Lemongrass „Hypnosis“

In
the wake of his stimulating download EP „Ambient Land“ which surprised
as the first Lemongrass ambient release ever, Roland Voss did some
homework to drop his first ambient album. And he did so with diligence,
inspiration and dedication. As was the vibe on the EP which the basis
of the 12 album tracks is taken from, the overall impression is of some
dreamlike atmosphere, where gravity has ceased to exist and weight has
lost its meaning. Extended to full album length, Lemongrass creates an
artfully induced state of relaxation and concentration in which deeper
parts of the mind become accessible and respond with joy. No beats but
a pleasing breeze makes you explore the wonders of your inner self.

The
opening track „Star Child“ calls for universal love and takes the
listener on a journey to acknowledge his inner strength and positive
energy. We are all star children ! The gentle keys of „Polar Nights“
take you into endless space, the purity of which is best compared by
ice crystals and a flawless and innocent white. „Eclipse of the Sun“ is
only strings and marks a break in time when you hold your breath and
everything stands still. Then, slight variations of the sound pattern
lead the way for peaceful introspection. „Coral Reef“ wraps you up in
soothing warmth. The tender strings are enhanced by bubbling sounds,
like fresh oxygen in the turquoise calmness of the sea.

After
that, it’s time to move on. „Voyager“ has a floating vibe, a feeling of
seeing the beauty of the world passing before your inner eye in the
most breathtaking samples. Or is it you in space, admiring the blue
planet earth? „Moonwalk“ is of such reconciliating quality that it
opens up the heart and firmly plants a feeling of profound gratitude.
„Inner Worlds“ is the track which probably most refers to the album
title. Attentive listening reveals some disturbing underlying sounds
and a train-like movement pushing you on. Above these inner currents is
a redeeming hypnotic sound pattern calling for tranquility. One of the
album’s finest moment appears with the opening chords and gently
stroked cymbals of „Water People“. This track is so amazingly beautiful
that it feels like colourful flowers popping up everywhere around you.
Pling, pling, there are some more. The concluding „Lake of Lava“
strikes a more energetic chord, plucking vibrant sounds and sending
them drip-dropping into the depth of the universal consciousness.

The
album which also includes the tracks „Silent Dream“, „Evolution“ and
„Summer Scent“ is so diligently arranged and beautifully crafted that
it leaves you with a unique feeling of harmony and serenity. A truly
hypnotic experience baring your soul’s most positive energy to
yourself.

Tracklist:
1. Starchild
2. Silent Dream
3. Polar Nights
4. Eclipse Of The Sun
5. Evolution
6. Coral Reef
7. Voyager
8. Moonwalk
9. Inner Worlds
10. Summer Scent
11. Water People
12. Lake Of Lava

Listen to some of the tracks on the special MySpace site www.myspace.com/lemongrassambientland

Label:  Lemongrassmusic
LC12644 - www.lemongrassmusic.de
CD Release:  February 13th 2009
Digiatl release: February 10th 2009

LEMONGRASSMUSIC CD SHOP

Released on Lemongrassmusic on Feb.23rd 2007. You can listen to Filmotheque in the Lemongrassmusic-Shop

Lemongrass ..Filmothèque"


With his ninth album in ten years, Lemongrass goes back to his roots he first musically explored with his classics ..Lumière Obscure" and ..Voyage au Centre de La Terre". In contrast to his previous releases and counteracting the present trend he does without vocals, draws heavily from jazz influences and gives way to amazing and sparkling ideas.

In spite of his new approach, ..Filmothèque" is once again a true Lemonglass album which captivates with imaginative arrangements. Each track opens a new door to virtual worlds, leading the listener straight into cineastic plots full of breathtaking landscapes and charismatic characters. The panoramic view ranges from black&white vintage detective stories to Japanese animation art, modern science-fiction and love stories from daily soaps. There’s plenty of room for melodramatic turns .. and some of the movies evoked still wait for being directed. At the end of the day there is no limit to the listener’s imagination. And - for goodness sake - without the interruption of dreary commercials.

