- Title: UK: ADAM F'S NEW SINGLE, "MUSIC IN MY MIND", SHOOTS STRAIGHT TO NUMBER ONE
- Date: 15th February 1998
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, U.K. (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (FEBRUARY 25,1998) (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) ADAM F SAYING, "IT'S A SOUND I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED (THE VOCODER), I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THAT SOUND, BUT IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET HOLD OF THE MACHINE THAT MAKES THE NOISE, BECAUSE IT'S MAINLY MADE IN AMERICA AND ALSO MASTERING USING IT, BECAUSE ITS LIKE AN INSTRUMENT, YOU HAVE TO LEARN IT AND U
- Embargoed: 2nd March 1998 12:00
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- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA5H9NA37JATE55T83XC0HLDKW5
- Story Text: The fact that Adam F's new single, "Music In My Mind" shot straight to number one in the UK specialist dance chart came as no surprise.What is surprising is that his brand of drum 'n' bass music is starting to appeal to a mainstream audience beyond the hard core of dance music fans.
Drum 'n' bass - also known as jungle - is a British phenomenon that was born in the dance club underground.It was one of several distinct genres of electronic music that grew from the house music explosion of the eighties.It takes inspiration from jazz, soul and funk and uses cutting-edge technology to produce a futuristic urban sound.
As its name suggests, drums and bass form the framework on which the music is built.
Adam F is the latest drum 'n' bass specialist to achieve the prominence of established maestros Goldie and Roni Size.
The British music world was startled when Size beat bands like Radiohead, The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy to win the prestigious Mercury Music Prize last year, with his debut album "New Forms".
Now Adam F is following in his footsteps.His first single, "Circles", broke into the mainstream top 20.
Following its release last week, "Music In My Mind" entered the pop top 30.
Adam F believes that new fans intrigued by his singles will find the tracks on his debut album, "Colours", equally accessible.
"My album is a good starting point for people who are interested in drum 'n' bass," he told Reuters."That's all I want to do, help spread my music and help spread the whole scene and the whole vibe that was created from it." Perhaps one reason for the album's wide appeal is Adam F's belief that whilst technology is essential to his music, you can't beat traditional musical sounds.
"I like to lean back on the original acoustics sound of real instruments to get the feel.You cannot create what Miles Davies played on a trumpet on a keyboard.You only need someone to sing one note, or a trumpet player to play one note to feel something instantly," he explained.
Jazz is perhaps the strongest influence on Adam F's work, but since his late teens he has also been inspired by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire.His brand of drum 'n' bass has elements of soul, funk, hip-hop and jazz fusion, all deconstructed and woven into a tapestry of melody and samples.
Not all the electronic effects in Adam F's music are futuristic.He looked back to Herbie Hancock's use of the vocoder to distort the sound of the human voice and copied the effect on "Music In My Mind".
"It's a sound I have always loved but it is really hard to get hold of the machine that makes the noise because it's mainly made in America.Also mastering using it, because it's like an instrument, you have to learn it and use it," he said.
Whilst many artists on the dance scene achieve disappointing results when they move from the studio to the stage, Adam F believes in showmanship.Apart from the equipment needed to produce his sound, he travels with a ten-piece band of musicians playing real instruments and a laser light show.
The next step for him will be to take this show on tour outside the world of underground dance clubs.He has just returned from a successful visit to Japan and is now planning an extensive tour of European festivals in the summer.
He is also hoping to crack the American market with his album, which will be released there next month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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