Beatless | en

Beatless are Alex Attias and Paul Martin. They are currently working on their full-length Beatless album, "Life Mirrors", for Ubiquity Records, to be released October, 2001. The album features appearances from SoCal-based unique MC Quasimoto aka Madlib, The Daughters (vocalists of the Oakland-based rare groove legends the Sons and Daughters of Lite), keyboardist Jessica Lauren, and a host of London-based collaborators. From vocal gems to a heavy-weight club track or two, this will be an incredible debut of future abstract soul.

The first single "The Truth" - released in June 2001 - a two part slice of Beatless - part one is deep n' soulful downtempo business, and part two is a heavyweight spiritual club track. Imagine Marvin Gaye or Aaron Neville transported through time to a recording studio in West London, 2001. Remixes are also in the works and a second single, featuring a cover of the Roy Ayers/Dee Dee Bridgewater/Norman Connors classic "Love From The Sun", will drop pre-"Life Mirrors".

Both Martin and Attias have a ridiculous amount of projects on the go. Attias runs his own Visions label and records under the names Mustang, Catalyst, Plutonia (w/Dego of 4 Hero), and River Plate (with his brother Stephane). His work has been likened to that of Carl Craig and his "Jazz with Altitude" and "Dark Jazzor" have provided some of the best underground club moments from past years. Partnering Attias is producer/DJ/music connossieur Paul Martin, A&R man at London based Talkin' Loud records. In addition to DJ'ing at London's legendary Far East monthlies, and running things at Talkin' Loud (the label responsible for releases by Roni Size, MJ Cole, 4Hero etc) his Interfearence project with recording partner Tyrrell was a highly touted release for Electronically Enhanced/London records in 1999.

Plundering the endless resources of Afro-Latin and Brazilian music for funky beats, furious bass lines and punchy percussion, Beatless first appeared on Ubiquity with "Latinaire" - a single that kicked off the now acclaimed New Latinaires series. It's ironic that a band called Beatless would produce such a relentless party rockin' tune built around a Brazilian batucada style beat. But that's Beatless: unconventional and unique.

Working together since 1997 Martin and Attias have previously released music as Beatless for the Sirkus and Cornflex labels. Martin is a Londoner and Attias was born in Paris of Morrocan origin, and brought up in Switzerland. The root of the Beatless sound (the beats) is what will begin to distinguish them from their other projects. "It's funkier music, with maybe some Latin, and dub influences, but overall less complicated and more soulful than my other work", says Attias who's output to date places him at the center of the "broken beat" scene. Musical influences range from soul legends like Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone, to Chuck D, jazz and easy listening/lounge music. 2001 is as busy as it gets for the two, with Martin working on finishing up a new Interfearance album while Attias will mix volume 2 of his "Hi-Fi Jazz" compilations for X-Treme Records, put together a compilation for his own Visions label, and complete work on a mini-album with Jessica Lauren.

Attias and Martin DJ'd on the West Coast of the USA as part of the Ubiquity 10 Year Anniversary celebrations in Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2000. Both will be out for a full tour of the USA this Fall in support of "Life Mirrors". .