Blue States
July 12th, 2007 by sparky
Blue States accidentally established themselves at the forefront of the burgeoning wave of downtempo acts way back in 1998. Using his multi-instrumental talents, Andy Dragazis blended Guitars, Bass, Drums, Fender Rhodes, Bouzuki, the Hammond Organ and anything that sounded good when it was hit. And the 12"s kept coming, including the classics ‘Your Girl’, and ‘Walkabout’, all becoming rare and sought after collectors items. But none of the Blue States EPs quite prepared you for the grand melancholia of the debut album ‘Nothing Changes Under the Sun’, released on Memphis Industries in September 2000. Taking in influences as disparate as Vangelis and The Shadows, "Nothing Changes." drew favourable comparisons with anybody from Air to Tortoise to, bizarrely, The Cure, stunning critics and punters alike with its glorious retro-futurism. ‘Nothing Changes…’ also attracted the attention of stateside loungecore legends The Thievery Corporation, who decided they liked it so much they’d sign it up to their own imprint, Eighteenth Street Lounge for release in the USA. Also a highly sought after for remixes, Blue States have worked on tracks including Badly Drawn Boy’s ‘Disillusion’, Layo and Bushwacka!’s ‘Love Story’ and Future Sound of London’s ‘Papua New Guinea’. And now it gets interesting. Never one to try and replicate his past endeavours, Andy D enlists Chris Carr (Vocals/Guitar) and Jon Chandler from the live band to become fully paid up members of the Blue States clan. With Andy moving up to London from the rural idyll where the first two albums were recorded work began on their third album in autumn 2003. With Chris taking on lyrical and vocal duties The Soundings sees Blue States once again morph into something new. The layers of strings and brass are stripped back to reveal something darker and more personal. This ain’t no soundtrack to an imaginary film. Oh no. It’s got tales of last nights and lost fights, visions of wingless angels illuminated by the glow of a fruit machine in an old man-pub and alien abductions across Scandinavia. It’s the sound of an inveterate optimistic being kicked in the teeth. Again. Sonically, it hints at Talk Talk and pretty much anything on Factory Records. Except the Railway Children of course. So, once again Blue States have, in the nicest possible way flicked a v-sign, at the title of their first album. Nothing Changes Under the Sun? Don’t believe a word of it.
Blue States are currently putting the finishing touches to their as yes untitled 4th album. A return to the mostly instrumental, it’ promises to fuse the retro-futurism of the debut with the more expansive melancholy of The Soundings whilst still pushing forward…
Press quotes for Nothing Changes under The Sun
"There’s cinematic music, and then there are seductive, creamy sounds that make you feel like a film star… " 4/5 The Guardian
"lavishly evocative" Q 4/5
"Dragazis has a musical imagination that transcends… Check out the blissfully expansive Arion or Golden Touch, with its glittering glimpses of Arcadian coastlines. Essential escapism" 8/10, The Times
"a gorgeous, sweeping thing, both flooded with silvery light and bruised by menacing melancholia" Time Out
Press quotes for Man Mountain
"If the art of pop is to stay ahead of the game, Blue States should be leading the field" The Guardian 4/5
"Season Song and Doublespeak are gale force wind epics resounding with elemental wonderment. Most Chillout caters for the lounge; Blue States reach for the skies" 4/5 Uncut
"Blue States’ have a scale and grandeur seldom heard in modern music" The Observer
"Leaves you in no doubt that Blue States are destined for greatness" 4/5 Uncut
Press for The Soundings
"Blue States have turned their abstract musical visions into more accessible pop while retaining the cinematic feel of their earlier work. There is symphonic majesty, sad drifting beauty, lyrical thought and melodic poise" The Times
"The Soundings manages to slip anchor from the downtempo doldrums where so many have been stranded. They still make grand gestures such as the orchestra that closes Sad Song but it’s also a more bare boned sound with the pocket symphonies of the first two albums replaced by simpler song structures and Chris Carr’s yearning voice. The lyrics venture in to darker waters than previously but Blue Sates still fill their sales with powerful sonic win". Jockey Slut
"Out go Air-like pastoral soundscapes in come tugging bass lines and urban angst. Opener Across the Wire is superb, vocalist Chris Carr pitching his "under the grey skies" cry against mountain sized melancholia. One Night on Tulane stellar brew of flugal horns and Japanese textures would have graced any late 80s Cure album while The Last Blast chugs wonderfully in the manner of German band Neu!". The Guardian
