Northwest | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | London, Madrid |
Genres | Experimental pop, art pop, avant pop |
Years active | 2015-present |
Labels | Tempel Arts |
Members |
|
Website | https://thisisnorthwest.com/ |
Northwest (band)
editNorthwest are a Spanish experimental pop duo formed in London in 2015 by singer and composer Mariuca García-Lomas and producer and multi-instrumentalist Ignacio Simón. Their music explores different genres, from contemporary classical music and avant-garde music to art pop, psychedelia and electronica. They have released three studio LP albums to date and and several singles and EPs.
Biography
editEarly career
editNorthwest was founded in 2015 right after Mariuca García-Lomas (vocals, piano & keyboards) and Ignacio Simón (guitar, piano, keyboards, drums and orchestral arrangements) moved from Madrid to London to pursue a career in music. Simón had already been part of several music projects in Spain and United Kingdon, most prominently the art rock band Al Berkowitz. García-Lomas had a background in visual arts and filmmaking but little experience in music.[1][2]
From 2015 to 2017 they recorded and released a handful of singles and videoclips on their own label Tempel Arts. This first set of singles were well received within the art pop and dream pop underground scene. Between 2017 and 2018 they played steadily in the English capital and started recording the bulk of what would become their debut LP at City, University of London. However, more recordings took place in other locations, such as Cumbria, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and Madrid. A real tube organ was recorded on spot at St Bartholomew's Church in Wigginton, Hertfordshire.[3]
Apart from the core members of the duo, other musicians took part in this sessions, providing other instrument recordings such as cello, violin, clarinet and a whole experimental ensemble (City, University of London Experimental Ensemble), which Simón himself conducted. [4]
I & II
editTheir self-titled debut album was split in two LPs and released in two installments as I and II. The former had a private launch in 2018, along with a manifesto on their website where the duo criticized the music market, the modern music listening styles and music promotion through social media and other platforms.[5] The album remained hidden for almost a year and only accessible to the 460 people that privately asked for it, who subsequently received a hand-written postcard along with a physical copy and an exclusive code to the digital album.[6] [7] I was publicly released on February 2019, along with a 11-minute long video for the song London.[8] The continuation to this album, II, was released in December 2019.
In 2018, Northwest started touring to promote the release of their debut album, performing in several cities in mainland Europe such as Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Riga or Moscow. [10][11] The duo documented these tours with a series of videos shot on location along with electronic and classical-contemporary compositions of their own, which gave birth to the instrumental side-project Pieces of Northwest.[12][13] The LP Ten Clarinet Pieces and Two Preludes For Strings, by Pieces Of Northwest, was released in 2020 [14], presenting a collection of twelve contemporary-classical pieces. An EP, What is a River?, followed in 2023, featuring a 16-minute piece for strings.
After a two-year hiatus with no formal releases as Northwest, they published the single Anomaly in 2023. [15]
Studio Albums
edit- I (2019)
- II (2019)
- Ten Clarinet Pieces and Two Preludes for Strings (as Pieces of Northwest) (2020)
Singles and EPs
edit- Reflection - Single (2015)
- Look at Me - Single (2016)
- Wind - Single (2016)
- Dimaryp - Single (2017)
- Same Old Sky - Single (2017)
- Before The Spell - Single (2020)
- Anomaly - Single (2023)
- What Is a River? - EP (2023) (As Pieces of Northwest)
References
edit- ^ Novello, Lena (2018). "Metal Magazine". metalmagazine.eu. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "15 questions | Interview | Mariuca García-Lomas | Blood, Sweat and Tears". 15questions.net. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Malizia, Renato (9 February 2018). "The Blog That Celebrates Itself: Same Old Sky with Northwest - An Interview". The Blog That Celebrates Itself (in English & Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Bleaeck, Spaul (2019-12-27). "Northwest II". Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ^ Simón, Ignacio; García-Lomas, Mariuca (1 July 2018). "Manifesto 2018". Northwest Website.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Dineros, Nikolai (2021-04-22). "The genius of Northwest outshines the rest". Medium. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
- ^ Herbertsson, Petter (2018-07-21). "Sommarens snyggaste mardrömmar". BCNVT / BIBLIOTEK (in Swedish and English). Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ^ Crudgington, Kate (2019-02-13). "WATCH: Northwest – 'London'". Get In Her Ears. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ^ Northwest (22 January 2024). "Northwest Tour Dates". Thisisnorthwest.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Aleshin, Maxim (18 February 2018). "Interview with Northwest". Young Space (in en ru).
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Berlin, Digital in (2019-02-07). "Mariuca of Northwest". Digital in Berlin. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ^ Northwest (3 March 2018). "Pieces of Northwest- List". Youtube.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Sebastián, José Manuel (2023-05-10). "Northwest vs. Surfin' Bichos". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-24.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Marmoro, Gianfranco (1 October 2020). "(Pieces Of) Northwest - Ten Clarinet Pieces And Two Preludes For Strings :: Le Recensioni di OndaRock". OndaRock (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-01-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Banjo (2023-03-18). "Northwest release new track Anomaly". Sun 13. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Discogs (22 January 2024). "Northwest Discography". Discogs.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
edit- Official website
- Northwest on Bandcamp
- Northwest discography at Discogs