"Samarah's sound is very rarefied, her warm voice resonates among tiny clicks, tapping rhythms and warped melodies...." - igloo magazine
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: WWW.SAMARAHSPACE.COM
Igloo Mag Review
(02.10.06) I don't know many women in electronics, my only memories being the mighty Andrea Parker, Leila and Mira Calix. And to be sincere, I can't remember what the latest releases by Leila are, but I do remember how disappointing the last Mira Calix album was after the high expectations I had since the beautiful Prickle EP. This Samarah record dropped out of nowhere apparently, I've never heard of her and thus it's a great surprise to find such a fresh and classic work.
Samarah's sound is very rarefied, her warm voice resonates among tiny clicks, tapping rhythms and warped melodies. Very simple elements that build tiny moving moments, "Six For Seven" and "Sleep So Heavy" are probably the best: the former is surrounding and soulful, while the latter is a spooky, alluring whisper. Don't expect any technicalities nor weird DSP effects, the aim here is to achieve the maximum result with bare minimum equipment. This is not an easy job, unless whoever is at the controls has the proper skills, and this is for sure the case with Samarah: the demonstration comes from tracks like "Disconnected," where only a couple of minutes of piano and micro-noises impress the listener with their magnetic catchiness. She is irresistible again when she touches epic chords like in "What You Hold Dear," a really stunning piece of music.
I'm often skeptical towards new names but in this case I'm really glad to discover an artist that I hope to hear often in the future, especially because this half of an hour is definitely not enough. Don't discard this classification as too slow or lounge music, Falling Away is more subtle and unsettling than what you could think after a casual listening.
-Luca Maini, Contributing Editor, Igloomag.com
Bio
Samarah began playing piano at the tender age of seven and experimented with various orchestral instruments and choir during her childhood. By thirteen she was composing her own songs and a couple years later started a band. She played her first gig at a local bar and continued performing until she was seventeen. In the late 90's she discovered electronic music through the rave scene and was infatuated with the new sounds. Inspired, she bought her first computer and got her hands on any production software she could and began acquiring synthesizers, samplers and drum machines. The result was a dreamy, fluttering minimal sound that floats somewhere between IDM and trip hop.
In 2003 she self-released her first ep "So Lovely" consisting of lush ambiance and trip hop and the title track was picked up by Minneapolis Limited Records for a compilation. In 2004 she finished her degree in Graphic Design but found time to produce a follow up ep "What is Beautiful" that was nominated at the Madison Area Music Awards for "Best Electronic Album". The awards committee asked her to collaborate with a boy's choir to write a composition for the show. The performance was quoted as "The highlight...Samarah collaborating with the Madison Boy's Choir, created a haunting, altogether novel soundscape unlike anything else in the show." (dane101.com)
In June 2005 she released her most experimental ep "These Things" which showcases her refined production skills and ability to manipulate and create sounds. She blended keyboards and music boxes with found sounds from her silverware drawer and backyard that fabricates an art installation for the ears. The ep was picked up by netlabels Nishi and Electronical Records and has been well received. In November 2005 she released her first full-length album as a co-release with Zod Records.
Samarah has been a strong figure in the Madison electronic scene promoting shows and performing. She has played shows throughout the Midwest alongside artists Andreas Tilliander, Cepia, Pressboard, Large Number, Tiki Obmar, and others.