The lovely Florrie has posted a sneak peek of the Fred Falke remix of a new track called "Panic Attack". Watch it here. (video filmed and edited by Florrie and Toby Scott). The full remix, video and free mp3 is coming in the next few days hours... (here it is)
Also worth a look is the video that captured the moment when Mr. Falke played his remix of "Call 911" at the Ministry of Sound. Look carefully and you can spot Toby, Florrie and her bobble hat on the dancefloor.
Xenomania will take part in a Producers Masterclass Series at the British Music Experience. Other producers in the event (dates TBC) include John Leckie (Stone Roses, Radiohead, The Fall) and Steve Lyon (Depeche Mode, The Cure).
Gabriella Cilmi says that Xenomania only worked on one song on her new album because they were busy: "It was fun. We only ended up having one track on the record as they're so busy with other things. It's called Hearts Don't Lie and actually turned out to be one of my favourite tracks on the album. It was really fun working with them and the track has a really funky bass line."
Songwriter/vocal producer Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell is collaborating with Xenomania. Kuk Harrell is a member of a songwriting/production team composed of himself, Tricky Stewart and Terius "The Dream" Nash. He was the vocal producer and co-writer of Rihanna's "Umbrella", and a composer and engineer on Beyonce's "Single Ladies". He also produced Alesha Dixon's "Let's Get Excited" and the majority of the vocals on Mary J. Blige's album Growing Pains.
Producer/remixer Michael "Jaxon" Bellina has also been working with Xenomania. Jaxon is known for his work with DJs Phil Fuldner and Moguai. His Xenomania credits include Mini Viva's "Bedroom Viber", Sugababes' "In The Middle" and Girls Aloud's "Fling" and "Something Kinda Ooooh".
Sarah Harding has become the third Girls Aloud singer to announce she's working on a solo album. Sarah told The Sun that she wants to "step away from cheesy pop". Oh dear. Not the best choice of words to sum up the soundofGirlsAloud.
Xenomania are looking for a female/male vocalist to become involved in a duo. If you are or appear to be 20-25 years old, have a unique look, a great voice and a sharp attitude, apply here.
The very first Xenomania fansite, which had the most complete Xenomania discography you could possibly find, appeared to have vanished from the Internet, but most of it has now been archived. Take a look: http://oocities.com/xenomaniasite/
Xenomania are included in this year's NME's "The Future 50" - a list that compiles the bands, artists and innovators driving music forward.
NME says: «At 49 is Xenomania, the production duo that have redefined the notion of pop through their work with Franz, Sugababes, Girls Aloud and many, many more.»
The list, which is topped by Animal Collective, was compiled by the magazine after polling their contributors and staff writers for acts who are driving the music scene forward and inspiring people.
(Former) NME editor Conor McNicholas declares that «the dominant of skinny-jean, vest-wearing jangly indie boys is coming to end». And indeed, the list does seem to be more pop-centric than one would expect.
The inaugural Xenofest - a mini festival/garden party to showcase six of the acts signed to Xenomania Records - was held last Friday. The Xenomania mansion was open to receive journalists, PRs and record company people.
GQ describes the Xenofest as a "hit", adding that "pop music 2009/2010 is safe" in Brian Higgins' hands. Journalist Johnny Davis writes: «Xenomania's A&R girl had spent the last 18 months globe-trotting for talent - and their roster now included a throaty funk band, two Eighties-indebted indie-pop boys and a LA singer who'll give Pink a run for her money in the hair 'em, scare 'em stakes. Higgins himself stalked the garden in a zipped-up leather jacket, looking like a cross between Mark Fowler down the EastEnders market and an over-enthusiastic teenager.» Read the complete article ("Inside the hit factory") here.
Performing at the Xenofest were Mini Viva, Nightvisions, Pageboy, Vagabond, Alex Gardner and Jessie Malakouti. Read a few reviews:
-- MINI VIVA GQ: «two girls who share a Manchester flat together, whose future disco single "Left My Heart In Tokyo" sounded irresistible» This Must Be Pop: «I'd only heard the remixes that are on their MySpace before this, so I was hugely impressed with the proper songs. (...) Everyone was singing along when they played the studio version just after the performance, and most of us had only heard it once before.»
