Music's Newest Sound is 'Metro Retro'

"A blend of the trendy with blasts from the past" describes the music on "Sonic Tonic," the new album from commercial producer Scott G, who records under the name The G-Man, states Brian Forest, VP of G-Man Music & Radical Radio, the music production company in Los Angeles.

"Today's sounds from clubs, raves, trance music, and iPod culture remixes all comes together in the music of The G-Man," Forest adds.

"Plus, The G-Man adds to these stylish sounds by using beats that recall the best of music from the '70s, '80s, and '90s," Forest points out. "Songs on the 'Sonic Tonic' album combine electronic pop elements of artists like Kraftwerk, Devo, OMD, Human League, Talking Heads, Gary Numan and Thomas Dolby."

The resulting new music is described as "metro retro" by Forest, meaning "an amalgamation of now and then, new and old, trendy and true," he added.

Track one on "Sonic Tonic" (coming March 1 from Delvian Records) is a good example of the metro retro style. Called "You Are Invited," it has the relentless percolating drum patterns of Devo, the chord progression of today's Euro-dance tunes, and the clavinet sound from a Stevie Wonder track on the 1972 "Talking Book" album.

Another track on the new album is "Surrender to the Sound," which combines elements of Bootsy Collins' funk bass lines with the jazzy rock of Steely Dan. Other tracks, "Relax to the Max," "And She Waits," and "Make Your Move," contain synthesizer tones that recall OMD, Human League, and Gary Numan.

"The dance music on 'Sonic Tonic' is very modern and will fit into playlists alongside the Flaming Lips, Moby, Plastikman, Chemical Brothers and The Crystal Method," notes Forest, "yet many tracks also recall such hit and underground groups as Spandau Ballet and Thomas Dolby."

All music on the album was composed and performed by Scott G utilizing a mixture of sequencers, electronic drums, and electric guitar. "The combination of machine music and instruments played by a human creates aural pleasure," G stated. "Um, please be sure to spell that a-u-r-a-l. Thanks!"

Delvian Records distributes the music of independent artists who embrace the crossover market that is emerging in the new media age. Enjoying the impact of musical diversification, Delvian offers music in a wide range of genres, including electronic/dance, rock, lifestyle, rap/R&B, comedy, and inspirational. By special arrangement between Delvian, Gate Media, and Apple, all of The G-Man's albums are on iTunes as well as in physical distribution.

The Gate Media Group provides manufacturing, marketing and promotional services for artists, recording firms and corporations. In addition to music-oriented customers, their clients include the US Army, Whirlpool, Century 21, HBO, and The New York Times.

OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark), Spandau Ballet, Human League and Thomas Dolby are all primarily known for songs in the eighties. Kraftwerk redefined electronic music in the seventies. Talking Heads spans the seventies and eighties, while Gary Numan does the same for the eighties and nineties. Steely Dan reaches from the '70s to the '00s. Bootsy Collins backed James Brown in 1969, was in Parliament/Funkadelic in the '70s, and continues to set the pace on bass even today. Devo stretches from the seventies to the nineties, while Stevie Wonder had huge hits in each decade since the sixties.

Scott G is a creative director for NARIP, a member of NARAS, and a journalist for the Immedia Wire Service and MusicDish. His primary business is G-Man Music & Radical Radio, where recently he was the voice artist and music composer on commercials for Verizon Wireless, Goodrich, Micron, and The Auto Club.

"I enjoy hearing my music in so many different situations," G stated, "whether it's a club, a college radio station or a commercial. Now the goal is to get the Sonic Tonic tracks into everyone's home or car, one way or another."

Contact:
*Brian Forest and Scott G, Immedia Wire Service and G-Man Music & Radical Radio, 818-223-8486; immedia @ pacbell.net; http://www.gmanmusic.com
*Paddy Holland, Delvian Records, 925-256-1770; music @ delvianrecords.com; http://www.delvianrecords.com
*Frederick Wilson, Gate Media Group, 800-655-1625; sales @ gatemedia.com; http://www.gatemedia.com