Amidst a pandemic that has seen a third of British musicians seriously consider quitting music (Musicians Union, 2020), there has been little in the way of governmental support and arts organisations across the country have had to step in. In response to this, Reform Radio teamed up with the Youth Music Incubator Fund and Sound With Mike to devise a forward-thinking project that has provided paid opportunities for 7 young people at their record label, Rhythm Lab Records.
The new team's project, 'Sonic Synthesis', continues the collaborative nature of the label's catalogue with a fresh concept which brought together artists with differing styles. Each pair was asked to explore their common roots by creating an original song each, before swapping their stems to be reworked into something new.
Sonic synthesis: stems
The first EP to in the series, 'Sonic Synthesis: STEMS', is the collaborative result of both Yelena Lashimba and CURRENTMOODGIRL. Usually you wouldn’t expect to find CurrentMoodGirl’s dark, industrial pop in the same space Yelena Lashimba’s edgy RnB beats. The first pair to take on this project occupy different genres but on STEMS, their reworks seamlessly bridge the sonic landscape between them. Interestingly, the theme, arrived at independently by both artists, is one of agency, feminism and sexuality. A perhaps unsurprising common thread and a powerful answer to the project.