Mandalay (band)
Encyclopedia
Mandalay was a trip hop
duo from the United Kingdom
, composed of multi-instrumentalist Saul Freeman (formerly of Thieves
) and singer Nicola Hitchcock
. They released two albums (plus one America-only compilation disc) and were briefly tagged as "Madonna's favourite band".
(alongside singer David McAlmont
). By the time of their second single, "Unworthy", Thieves were gaining a considerable amount of critical attention and had begun recording a debut album for the Virgin Records imprint Hut Recordings. However, Freeman and McAlmont fell out seriously towards the end of the album sessions. Consequently, Thieves split up, with the album eventually being released in 1994 under McAlmont's name (although Freeman was fully credited for his songwriting and instrumental work). While recovering from the Thieves debacle, Freeman immersed himself in club culture and increased his interest in dance music. In 1995, he and his publishers (Chrysalis Music) put a classified advertisement in Melody Maker in order to find a vocalist for a new project.
The advertisement was answered by Nicola Hitchcock
, a former folk singer who had released a solo album (A Bowl Of Chalk) on F-Beat Records a few years previously but had also had experience playing as a backing singer and keyboard player in various bands. She had recently become inspired by the developing trip-hop music scene (spearheaded by Massive Attack
and Portishead), and was interested in the more dance-related approach suggested by Freeman. Naming themselves Mandalay, the duo began to write and circulate demo tapes, displaying emergent songs which blended Hitchcock's interest in singer-songwriter material and psychological/psychotherapeutic concepts with Freeman's textured arrangements (which featured elements of trip-hop, dance smoothness and post-punk avant-garde textures).
, Seal
, Acacia
) for the recording of their debut album.
The first Mandalay release on V2 was a re-recorded single version of "This Life", released in 1997. This was followed in 1998 by a re-recorded "Flowers Bloom", which trailed the release of the debut album Empathy (featuring appearances by Sigsworth and Jon Hassell). The album came to the attention of Madonna
, who became a big fan and declared Mandalay to be her favorite band. She chose "This Life" to be featured on the soundtrack for her film, The Next Best Thing
, and the track would also appear on the soundtrack to the British film This Year's Love
. (Many other Mandalay songs have been featured on TV series' including La Femme Nikita, Six Feet Under, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
and CSI: Miami
.
albums of the time including Cafe del Mar
(Vol 6) and Hed Kandi
's Serve Chilled. As a result Mandalay were invited to headline at the Café del Mar
20th anniversary celebrations in Ibiza
in 2000. A sunset remix of "Beautiful" was recorded and mixed by Lenny Ibizarre, the leading chillout DJ/musician on the island. The song went on to be used in a major advertising campaign by Estee Lauder
and was chosen for the title track of German film Der Eisbar. In 2003 "Beautiful" was covered by Sarah Brightman
and released as the lead single for her hit album Harem
.
, Future Sound of London, Björk
) and Yoad Nevo
(Jem
). MK from The Guardian
states, "Instinct draws inspiration from jazz and classical music to create resolutely elegant, affecting pop .... lush and expansive, Instincts musical world is perfectly realised."
The first single from this album, "Deep Love", was remixed by Nitin Sawhney
- Mandalay went on to support Sawhney on his UK/London dates. Performances at Ibiza's chillout festivals followed including "Las Dallias" and "Dreamdaze" culminating in a headline performance at The Big Chill
festival in the UK.
In order to consolidate their position in the United States (where they were known mostly by hearsay and association), Mandalay released an America-only compilation album called Solace in 2001. This comprised a mix of tracks from Empathy and Instinct (both previously unavailable in the US) and was packaged with an 11 track remix album with contributions from Wagon Christ
, Alex Reece
and Charlie May. Solace sold more than 44,000 copies in the US, and the band made a brief tour to promote it.
Hitchcock went on to collaborate with a number of other artists (many of the results of which appeared on her 2005 album Passive Aggressive) and is currently working on her next solo album. Freeman went on to pursue a career in film and event music, which he had already begun with his work on the score for the 2001 film Far From China.
Disc 2
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
duo from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, composed of multi-instrumentalist Saul Freeman (formerly of Thieves
Thieves (band)
Thieves was a British pop duo active during the early 1990s. It was most notable for being the band on which both members – singer David McAlmont and multi-instrumentalist/producer Saul Freeman – based their subsequent musical careers.Critically feted by the British weekly music press during their...
) and singer Nicola Hitchcock
Nicola Hitchcock
Nicola Hitchcock is a British singer and songwriter. She is best known for having been the singer of the band Mandalay...
. They released two albums (plus one America-only compilation disc) and were briefly tagged as "Madonna's favourite band".
Early
During the early to mid-1990s, Saul Freeman had been the instrument-playing half of the London pop duo ThievesThieves (band)
Thieves was a British pop duo active during the early 1990s. It was most notable for being the band on which both members – singer David McAlmont and multi-instrumentalist/producer Saul Freeman – based their subsequent musical careers.Critically feted by the British weekly music press during their...