To get a first impression of the masterpiece, you best tune in to ..Salon de Musique", a track which holds most of the album’s powerful ingredients: beautiful arrangements, jazzy elements and a fascinating story behind every single beat. Stronger love vibes (peppered with James-Bond-style suspense) can be admired in ..Elle et Moi". Jazzy as never before is the sound of ..The Camera" and ..Fritz the Cat" - opposed by the following ..Aloha" which could be labeled as Lemongrass’ trademark serenity on the highest level. Listen to ..Daydreamer" and you’ll come across the story of a feathery love affair, then switch to ..Spaceship" to discover how majestic a feeling solitude can be. ..Les Affaires" is a deep dramatic bow to the sound of the ..film noir’ genre while ..Streets of Yokohama" offers some truly sophisticated sound with a mellow funk groove. ..At home" takes you into a stylish living-room heated by a flickering fire and pleases with sparse but smooth horn arrangements.

Merriment is what you feel when listening to ..Hot Day" (reminding of some early Lemon Jelly tunes) but as beautiful as every single track may be, all leads up to the album’s crowning highlight. Since St. Germain’s legendary 1995 album ..Boulevard" there has definitely not been such an awesome jazz-based track as ..Grass-hopper", a cornucopia of stimulating impulses for mind and soul and irresistibly moving your legs. Better keep your dancing shoes at hand!

With ..Filmothèque", Lemongrass continues the legacy of his remarkable success and creates his own genre: space romanticism with a touch of playful Japanese aesthetics. To put it another way: An album to dream of and fall in love with.

..

More information on: www.lemongrassmusic.de

Lemongrass „Pour l’Amour"

Roland Voss aka Lemongrass has every reason to celebrate. His brand-new album „Pour l’Amour" is his tenth in a row of outstanding releases and continues to play with jazz elements already known from the preceding album „Filmothèque". In contrast to his previous instrumental approach, the sound on the new album gains further momentum by the beautiful voices of three female vocalists: Hamburg-based artist Skadi (known from "Fleur Solaire"), Tokyo singer Mayu (known from „Ikebana") and New York songstress Manalili add truly soul-tickling pleasures.

Whereas „Filmothèque" presented itself as a genre-bending album incorporating the most diverse ingredients, themes and plots, „ Pour L’Amour" comes as an all-embracing encyclopedia covering the eternal theme of love, which perpetrates the album in all facets transforming the overall theme into inspiring music with sense and sensibiltiy.

„Pour L’Amour" has it all and thoroughly finds the perfect corresponding sound: from the city of lovers („Cafe de Paris") to the sea of love („Ocean Kisses"), from aperitif and dinner to holding hands on a walk („La Promenade"), from the racing pulse and poetry of the heart („Habla Mi Corazon") to the seductive fragrance of the beloved („Ton Parfum"), and from the merriness of the first shared holidays („Les Vacances") to yearning remembrance and evocation of happy days („Nostalgia").

Whoever once jumped into the refreshing waters of a private pool with his hot new love will appreciate the playful beats of „Swimming Pool". „Le Ciel" and „Aperitif" give excellent proof of how much life can be coaxed out of the venerable jazz genre. And right from the first beats, „Dinner With You" has candles flickering and hearts throbbing. An animating, elating and magical conjuring of the power of love.

With beautifully exhaled vocals, Manalili gives „For All Season" and „Running Away" a delightful touch. Mayu lends her graceful voice quite exhilaratingly to „Tsuki" (the moon). And Skadi weaves through „Habla Mi Corazon" with a dreamlike mixture of French, English and Spanish. Here, careful listening promises extra pleasures, as the delicate organ solo once more underlines the skills and magic of Lemongrass.

With „Pour L’Amour" Lemongrass has managed to stay true to his extraordinary legacy while at the same time creating something altogether new. An hommage to love and an exquisite sensual treat. ___

Roland Voss aka Lemongrass lives and produces his music in the countryside in the north of Germany. His first active encounter with music happened in the field of Rock. Later, he began to turn to Funk, Jazz Rock, New Wave and HipHop before he let his experiences flow into Electronic beats. Apart from DJing, he earned his living as Jazz drummer, percussion teacher and with music productions for commercials.In 1997, the first Lemongrass track "Summertime" was released on the Incoming! "Submerged" compilation: this track was a D&B cover version of the timeless Jazz standard.

The first Lemongrass album "Drumatic Universe" was also released on Incoming! in May 1998 and was praised especially in France for the melancholic, dense and spherical D&B sound. After a short interlude with the side project Orbis, the Mole debut Lumière obscure"  from Lemongrass hit the stores and received much accolade by the music press while the accompanying single release "Comme Toujours" turned into a mellow club hit.