-- NITEVISIONS (aka The Electric City part 2) GQ: «euphoric electro-pop was so perfectly reminiscent of the Eighties someone joked they could have been Duran Duran's children - which, indeed, it turned out they were (the sons of Taylors John and Andy; Simon Le Bon's nephew was briefly on drums but was dismissed after being found to be "crap")» This Must Be Pop: «A male electro-pop band who were compared by audience members to Veto Silver and Phixx, but everyone agreed that Night Vision weren't as good as either of those bands. They easily got the least positive reaction of the night.»
-- VAGABOND GQ: «throaty funk band» This Must Be Pop: «I was surprised that they didn't do their current single, which is doing quite well and has grown on me quite a lot. They made up for it with good hair, and I can see them being one of the more successful of the Xenomania acts, but I could also see them being a big flop. Only time will tell!»
-- PAGEBOY GQ: «singer Brooke Gengras was discovered fronting all-female Led Zeppelin tribute act Lez Zeppelin in a New York bar and was just as brilliant a performer as that description would lead you to believe.» This Must Be Pop: «She's different to the other artists Xenomania has worked with, more of a singer-songwriter who might appeal to fans of Feist or Regina Spektor, but of course she's adding a Xenomania twist which will give her an edge over other similar acts.»
-- ALEX GARDNER This Must Be Pop: «A very young Scottish singer who seems like he could make a good popstar and is apparently high priority at the record label, but I didn't think any of his songs were especially good. I hope they'll find him something better to release, or he'll just be another in the track record of Scottish male popstars with disasterous careers. »
-- JESSIE MALAKOUTI GQ: «a LA singer who'll give Pink a run for her money in the hair 'em, scare 'em stakes». This Must Be Pop: «(...) the new stuff is excellent and apparently she's releasing a song through the Ministry of Sound label, which may be a good approach to take. She's gone from a Britney sound to a one-girl Girls Aloud, and I'm fine with that.» Popjustice: «Jessie is destined for quite big things - her tunes are pretty incredible and she's currently on tour with The Saturdays.» Jessie Malakouti is supporting The Saturdays on tour. Tonight is her first night.
GQ magazine writes that Brian Higgins is «notoriously exacting»: «you either work his way, or you're packed off on the train back to Victoria. Franz Ferdinand failed to see things his way for their recent album and went home with their tails between their legs (and a resulting album that dropped off the edge of the Top 40 pronto), and he'll neither confirm nor deny the rumours he once reduced Victoria Beckham to tears.»
«He expects his charges to put in long hours; something that doesn't always work with pop stars' schedules/egos and is the antithesis of producers like Pharrell Williams, who pride themselves in being able to knock out a Beenie Man b-side in an afternoon. "I can give Kylie a Top Five record in an afternoon," he once told me. "But what's the point in that?"»
«(...) Higgins' home is practically a stately home. It's certainly a house, a very big house, in the country. There's a swimming pool, ducks wandering past in the garden, rolling acres of greenery. Alice Liddell, on whom Lewis Carroll based Alice from Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, used to live there. (Higgins recently sold the Bentley, but that just left more room for the fleet of private reg cars on the gravel drive.)»
Last month, Xenomania's Brian Higgins and Miranda Cooper visited the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM). From the BIMM website:
«Founder Brian Higgins and Miranda Cooper, Directors and principle songwriters from the UK’s leading pop songwriting production house Xenomania entertained a jam packed lecture room. (...) They gave priceless information ranging from how to get into songwriting to the art of pop composition. Brian reinforced BIMMs ethos of a strong work ethic backed with simple approaches executed well and his belief that everybody has a top hit record inside them. It was a fantastic masterclass that gave an insightful and inspiring talk from people who are at the top of their game.»
The Brighton Institute of Modern Music is a modern popular music college based in the city of Brighton & Hove (England). Some of its past students include The Kooks, Beth Rowley and Stephen Carter, who signed with Xenomania in June 2008 and is now a guitarist in Vagabond. From BIMM's website:
«BIMM degree graduate Steve Carter signed to Xenomania Records and Warner Chappell Music. Steve secured his role as an in-house songwriter and guitarist for the company whose track record is enormous! (...) Steve will also be playing with some of the acts signed to Xenomania too. In response to his role in the company Steve said "it is an honour to be working with the greatest songwriters and musicians in the country, this is a one off opportunity and I am thrilled to be in this position!"»
Xenomania Records is seeking "exceptionally talented, dynamic young musicians" to form part of its busy house band.
The role will require a full time commitment, and involve regular rehearsals, gigs and showcases accompanying Xenomania's signed and unsigned artists.
Ideally, applicants should be aged between 16 and 25, have extensive experience of either live or session work, and possess a highly professional work ethic.
