Evan Marien Releases “We Are All You”
Top sideman, composer (Baby Raptors) and producer/bassist Evan Marien has dropped his fourth solo release, We Are All You.
The seven-song collection features not only the bassist’s own compositions but also a cover of Weather Report’s classic “Teen Town,” and he said he knows the cover might garner listens from people unfamiliar with his work. He said covers seem to intrigue people lately, “and my version of Teen Town might lure them into listening if they are unfamiliar with my music.”
The Berklee College of Music grad said his music is reflective of what he enjoys listening to, like artists on the Brainfeeder and Luckyme Labels as well as musicians like Herbie Hancock and bands like Weather Report.
“My new album is a style blending improvisation with modern grooves and electronic textures. Some songs can be described as fusing elements of hip hop and soul with jazz improvisation, others have a more modern video game-ish vibe [and] I even get into some rock vibes on the new EvanxDana [Dana Hawkins] song “Finale”. My music is just a little bit of everything, but leaning more towards the EDM and instrumental worlds with this album.”
While We Are All You isn’t a solo bass record, its songs were created with the bass at their center, he said. “Sometimes that meant defining the bass as the melodic instrument on songs, or sometimes that meant creating all the elements and textures first and adding bass last. Then I would usually be able to feel a way to compose and organize sections and ideas. I feel a lot of emotion from movement in the bass. I’m hoping that translates.”
Hear if it does, on the album’s opening track “I Can’t Complain”:
You can order and download the digital album at Marien’s Bandcamp page.
We Are All You Track List:
- I Can’t Complain
- Stand Still
- Squares
- Teen Town
- Aeon
- Finale (Evan Marien x Dana Hawkins)
- Aeon (Stix Beiderbecke remix)
