On this edition of the Progressive Underground we hear new music fromKona Triangle, Shape of Broad Minds, Micatone, Steal Vybe, Tokimonsta, B'Nai Rebelfront, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, I.O., Ian Pooley, Cid Rim and many, many more.
We also have an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with internationally-renowned electronic songbird VANESSA DAOU, who will talk about her career, her process in making music and what she has in store for the future. We also drop another dope atmospheric mix session as well. All this and more on the latest installment of The Progressive Underground. Let's go!
Vanessa Daou bio
Fusing jazz, pop, dance grooves, and sensually provocative lyrics, Vanessa Daou may be one of the most daring new artists in electronic music.
A native of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vanessa moved to Massachusetts in 1984 to attend boarding school. She continued to study visual art and art history at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, and Barnard College in New York City. Together with her musical partner and husband, Peter Daou, on piano, the pair recorded as Vandal and attempted to break into New York's underground dance music scene.
Vanessa and Peter then formed a five-piece band named the Daou; signed by Columbia/Sony, the Daou released their debut duo album, Head Music, in 1992. The album was extremely successful, with the first single, "Surrender Yourself," reaching the top of Billboard's club chart. When the label offered to pick up an option for a second album, the Daou elected to sign with the new Tribal label.
After the group released two chart-topping singles, Vanessa Daou was signed by Elektra chairman Bob Krasnow for his fledgling company, Krasnow Entertainment.
Initially released on her own label, Lotus Records, Vanessa's debut solo album, “Zipless,” which featured groove-induced interpretations of Erica Jong's poetry, established her as one of the top emerging electronic music divas. She followed that up with her 1996 sophomore album “Slow To Burn,” a wonderfully sophisticated and groove-oriented release that expanded her influence into international waters and multiple music genres.
Vanessa managed to negotiate out of her contract with MCA after the label endured a huge merger with Viacom and Seagrams, opting to record albums independently rather than be put through the major-label assembly line again, resulting in such understated classics as 1998's “Plutonium Glow,” 1999's “Dear John Coltrane,” 2000’s “Make You Love,” and 2008’s “Joe Sent Me.”
The mature and confident assurance of each album have helped to reaffirm Vanessa Daou as an innovator and tastemaker in electronic music along with influencing the sound of many top electronic vocalists such as Aya, Clara Hill, Nicola Kramer and many more.
Website – www.vanessadaou.com
