My new single – ‘Vanishing of Bees (Atlas to Earth Synthwave Remix)’ – releases on UN World Bee Day, Friday May 20th, 2022.
With a new music video too!
“Vanishing of Bees” (originally released in May 2019 on World Bee Day as a fundraiser for the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project) is the lead-off song from my ‘The Song I’ll Write for My Whole Life’ album, and it’s the first one I wrote for the album. In the song, I call upon the memories of my childhood self – my wonder and love for the natural world. The images collected in the song (giant trees swaying in the breeze, rolling in a pile of leaves) convey a child’s wonder and sense of freedom and joy. This is contrasted with the adult voice in the song…a voice that expresses grief for what has been lost…youth and the natural world threatened. My writing for this song, andmuch of my recent wrtiing, is preoccupied with capturing what we may soon lose in the climate emergency, and grieving that loss. It is also a call to action and a beautiful lullaby for a time passing and a way of life that is threatened.
I wanted to breathe new life into this song and into it’s message. I craved a departure from my signature sound of jangly guitars. I wanted to hone in on the lyrics, the melody and the message. I discovered Canadian composer, sound designer, producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brett Janzen’s work through musician colleagues Coastal Town (thanks for the referral!). Brett’s alter ego is alternative artist and remixer Atlas to Earth. His trademark is producing sounds that are intensely electronic, darkly atmospheric and epically hybrid orchestral. His mix features honeyed waves of synths that buzz in the “vanishing of bees” chorus (resembling the buzzing of bees) and then full stops before the drops to give the sense of the bees “vanishing.” Synthwave is a new frontier for me musically and I’m thrilled with the outcome!
Artist statement from Atlas to Earth
“Vanishing of Bees has a strong message about the species’ declining population. I wanted to provide a creatively fun take on the song without losing Kele’s original intention so we went with a more emotionally driven synthwave style remix with the lyrical content as a focal point. Kele was fantastic to work with and I hope this remix provides a fun rendition while keeping her message alive!”
Website: www.brettjanzen.ca
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wYf4Tlfkw6bidHIimuafC
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/brettjanzen
Remixed and produced by Atlas to Earth
Original vocal – Recorded by Sheldon Zaharko (Zed Productions) at Vancouver’s Warehouse Studios, January 2019.
Instrumentation – Atlas to Earth
Mastered by Stephen Pettyjohn, Ethereal Mastering
Single cover – Laforest Creative