Hot on the heels of his free gift, the hip hop and R&B ‘piano mixtape’ Pianist Envy, Chilly Gonzales announces the release of his new single in the UK on Erol Alkan’s label, Phantasy Sound.
The track ‘Never Stop’ is taken from forthcoming new album Ivory Tower, produced by Boys Noize and due for release later this summer. The single follows in the wake of Gonzo’s last rapturously received Piano Talk Show at the Bloomsbury Ballroom earlier this month. His last month-long residency of sold out and now infamous Piano Talk shows at The Pigalle Club last November saw everyone from Chris Morris and The Mighty Boosh to Erol Alkan and James Ford jostling for a place, and Jools Holland challenged to a piano-off!
‘Never Stop’ marks a musical departure for Gonzales from his last album Soft Power (2007) as he delves into yet another genre with ease, seemingly doing it better than all the poor schmucks who spend a lifetime trying. From the stark finger click intro, swiftly joined by the layers of piano and Gonzo’s ‘never stop’ vocal refrain, we are taken on a deft and addictive journey that builds into an acidic euro pop crescendo. ‘Do it again?’ Don’t mind if we do thanks.
Being the hardest working man in music and all, Gonzo is also in the process of shooting a feature length film that shares the same title as the new album, Ivory Tower. Co-written by himself and Celine Sciamma (who wrote the award winning French film Waterlillies) and starring Chilly, Tiga and Peaches, the film charts the story of two champion chess-playing brothers in love with the same girl. Currently being shot in Toronto, more news on this soon…
Chilly Gonzales live dates:
20 May Liverpool Alma De Cuba
31 July London Field Day Festival
10 Sept Isle of Wight Bestival