For more than eight years, the Seaport Music Festival has brought some of the biggest names in independent music to the Seaport for free summer concerts in lower Manhattan. Amassing audiences 3,000 to 6,000 strong, the festival has hosted stellar shows by the likes of Animal Collective, Battles, Deerhunter, Dirty Projectors, Hot Chip, The National, Suicide, and Wire, among others.
"For the past couple of years, we’ve been trying out a number of ‘D.I.Y" ventures via a grassroots creative collective of like-minded people,” says the series founder/producer, Stephen Dima. “Launching Seaport Music Records makes sense for us, not as a permanent home for artists and bands, but a place for them to try out new music and have it heard by new audiences.”
Martin Clancy is the first Seaport Music Records’ Artist in Residence. Clancy’s been commissioned to create, collaborate, and produce a series of releases for the label in 2010-11.
Dima and Clancy first joined forces in June 2009 on a project involving a Brooklyn Philharmonic live performance on Pier 17 coinciding with an elaborate pyrotechnics display above the East River. Subsequently, the pair decided to collaborate further on a series of limited-edition 12-inch vinyl recordings for the new Seaport Music Records label.
A native of Dublin, Ireland, veteran producer/arranger, musician and all around music maker, Clancy came to the label via his association with the UK hardcore dance label Fingerlickin’ Records.
After the nu disco package, featuring remixes from Grammy nominated StoneBridge, Brazil’s Platinum selling DJ Meme and remixer to the stars Richard Morel (Pet Shop Boys, Tina Turner, New Order, Depeche Mode, The Killers) smashed into the Billboard charts and took US college radio by storm, you would have forgiven Martin for dropping everything to fire out a quick follow up single – However, this is not Mr Clancy’s style.
Next up was The Elves of Heaven; a festive super group who not only had the honor of switching on New York City’s famous Seaport Christmas lights on November 26th joined by Soul legend Darlene Love (Christmas – Baby Please Come Home but also received a stellar reception to their EP “This Christmas”.
‘This Christmas’ kicked off the hotly anticipated 3 track e.p with seasonal bells and angelic voices, quickly ambushed by electric guitars, rock n roll drumming and a tongue firmly in cheek. It received outstanding Radio play entering the CMJ charts at number 14 (new adds) and played throughout the states on College and Specialist radio including heavyweights stations such as KLAX San Francisco, Bagel Radio San Francisco, KCRW Los Angeles, KTUH Honolulu, WICB ITHACA New York , WLFR New Jersey, WMVL Purchase New York , KCRW Santa Monica, WXPN Philadelphia, WXRT Chicago and KPNT St Louis.
Clancy has once again returned to The Witness Protection Programme and is currently finishing the much anticipated second single “You Can’t Stop the Rain” . Again a nu disco package with the return of remixers Stonebridge and Richard Morel along with the new additions of Chris Cox, Timmy Loop, Nightriders/ Emjae and Yiannis . Clancy hopes to maximize impact and improve on the first singles Billboard Chart placing (34 & 52 in the Hot Club Play and Dance charts respectively.
“A modern electric symphony...a rich melting pot of styles, grooves and beats…like floating in a massive vat of soft gooey stuff...A chill out record for the 21st century” – 9/10 HOT PRESS
Excellent..Clancy captivates with invention, hook laden tunes and real musicianship..well worth investigating” – TOTALLY DUBLIN
“The Witness Protection Programme is a clever concept …ridiculously over the top…the music’s a delight…. a clash of Lemon Jelly, Daft Punk, Chic and a hint of Sly Stone and Material”.. Clancy’s production is Studio 54 in the 21st century ..**** “ – SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
“Fast becoming our favorite DJ producer” – STATE MAGAZINE
“As stylish a dance record as your likely to hear all year….gels beautifully into a new and fascinating shape…a class act” **** ENTERTAINMENT.IE
“The first song is a pretty catchy number, better than your average indie xmas tune, very much in the JAMC/Phil Spector mold.
BROOKLYN VEGAN
The Elves of Heaven EP. It’s just your everyday, bipolar, indie Yuletide celebration. Bipolar indeed! But Festive, no doubt. For the highs, you’ve got “This Christmas” which has a fun Raveonettes feel and a killer video.For the lows you’ve got the Lou Reed-y “Hard Times on 34th Street” - LIMEWIRE.COM
“Sounds like a party to me.” - ELECTRICMUSTACHE.COM
“A dark offering of a song reflecting Clancy’s ability to switch from cheerful and light to reflective and meaningful.” - MUSIC SNOB .COM
But this isn't your everyday happy Christmas song, rather taking a nod from the pages of The Pogues' Christmas classic "Fairytale Of New York". - ANTIMUSIC.COM
