287:, "arty baroque pop" and "English radiophonic soundscapers". While later releases saw them operating in a traditional band format, they originally intended to base their recordings around their small nucleus and whoever else would like to contribute. Glen Johnson was the only remaining member from the original trio when the group disbanded in 2017.
517:
The band's final concert was at The
Lexington, Islington, London in December 2016, exactly 20 years to the day of their first ever concert at The Wag Club, Soho, London. The band's last line-up for recording and concerts was Franck Alba (guitar), Glen Johnson (guitar, voice), Alasdair Steer (bass),
326:
in 1997, a debut album which the press variously described as "ethereal electro pop atmospheric soundscapes" or "simply delighting in... making silly noises" and which the band thought of as "Small Beat, pre-chip... radiophonics". It included vocals by Hazel
Burfitt and Raechel Leigh but, with Rance
559:
Angèle David-Guillou has recorded two albums under the name Klima ('Klima'- Peacefrog, 2007 and 'Serenades and
Serinettes'- Second Language 2010). She has released two albums under her own name on the Village Green label : 'Kourouma' (2013) and 'En Mouvement' (2017).
344:
By 1999 only
Johnson remained from the original trio, and the departure of Chennell left him free to lead the band into a much more conventional format and sound. A line-up of Glen Johnson, Miguel Marin, John Cheves and Paul Tornbohm recorded the third album,
300:
Piano Magic was formed in the summer of 1996 by Glen
Johnson, Dominic Chennell, and Dick Rance in London, as a 'bedroom-studio' project with the intention to base their recordings around their small nucleus and whoever else would like to contribute.
438:
of The Czars and Angèle David-Guillou of Klima. It appeared to confirm a return to their 'exile' status, gaining significant attention abroad (including, for example, a full feature in the French daily
498:, was formally released by Second Language Music on 20 January 2017 worldwide on CD, 180 gm vinyl and digital download formats. The album features guest appearances from Peter Milton Walsh of
330:
The duo then briefly recruited
American music students Alexander Perls, Jen Adam and Ezra Feinberg to complete the band, though Chennell too had departed by the time of the second album release
359:
and BAM music festivals. By now, Piano Magic was proving more popular abroad than in their homeland, and the next few years' activity included mainly
European tours.
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in 1998, a record described as "dreamy, trance and organic psychedelia". It introduced the vocals of
Caroline Potter, who would sing on one further album.
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314:. While recruiting Paul Tornbohm to play drums at these gigs, they pointedly refused to play or sound like any of their released material.
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in 2002, was released with mixed press reaction; "exquisite, if a touch diffident." Its myriad guest artists imported talents from
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Originally reluctant to perform live, they gave way to label pressure when their first single proved popular on the BBC Radio 1
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eponymous album by a collective of artists from the Second
Language Music label. In 2015, Johnson collaborated on an album (
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In 2008, Piano Magic moved to Make Mine Music, an artist-run, artist-owned label collective, and released a new EP,
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having quit the band, combined two previous single releases with a set of new recordings by
Johnson and Chennell.
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and Felt), and showcased its guitar-based sound, "a mixture of chiming guitars and processional rhythms", at the
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530:, under his own name in March 2009 on the Make Mine Music label. In 2014, he released a 3" postcard EP,
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403:. It also featured the first vocal recording for thirty-three years of lost '60s/'70s folk heroine
542:) and audio-visual live performances with the London-based Macedonian artist, Kristina Pulejkova.
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in 2001, described as "ethereal, delayed guitar lines... accompanied by various ambient sounds."
371:
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Dominic Chennell has recorded as 'Dominic de Nebo' and with the group 'Carphology Collective'.
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Jerome Tcherneyan then replaced Miguel Marin on drums, and the second and last album with 4AD,
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with a melodic, nearly "pop" sound, featuring more guest vocal contributions from
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formed in the summer of 1996 by Glen Johnson, Dominic Chennell, and Dick Rance in
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was released. Among the guests is Irons' Josh Hight, who contributes vocals on
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was released in 2003 on the Green Ufos label, soliciting comparisons with
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Records in 2000 and released the soundtrack for Spanish director
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and many more), Josh Hight (Irons) and Oliver Cherer (Dollboy).