Spring 2000 witnessed the next album from Lemongrass "Voyage au centre de la terre"   on which he consistently further developed his style. Even before he had time to react to the tremendously positive and manifold press reviews, he was already in the midst of the production process for his fourth album "Windows"  which was released in February 2001, containing the charming cover version of the Winnetou melody. Roland¥s quickness in producing is in complete contrast to the laid-backness of his beats and keeps on surprising the mole label managers.

The next Lemongrass album "Skydiver" was released in March 2003 - another beautiful feelgood album within the universe of Downbeat, TripHop and D&B. Roland Voss and Daniel Voss stay true to themselves and offer mellow vibes resting on fat slow-motion beats. On "Skydiver" you'll encounter creamy sounds, melting away like vanilla ice in the sunshine, making you float through wafting clouds which only Lemongrass can generate. Lemongrass forages his magic chest, from where he salvages elegiac atmospheres, bewitching flutes, lugubrious vocals and even an old-fashioned musical box. He manages to easily fuse all these diverging elements and integrates them in a charming composition. In contrast to his previous work, Lemongrass increase their focus on experimenting with slow-motion HipHop Beats, a feature which allows joyful relaxation without turning the album into a sleeping pill.
Makes You Dive Deep Into The Sky!
The sunflower is a very special part of creation. It is graceful and proud. Despite all its beauty it is not just a treat for the eye but it also offers a lot of other values. "Fleur Solaire" - in english: sunflower - is called the new album a title that obligates. When you put ÑFleur solaire in the CD player you will feel like a field of sunflowers that follow the sun like the mirrors of a solar power plant to absorb as much power as they can. Roland Voss manages as usual to pull the listener into his spell. With Drum n Bass, TripHop, Downbeat and the best of Lounge sound, Roland Voss takes you on a journey into a dream world of music. Chill-out for your body and wellness for your soul."Fleur solaire", that also contains a few House elements, is good for active listening as well as relaxing background music and will soon be an integral part of your life. Once the CD stops there is an emptiness that can only be filled by pressing the play button again. When you follow Voss to his "Jardin" (title 5), accompany him to his "Petit déjeuner" (title 11) or "Body building" (title 12), you will immediately look for the repeat function of your CD player. Caution: It is addictive.The musician  - who produces near Bielefeld - harmonizes well with the singer Skadi from Hamburg with which he has recorded 6 titles of actual the CD. With her smooth voice, Skadi asks the listener to follow her (title 13, "Come with me").
Who would refuse this offer? Roland Voss has again done a very good job and has proven his impressive versatility.All in all the new CD contains 14 titles that are varied, melodious, and rhythmic and that compose a great masterpiece.
Just lean back, relax, and dream towards the (autumn) sun with Lemongrass
and "Fleur solaire".
If you want to make a time-travel, you need a time-machine. Or so you think. But you can do it differently - and more easily: Just take a CD player and the latest work "Time Tunnel" (2 CDs) from the founder of Lemongrass, Roland Voss, and off you go on an unbelievably exciting trip to the various and successful works of the last eight years of the artist, who produces in the proximity of Bielefeld. "TIME TUNNEL" is not simply a "Best of..." album of Lemongrass, but rather a retrospective. In addition, Roland Voss has deliberately selected several unknown and until now unreleased tracks. The idea of "TIME TUNNEL" was to create a chronological order - which also applies to the two time-travels "Backward" (approx. 2003 - 1998) and "Forward" (approx. 1997 - 2003). "ALL THERE", "ILLUSION", "NIGHTINGALES", "UMBALILA", and "OCEAN" are the five formerly unreleased tracks on the CDs, "LA PLUME", "BUCCA", and "ELEMENTS" had been released on the CD "SOLAR INCENSE", that was only available in Japan. "Elements"? Yes, Roland Voss really is in his element. And obviously has a lot of fun. Unreleased tracks, remixes, alternative versions, and rare tracks - "TIME TUNNEL" offers real novelties and is to the ears what the American cult series "THE TIME TUNNEL" used to be for the eyes: a (musical) adventure with many surprising turns, a brillant feat of fantasy. Easy, harmonious. Melodies you can¥t get out of your head. On his time-travel, Voss also stops at some well-known musical milestones from his first five albums that were published in Germany. Some of the stops are, for example, "LA MUSIQUE" (Skydiver, 2003), "JOURNEY TO A STAR" (Windows, 2001), or "LA MER" (Voyage au centre de la terre, 2000). "TIME TUNNEL" also offers an impressive insight into the musical development of Roland Voss, the rise of his style from the beginnings to the present.

