Carnies

March 3rd sees the release of the first single Carnies, from solo artist Martina Topley Bird’s new album ‘The Blue God’. Martina has created a new album that is dowsed in melodic hooks and beautiful lyrics. She has turned her experienced hand to create an album of futuristic pop noir, which alludes to different eras of music but never replicates them. This hugely exciting new album shows her at her creative zenith.

The Blue God is produced by modern pop’s most visionary thinker Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, The Grey Album) – who Martina met whilst he was in London recording the Gorillaz album in 2004. He had always wanted to work with Martina, since hearing her early material. Only in the past year did they find enough time to work together, and the wait was truly worth it.

Martina’s distinctive vocal style coupled with Danger Mouse’s signature production, results in a hypnotic combination: the pair has produced a sound that resonates the glamour and feel of Golden-era Hollywood, but with a distinctly modern edge that his production brings.

This is music that recalls Vangelis’ otherworldly pop on the Blade Runner sound track, where the combination of real instruments (Billie Holiday pianos, tremolo guitars, bass high in the mix) are given texture and space backed by electronic soundscapes to startling effect.

Martina was nominated for a Mercury Music award in 2003.