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CLAUDIA FANIELLO: NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE

Michael Bugeja

Nov 29, 2015
5 min

CLAUDIA FANIELLO: NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE

Claudia Faniello is without a doubt one of the more familiar female faces, and voices, on the local pop scene. Her popularity is as much the result of her persuasive performances within the festival circuit as well as her occasional foray into the mainstream, and one cannot deny that the string of radio singles she has released to date revealed a rather interesting and different side to this charming lady's musical range and interest. In the wake of her latest single Miles A

JAZZ AT HOME AND AWAY

Michael Bugeja

Nov 22, 2015
4 min

JAZZ AT HOME AND AWAY

Not for the first time, Maltese drummer Luke Briffa has been collaborating with foreign musicians, in this case Italian guitarist Mirko Montaldi and Lithuanian Gediminas Stepanavičius on double bass. Working under the name of The Montaldi Project, this three-pronged international musical venture was formed with the primary aim of delving into free jazz, improvisation and structured music. The trio will be playing live at St James Cavalier, Valletta on Saturday, November 28, w

AN OPUS FOR OBLIVION

Michael Bugeja

Nov 22, 2015
5 min

AN OPUS FOR OBLIVION

It's safe to say that 2015 has been a great year for Weeping Silence. Not only was the first edition of their Metal Over Malta Festival - held last March - a great success; the event also helped to consolidate the band's position on the international scene. Indeed, further to the several foreign appearances already performed, the band has already been confirmed to appear at a number of significant live events next. In fact, with brand new album Opus IV Oblivion in hand (and a

BRUSHWORKS: ECLECTIC INSPIRATIONS

Michael Bugeja

Nov 8, 2015
4 min

BRUSHWORKS: ECLECTIC INSPIRATIONS

To anybody familiar enough with the Maltese music scene, the slightest mention of the name Franco Tartaglia will always be followed by the words 'guitar player'. Immersed in music and basically attached at the hip to the guitar since early childhood, Tartaglia has earned a reputation for seamless eloquence and masterful handling of the six-stringed instrument through sheer determination, hard work and a God-given natural flair for all things musical. Having been involved in s

ŻIGUŻAJG ON AN OUTING

Michael Bugeja

Nov 8, 2015
4 min

ŻIGUŻAJG ON AN OUTING

"If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain." Familiar words to most people without a doubt, and ones many of us have actually had to put into action too at some point or other . These same words capture the very essence of the concept behind the Żigużajg on an outing project, wherein a collective of local and international musicians will reach out to young people and help them to discover new and different forms of music in a celebration o

WHAT ROCKED AT ROCKESTRA

Michael Bugeja

Oct 25, 2015
3 min

WHAT ROCKED AT ROCKESTRA

There has always been an evident effort towards establishing an effective balance between pop and rock in past editions of Malta's biggest concert, but this year in particular, it was openly stated that this year's edition would be the 'rockiest' ever, putting the rock back in ROCKESTRA and then some! It was therefore no surprise that the setlist was brimming with some of the best-known classic and modern rock anthems and hits but, with ROCKESTRA being more of a mainstream e

CRYPTIC STREET'S INSIGHTFUL, INTRIGUING STRANGER

Michael Bugeja

Oct 4, 2015
3 min

CRYPTIC STREET'S INSIGHTFUL, INTRIGUING STRANGER

2012 almost seems like a long time ago after listening to Cryptic Street's Malta Arts Fund-supported debut EP Stranger, which was released last month. The obvious pop streak that dominated both their award-winning debut single Indecisive and its 2013 follow-up Retrospect has clearly been diluted on their latest offering. In its place, these five young ladies have opted for a broader vision, a riskier one perhaps that seems more focused on establishing a lingering effect on t

LYNDSAY: IT’S ALL ABOUT POP

Michael Bugeja

Sep 6, 2015
3 min

LYNDSAY: IT’S ALL ABOUT POP

There's always been an evident pop streak in all of Lyndsay's single releases to date, regardless of which genre she happened to be exploring at the time. Having dabbled in mainstream rock, acoustic pop, club music, power ballads and even dipped her toes in leftfield pop on last year's sublime Regent Street, her new single Sick Day is quite possibly her strongest statement in this regard. It's a catchy, flowing number with a subtle pulsating beat that more or less qualifies i

BEWILDERED BY BIG DEAL

Michael Bugeja

Aug 23, 2015
4 min

BEWILDERED BY BIG DEAL

Signed to the prestigious indie record label Mute, UK duo Big Deal have been making waves with their critically-acclaimed 2011 debut Lights Out as well as their 2013 sophomore album June Gloom. The latter's fuller sound unveiled a magnificent melee of fuzzy guitars, saccharine melodies and dream-pop inflections that have consolidated Big Deal as main contenders for the indie crown. Michael Bugeja speaks to Big Deal's Kacey Underwood and Alice Costelloe ahead of their performa

TRIBALI WITH A BANG

Michael Bugeja

Aug 16, 2015
5 min

TRIBALI WITH A BANG

Quite likely Malta's top world music act, Tribali are most commonly known for their pulsating live performances, brimming with positive energy and vibrant colour. It is however, also worth mentioning that perhaps their biggest (and most overlooked) achievement is that of successfully bringing ethnic sounds to the Maltese masses. proof of which are the significant crowds that turn up at each and every one of the band's concerts. Further to a series of foreign summer festival a

HERE COMES THE SUN!

