Donwill - I See You feat. Ragen Fykes (Unmastered)
Posted by Crillmatic in Hip-Hop, Music, Tanya Morgan
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Donwill, one third of acclaimed hip-hop trio Tanya Morgan, is proud to announce the release of his debut solo album, Don Cusack in High Fidelity. The album, ingeniously inspired by the plot of the celluloid classic High Fidelity, will be released on March 23rd, 2010 via Interdependent Media.
Don Cusack In High Fidelity is Donwill’s musical representation of the movie from which it took its name. Not only is High Fidelity Donwill’s personal favorite film, but he identified with John Cusack’s character, Rob Gordon, so much that he created an entire album inspired by the movie. Donwill incorporated personal stories of falling in love, fearing commitment, hating his job, and learning life lessons, to create a clever and deeply personal musical interpretation of the film. Skillfully and artfully crafted using direct subject matter and quotes from the cult classic, the 16-track personal odyssey will resonate not only with fans of the original movie but also with anyone who has spent time trying to figure out the opposite sex. "The album is based on being in a state of perpetual pre-mid-life crisis," says Donwill. "Nothing in life will give you all the answers, but this album will help people find some of the answers they might be looking for."
Donwill faced unique challenges in creating his first solo record. Similarly to how lead character Rob Gordon managed the behavior of his record store employees, Donwill assumed the responsibilities of an orchestra conductor, guiding his featured guests to embody a key character from the film. Opio from Souls of Mischief assumes the role of Ian, Rob’s ex-girlfriend’s new lover while Che Grand assumes the character of one of Rob’s unruly record store employees, Barry, who was portrayed by Jack Black in the film.
Further exhibiting a new chapter in his career, Don Cusack also marks the first time Donwill displays his productions skills. In addition to enlisting Tanya Morgan producers Von Pea and Brick Beats, as well as A-Plus and Keelay & Zaire, Donwill also produced one of the album's 16 tracks, for the song "December 27th." "Originally, I was going to use the concept for a short EP and had made all of the beats myself," says Donwill. "One of those beats was a clear standout, so when I decided to expand the project into a full-length, and really give the album its proper due, I brought in other producers and used their beats along with mine. It really was just figuring what beats fit together best to create a common thread for the album's narrative."
For Donwill, one third of Tanya Morgan, a critically acclaimed group well known for their creatively themed releases, undertaking the challenge of creating an album based on a film is a natural progression. Other group members Von Pea and Ilyas will also release thematic solo albums this year; Pea’s Got to Have It in the summer and Hello, Hell in the fall, respectively. Tanya Morgan collectively views this string of solo releases as a trilogy of albums, each adding a key piece to the Tanya Morgan foundation.
Entries (RSS)