Chip, Franz Ferdinand and Panda Bear.
Adventures in radio
Smooth Operations, one of several in-house production teams here, was also busy with festival work and provided radio and TV coverage of the whole of Cambridge Folk Festival for BBC Radio 2 and Sky Arts. Mark Radcliffe and Julie Fowler presented interviews and video content for Sky Arts, while Mark also presented a three hour programme for Radio 2 from inside a truck onsite. His show included live sessions from Rhiannon Giddens, Mawkin and Olivia Chaney.
Stuart Maconie enjoyed the huge treat of being visited by songwriting legend Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame while co-presenter Mark Radcliffe was away. He told Stuart about his early days at Motown: apparently, it was more like a Detroit car factory, with workers having to clock in and clock out, but “that’s how things were done around there”.
Another Smooth Operation was ‘Classical Connections with Chilly Gonzalez’, a one hour programme aired on Radio 1 to great acclaim by the network, artists and listeners. Sitting at his piano, Chilly told the story of 1,000 years of musical evolution in just one hour, from medieval music to minimalism, and explained its relevance to the hip-hop, metal, indie and dance music of today. A clip from it was also featured on Radio 4’s Pick of the Week.
The team here at 7digital has had a busy August, putting out interviews, providing festival coverage and making world class radio programs. Throughout September, we’ll be bringing you more interviews with some of the most cutting-edge bands in the world as well as further exciting video content.
Celebrity Snippits
Our Entertainment News team talk to musicians about all sorts of interesting odds and ends. This past month LunchMoney Lewis told us how much he enjoyed playing his first festival in the UK at V Fest, while Kodaline’s Steve and Vinny gave us the scoop on what it was like having Courteney Cox as the director of their next video. Gregory Porter chatted about some new music he’s working on and how teenagers come to him for advice, meanwhile The Script’s Mark and Glenn spilled the beans to us about their rider list requirements at V Festival. Wretch 32 explained how sample clearance is one of the toughest things about getting his new album together. Kelly Jones from The Stereophonics spoke to us about how they come up with their original album titles and Jess Glynne told us how Sam Smith helped her with her recovery following vocal chord surgery by recommending his doctor to her. Last but not least, MNEK told us all about who he’s producing for next (JoJo making a comeback! And Swedish singer Zara Larsson) and how his upcoming album is coming along.