ELECPHONIC

Electronica / Experimental / Electro

NZ/NL/US/UK/DE

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About

ELECPHONIC

Incisive socio-political commentary simmered and steeped in a stew of electronica

Download the albums or Buy the CDs @ CD Baby

ELECPHONIC:

TRIPLEPHONIC [2008]

ELECPHONIC: TRIPLEPHONIC [2008]

Continuing ELECPHONIC’s bent of quirky electronica, Triplephonic is the third album recorded by the chameleonic Truly Independent musician Daniel Gannaway.

Once again infusing his unique ‘Atari-esque’ digital melodies with barbed lyrical content, Gannaway’s alternate reality as ELECPHONIC is mesmerising – a Second Life, spent in the company of Max Headroom, Tron and Orac.

Where Elecphonic was an exercise in musical creationism, arriving fully-formed from the ether without evolution or precedent, Triplephonic is a helix in its own genetic sequence. It breathes new life into the wryly opinionated tradition established by the artist’s previous releases – full of incisive, humorous socio-political commentary on the contemporary human condition.

A talented and energetic musician, Gannaway adds a sense of mischief to his artistic repertoire under the pseudonym ELECPHONIC.

Stand-out tracks include the dreamy Burma Has Gone Dark, evoking early Orb or Kraftwerk in a chiaroscuro of melody versus lyric.

Sarah also lingers long after hearing, with its catchy vocal hook contrasting the solemn poetry of its lyrics: “You're a man who used to land jet aeroplanes with a flick of his hand; solely responsible for three hundred lives; your abilities crashed and now your nerves are fried...”

www.elecphonic.com

www.cdbaby.com/all/elecphonic

www.danielgannaway.com

www.cdbaby.com/all/danielgannaway

Since the release of his first album – FINE BY ME – in 1998, Daniel Gannaway’s been a strident proponent of independent music.

Now listing 10 solo albums and a range of side-project releases (including work with band kidameln), Daniel’s most recent solo album, JOINED LIKE NOTES, marked another waypoint on what has become a musical odyssey spanning more than a decade.

Gannaway’s growing discography now includes three intrepid, imaginative releases under the ELECPHONIC pseudonym – the eponymous Elecphonic, Sophomorphonic and now Triplephonic.

Daniel Gannaway

Since the release of FINE BY ME in 1998, Daniel has been a strident proponent of independent music. As time and albums have passed, Daniel's music has stylistically ebbed and flowed - at one point pared back and raw, at another full-bodied and polished, but at all times potent and inspired. Bound and Suburban in 2001, for example, was a composition of stories and recollections that provided a beautiful counterpoint to the poignant simplicity of Bootlegged at the Temple, recorded the previous year. Daniel's 2004 release - darling one year - was perhaps his most musically confident effort, traversing a broad range of personal experiences and heart-felt issues, wrapped in some truly quixotic melodies. 2005's SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties, on the other hand, was a wonderfully light composition which often belied the intensity of the lyrical content.

Daniel's most recent album, JOINED LIKE NOTES, continues this tradition and marks another waypoint on what has become a musical odyssey spanning more than a decade.

Previous quotes:

"... Perhaps politics might actually catch on if Gannaway were doing the singing [OP-ED], instead of John Ashcroft's barbershop quartet. It's a thought. But until the Republican or Democratic National Convention is converted into a Broadway musical, we'll have to make do with Daniel. And that's going to be just fine for fans of indie folk pop with a message." - Indie-Music

"...The great aspect of the album [SUMMER STORM] is that each song's arrangement maintains a minimalistic nature, which shows a discipline and a depth of understanding on Gannaway's part. Underneath the ukulele, the cruising drums and harmonic supporting bass grooves provide an all around easy and easily recommendable listen..." - NZ Musician Magazine

"...Down to earth and laid back, it has none of the musical tension of trying too hard or the injection of false emotions. Suburban folky and bohemian chic, it [darling one year] ties up agreeably layered and distorted vocals into an angst-ridden, quirky pop as catchy as The Strokes but easily as mysteriously engaging as James Keenan Maynard..." - Indie-Music

"...like [Bound and Suburban] walking alone on the beach at night and seeing Jim Morrison and Jeff Buckley strumming and singing at the waters edge..." - Indie-Music

"...Herein lies the essence of Bootlegged at the Temple: simply an audience, a musician, and a quiet venue... - no hype... In context with Daniel's previous two albums - FINE BY ME and flashback* - and subsequent release 'Bound and Suburban', 'Bootlegged' is a departure, which provides the listener a greater perspective on all of his work. Bootlegged is a great live album, which, over time, becomes as much a voyage of discovery and inspiration for the listener as for the musician himself." - Justin Walsh

ELECPHONIC
SOPHOMOREPHONIC [2007]

ELECPHONIC: SOPHOMOREPHONIC [2007]

SOPHOMOREPHONIC is the second album from enigmatic and politically satiric artist ELECPHONIC. The first, self-titled album was a "whimsically Mercurial collection of nine tracks simmered and steeped in a stew of electronica", and Sophomorephonic continues this quirky, bass-driven pedigree with eight well-polished and musically adept tracks.

Released on Daniel Gannaway's Truly Independent label, Sophomorephonic is similarly incisive in its commentary on social mores and the many-faceted maladies of consumerism, greed and hypocrisy.