(alongside singer David McAlmont
David McAlmont
David McAlmont is a British vocalist and songwriter.-Early years and Thieves:...
). By the time of their second single, "Unworthy", Thieves were gaining a considerable amount of critical attention and had begun recording a debut album for the Virgin Records imprint Hut Recordings. However, Freeman and McAlmont fell out seriously towards the end of the album sessions. Consequently, Thieves split up, with the album eventually being released in 1994 under McAlmont's name (although Freeman was fully credited for his songwriting and instrumental work). While recovering from the Thieves debacle, Freeman immersed himself in club culture and increased his interest in dance music. In 1995, he and his publishers (Chrysalis Music) put a classified advertisement in Melody Maker in order to find a vocalist for a new project.
The advertisement was answered by Nicola Hitchcock
Nicola Hitchcock
Nicola Hitchcock is a British singer and songwriter. She is best known for having been the singer of the band Mandalay...
, a former folk singer who had released a solo album (A Bowl Of Chalk) on F-Beat Records a few years previously but had also had experience playing as a backing singer and keyboard player in various bands. She had recently become inspired by the developing trip-hop music scene (spearheaded by Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
and Portishead), and was interested in the more dance-related approach suggested by Freeman. Naming themselves Mandalay, the duo began to write and circulate demo tapes, displaying emergent songs which blended Hitchcock's interest in singer-songwriter material and psychological/psychotherapeutic concepts with Freeman's textured arrangements (which featured elements of trip-hop, dance smoothness and post-punk avant-garde textures).
Debut
Mandalay made their debut on a compilation with an early version of their song "This Life". They were courted by various major labels on the strength of their first demos, but opted instead to sign to David Steele’s independent label Organic Records in 1996. Their first single release, "Flowers Bloom" gained the Single of the Week award in Melody Maker, immediately strengthening their position and leading to a full recording deal with the recently-established V2 Music. While Freeman had produced the early recordings, the V2 deal paired Mandalay with producer Guy Sigsworth (ex-BjorkBjörk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, Acacia
Acacia (band)
Acacia was a multi-cultural British experimental pop band active during the mid-1990s. The band is most notable for helping to launch the subsequent musical careers of several of its members, most notably keyboard player/producer Guy Sigsworth, singer Alexander "Blackmoth" Nilere and associate...
) for the recording of their debut album.
The first Mandalay release on V2 was a re-recorded single version of "This Life", released in 1997. This was followed in 1998 by a re-recorded "Flowers Bloom", which trailed the release of the debut album Empathy (featuring appearances by Sigsworth and Jon Hassell). The album came to the attention of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, who became a big fan and declared Mandalay to be her favorite band. She chose "This Life" to be featured on the soundtrack for her film, The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing is a soundtrack album released by Maverick Records on February 21, 2000. It was released to accompany and promote the 2000 film, The Next Best Thing. It reached number 34 on the US Billboard 200 album chart....
, and the track would also appear on the soundtrack to the British film This Year's Love
This Year's Love
This Year's Love is the title of a 1999 film set in and around Camden Town in London. It was written and directed by David Kane.-Cast:*Dougray Scott as Cameron*Jennifer Ehle as Sophie*Ian Hart as Liam*Sophie Okonedo as Denise...
. (Many other Mandalay songs have been featured on TV series' including La Femme Nikita, Six Feet Under, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
and CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
.
"Beautiful"
The third single from Empathy - "Beautiful" - appeared on a number of chilloutChill out music
Chill out music is an umbrella term for several styles of electronic music characterized by their mellow style and mid-tempo beats — "chill" being derived from a slang injunction to "relax."Chill out music emerged in the early and mid-1990s in "chill rooms" at dance clubs, where relaxing music...
albums of the time including Cafe del Mar
Café del Mar
Café del Mar is a bar located in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza. It is known for its sunsets and chill-out music.- Beginning :The Café del Mar was founded by Ramón Guiral, Carlos Andrea, and José Les on 20 June 1980.- Decoration :...
(Vol 6) and Hed Kandi
Hed Kandi
Hed Kandi is an UK-based record label and a music brand which was established in 1999 by Mark Doyle, specialising in funky, soulful house music. Hed Kandi's catalogue includes both artist albums and various genres of club compilations. As well as producing music albums and compilations, Hed Kandi...
's Serve Chilled. As a result Mandalay were invited to headline at the Café del Mar
Café del Mar
Café del Mar is a bar located in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza. It is known for its sunsets and chill-out music.- Beginning :The Café del Mar was founded by Ramón Guiral, Carlos Andrea, and José Les on 20 June 1980.- Decoration :...
