The Invisible (band)
Encyclopedia
The Invisible are an indie rock
/post-rock
band based in and originating from London
, and fronted by the singer and guitarist Dave Okumu, a long-time member of the London jazz
scene. The band formed as Dave Okumu's solo project but quickly developed into a full fledged band with friends Tom Herbert (bass & synthesizer) and Leo Taylor (drums). The Invisible extensively toured London locations before releasing their eponymous album in early 2009. The album and its third single "London Girl" received widespread attention and praise.
jazz
and fusion
scene for many years, working with musicians such as Django Bates
and Finn Peters
, while also being a member of the London based fusion community F-IRE Collective
.
He had previously formed the band Jade Fox alongside bassist Tom Herbert, but felt the urge to produce solo work with Herbert and drummer Leo Taylor. The three friends started working together in late 2006 and quickly developed into a full band. Due to their mutual connections from the fusion scene, the band was quickly picked up by Matthew Herbert
's Accidental Records which spawned the production of the band's first official release, the one-track 7 inch vinyl
"Constant".
In February 2008 the band's new single "Monster's Waltz" which had been available through their website at MySpace
was prominently featured by the influential BBC Radio 1
DJ Zane Lowe
and gathered further attention for the band which played numerous live acts, supporting bands such as Foals and Hot Chip
in the following months, while at the same time working on material for a full album.
The band's eponymous debut album was preceded by the single "London Girl", released in December 2008; their singles have been remixed by a number of acts, mostly fellow artists from the Accidental Records label, such as Matthew Herbert
and Micachu
, along with Hot Chip
and new producer Kwes
. The album itself was released on 9 March 2009 and was produced by Matthew Herbert
. The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Music Prize.
and TV on the Radio
, even though Dave Okumu has strongly denied knowledge of the latter of these.
The band received general praise for its first records, receiving 4 out of 5 stars from music magazines Q
and Mojo
for its first album The Invisible.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
/post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
band based in and originating from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and fronted by the singer and guitarist Dave Okumu, a long-time member of the London jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
scene. The band formed as Dave Okumu's solo project but quickly developed into a full fledged band with friends Tom Herbert (bass & synthesizer) and Leo Taylor (drums). The Invisible extensively toured London locations before releasing their eponymous album in early 2009. The album and its third single "London Girl" received widespread attention and praise.
History
Dave Okumu aka has been a member of the LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
scene for many years, working with musicians such as Django Bates
Django Bates
Django Bates , is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. He currently lives in Copenhagen where he is a professor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory and leader of the StoRMChaser orchestra.-Career:Django Bates was born in Beckenham,...
and Finn Peters
Finn Peters
Finn Peters is a flautist and saxophonist. He studied music at Durham University and took the postgraduate jazz course at Guildhall School of Music...
, while also being a member of the London based fusion community F-IRE Collective
F-IRE Collective
F-IRE Collective is a creative music community founded by Barak Schmool in London, United Kingdom. Additionally, the Collective also has a record label....
.
He had previously formed the band Jade Fox alongside bassist Tom Herbert, but felt the urge to produce solo work with Herbert and drummer Leo Taylor. The three friends started working together in late 2006 and quickly developed into a full band. Due to their mutual connections from the fusion scene, the band was quickly picked up by Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
's Accidental Records which spawned the production of the band's first official release, the one-track 7 inch vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
"Constant".
In February 2008 the band's new single "Monster's Waltz" which had been available through their website at MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
was prominently featured by the influential BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
and gathered further attention for the band which played numerous live acts, supporting bands such as Foals and Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
in the following months, while at the same time working on material for a full album.
The band's eponymous debut album was preceded by the single "London Girl", released in December 2008; their singles have been remixed by a number of acts, mostly fellow artists from the Accidental Records label, such as Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
and Micachu
Micachu
Mica Levi, known by her stage name Micachu , is an English singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. She is classically trained and is best known for experimental music in a variety of genres.-Biography:...
, along with Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
and new producer Kwes
Kwes
Kwes, officially stylized Kwes. is a British record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist musician.-Biography:Kwes was born and raised in Lewisham, South East London. He began playing his grandparents' organ at the age of four and his grandmother bought him his first small keyboard aged 5...
. The album itself was released on 9 March 2009 and was produced by Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
. The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Music Prize.
Reception
The band's tongue-in-cheek definition of their style of music is Experimental Genre-Spanning Spacepop. They have been compared to bands such as Bloc PartyBloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
and TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
, even though Dave Okumu has strongly denied knowledge of the latter of these.
The band received general praise for its first records, receiving 4 out of 5 stars from music magazines Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
and Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
for its first album The Invisible.
Singles
- Constant/Passion (7 inch single, 2007)
- Monster's Waltz (7 inch single, 2008)
- London Girl (single, 2008)
- OK (single 2009)
- Come TogetherCome Together"Come Together" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on The Beatles' September 1969 album Abbey Road....
(cover of The Beatles) (free download, 2009)
Guest appearances
- Spiral (single on Gilles PetersonGilles PetersonGilles Peterson , is a DJ, record collector and record label owner from London, UK. Through his labels Acid Jazz, Talkin' Loud, and latterly Brownswood Recordings, he has been associated with the careers of well-known artists of the 1990s such as Erykah Badu, Roni Size and Jamiroquai...
's Brownswood Bubblers Three Compilation, 2008) - Monster's Waltz (Rework Medley) (appears on Micachu & Kwes' Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.1Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.1Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.1 is the second mixtape album by musician Micachu and the first collaboratively produced mixtape album by her and London producer/songwriter Kwes...
, 2009)
External links
- The Invisible's Blogspot
- The Invisible's MySpace
- The Invisible at Accidental Records
- The Invisible on Last FM