..................PRESS

Damien Roach (8i8), 2005:
Laptop artist, The Shadow Orchestra a.k.a. Chris Bangs, after being holed-up with his computer for the past year has recently unleashed an impressive collection of new material. Displaying an affinity for lush melodic hooks and counterpoint coupled with an appetite for skittering rhythms and wild digital signal processing, listening to The Shadow Orchestra is like taking a wander through one of Escher's fantastically complex drawings, where an atmosphere of perfect order and symmetry temporarily evaporates to reveal a landscape of chaotic reverie.

Live Performance Log:

Radio Airplay:

14/01/07: Oban FM: Transmission Two.
13/01/07: BBC Radio Merseyside: PMS.
09/01/07: Radio Ceredigion (Wales.)
08/01/07: Oban FM: Transmission Two.
07/01/07: Oban FM: Transmission Two.
04/01/07: BBC Radio 1: Huw Stephens.
13/12/07: BBC Radio 3: Late Junction.
11/12/06: BBC Radio 3: Late Junction.
02/09/06: BBC London Radio: Gerry Lyseight.
14/07/06: Radio 1: Giles Peterson.
22/07/06: BBC London Radio: Gerry Lyseight.

Festivals:

04/08/06: The Big Chill: The Sanctuary Stage.
03/09/06: Mini Chill: Main Stage.

Venues:

08/11/06: Leeds Uni Student Union, Leeds: Canvas Arts Night, Headlining Act.
29/10/06: Ginglik, London: Seventh Knight, Headlining Act.
27/07/06: The Spitz, London: Mavryx, Headlining Act.
03/07/06: The Notting Hill Arts Cub, London: Craft Night.
24/06/06: Shillibeers, London: Baked Beats.
23/06/06: The Fleapit, London: Headlining Act.
19/05/06: Utrophia Collective Project Space.
01/05/06: Shillibears, London: Baked Beats.
27/04/06: The Bear, London. Utrophia Night.
20/03/06: Monkey Chews, London.

Band Biography:

Found sounds, haunting melodies, crazed rhythms, tricks and surprises make up the music of The Shadow Orchestra, AKA producer and composer, Chris Bangs. A distinctive blending of Electronica, Post-Rock, Jazz, folk and Classical instrumentation, including cello, harp and glockenspiel, The Shadow Orchestra explores the joyous possibilities of melody, rhythm and texture.

Like a lot of musicians, Chris grew up listening to his parents record collection, which largely consisted of blues, folk, and world music, and spent a large amount of time trying to emulate what he heard on Casio keyboards bought from Argus, and, when he could, other people's pianos.

With the rise of the PC in the 80s, Chris became fascinated with the idea of using computers to make music. During his time at school he spent a large amount of time, (when he should have been doing PE), sat in front an Atari running a copy of Notator; from that point onwards, he was hooked.

At the start of 2002, having just finished a post grad in Electronic Music, Chris was keen to record a new batch of material with the aim of combining the complexity of the electro-acoustic music he'd been studying, with the melodic sensibilities of pop, rock, jazz and folk. About the same time, after many years of neglect, Chris started picking up the cello again, now a key element in the Shadow Orchestra sound.

The project began to take shape over several years, during which time Chris worked in a music shop in Central London. This enabled him to build up a small project studio, whilst at the same time meeting lots of like-minded musicians; this is where he met guitarist Chris Warren.

By August 2005, Chris had built up an impressive collection of material and had begun playing out across London. However, by the start of 2005, Chris had become tired with the limitations of the laptop set, and after a particularly demoralizing set, vowed never to play another one again. It was time to assemble the Shadow Orchestra orchestra!

As luck would have it, he didn't have to look far and in a few weeks managed to bring together a diverse and talented group of musicians from around London consisting of:

Chris Warren, guitarist; Chris spent many years working as an engineer for the Cocteau Twins, and their influence is certainly not absent from his spacious and ethereal guitar sound. As well as performing with the Shadow Orchestra, Chris, also plays with hands in the air kitchen sink pop band Bib.

Kat Arney, harp; Kat specialises in classical and contemporary harp, as well as playing both Clarinet and Bass Clarinet. Kat is also performing with 3 other bands at this festival, Digitonal, Bussetti, and Chilled by Nature. She also performs with acoustic indo-jazz outfit Sunday Driver as well as regular solo harp performances at the Spitz Bistro in East London.

Natalie Sedgewick, violinist; Natalie has been playing violin since a young age and has performed in various orchestras foras long as she can remeber. Currently as well as her role in ther Shadow Orchestra, she also performs with live drums and bass / classical crossover group, the London Breakbeat Orchestra.

Dave Oliver, Drummer; Dave has been playing professionally for 15 years and has toured across Europe and the States with various artists. He has worked with many Jazz greats including clarinettist Richie Howard and vocalist Narada Michael Walden. He also plays in festival reggae band, Hobo Chang.

They officially release their debut album in February, (however copies of the album are already available from iTunes and a number of independent retailers.) The album features, amongst other highlights, a gorgeous collaboration with new Scottish singer-songwriter and double bassist, Amy Duncan on Rain Music, the theme to Backpacker Orpheus, a play about the Asian Tsunami which premiered in London's West End, composed using recordings taken from a Javanese Gamelan and a celebration of the lost art of whistling.

Chris describes the new album as "a creative homage to my many musical influences, from the experimental electronica of Aphex, Four Tet and DJ Shadow, to the multi-rhythmic playing of Ali Farka-Toure and Toumani Diabate, from the emotional expressionism of Van Morrison's early releases to the experimental compositions of Charles Mingus, Moondog and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra."

Click here: to download a copy of the latest press release to accompany the release of the debut album.