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815:, Glen Johnson/Kristina Pulejkova (Second Language Music, 2015)
443:) but with no coverage in any UK broadsheet or music magazine.
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31:
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Seasonally Affective: A Piano Magic Retrospective 1996 - 2000
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727:"I Came to Your Party Dressed as a Shadow", (Acuarela, 2001)
468:, with contributions by Brendan Perry and Peter Ulrich of
705:"There's No Need for Us to Be Alone", (Rocket Girl, 1998)
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Heart Machinery (A Piano Magic Retrospective 2001 - 2008)
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Paul Tornbohm (keyboards) and Jerome Tcherneyan (drums).
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In 2009, Piano Magic released their 10th official album,
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CĂ©dric Pin joined Piano Magic in time for the 2005 album
363:
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295:
827:
CĂ©dric Pin/Glen Johnson (Second Language Music, 2018)
730:"Speed the Road, Rush the Lights", (Green UFOs, 2003)
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With the addition of Franck Alba and Alasdair Steer,
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Melody Maker, "Single of The Week", 9 November 1996
1017:, "Piano Magic Writers Without Homes", 7 June 2002
736:"The Opencast Heart EP", (Important Records, 2005)
739:"Never It Will Be the Same Again" , (EN/OF, 2006)
1112:
954:, "Piano Magic Popular Mechanics", November 1997
941:, "Piano Magic Popular Mechanics", February 1998
833:Future Conditional (Second Language Music, 2022)
549:. In 2018, they released a collaborative album,
979:, "Piano Magic Low Birth Weight", December 2001
450:was released in 2007 produced by Guy Fixsen of
717:"Amongst the Books, an Angel", (Acetone, 1999)
545:CĂ©dric Pin and Glen Johnson have recorded as
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803:, Angèle David-Guillou (Village Green, 2013)
534:(Hibernate) and featured prominently on the
779:, Various Artists (Fourier Transform, 2008)
308:show and was awarded Single of the Week in
992:, "Piano Magic Artists' Rifles", June 2000
821:Angèle David-Guillou (Village Green, 2017)
461:, the last release to feature CĂ©dric Pin.
425:
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745:"Dark Horses EP", (Make Mine Music, 2008)
742:"Incurable EP", (Important Records, 2006)
339:
1113:
785:, Glen Johnson (Make Mine Music, 2009)
748:"Chemical EP", (Second Language, 2012)
362:The band, now minus Cheves, signed to
1126:Musical groups disestablished in 2017
797:, Klima (Second Language Music, 2010)
791:, Textile Ranch (Very Friendly, 2009)
761:, Textile Ranch (Very Friendly, 2005)
901:Rocket Girl Press Release (rgirl 31)
733:"Saint Marie EP", (Green UFOs, 2003)
714:"Music for Annahbird", (Piao!, 1998)
711:"Mort Aux Vaches", (Staalplat, 1998)
687:
526:Glen Johnson released a solo album,
296:Formation and early years: 1996–1998
275:. Their sound has been described as
752:
708:"Fun of the Century", (Piao!, 1998)
521:
13:
1121:Musical groups established in 1996
964:Piano Magic official site timeline
702:"Music for Rolex", (Lissy's, 1998)
699:"For Engineers", (Wurlitzer, 1997)
502:, Audrey Riley (go-to cellist for
351:, with John A Rivers (producer of
14:
1177:
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656:Life Has Not Finished With Me Yet
627:The Troubled Sleep of Piano Magic
477:Life Has Not Finished With Me Yet
412:The Troubled Sleep of Piano Magic
809:, Glen Johnson (Hibernate, 2014)
773:, Future Conditional (LTM, 2008)
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875:allmusic Piano Magic biography
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813:My Heart Has Run Out of Breath
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540:My Heart Has Run Out of Breath
