Anthony Valadez
DJ, KCRW host & artist extraordinaire Anthony Valadez presents us with the premiere listen to his just released EP Prelude To The Fade that is a served up sampler from his forthcoming album Fade Away available November 4 from Plug Research. Valadez showcases a plethora of the eclectic styles he has encountered as a radio host where he switches seats in the studio where the purveyor becomes an even more active participant in the process. Fade exhibits a bouquet & buffet of bountiful expressions that indicate the artist’s expansive electronic leanings that lean into the more chamber baroque sections of r & b intersections. Enlisting vocal assists from Maylee Todd, Mile Bonny & a host of artists to contribute some remixes; allow Anthony V. & company to expand your mind to future forward pop.
Prelude to the Fade begins with the original version of “Hurt” featuring Maylee Todd where strings, synths, & hypnotic vocals & restrained rhythms take over the situation. The following Nfnit remix of “Hurt” applies the focus on creating more atmospheres where there previously was none, entertaining the more obtuse & odd aspects of dissonance on the track. The PRN remix of “Fade Away” featuring Miles Bonny accentuates the slow rising & exhaling breaths that rises like a lazy & sleepy morning. The King Most Redirection remix of “Fade Away” discovers a whole new modern-abstract nu-jazz take on the track that you never want to end. You are also treated to the demo version titled “Fadeaway” that features Bonny’s rich & breathy vocals floating atop a more stripped down & muddier mix that is complete with gorgeous horns & piano touched adornments. Then to keep you patiently awaiting the release of Fade Away, the last remix comes from KYOSi that creates an entirely new percussive redesign for the horns and newly added sound tropes & motifs to enjoy.
Anthony Valadez described the making of the album Fade Away & the Prelude to the Fade EP with the following exclusive insights:
This whole project just kind of came together very organically over the past 2 years. The bulk of the production was recorded while dealing with family loss and I kind of think that’s why I went full throttle with the strings on the forthcoming album “Fade Away”. I wanted this album to strike a chord with people’s emotions. We live in a technological age where anyone can post songs on soundcloud or release material which is awesome! But I just wanted to create something that resonated or connected with listeners.
Every single collaborator on this album is someone I am a fan of. From the string arrangements of Nick Rosen to the rhymes of ADAD, the vocal delivery of Alex Isley to Maylee Todd, it still blows my mind that these folks were on board to build something with me. This is definitely a closed chapter and soundtrack for this period in my life.
The remixers on the Prelude to the Fade EP are friends who’s music sensibility I trust. King Most has long knocked out re-edits on soundcloud for years and that I have played on my KCRW show. It was a no brainer to get him involved. NFINIT has been behind the scenes wight he likes of Meshell Ndegeocello, Thundercat and many others and I’ve always wanted to work with them so this became the magic opportunity! Being that the album cuts are more melodic and mellow I wanted to contrast it as an EP with explores directions that seemed foreign to me. There’s no greater feeling then hearing what someone has flipped and created as their own.
Anthony Valadez’s Prelude to the Fade EP is available now via Bandcamp & iTunes.