The sharp-edged - though inherently humorous - lyrical content makes Sophomorephonic endearingly listenable, and feeds the wryly opinionated tradition of Elecphonic's previous release.

A stand-out track is Coca Sek, a beautiful, ditty-like offering with a truly addictive hook, rhythm and chorus. Coca Sek rues the innate contradiction of the US 'war' on coca leaf in South America while at the same time providing the world's single largest market for cocaine. "Chewing leaf sprayed with Roundup... Can't kill the leaf, can't kill the drug. The world loves the white lady..."

The vocal treatment is pure Elecphonic, with a rolling, rocking, thumping chorus that begs to be played loud - especially the song plays out.

Starbuck is another fun, bumping little track which hangs in the memory long after it's past. "Good hunting Starbuck, the best pilot in the colonial fleet. She'll kick the Cylons' ass. You're the one for me girl. She'll kick the Cylons' ass..." Long live Battlestar Galactica.

Like Elecphonic, Sophomorephonic is quirky and beautifully crafted, and can be enjoyed on a variety of levels. Thematically, it's the lyrical adeptness that once again holds the ear, with the nuanced melodies providing a stylish riposte.

At its heart, Sophomorephonic - like Elecphonic before it - is an infectious and original exercise in musical creationism. As an artistic endeavour, Elecphonic has established itself as a musically competent producer, and an engaging and varied alternative to homogenised, populist electronica.

Review - NZ Musician Magazine
ELECPHONIC: SOPHOMOREPHONIC
By Ania Glowacz

The follow up to the act's self-titled debut, 'Sophomorephonic' follows on in a musically and lyrically similar vein. It's an acquired taste, but not one without merit. 'Interesting' (read off-beat) topics are espoused and commented on - the Mile High Club, coca leaf production, country folk moving to the cities, tanning, 'coming out' to your wife... Safe to say this isn't really pop! Elecphonic employ vintage synth sounds and masked, heavily treated vocals. The main vocals on most tracks are a deep, spoken male voice, slowed down and stretched, whilst the backing vocals are pitched higher into a more female-sounding palette. It's unusual as well as difficult to describe! Elecphonic aims to be elusive, so I can' tell you who's behind these creations. The music plods and weaves and squelches its way around the lyrics, including one track which is essentially a cake recipe... The words are hard to pick up and demand concentration or a read of the lyric sheet. If you have the patience, this is 'quirky' and different electronica with a sardonic and humourous edge.

:: NZ Musician Magazine

ELECPHONIC
ELECPHONIC [2006]

ELECPHONIC: ELECPHONIC [2006]

The ELECPHONIC debut is a whimsically Mercurial collection of nine tracks simmered and steeped in a stew of electronica.

Released on Daniel Gannaway's Truly Independent label, ELECPHONIC presents an incisive socio-political commentary in its lyrical content and continues the wryly opinionated tradition of the label's various previous releases, such as OP-ED.

Going to Goa, for example, reflects on the cultivated ignorance of India's many tie-dyed faux-hippy tourists. "I don't really want to know about Goa's long history that stretches back to BC third century, I just want to get high by the Arabian Sea... I'm going to grow my hair and get braids and beads; I'm going to do yoga under the ubiquitous coconut tree."

A standout track is the humorously titled Freakin on a Sneaka, deriding the bizarre, though unstoppably popular sneaker culture/industry. "Pumping the price up with limited runs, vintages and retros and new combinations, they make crazy money while people slave in sweat shops off shoe addicts like me just hanging for the Quickstrike... 300 pair locked down in dry storage. Ain't even been worn, still got them in their boxes..."

In a later track, waxing philosophical on America's fascination with oversized 4x4s, ELECPHONIC prophetically states of the SUV: "I'll always be happy as long as I have my toys." It seems that feeding the West's need for distractions, indulgences and toys is a global preoccupation that we foolishly call 'growth and progress'...

Truly quirky, yet indulgently crafted, ELECPHONIC is at its heart an exercise in musical creationism in that it arrives fully-formed from the ether with not a hint of evolution or precedent. The album can be enjoyed on a variety of levels, for it is musically competent, engaging and varied, and also taps the rich vein of 'currency' offered by electronica.

It's the lyrical adeptness, though, that holds the ear. For while the compositions build, crescendo and fall with great personality, the words have a lingering resonance which gives each track a depth of character not entirely familiar to the electronic genre.

Review - NZ Musician Magazine
ELECPHONIC: Self-titled
By Ania Glowacz

This is a somewhat unconventional foray into electronica. Unusual in that the lyrics are significant and important - yet are vocoded and treated with a variety of alien-type effects, rendering them a little incoherent on first or most listens. It takes a bit of patience and concentration to fully appreciate this work. There's a lot of retro synths and disco beats in the music, along with more trance-type and contemporary elements that also distract from the core of the material - the words (provided). So whilst the lyrics have something to say (topics include SUVs, wasted hippies in Goa, the violent effects of sonar on marine life, the sneaker industry), they're not immediately obvious. Some of it sounds dated and a bit clumsy, but the tweaked and twisted electronics with a slightly sinister feel are original (a touch Scritti Politti, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Marilyn Manson?) It's experimental, political and a bit of a grower. There's a healthy sense of humour behind it all, and some tracks would work well on a compilation or soundtrack. Truly quirky - give it a try.

:: NZ Musician Magazine