#18 Feat. New Releases in Drum & Bass

The enigmatic Manchester-based musician and producer Richard Kudekha-Lark, known by the pseudonym Note, proudly announces the imminent release of his electrifying new EP, 'Impressions Of A Still Life', set to unleash on 26th January 2024 under the banner of soulful drum and bass specialists The North Quarter. In a music landscape torn between the Zoomer-led drum and bass revival and the guardians of its underground roots, Note has somehow managed to find his own lane, a beacon of innovation seamlessly weaving heartfelt melodies and cerebral beats. Since his debut in 2021, Note has left an indelible mark on the scene, recognized for his ever-evolving, soulful sound that effortlessly blends avant-garde jazz, hip-hop, and R&B into meticulously crafted drum and bass/jungle compositions. After a slew of releases on labels such as Goldfat Records, Vandal as well as The North Quarter, Note found himself caught in the whirlwind of the drum and bass scene, "the scene seems to be in a bizarrely fraught place; coming out of covid there was suddenly all this young energy pushing the sound in a whole other direction whilst at the same time the audience for the more established artists seemed to have dissipated. It wasn't so much a passing of the torch but rather a snatching. And to be completely honest I'm not quite sure where I sit in all of this, so the temptation to cling on to any attention you get can be pretty fierce." Yet, instead of succumbing to the relentlessness of the industry, Note sought refuge in authenticity. Exploring his unique sound became a journey influenced by the challenges of navigating a scene in flux. As Note candidly puts it, "a lot of my releases until now have been a response to the times I found myself having to navigate these environments and ways of working that weren't sustainable for me." In the midst of this chaos, Note yearned for stillness. Inspired by conversations with mentors like Grant Porter, Jonny Mitekiss, and The North Quarter's Teije Van Vliet aka Lenzman, Note embraced a more natural pace of creation. The result is 'Impressions Of A Still Life', Note's most daring and diverse work to date. Drawing inspiration from post-impressionist art, the EP unfolds like a series of vivid paintings, each track a nuanced brushstroke capturing the essence of stillness. Amidst lush instrumentation, deep bass, and chopped breaks, subtle details emerge—tickings of a clock, footsteps on a forest floor, a deep inhale. As the tracks play out, these elements interact, much like a painting coming to life. "I wasn't really looking to make any grand statements with this. In my personal life I'm trying to be a bit more intentional about creating space to enjoy more moments of stillness and these tracks were a way of capturing or documenting what that journey has been like." Note's creative evolution is evident in his incorporation of more live instrumentation than ever before—live bass, rhodes, various percussion, and even a grand piano. The EP also marks Note's foray into uncharted musical territories, exemplified by the dreamy and genre-defying opener 'EVR', featuring ethereal vocals from Manchester-based alternative singer-songwriter FEENEY. In these five tracks tailored for the dance-floor, Note paints a vibrant portrait, celebrating the joy found in life's simpler, quieter moments. But for him 'Impressions Of A Still Life' is not just an EP; it's a sonic journal that captures the essence of his journey towards authenticity, gratitude, and the blissful stillness found at the heart of his music.

Note, Feeney, aya dia

#19 Feat. New Releases in Organic House / Downtempo

The enigmatic Manchester-based musician and producer Richard Kudekha-Lark, known by the pseudonym Note, proudly announces the imminent release of his electrifying new EP, 'Impressions Of A Still Life', set to unleash on 26th January 2024 under the banner of soulful drum and bass specialists The North Quarter. In a music landscape torn between the Zoomer-led drum and bass revival and the guardians of its underground roots, Note has somehow managed to find his own lane, a beacon of innovation seamlessly weaving heartfelt melodies and cerebral beats. Since his debut in 2021, Note has left an indelible mark on the scene, recognized for his ever-evolving, soulful sound that effortlessly blends avant-garde jazz, hip-hop, and R&B into meticulously crafted drum and bass/jungle compositions. After a slew of releases on labels such as Goldfat Records, Vandal as well as The North Quarter, Note found himself caught in the whirlwind of the drum and bass scene, "the scene seems to be in a bizarrely fraught place; coming out of covid there was suddenly all this young energy pushing the sound in a whole other direction whilst at the same time the audience for the more established artists seemed to have dissipated. It wasn't so much a passing of the torch but rather a snatching. And to be completely honest I'm not quite sure where I sit in all of this, so the temptation to cling on to any attention you get can be pretty fierce." Yet, instead of succumbing to the relentlessness of the industry, Note sought refuge in authenticity. Exploring his unique sound became a journey influenced by the challenges of navigating a scene in flux. As Note candidly puts it, "a lot of my releases until now have been a response to the times I found myself having to navigate these environments and ways of working that weren't sustainable for me." In the midst of this chaos, Note yearned for stillness. Inspired by conversations with mentors like Grant Porter, Jonny Mitekiss, and The North Quarter's Teije Van Vliet aka Lenzman, Note embraced a more natural pace of creation. The result is 'Impressions Of A Still Life', Note's most daring and diverse work to date. Drawing inspiration from post-impressionist art, the EP unfolds like a series of vivid paintings, each track a nuanced brushstroke capturing the essence of stillness. Amidst lush instrumentation, deep bass, and chopped breaks, subtle details emerge—tickings of a clock, footsteps on a forest floor, a deep inhale. As the tracks play out, these elements interact, much like a painting coming to life. "I wasn't really looking to make any grand statements with this. In my personal life I'm trying to be a bit more intentional about creating space to enjoy more moments of stillness and these tracks were a way of capturing or documenting what that journey has been like." Note's creative evolution is evident in his incorporation of more live instrumentation than ever before—live bass, rhodes, various percussion, and even a grand piano. The EP also marks Note's foray into uncharted musical territories, exemplified by the dreamy and genre-defying opener 'EVR', featuring ethereal vocals from Manchester-based alternative singer-songwriter FEENEY. In these five tracks tailored for the dance-floor, Note paints a vibrant portrait, celebrating the joy found in life's simpler, quieter moments. But for him 'Impressions Of A Still Life' is not just an EP; it's a sonic journal that captures the essence of his journey towards authenticity, gratitude, and the blissful stillness found at the heart of his music.

Note, Feeney, aya dia