Michael Bugeja

Jul 27, 2015
5 min

HERE COMES THE SUN!

'They came, they saw, they conquered' is probably the best way to sum up last year's Malta visit by Australian band Caravana Sun. Their performances at Earth Garden were not only energized but also truly captivating. Proof of this is the incredible vibe the band whipped up with its spirited performances and infectious songs. It is an effective combination that they've practically perfected thanks to their constantly busy schedule of live performances back home in Australia as

MUSIC SCENE STILL ON THE RISE

Ramona Depares

Jul 21, 2015
2 min

MUSIC SCENE STILL ON THE RISE

Radio show ROCKNA, hosted by DJ Michael Bugeja, celebrated its fifth anniversary with a four-bill line-up and a live broadcast from Hard Rock Malta at the Valletta Waterfront. The event was introduced by Radio 101 station manager Charles Saliba, who also opened the evening’s edition of the radio show. Saliba reminisced about how the show kicked off soon after he had approached Bugeja to discuss the idea. Bugeja then found himself experiencing the other side of the coin, as he

CELEBRATING THEIR JOURNEY

Michael Bugeja

Jul 20, 2015
3 min

CELEBRATING THEIR JOURNEY

Where to begin? That's the question that first sprang to my mind when I thought of jotting down some words about Winter Moods' recent 30th Anniversary concert. I'd seen the band perform countless times before, a good number of them dating back to the early days when the band's backdrop was certainly no giant digital screen, the PA not an arena-sized set-up and the venue not the magnificently renovated Fort St. Elmo. Yet even standing on a simple stage in some village youth ce

A MUSICAL RIDDLE

Michael Bugeja

Jul 20, 2015
5 min

A MUSICAL RIDDLE

More popularly known as an accomplished and respected composer as well as a talented and passionate musician, on the side Dominic Galea is also the founder of Heritage Records. Now in its 11th year, the independent label has amassed a rather unique catalogue that includes a variety of works by local artists as well as Galea's own releases. In recent years the label has also been the vehicle for the artist's immersion in Maltese poetry, an ongoing musico-literary expedition th

WARREN GALEA: THE MUSIC THAT MOVES HIM

Michael Bugeja

Jul 13, 2015
5 min

WARREN GALEA: THE MUSIC THAT MOVES HIM

He is just 24 years old, a music teacher for the past three years and last year's winner of the Malta Jazz Contest. A guitar player above everything else, his name is Warren Galea and he is one of a new breed of musicians hailing from genres as vast and different as classical, indie, metal, rock, folk and pop to embrace and explore jazz, and rather than feeling they have to abandon their roots, find ways to integrate the different styles. Equally inspired by "Mozart, Parker,

EARTH GARDEN 2015: SO MANY ACTS, SO LITTLE TIME

Michael Bugeja

Jun 22, 2015
3 min

EARTH GARDEN 2015: SO MANY ACTS, SO LITTLE TIME

With a line-up boasting more than 50 acts spread all over three main areas (four if one counts the Greek Theatre), it's no secret that the Earth Garden Festival has grown in leaps and bounds since its first edition was staged almost a decade ago. The upside of this is a wider spectrum of artists on offer with a broader appeal that has certainly been essential in boosting bigger attendances. The downside of course is that, there being simultaneous schedules, one can never actu

RIKKI LEE: TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Michael Bugeja

Jun 21, 2015
4 min

RIKKI LEE: TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Summer's here, and on top of the gorgeous weather, singer Rikki Lee's back, his trademark smile as bright as ever. He's got plenty to smile about too, as he's just released a banging dance track that's so catchy it's guaranteed to have you singing along to it right after the first listen. He may have been keeping a low profile these past few months, but his name, and particularly his music wasn't thanks largely to his last single Feel Alive, which occupied a good chunk of the

A FLAIR FOR FINGERSTYLE

Michael Bugeja

May 10, 2015
5 min

A FLAIR FOR FINGERSTYLE

Revered as one of the world's finest acoustic guitar players, his success is perhaps all the more significant for the effective way he has brought an otherwise acquired taste to the attention of the masses. A uniquely influential artist, he is without a doubt a virtuoso whose attention to detail and melodic timbre, coupled with his nimble fingerstyle and a natural flair for music has touched millions of people, as much via his engaging live performances and perhaps even more

A GOOD START TO THE FESTIVAL

Michael Bugeja

Apr 19, 2015
3 min

A GOOD START TO THE FESTIVAL

This year's Rock the South was the first to stretch over four days, and with over 44 acts on the billing, it's little wonder the starting times were a little earlier than usual. In fact, by the time I got to Zion on opening night, Central Strip were already halfway through their set, but I heard enough to convince me this band has been working very hard since clinching second place at the recent Battle of the North competition. Fronting mainly original numbers (bar one), the

THE LADYBIRD IN THE LOWLANDS

Michael Bugeja

Apr 12, 2015
5 min

THE LADYBIRD IN THE LOWLANDS

Photo by Peter Twigt 2014 was a very busy year Maltese singer-songwriter Alex Alden, and rightfully so. After moving to the Netherlands in 2013 soon after releasing her debut EP The Curious Child, last year she relocated from Utrecht to Rotterdam. Describing the move as a bit awkward, "in the sense that it was a drawn out 'in-between' phase of moving from one city and lifestyle to another completely different one", she admits it was a spontaneous decision, quickly adding howe

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