Etro Anime
Encyclopedia
Etro Anime is an electronic
band
from New York City
formed in 1998. Musical genres used by the band include drum and bass
, deep house
, trip hop
, and breakbeat
. The name "Etro Anime" means "to be infinite in spirit."
The band currently consists of Anais Alonso, Ted Birkey, Harold Davis Jr., Thom Bell, and Gregg Jarvis. Previous members include David Fisher, Tom Welsch, Shambo Pfaff, and Liset Alea, who recorded a solo album for EMI
titled No Sleep after leaving Etro Anime in 2005. As of 2006, Fisher and Birkey have been producing tracks for Etro Anime's next release featuring vocalist Alonso.
Etro Anime's single
"Danger" was used as the introductory music for the video game Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
.
, the lineup included programmer/sax/trumpeter David Fisher, programmer/keyboardist Ted Birkey, bassist Tom Welsch, and drummer Shambo Pfaff. The band also included guitarist Kerry Trainor, who wrote and recorded with Etro through their first record.
They were one electronic group that prioritized their live sound first before actually tackling the recording studio. In 2002, they released their first self-produced full length LP on Entry 1 Records distributed by V2 in Benelux to critical acclaim.
From the buzz, the band landed their first ever-European Show at the 2002 Amsterdam Dance Event. Hot on the heels of their remarkable live debut in The Netherlands, Etro secured a support slot on Kosheen's sell out 2002 tour of Austria and Germany. The band made a swift return to the mainland European stage for an appearance at the 2-Day Frequency Festival in Salzburg, Austria. Etro Anime shared the Alternative Tent along with Kosheen, Sneaker Pimps, and Das Pop. They finished the year supporting the Frenchman, DJ Llorca and signed a publishing deal with Chrysalis Records.
Early in 2003, Liset, Ted, and Dave worked in Amsterdam with Dutch Dance phenom John Kanselaar and finished two singles to add to the album while developing new tracks for Etro's next release. Liset took advantage of the opportunity to tour with French DJ, Alex Kid later that summer and ultimately left the band to pursue her solo career.
In early 2004, Neurodisc Records picked up "See the Sound" along with the Maxi-Single Summer Rain for the U.S. release. Capitalizing on the US dance market, the first single, "Summer Rain" climbed to no. 20 on the U.S. Dance charts in March 2004. After spending a year and a half searching for Liset's replacement, the group has finished their next release for the fall of 2008 featuring their coveted new band member, co-writer, and vocalist Anais Alonso.
Their second full length album "Spreading Silence" was released via digital distribution, March 15, 2010, at etroanime.bandcamp.com on Neurodisc/Universal Records featuring additional vocalists Jeff Baldwin, Katy Gunn, Shatta Mejia, and Jessie Nieuwenhuis, and additional production from Jeff Baldwin, David Fisher, John Kanselaar, Keith Schweitzer, Joe Tagliareni, Matt Vacca and Malik Worthy.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
formed in 1998. Musical genres used by the band include drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
, deep house
Deep house
Deep house is a subgenre of house music that fuses elements of Chicago house into the 1980s jazz-funk and touches of soul music. In the early compositions , influences of jazz music were most frequently brought out by using more complex chords than simple triads which are held for many bars and...
, trip hop
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...
, and breakbeat
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
. The name "Etro Anime" means "to be infinite in spirit."
The band currently consists of Anais Alonso, Ted Birkey, Harold Davis Jr., Thom Bell, and Gregg Jarvis. Previous members include David Fisher, Tom Welsch, Shambo Pfaff, and Liset Alea, who recorded a solo album for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
titled No Sleep after leaving Etro Anime in 2005. As of 2006, Fisher and Birkey have been producing tracks for Etro Anime's next release featuring vocalist Alonso.
Etro Anime's single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Danger" was used as the introductory music for the video game Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, known in Japan as , is a PlayStation 2 role-playing game developed by Atlus and first released in Japan on July 15, 2004...
.
History
Etro Anime cultivated a loyal fan base by translating their studio work into well-executed performances where samples intertwined with live drums, bass, keyboards, sax and trumpet, supported former lead singer Liset Alea on stage. While playing clubs such as Izzy Bar and Mercury LoungeMercury Lounge
The Mercury Lounge is a club/music venue, in the Lower East Side section, of New York City. The structure, at 217 East Houston Street, housed the servants to the Astor Mansion, connected to it by an underground labyrinth of tunnels...
, the lineup included programmer/sax/trumpeter David Fisher, programmer/keyboardist Ted Birkey, bassist Tom Welsch, and drummer Shambo Pfaff. The band also included guitarist Kerry Trainor, who wrote and recorded with Etro through their first record.
They were one electronic group that prioritized their live sound first before actually tackling the recording studio. In 2002, they released their first self-produced full length LP on Entry 1 Records distributed by V2 in Benelux to critical acclaim.
From the buzz, the band landed their first ever-European Show at the 2002 Amsterdam Dance Event. Hot on the heels of their remarkable live debut in The Netherlands, Etro secured a support slot on Kosheen's sell out 2002 tour of Austria and Germany. The band made a swift return to the mainland European stage for an appearance at the 2-Day Frequency Festival in Salzburg, Austria. Etro Anime shared the Alternative Tent along with Kosheen, Sneaker Pimps, and Das Pop. They finished the year supporting the Frenchman, DJ Llorca and signed a publishing deal with Chrysalis Records.
Early in 2003, Liset, Ted, and Dave worked in Amsterdam with Dutch Dance phenom John Kanselaar and finished two singles to add to the album while developing new tracks for Etro's next release. Liset took advantage of the opportunity to tour with French DJ, Alex Kid later that summer and ultimately left the band to pursue her solo career.
In early 2004, Neurodisc Records picked up "See the Sound" along with the Maxi-Single Summer Rain for the U.S. release. Capitalizing on the US dance market, the first single, "Summer Rain" climbed to no. 20 on the U.S. Dance charts in March 2004. After spending a year and a half searching for Liset's replacement, the group has finished their next release for the fall of 2008 featuring their coveted new band member, co-writer, and vocalist Anais Alonso.
Their second full length album "Spreading Silence" was released via digital distribution, March 15, 2010, at etroanime.bandcamp.com on Neurodisc/Universal Records featuring additional vocalists Jeff Baldwin, Katy Gunn, Shatta Mejia, and Jessie Nieuwenhuis, and additional production from Jeff Baldwin, David Fisher, John Kanselaar, Keith Schweitzer, Joe Tagliareni, Matt Vacca and Malik Worthy.