STEIN SANG - HOUSE OF STICKS (BalconyTV)

  • 5 years ago
STEIN SANG performs the song "HOUSE OF STICKS" for BalconyTV.
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PRESENTED BY EG DAILY

It is no easy task to capture the beauty of the raw human emotion that takes place in the moment when one falls in love. It is an intangible feeling, simultaneously complex and simple. In this moment one experiences a gamut of emotions that is equal parts glorious, longing, playful and life affirming yet remains fleeting, bittersweet and even impermanent. Stein Sang's brand of folk dream pop captures this feeling.

If one were to look into the backstory of Stein Sang, the fact that James and Shanna Stein are able to capture that fleeting moment in their music begins to make more sense. Shanna was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but grew up mostly in the UAE (Dubai, Qatar). While she would pursue other creative endeavors, the songwriter in Shanna was still very much alive as she continued to fill notebooks to the brim with songs as she had done since the age of 8. James on the other hand, was a venerated musician on Philly's jazz and experimental scenes since the early 2000s. Both would find themselves moving to Los Angeles to hone their crafts. Shanna's move came four years after James', but once they were both in the same city, they quickly fell in love.

Stein Sang started gradually, as Shanna and James began writing together while James was working on a solo album. The vision of the band performing together came to Shanna in a 2010 dream, and having enjoyed working with his wife more than writing alone, James quickly switched his focus from his solo album to writing full time with Shanna in order to bring their sound to fruition.

The duo has dubbed their sound "Cloud Music", a fitting term for music that creates a soundscape that is equal parts dreamy haze and personal connectivity. Their debut self-produced EP "House of Sticks" seamlessly bridges the gap between modernity and something more tribal and organic. They draw subtly on James' proclivity for jazz, but don't shy away from something more electronic in their compositions. Their arrangements combine acoustic guitars, dreamy synths, drums, bass and other instruments to create something inherently unique and the fact that James and Shanna handle lead vocals together provides a universal perspective that is both masculine and feminine. Overall their music creates a modern lush sound firmly rooted in the past, present and future.

The "House of Sticks" EP is the genesis of cloud music. The title track was the first song Shanna and James ever wrote together and "These Thoughts" and "Red Lights", which were the last two additions to the release, offer a perfect glimpse into the next stage in the evolution of the band creatively. With a fanbase that is steadily finding their way to Stein Sang and a new EP due out this summer, 2014 is sure to find much larger audiences joyfully experiencing the ethereal sonic landscapes the band creates.

http://www.steinsangmusic.com/

CREDITS / SPONSORS
Producer / Talent Booker: Cindi Avnet
Co-Producer/ Talent Booker: Leah Hobbs
Recorded by: James Schumacher
Mixed by: Jeff Bates
Camera: Robert DiGioia
Assistant: Sarah Asaly

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