Carol C

NYC artist Carol C has released her debut solo album, Seven, today on Si*Se? Records.

Carol C's songwriting is a beguiling mix of paradoxes: conflicted then empowered, haunted then optimistic. The New York City native named her first solo album Seven- co-written with producer Justin Filmer (Liquid Agents) after the number of years it took to translate her recent life journey into a transcendent narrative. "All My Love," the first single off Seven, is both spacious and ethereal. After hearing one of Filmer's instrumentals, she penned the melody and lyrics for "All My Love" in just 15 minutes, after a couple of glasses of wine.

In a nod to her Latin-American roots, Carol C serenades a guitar in the Spanish track "Melodias." The exquisitely weightless chorus translates as, "Play me a song, and I'll sing with you. Sing me a song, and I'll cry with you." The melodious alchemist anoints the guitar her kindred spirit: Both their mysterious powers are at times darkly meditative, yet brightly assertive.

The album is a culmination of Carol C's artistic impact over the years. As member of the electronic-soul group Si*Se?, Carol C was signed to David Byrne's record?
label Luaka Bop and opened for him on tour. The band also opened for Kraftwerk, Arcade Fire, Gotan Project, Norah Jones, The Roots, and James Brown. Their music was featured on Six Feet Under and CSI, while her solo collaboration with Nickodemus, the slinky "Cleopatra in New York," landed on Sex and the City, and the movie HER. Carol C's work as a DJ has earned her major fashion events for Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, and countless others. Recently, Bjo?rk selected her to contribute to the Biophilia Educational Project, her music and science educational initiative.

"After working together for years, we have a good sense of what will spark ideas in each other, many times, just the mention of a song will provide a good framework for the direction we are trying to go creatively," says Justin. Typically, he writes instrumentals, she pens melodies off his ideas, and he tweaks the song after that. "I have a lot to do with the arrangement," she says, "because when I am writing lyrics, I hear the form in a very particular way. "Carol and I have a similar appreciation for dark textures and dissonance in music. The Cure and Depeche Mode are some definite influences," Justin says of Seven's cinematic undercurrent. "We used a lot more electronic sounds on this album and went for more gritty instrumental sounds to contrast Carol's lush vocals." (David Bowie favorite Mario McNulty subsequently engineered the album, while Bob Power, who's worked with D'Angelo and Erykah Badu, mastered it. There is a great beauty that runs through Seven: its lovely soulfulness. Carol's lyrics practically manifest themselves through her subconscious musing. The album marks a rebirth and a sense of hope for this new chapter. - Broadway World

The title for the upcoming debut from New York City’s own Carol C holds so much meaning. Out July 12th via Si*Sé Records, Seven marks the number of years that the singer/songwriter took to fully encapsulate the recent journey that her life has been taking her on. For starters, Carol was a member of Si*Sé, which toured with the likes of Kraftwerk, Arcade Fire, Gotan Project, Norah Jones, The Roots, and James Brown. As for her solo efforts, Carol signed onto the David Byrne’s label Luaka Bop. The opportunity to tour with the ex-Talking Heads lead capped off the whirlwind timespan.

Working closely with producer Justin Filmer (Liquid Agents) on the writing process, Carol created a space that the songs could be fluid and ethereal within Seven. The chemistry between the duo comes in full bloom in the first single off the new album, “All My Love.” Penned in just fifteen minutes, Carol’s vocals are sensual and warm which in turn paints a lusciousness tone within the lyrics. As for Filmer, he instrumentally installs a backdrop that is gritty and electronically driven. Overall, “All My Love” is a track that elevates a coolness all throughout the track. - Ghettoblaster

Electronic-soul artist, Carol C is poised to release her debut solo EP, Seven this Friday, July 12th. The seven songs on the aptly-titled EP chronicle the seven years that it took Carol to complete it, each track serving as a journal entry of sorts. A long time in the making, Seven is an incredibly cathartic and personal release, and finds Carol not only growing as a musician an artist throughout each track, but transforming as a person as well.

Carol C is best known as a member of electronic-soul group Si*Sé, which gained the attention of Talking Heads’ David Byrne in 2001, who signed them to his label Luaka Bop and brought them out on tour. With her debut solo album set for release this Friday, Carol C is also working on setting up some West Coast tour dates and will be playing a release show tonight, July 11th at the new NUBLU in NYC.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself for anyone who might be hearing your music for the first time?

I was born and raised in New York City. I’ve been in love with music since I can remember. As a kid I sang at my local church and then went on to study opera at La Guardia High School. I became a DJ after graduating college and then through the NYC nightlife scene met a group of musicians and started a band called Si*Sé. We were signed to David Byrne’s (Talking Heads) record label Luaka Bop after he saw us perform at a small club in the East Village. We also had the honor of touring with him. It was an amazing experience having David Byrne as a mentor.

You’re currently gearing up to release your debut solo EP, Seven this month! What are you most excited for listeners to hear on the EP?

These songs are like journal entries for me, each one narrating a different time of my life during the seven years I created them. Being that is took so long to make and release the EP, I’m just super excited to finally be sharing it.

As your debut solo release, did you have any big goals in mind when you first started working on Seven?

I didn’t have any specific goals in mind. I wasn’t even sure how I would release the songs. When I wrote “All My Love” it felt like I was entering the beginning of a new chapter in my life. They say the body and mind change every seven years, maybe there’s really something to that. It just felt like the right time to release what I had completed, which were these 7 songs.

Are there any important lessons that you’ve learned with your other projects that has helped you when working on your new music?

I think DJing has influenced me so much when it comes to songwriting and producing. I’m constantly on the search for new music to keep my DJ sets fresh and interesting. I find this process really inspiring. It’s almost like research. I also get to see what different crowds respond to musically. I feel like this inevitably has had a big influence on me and my writing sensibility.

The EP has been a long time in the making, too. What has been the most challenging aspect of working on it?

For me what usually delays the process is the songwriting, more specifically the lyrics. I typically write the melodies first and then the lyrics. The melodies seem to come to me more easily. Finding the “right” words to express what I’d like to say and have them phonetically fit nicely into the melodies I’ve already created, can be challenging for me. I also have to wait to be inspired to write and that can be pretty unpredictable.

So far, you’ve released “All My Love” and “Hide Away” from the EP. Can you tell us a little bit about these songs? What inspired them?

One night I was over at my producer, Justin’s place, listening to music and having wine when an instrumental came on. It happened to be a new track he was working on. I started singing a melody over it and suddenly the lyrics just came to me which hardly ever happens. We immediately went into the studio and recorded it. That’s how “All My Love” was born. It was meant to only be a “demo” but we weren’t able to recreate the moment so we used that original version on the record.

I wrote “Hide Away” during a time when a friend was going through a challenging time. I found myself giving him advice in my head and that’s how the lyrics were written. He wasn’t really in a place to receive this advice so I decided to put them into a song.

With Seven out soon, do you have any shows coming up or tour dates in the works?

I have a Record Release show/party on July 11th at the new NUBLU in NYC. Still working on putting together a West Coast tour for around September.

Any other big plans for the rest of the summer?

I just toured Spain for a few weeks so planning on staying in New York City till we go back out for the West Coast tour. I’m currently working on a few side projects that will be released early next year on Wonderwheel Recordings.

Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you! My pleasure. - Prelude Press