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1136:Indie rock groups from London
1131:Rock music groups from London
837:
693:"Wrong French", (i/Che, 1996)
888:BBC Popular Mechanics review
696:"Wintersport", (i/Che, 1997)
7:
863:NME Low Birth Weight review
494:Piano Magic's final album,
197:Dominic Chennell (musician)
10:
1182:
966:retrieved 16 November 2008
925:retrieved 16 November 2008
890:retrieved 14 November 2013
877:retrieved 14 November 2013
865:retrieved 14 November 2013
853:retrieved 14 November 2013
290:
1161:Important Records artists
1097:Piano Magic official site
1058:retrieved 9 December 2008
1049:Piano Magic Official Site
1039:Liberation, 18 April 2005
851:4AD Piano Magic Biography
767:, Klima (Peacefrog, 2007)
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240:
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27:
20:
1141:English post-rock groups
795:Serenades and Serinettes
475:In June 2012, the album
1054:16 October 2008 at the
771:We Don't Just Disappear
683:(Second Language, 2013)
664:(Second Language, 2017)
658:(Second Language, 2012)
652:(Make Mine Music, 2009)
426:Final period: 2005-2017
397:Life Without Buildings
322:appeared on I (label)/
1166:Darla Records artists
619:Writers Without Homes
606:, (Rocket Girl, 2000)
598:, (Rocket Girl, 1999)
381:Writers Without Homes
340:Mid-period: 1999–2004
783:Details Not Recorded
630:, (Green UFOs, 2003)
528:Details Not Recorded
226:Angèle David-Guillou
1156:Rocket Girl artists
1151:Musical collectives
677:(Rocket Girl, 2001)
489:A Secret Never Told
88:Saint Marie Records
825:The Burning Skull,
759:Bird Heart in Wool
587:A Trick of the Sea
547:Future Conditional
265:musical collective
688:Singles & EPs
646:(Important, 2007)
579:Popular Mechanics
551:The Burning Skull
319:Popular Mechanics
258:
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168:Jerome Tcherneyan
104:Monopsone Records
84:Important Records
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753:Related releases
720:"Panic Amigo", (
595:Low Birth Weight
522:Related projects
416:This Mortal Coil
333:Low Birth Weight
283:, indietronica,
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131:Bad Jazz Records
117:Acuarela Records
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536:Silver Servants
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512:Virginia Astley
504:The Go-Betweens
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348:Artists' Rifles
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217:Caroline Potter
204:Alexander Perls
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77:Second Language
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977:Dream Magazine
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248:.piano-magic
220:Miguel Marin
190:Past members
165:Glen Johnson
62:Years active
55:indietronica
15:
1146:4AD artists
1102:Piano Magic
1073:Piano Magic
988:Tom Ridge,
937:Rob Young,
635:Disaffected
567:Discography
481:The Animals
459:Dark Horses
432:Disaffected
368:Bigas Lunas
324:Ché Trading
277:ambient pop
261:Piano Magic
223:John Cheves
174:Franck Alba
146:Ché Trading
113:Rocket Girl
47:ambient pop
22:Piano Magic
1115:Categories
1078:8 December
838:References
722:Morr Music
611:Son de Mar
446:The album
441:Liberation
436:John Grant
373:Son de Mar
357:Benicassim
229:CĂ©dric Pin
200:Dick Rance
135:Staalplaat
121:Morr Music
101:Green UFOs
43:Indie rock
508:Nick Cave
389:The Czars
306:John Peel
285:dark wave
281:post-rock
142:i (label)
66:1996-2017
51:post-rock
34:, England
1106:AllMusic
1052:Archived
990:The Wire
939:The Wire
923:Allmusic
831:Isotech,
807:Same Sex
801:Kourouma
650:Ovations
532:Same Sex
466:Ovations
393:Tarwater
208:Jen Adam
92:Talitres
789:Tombola
724:, 2000)
662:Closure
496:Closure
370:' film
291:History
273:England
241:Website
159:Members
572:Albums
269:London
263:was a
71:Labels
39:Genres
32:London
28:Origin
765:Klima
485:Judas
452:Laika
1080:2016
1028:Mojo
487:and
418:and
401:Tram
399:and
1104:at
364:4AD
252:.uk
250:.co
246:www
108:4AD
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