The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

T aken from his debut album, I Am Panda, north London drummer and composer Chiminyo has released his latest single ‘Breathin’.The artist’s inventive music consist- ing of sounds triggered live from his drum kit has been described as a brain-burrowing fusion of shimmering electronic chords. He also creates driven synth bass undertones, all underpinned by a hailstorm of continuously varying rhythmic patterns.The eight tracks on the album is a multi-genre fusion of future pop, jazz, and electronic music. Chiminyo has worked with jazz musician Nubya Garcia, singer-songwriter Zara McFar- lane, saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, and tuba player Theon Cross. Finally laying his tech- heavy drum kit set-up on his first album, it combines the raw, immediate live sound of percussion and the futuristic timbres of his electronic productions to create his own, daring soundscapes. By using laboriously self- coded software, each cymbal crash and drum hit triggers a synth or sample that allow the artist to have complete control. Speaking about the album, Chiminyo said, “There is a trap with a project like this, one where the technology is so integral, that it becomes the primary focus. A kind of ‘look at me with all my fancy techniques’ type thing. No-one like to hear music where this is the focus, so going into this album, I tried to pull the focus and really think about narratives and create worlds with each track. Drawing on influences like producers Flying Lotus, Mndsgn, and Floating Points and how their sounds instantly put you in their realms. “On musicians like Bill Evans and Baden Powell who can make you feel so much with a single chord and (although I’d never cite it usually) even reaching to Debussy and Ravel for their ability to tell stories with their music. I feel I achieved this with this album, although I’ve learnt so much, I know I’ll do it better next time. I would say I potentially disguised the technology too much and anyone listening will never know the level of coding that went into it…” The debut album follows on from Chiminyo’s 2019 debut EP I Am Chiminyo which served as a visceral introduction to his unique sound and earned plaudits from the likes of Giles Peterson, BBC 1Xtra, CLASH, Red Bull, Jaz- zwise, Jazz FM, and more. As well as his solo project, Chiminyo also performs and records with some of the leading figures of London’s music scene, including spiritual jazz-leaning outfit Maisha and psychedelic energy bomb Cykada. The debut album I Am Panda is out now on Gearbox Records. https://chiminyo.bandcamp.com NEW SINGLE RELEASES bitenewmusic Chiminyo Image courtesy of Karolina Wielocha via Prescription PR

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