20th anniversary celebrations in Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
in 2000. A sunset remix of "Beautiful" was recorded and mixed by Lenny Ibizarre, the leading chillout DJ/musician on the island. The song went on to be used in a major advertising campaign by Estee Lauder
Estée Lauder Companies
Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The company has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
and was chosen for the title track of German film Der Eisbar. In 2003 "Beautiful" was covered by Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
and released as the lead single for her hit album Harem
Harem (album)
Harem is a 2003 album by English singer Sarah Brightman. It mixes her operatic voice with Middle-Eastern and Indian rhythms and vocals. Thanks to an idea of Frank Peterson, the producer of this album, in the song "Mysterious Days", they included the vocals of the late singer Ofra Haza, who worked...
.
Instinct and Solace
Mandalay's second album Instinct was released in 2000 and co-produced with Andy Bradfield (Everything but the GirlEverything but the Girl
Everything but the Girl was a two-person English band, formed in Hull during 1981, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, and singer Ben Watt . They are currently inactive although vocalist Tracey Thorn hinted that they may reform someday...
, Future Sound of London, Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
) and Yoad Nevo
Yoad Nevo
Yoad Nevo is a London based producer/mixer known for his work with Jem, Pet Shop Boys, Bryan Adams, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Dandy Warhols, Goldfrapp, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Moby, Air, Morcheeba, amongst others...
(Jem
Jem (singer)
Jemma Griffiths , better known as Jem, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Finally Woken, includes elements of rock, new wave-styled electronica and trip-hop...
). MK from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
states, "Instinct draws inspiration from jazz and classical music to create resolutely elegant, affecting pop .... lush and expansive, Instincts musical world is perfectly realised."
The first single from this album, "Deep Love", was remixed by Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney is an Indian-British musician, producer and composer. His critically acclaimed work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of jazz and electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics and spirituality...
- Mandalay went on to support Sawhney on his UK/London dates. Performances at Ibiza's chillout festivals followed including "Las Dallias" and "Dreamdaze" culminating in a headline performance at The Big Chill
The Big Chill (music festival)
The Big Chill is an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle during early August...
festival in the UK.
In order to consolidate their position in the United States (where they were known mostly by hearsay and association), Mandalay released an America-only compilation album called Solace in 2001. This comprised a mix of tracks from Empathy and Instinct (both previously unavailable in the US) and was packaged with an 11 track remix album with contributions from Wagon Christ
Luke Vibert
Luke Vibert is a British recording artist and producer known for his work in many subgenres of electronic music. Vibert began his musical career as a member of the Hate Brothers, only later branching out into his own compositions...
, Alex Reece
Alex Reece
Alex Reece was an influence of the jazzstep sound, a mix of drum and bass and jazz, and one of the musicians under the Metalheadz collective, who also works under the pseudonym of Fallen Angels....
and Charlie May. Solace sold more than 44,000 copies in the US, and the band made a brief tour to promote it.
Split (and post-split)
Although the band was on the brink of an American breakthrough, Mandalay ended in 2002 when Hitchcock and Freeman parted ways shortly after the release of Solace, due to artistic and personal differences. Hitchcock has hinted that one of the main reasons for the split may have been her frustration at Freeman's tendency to control the music production, which in turn blocked her input. She has, however, also confessed to missing her musical relationship with Freeman since the breakup of Mandalay.Hitchcock went on to collaborate with a number of other artists (many of the results of which appeared on her 2005 album Passive Aggressive) and is currently working on her next solo album. Freeman went on to pursue a career in film and event music, which he had already begun with his work on the score for the 2001 film Far From China.
Solace (2001)
Disc 1- Not Seventeen
- Like Her
- Beautiful
- Deep Love
- It's Enough Now
- This Life
- Flowers Bloom
- Enough Love
- Don't Invent Me
- Insensible
- Kissing The Day
- Believe
- I Don't Want The Night To End
Disc 2
- Beautiful (12in Canny Mix)
- Not Seventeen (Attica Blues Remix)
- This Life (Cevin Fisher Dub)
- Beautiful (Lenny's Sunset Mix)
- Deep Love (Charlie May Remix)
- This Life (Wagon Christ Mix)
- Flowers Bloom (Alex Reece Remix)
- Deep Love (Nitin Sawhney Remix)
- Not Seventeen (Futureshock Alt. Mix)
- This Life (Boymerang Remix)
- Beautiful (Calderone After Hour Mix)
Instinct (2000)
- Not Seventeen
- Don't Invent Me
- Like Her
- Deep Love
- No Reality
- You Forget
- Simple Things
- Too Much Room
- What If I
- It's Enough Now
- Believe
- Not Seventeen [Only Child Remix]
- Not Seventeen [Tom Middleton Cosmos Mix]
- Deep Love [Charlie May Remix]
Empathy (1998)
- This Life
- Flowers Bloom
- Insensible
- Another
- Enough Love
- All My Sins
- Opposites
- This Time Last Year
- Kissing The Day
- Beautiful
- About You
- Beautiful [Canny Mix]
In popular culture
- CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
used two of their songs: "I Don't Want The Night To End" was played in the episode "You've Got Male" (Season 2, Episode 12) and "Like Her" was used in the episode "Play with Fire" (Season 3, Episode 22).