If you are a fan of Lemongrass: Don´t miss "TIME TUNNEL"! If you are interested: "TIME TUNNEL" is an ideal start, which will make you want more! Much more! Take your time for two time-travels with Roland Voss and Lemongrass! But watch out: this double CD will only be released in a strictly limited edition!

In 2005 Roland Voss and his brother and partner Daniel Voss founded the label Lemongrassmusic and collaborate with labels and artists worldwide.
The first release on October 3rd 2005 was the new Lemongrass album Ikebana. Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, calls for dedication, imaginativeness and love for the basic material. Ikebana aims at harmony, drawing from shape, rhythm and colour.

Guided by the same principles, Lemongrass presents the brand-new album Ikebana (on his own label Lemongrassmusic) which paves the way for new musical expressions and thoroughly captivates as well-measured extravaganza.

Right from the first listening you happily indulge in numerous vocal-based songs. Supported by Japanese singers Mayu Kawata and Yuko Matsuyama, all 15 tracks interweave the most diverse musical elements and styles ranging from 1970s- inspired pop and disco, French House and breakbeats up to orchestral ballads and cinematic ambient tracks.
The elaborate composition, atmospheric intensity, filigree diversity of rhythms and the ocean of sound colours make Ikebana an outstanding effort. With countless breaks, recurrent subtle changes in speed, an inexhaustible reservoir of sounds and samples and two extraordinary singers, Lemongrass have reached the height of their creativity.

The second release on Lemongrassmusic is a compilation: Lemongrass Garden Vol.1, containing artists from Germany and Japan.



2007: Lemongrass - Filmothèque
With his ninth album in ten years, Lemongrass goes back to his roots he first musically explored with his classics „Lumière Obscure" and „Voyage au Centre de La Terre". In contrast to his previous releases and counteracting the present trend he does without vocals, draws heavily from jazz influences and gives way to amazing and sparkling ideas.



In spite of his new approach, „Filmothèque" is once again a true Lemonglass album which captivates with imaginative arrangements. Each track opens a new door to virtual worlds, leading the listener straight into cineastic plots full of breathtaking landscapes and charismatic characters. The panoramic view ranges from black&white vintage detective stories to Japanese animation art, modern science-fiction and love stories from daily soaps. There's plenty of room for melodramatic turns – and some of the movies evoked still wait for being directed. At the end of the day there is no limit to the listener's imagination. And - for goodness sake - without the interruption of dreary commercials.

To get a first impression of the masterpiece, you best tune in to „Salon de Musique", a track which holds most of the album's powerful ingredients: beautiful arrangements, jazzy elements and a fascinating story behind every single beat. Stronger love vibes (peppered with James-Bond-style suspense) can be admired in „Elle et Moi". Jazzy as never before is the sound of „The Camera" and „Fritz the Cat" - opposed by the following „Aloha" which could be labeled as Lemongrass' trademark serenity on the highest level. Listen to „Daydreamer" and you'll come across the story of a feathery love affair, then switch to „Spaceship" to discover how majestic a feeling solitude can be. „Les Affaires" is a deep dramatic bow to the sound of the ‚film noir' genre while „Streets of Yokohama" offers some truly sophisticated sound with a mellow funk groove. „At home" takes you into a stylish living-room heated by a flickering fire and pleases with sparse but smooth horn arrangements.

Merriment is what you feel when listening to „Hot Day" (reminding of some early Lemon Jelly tunes) but as beautiful as every single track may be, all leads up to the album's crowning highlight. Since St. Germain's legendary 1995 album „Boulevard" there has definitely not been such an awesome jazz-based track as „Grass-hopper", a cornucopia of stimulating impulses for mind and soul and irresistibly moving your legs. Better keep your dancing shoes at hand!

With „Filmothèque", Lemongrass continues the legacy of his remarkable success and creates his own genre: space romanticism with a touch of playful Japanese aesthetics. To put it another way: An album to dream of and fall in love with...


For further information visit the homepage: www.lemongrassmusic.de .

Roland Voss (Lemongrass) gave an exclusive interview to Slackline Radio in June 2007.
You can read it here:
http://www.slacklineradio.com/