The latest project by Jason Mckee shows him as an artist whose creative identity is closely linked to his personal experiences. The track ‘Double A Side 2 (Akaroa / Erica And The Stars)’ is not based on a contrived concept; rather, it stems from moments which had a deep impact on Mckee and later found their way into songwriting. This authenticity imparts the EP with a special character at the same time as enabling the production to develop the ideas beyond the circumstances in which they first arose.
What McKee has done with this material is remarkable. A song which had been inspired by a clear dream later reappeared after many years in a surprise place, and a different song had been composed during a time of severe personal difficulty and turned out to be a focus for him. Such situations might well have stayed as private parts of his life, but McKee decided to turn them into completed recordings. The final work has the effect of those experiences yet stays firm in its artistic direction.
The project also shows the value that Mckee attaches to working together. Simon Moro once again takes on the roles of producer, mixer, and mastering engineer, while Luke Crouch looks after the engineering. The rest of the team consists of pianist Terry HarT, guitarist James Ryan, bassist Kit Riley, drummer Peter Martin, and backing vocalist Jessica Mcpherson-Riley. The Budapest Orchestra provide a significant orchestral element, showing the extent of the vision Mckee had for the piece.
The fact that the project stays closely aligned with Mckee’s own creative vision is what reinforces Reetoxa’s independent identity. He acts as singer, songwriter, and arranger, leading the material which came out of deeply personal circumstances through to a final studio version. The end product is an EP that appears ambitious yet is firmly based on reality, its most notable feature being the sincerity shown in the work. “Double A Side 2” marks yet another important stage in an artistic journey based on perseverance and creative conviction.
TRACKS ON EP
1. Akaroa
2. Erica And the Stars
3. Akaroa (Karaoke)
4. Erica And the Stars (Karaoke)
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