Send a photo, CV and mp3 of your playing for the attention of the General Manager, Will Gresford, at cvs@xenomaniarecords.co.uk
Shortlisted candidates need to be available for auditions on Thursday 14th May.
Feeling lonely? Jessie Malakouti will be doing a live chat thing on Facebook today. Jessie will be chatting on live video at 11pm GMT (UK time) / 3pm PT / 6pm ET. What you need to do:
1. Login to Facebook 2. Search for the SUPER WALL app or go to it if you already have it installed 3. Once you have the app added to your page, click on MUSIC at the top to get to the backstage area to chat with Jessie.
Jessie Malakouti has recently been back at the Xenomania studios writing and recording. Follow her on Twitter. and visit her MySpace page to listen to some tunes.
Alex Gardner has posted a live video of "Yesterday's News", performed recently at Water Rats, in London:
They were considered one of the "production outfits that have done more to define the sound of British pop over the past few years".
The Music Week Awards look to recognise excellence in the industry, encompassing retail, live, broadcasting, digital, marketing, promotions and PR. The award ceremony was held last night at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.
«There can be few production outfits that have done more to define the sound of British pop over the past few years than Brian Higgins and his writing and production team at Xenomania.
Since 2000, Xenomania has written, produced and remixed tracks for a string of successful artists including Sugababes, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Dannii and Kylie Minogue plus Texas, defining a sound and style that brings with it almost guaranteed success.
According to Higgins, Xenomania is so named because it represents a "love of everything", and the outfit's production work certainly reflects that, incorporating a diverse range of influences and styles while retaining a distinctly ndividual and recognisable sound.
It is Xenomania's flagship artists however, Girl Aloud, with whom they are most commonly associated. Since their formation o the back of Popstars in 2002, Xenomania has written and produced for the group exclusively, playing a defining role in their success.
Girls Aloud's fith and most recent album, entitled Out Of Control, was released in November last year and has provided perhaps the greatest recognition of Xenomania's talents yet. The album debuted at number one on the UK charts with the first single The Promise topping the charts and giving the group their fourth number one. The single also helped the girls to their first Brit Award in the publicly voted Best Single category.
The Xenomania writing and production team includes Nick Coler, Giselle Sommerville, Miranda Cooper, Lisa Cowling, Tim Powell and Matt Gray, while their successes last year also took in Gabriella Cilmi and Alesha Dixon. The latest string to their bow is coming in the shape of Vagabond, the recent Geffen signing whose debut is due later this year.»
Girls Aloud's "The Promise" won the year's Best British Single at the BRIT Awards tonight, voted by the public. It's the first BRIT award of the group's career. Coming onstage, the girls looked absolutely thrilled and happy (and a little bit drunk) - for a moment you could even see Nadine Coyle and Sarah Harding singing the song as they walked the stage. Kimberley Walsh thanked Xenomania "for writing an amazing song".
"The Promise" is a song written by Brian Higgins, Carla Marie Williams, Jason Resch, Kieran Jones and Miranda Cooper and produced by Brian Higgins/Xenomania. Congratulations to Girls Aloud and Xenomania!
To end the ceremony, Pet Shop Boys received the "Outstanding Contribution to Music" and performed a medley of the duo's classics. Among them, was Pet Shop Boys' brand new single "Love etc." and "All Over The World", from their new album Yes. Watch the full performance here.
Xenomania is a songwriting and production house based in Kent, England. It was founded by songwriter and producer Brian Higgins.
Since 1996, Xenomania have written, produced and remixed tracks for a string of successful artists including Girls Aloud, Pet Shop Boys, Sugababes, Dannii and Kylie Minogue, Saint Etienne, Cher, Gabriella Cilmi and many others.
The lovely Florrie has posted a sneak peek of the Fred Falke remix of a new track called "Panic Attack". Watch it here. (video filmed and edited by Florrie and Toby Scott). The full remix, video and free mp3 is coming in the next few 
Gabriella Cilmi says that Xenomania only worked on one song on her new album because they were busy: "It was fun. We only ended up having one track on the record as they're so busy with other things. It's called Hearts Don't Lie and actually turned out to be one of my favourite tracks on the album. It was really fun working with them and the track has a really funky bass line."
Sarah Harding has become the third Girls Aloud singer to announce she's working on a solo album. Sarah told The Sun that she wants to "step away from cheesy pop". Oh dear. Not the best choice of words to sum up the sound of Girls Aloud.
