CL Gris are to release their debut four track EP, Words Collide, July 2. The EP will also be accompanied by three remixes of the title track, two of which are produced by Basement Jaxx¹s Felix Jaxx, and a third by the elusive Turing.
Breakthrough act CL Gris is the moniker of electronic music producer Area Grey and soulful singer-songwriter LostBoy. The pair, who formed in 2011, were discovered by Basement Jaxx in 2012 and subsequently signed to their record label, Atlantic Jaxx Recordings.
So what is the CL Gris sound? Far from what you¹d expect from a Basement Jaxx discovery. Cinematic soundscapes, whirling ethereal ballads, penetrating lyrics and spine-tinglingly fragile vocals grace the CL Gris debut EP, Words Collide.
Film score, Physics and Grey Area Thinking influence CL Gris heavily and have even inspired their band name; a pseudonym for the French ciel gris, or grey skies.
Originally from two sleepy corners London¹s suburbia, LostBoy from Sidcup and Area Grey, Taplow, the two now reside in thriving corners of London¹s creative scene, Bethnal Green and Crouch End respectively. Bracketing London, emerging from polar ends of the city, the two members of CL Gris have always brought different ideas to the table. LostBoy¹s intimately personal songwriting brings you within a whisker of propinquity, where Area Grey¹s epic cinematic productions sweep you away to far off places. The juxtaposition works beautifully and is an achievement untouched by others in the genre.
It is this balance of fragility of voice and dauntless production that make CL Gris different to their electronic peers. Although loosely tethered to the cutting edge of contemporary electronics, the CL Gris sound possesses an uncommon filmic quality. Whether the runaway title track Words Collide or the chasing Run, CL Gris will get your imagination dancing rather than your feet.
Much of the EP could be mistaken for a symphonic orchestral score with ethereal vocals reminiscent of a church chamber choir, such as with the track ŒTranslucent¹. That is, until your ear pricks up at the subtle jagged offbeats only achievable by an electronic producer with a teasing streak. Breakdown also hints at the film scores of the past (think Gone with the Wind), with soaring strings and surging climaxes, but the hypnotic ebb and flow of the synth and sexualized lyrics in the foreground, bring you forward to 2013.
As with the trailblazers of today¹s UK electronic music scene, CL Gris roots also lie in the old school 2-step garage beats of the 90¹s and are inspired by game changers such as Todd Edwards. Though as you can tell from the diverging tones of their sound, CL Gris has something refreshingly new to offer.
Films giants such as David Lynch have played an equally important role in the creation of CL Gris. Words Collide title track is accompanied by a video created by some of the most talented and established creatives in the UK film industry, Director of Photography Oliver Loncraine and Director Jo Beckett. A short film in itself, the surreal and beautifully shot happenings harp to a place equally unfamiliar as the track.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for CL Gris, with an arsenal of songs and instrumentals that effortlessly push boundaries still to come; the future for CL Gris looks promising.
CL Gris debut EP Words Collide, released July 2nd 2013.
