Life Project: Press

The contagious electronic beats produced by HiRO? (Patrick Giles' alter ego), and executive produced by BASE mastermind Steven Giles, elevate Angie Giles' beautifully optimistic lyrics and commanding voice, to a higher level of achievement - the kind that creates change in the world

A collaboration between a talented Perth duo linked by blood and by music, this is a Project of Life. Local producer, DJ and all round musical chameleon, HiRO? creates the beats and soundscapes for which vocal diva extraordinaire Angie Giles stamps her distinctive and powerful voice all over. Recorded in Miami, this debut is a fine sample of the classy international flavours cooking in the Life Project hotpot. On the whole their music is ambient, downtempo, lush and loungey, with themes of life and love (Me and My Tribe, Are You Ready, Breath of Life, Charmed), and world-class production. You could hear most of these tracks sitting comfortable alongside Lamb, Groove Armada and Moby on any given MoS Chillout album, but it's the ease with which they break out of this mould into more diverse territory that hints at the potential here. High Life is based on an infectiously tight tribal beat and vocal hook, Here And Now has a charming pop innocence and sweet melody, while current single Never Too Late reveals Giles' love of a good garage breakbeat. Elsewhere Giles' trained, pitch-perfect voice transports you to the Deep South, with the soul revival sing-along Love Rocks, Love Rules and Life Is The Messenger.

Next up were the headlining Life Project. Comprising the 
aforementioned wunderkind HiRO? plus vocalist Angie Giles. Opening with their own Deuce compilation contribution - Me & My Tribe - it's fair to say imprisoning their sound on a little synthetic disc in no way does them justice. Their live act is quite breath-taking. Giles' powerful vocals swoop, soar and soothe in turn. One moment a glorious hum and whisper -the next a rising wail to blow your heart, mind and ear-holes as one. And all the while, the ever-energetic, ever-entertaining, ever- 
passionate HiRO? fiddles, twiddles and dances behind his little magic-suitcase - bearing his shiny sparkly moniker. If you've never caught a HiRO? live performance before - then do. In addition to his obvious musical abilities he is the consummate showman. Bopping. Bouncing. Pumping his fists in the air. Imploring you to feel the vibe in the same special way that he can. It's hard not to be swept up by his obvious energy and enthusiasm.

Angie,

I love the CD, especially The Cut. When I say I love the CD, I don't mean in that polite, "well done" kind of way. I mean I LOVE it. Colin and I were listening to it (the first time) while we ate dinner. He said: "Angie really is one of the great singers of all time." He's quite right of course.

As per, your lyrics are wondrous and the melodies sublime. While The Cut is my favorite and on permanent repeat, I like having The Mix in my collection for when more cutting edge folk are visiting so I can quickly switch and appear cool.

More please.
Love,
Claire
PS Feel free to tweak and quote me: Claire Fordham, Author, Plus One: A Year In The Life Of A Hollywood Nobody.

"THE BEAT GOES ON" - Music is a family affair for Miami's LIFE PROJECT.
By Martin Haro.

It has been three years since the transplanted Aussie-duo, lyricist and vocalist Angie Giles and her nephew-producer Patrick Giles(a.k.a. HiRO?), released its eponymous debut album, LIFE PROJECT, under the banner of BASE/Music For LIfe, the label of BASE, the lifestyle store on South Beach's Lincoln Road.

Angie says the process of creating the new album, LP2, "was far more relaxed and easier in every way," adding that the new material refers to episodes not just in her life, but in the lives of those around her. "My Mother died just before I came back to Miami in 2006, and then a much loved ex-boyfriend committed suicide," she said. "In between these two events my niece, Pat's sister, had a baby. That's where 'Nu World' came from, for instance."

The new release, LP2, which LIFE PROJECT has previewed for one year at its residency at the Delano Hotel, is as rich in contagious electronic beats as its predecessor. The sound is just as ambient, lounge-y and soaring as ever, but it definitely has a harder edge. Miami Living chatted with LIFE PROJECT on the eve of its album's spring release.

ML: What was the inspiration behind the new album?

Angie Giles: The new album is about renewed energy and faith in the collaboration between LIFE PROJECT and Base, and, of course, it was largely inspired by our surroundings on South Beach. From Pat's perspective, eating scrambled eggs with a dsh of hot sauce at David's Cafe in the mornings, accompanied by lashings of Latin and Afro-Cuban beats, was the perfect way to start each studio day. His beats inspire the melodies and lyrics I write. I tend to write lyrics all the time anyway. I fill notebooks with ideas and lines, all of which are just waiting for the right track to give them life as a new song.

ML: Did you record the album in Miami?

Patrick Giles: We did, and it was an amazing experience. It definitely had and effect on the end result, and on us. Angie and I didn't actually start working on the album until we settled back in South Beach in November, 2006.
We're the type of people who like to keep editing and evolving our ideas. But we also understand that there comes a point where you must share those ideas with the public,otherwise it's pointless.

ML: what comes first, the music or the lyrics?

PG: Generally, i'll create the bones of a track and then Angie will have worked out the basic hook and the melody within moments. It's a long- running joke that it takes me hours of programming to create the tracks, but it takes her just minutes to have the song worked out.

ML: Tell us about the residency at the Delano Hotel.

AG: The Delano residency came about through a strong association between the hotel and BASE, which has the store in the lobby. In the last two years we'd been asked to take part in a couple of events for Winter Music Conference, so when the offer came of a regular Thursday night there, we leapt at it. The entire staff has been incredible to us since our first gig back in May, 2007. We have been able to road-test every one of our new tracks before committing them to the final recording, and frankly, that's been an absolute gift. People from all over the world come to the Delano, and it never ceases to amaze and delight us the broad spectrum of those who will stay to enjoy the whole set. It's brilliant.

ML: What would you say if I called you the next big thing in music?

AG: We'd say thanks very much, that'd be very nice.....and can we quote you? ML