Sleepin Giant is an Amsterdam-based producer who has been bidding his time for over a decade, refining his craft, honing his voice. Purple is his first official release, following a debut appearance on Brussels' On Point label in 2012 for the Sweet Rendez-Vous remixes.
Let's Get Serious is a digital single ahead of the EP's release in mid-April. The title track is taken from the EP while Hey Girl appears here as an alternate version, with the final version available on the EP.
Purple has been two years in the making, a journey that began with the track Glitch written with NYC-based poet Aja Monet. It was on the strength of this demo that Original Cultures convinced Sleepin Giant to put together a whole EP of his own soul music. Another two vocalists were added to the mix: Bristol's Romaine Smith, a young singer full of promise who has worked primarily with Typesun, and Amsterdam's Ruben Hein, signed to Blue Note and one of Holland's most striking voices.
The music on Purple is soul, plain and simple. It draws from the same spiritual place as the likes of D'Angelo, The Roots, Erikah Badu or Jay Dee - from inside, from the soul. It's music to fall in love to, music to make love to, music to dream to. On each of the five songs the vocalists recount stories we can all relate to, stories of love, of things past, of things coming. The musical backdrop is stripped down to its bare essentials with an irresistible interplay between drums and bass alongside warm, sultry melodies that compliment the singing.
credits
released March 31, 2014
Written by F. van Leeuwen, Ruben Hein and Romaine Smith.
Let's Get Serious published by Kneißt Verlag (Buma/Stemra).
Produced by F. van Leeuwen.
Mastered by Ian Carter.
Photography by Luca Sgamellotti. Design by Paper Resistance.