Artist description shoegazing dream-pop post-rock swirly-fucked-up-digital-guitar-noise electrostuff

Music Style shoegaze/dream-pop rock

Musical Influences portishead, dirty 3, vivaldi, paradise motel, bluetile lounge,

Similar Artists my bloody valentine, ride, underground lovers, radiohead

Artist History 1998: A new sound stunned the Perth live scene: Hazel Bionic emerged from a long studio season of writing & recording to refine their sounds for performance. A unique approach to songwriting, dynamics and technology nestled beside traditional expressions of mood and emotion inspired audiences. A variety of live arrangements intrigued regular punters - from the traditional bass, guitar & drums to the ambient soundscapes of acoustic guitar, synth and sampler.Easter 1999: The Princess May Theatre in Fremantle Western Australia: The hundred-year old stone building houses a theatre audience of little more than a hundred people, and it was in this environment that Hazel Bionic spent the Easter weekend with their instruments and a Pro-Tools recording system.The theatre effect was two-fold. The delicious vibrance of the live room complimented the dramatic soundscape perfectly. The atmosphere of the dimly lit old building contributed to the dark, emotive feel of the songs. Five tracks were played live to disk in the ambient solitude of the Princess May.Hazel Bionic continued mixing the recording while taking time out to play live performances of an ever-varying nature. The last shows of 1999 saw the band improvising for 4 hours - providing a cinematic soundscape to the readings of 25 poets in an open air theatre. January 2000: Award winning West Australian film-maker Andrew Ewing directed a dreamy filmclip for the live favourite "Sinquessence". So, the Princess May [EP] multimedia CD was born - Five songs from the Princess May Theatre sessions and the filmclip to the opening track "Sinquessence" The CD was released on the 18th of March 2000 at the Rechabites Hall (the scene of the Filmclip to "Sinquessence") - a long abandoned theatre in the heart of Perth which once again provided the filmic atmosphere and meloncholy acoustics for the sounds of Hazel BionicJune 2000: Hazel Bionic have just laid down a track an upcoming INXS tribute album, to be released later in the year. June 24 saw "Kiss the Dirt (falling down the mountain)" submit to some serious Hazel Bionification at Survival Studios in Hillaries. Typically moody verses & choruses makes way for an epic rock ending, as is the Bionic way.

Group Members andy blaikie - guitar, vocals gregorie - drums, sampler scott simms - bass, keyboards

Instruments drum kit, swirly fucked up digital guitar noise, dead-evil bass tonez, samples of samples of samples

Albums the princess may [EP]

Press Reviews Princess May CD Launch - Xpress Magazine (The Princess May) CD was recorded in an old theatre, so what better way to air the new material than here? (at rechabites hall) Indeed, the brand of music the three create leans more heavily toward a theatrical tone, almost as if they are soundtracking a strange independent film rather than playing a typical 'gig'. The faithful lounged as if watching a film as the Bionics' music slowly unfolded. Like Mukaizake, they were to suffer at the hands of dodgy technology, but easily overcame these minor glitches in the early stages. Their washes of sampler and keyboard complemented Andy Blake's guitar and wide vocal range in a way sleep and dreaming go together. An ethereal quality underpins almost all of their songs along with a quiet menace, which is hard to define exactly. The material sprawls and soars with a hypnotic effect, avoiding comparison to contemporaries whilst remaining familiar. Somewhat folky, a little poppy, these inept terms quickly disintegrate when considering Hazel Bionic. Basically, it is refreshing to experience a band that is very much testing the boundaries without shredding ears and being all loud and silly about it. The results are perplexing but reward enough awaits those who listen.- SCOTT WOODSIDE.****Princess May CD Launch - Hype MagazineIt was Hazel Bionic's (night). Launching their EP which was recorded almost a year ago, the trio turned up clad in bare feet, thongs or otherwise. Casual in appearance and also in on-stage stature, the opening number gave a clean cut understanding of what the Hazel Bionic boys are into - diversity and variance within the realms of what a three-piece can do. This consisted of an array of keyboard sounds as well as a guitar pedal bank which makes Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood's pale in comparison. all very good - but can they put it to good uses? Yes. Hazel Bionic's brand of sonic pop, brimming with gyrating guitar effects, penetrating rhythms and amazingly full, opulent sounds is unique. Guitarist/Vocalist Andy Blaikie has the ethos of Medicine and about as much technical know-how as the Edge. "Out in your mind" kicked things off after the initial keyboard session and it wasn't long before the more popular Medicine/Lenola sounding 'Song from Oblivion' and 'Popsikill' were rolled out. The sounds got better as the mix improved, and when 'Sinquessence' was brought out last it just didn't quite feel like it was over. Live, Hazel Bionic can pull it off. It's what they do in the studio that will always be important. And in the case of 'The Princess May' - It's all there waiting for you.Stu Badhair****Demo EP - hEARd Magazine HAZEL BIONIC - (SELF TITLED) A demo? Sure as hell could've fooled me. This 4 track ep is total brilliance from start to finish. A slightly shakey moment at the very startof the CD production-wise is probably the only giveaway that this band arestill finding their feet, with a pretty impressive set of songs here & apparently only one other release behind them.Opening track "Popsikill" is probably the least indicative of the band'sfantastic sound, with a style here that reminds just a little of former Sydney band Drop City. There's just a little of that sound in the other tracks here, but they are even better.The remainder of the songs here have that epic feel of classic Radiohead material, with "To Be Reassured" definitely set for a classic indie tune given the right exposure, as is closer "Sinquessence", which has amarvellously broad guitar riff & percussion to die for, vocals on this track even reminding me slightly of Radiohead's Thom Yorke. A band whose time is definitely here - any record companies reading this, wake up & geton the phone.-Terry Allen

Additional Info check out the video to sinquessence at http://www.iinet.net.au/~bionic/hazel_bionic.mov

Location Perth, WA - Australia

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