Digital release date: July 11th 2011
(iTunes, emusic, Amazon etc)
This four track ep by British indie/classical musician Mark Northfield gives a taste of his forthcoming album Alterations, the follow up to his well received song-cycle Ascendant back in 2008.
A quirky, theatrical and melancholic songwriter, Mark uses his classical training to full effect with richly textured piano and string arrangements, frequently collaborating with vocalists from a variety of genres.
He has created an ingenious stop-motion animation video for the ep’s art-pop title track. See it here on YouTube (music begins after 10secs). The full ep can be downloaded from this private link onSoundCloud
The remaining ep tracks consist of a stripped down cover of ABBA’s understated mini-epic, The Day Before You Came; an extended version of a Philip Glass/Underworld inspired album track entitled Headlonging; lastly, the Alterations partner song to The Death Of Copyright: The Forecaster.
Contact Mark:
Email: substantive@marknorthfield.com
REVIEWS FOR MARK NORTHFIELD
‘Ever wondered what a Sondheim musical from his darker years would sound like if it was recorded by an indie pianist and some buds? Well, wait no longer! …some marvelously crafted tunes, with arguably the most beautiful of the year in “Zero”.’
ADAM DOWNER – SPUTNIK MUSIC STAFF REVIEWER
(Album featured in Adam’s Top 20 of 2008 and Top 100 of the decade.)
‘It is like a Tim Burton movie for the ears – quirky, detailed, immaculately produced… 4/5’
BLUESBUNNY
‘Mark’s dreamy piano-based music has a tinge of theatricality to it in the same vein as XTC. It flutters between Beatles-grade melody and esoteric dissonance.’
MUSIC ZEITGEIST
‘This one’s for fans of Chamber music, The Cure, The Smiths and any other melancholic pop band of the last twenty years. 4/5’
WILDY’S WORLD
‘It’s an intelligent and literate album, but accessible too… an album that straddles genres, but seems to suffer no discomfort in doing so. A fine debut.’
MUSIC MUSINGS AND MISCELLANY
ONLINE
BIO
Pianist, singer, songwriter, arranger, collaborator and tea-connoisseur from Berkshire, England. Also works as head ballet pianist for the MT degree course at Arts Ed, a leading UK musical theatre and acting school in West London. Set-up own label, Substantive Recordings, in 2008.