Artists

Like a fresh breeze spreading originality and fun, NanaOn-Sha has employed music, images and games as a means to bring smiles to the world since 1993. Beginning with the seminal ‘Parappa the Rapper’ and more recently with the hit series ‘Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop’, the Japanese games studio is perhaps better described as an entertainment studio with a multidisciplinary head, as it is now also delving into making music for Sony’s AIBO pet and animations for TV shows whilst always exploring the fine line between making music and playing games in general, all with one goal, to make us smile.

In November 2007, they toured the UK with The Shins and released their self-produced, self-titled debut album ‘Vampire Weekend’ in early 2008. A success in the US and UK, it peaked at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart, and Vampire Weekend was declared “The Year’s Best New Band” by Spin magazine in March ’08.

They released their second album, Contra, in early 2010, and toured Europe with Canadian electro duo Fan Death. They also toured North American with Beach House and Dum Dum Girls.

Vampire Weekend members describe their music as “Upper West Side Soweto”, mixing inspiration from punk-band The Clash, West African beats and smart lyrics.

His most recent release, Arms For Legs, is a digital work-in-progress LP: new songs are self-released as singles and added to the collection as they are completed, and they are also available for free on www.kitheory.com. In this way, Ki:Theory is foregoing the traditional process of full record completion before release.

Their first album is due out on Custard Records/Island in Septemeber 2010. They have been performing around the UK and Europe and have recently supported Them Crooked Vultures at The Royal Albert Hall, in a busy last year of touring they have also supported Supergrass, Dave Matthews Band, Doves, Placebo, Alice In Chains, Hole, Juliette Lewis, Eagles of Death Metal and Spinnerette.

The name Little Fish is the result of Juju’s daydream: “Feel free, I wake up in a head spin. I am me. I am just a Little Fish. I see what I see…”

Strange but true…

Following on from their original digital smashes Still Got Time and the beautiful Circus, DR are back with a full length digital album offering chock full of melodic funk-tinged uber-cool electro that is certain to fill the dance floors and prickle the backs of many a neck.

This is an album where great heartfelt song writing meets sparkling electro /dance programming in new and wonderful ways.

Written over 2 years and recorded in a variety of different locations, Bedside Manner sounds as great spun at a club as it does beating out of a chilled Sunday morning stereo, taking the listener on a journey through addictive electro-indie (Still Got Time, Circus, Bright Eyes, Butterfly) dirty house-break-lead floor stompers (Disco King, Let The Music Play, I Heart Rollerskates), and piano-filled heart-rending love songs (Long Time To Wait, Telepathic). There’s even time for an icily cool instrumental for good measure (Bossanova Blue), with everything tied together by impassioned vocals, keen programming and DR’s love of a great song that transcends scene.

DR are made up of two London-based musicians/ producers. With their previous projects getting plays and props from the likes of Pete Tong, Fatboy Slim, DJ Sneak and Groove Armada, DR’s material is set to continue to burn up dance floors everywhere.

Having opened for the Prodigy and Bjork and toured around Europe and the US when in Supercharger, DR are veterans of dirty dance beats that get the crowds foaming at the mouth for more. With their 80′s-style synth line, hook-laden modern songs and dirty bass, DR have been said to sound like the outcome of a dirty one night stand between New Order and Mylo.

DR are: Dave Castell & Dave Ranyard

Normally hidden away in his darkened studio, writing and producing tracks for other artists, GAN JUAN has emerged, blinking, into the limelight.

Over the last couple of years, the London-based, genre-hopping producer has built up a steady stream of remix, production and mix credits for his work with acts like Brooklyn hipsters, Boy Crisis, L.A pop princesses, Millionaires and grime overlord, Giggs.

A multi-instrumentalist, Gan’s developed a love of old soul, hip hop and electronica during his teenage years in New York. In the spirit of this eclecticism, GAN JUAN’s style-mashing debut album features artists from the world of pop, hip hop, house and dubstep. “Waving From The Window” and “Rising Up” are the first releases from the album, due out in 2011.