Stephanie Schneiderman
Dangerous Fruit
Ambient, indie pop with influences of trip-hop, folk and soul.
Stephanie Schneiderman delivers a new gorgeous recording that transcends genre and defies convention. Dangerous Fruit reveals 11 songs that artfully combine pop, trip hop, soul, electronica and folk, as well as the talent and vision of two established, yet very different NW artists. The album will appeal to listeners of Goldfrapp, Feist, Suzanne Vega and Beth Orton and is a testament to the magic that can happen when an unexpected collaboration hits its stride.
The Story
Dangerous Fruit retains the rootsy flair, distinctive vocals and intricate songwriting that- along with her five previous solo albums and acclaimed work with popular regional act, Dirty Martini- have solidified Stephanie Schneiderman as a premier NW performing songwriter. It also launches her sound in a completely new, uncharted direction.
The catalyst for this is her musical partnership with one of the most prolific electronic musicians/producers/DJ’s in the NW –Keith Schreiner. Known regionally for his work with Dahlia, Auditory Sculpture and Suckapunch, his resume with Grammy-winning artists Jeff Trott, Sheryl Crow and Dr. Dre/Eminem’s producer Mike Elizondo as well as Banco de Gaia, Corinna Rep and Minnie Driver speaks for itself.
The first thing that is evident on Dangerous Fruit is the balance that seems to naturally occur between the acoustic and electronic elements. Schneiderman’s lead vocals, vivid lyrics, layered harmonies and subtle acoustic guitar riffs blend seamlessly with Schreiner’s undulating looped beats, moody synth patches and unique production style. The traditional seems to amend and compliment the experimental- an ongoing conversation that is continually refreshed on each advancing track.
"Recording with Keith was unique for me in so many ways,” recalls Schneiderman. “I was willing to let go and experiment with different textures against my songwriting and what surprised me the most is how beautifully the sounds fit the songs. The lyrics became more interesting, the melodies more soulful and the songs more evocative."
The duo made fast friends in the studio, deconstructing nearly all of Schneiderman’s tunes, only to mold, stretch and pull until the right home was found for each. The lead off track, “20 Slivers,” which began as a typical guitar-based folk song, became an Isaac Hayes-style, down tempo groove with Stephanie’s vocals layered on top. “First Crack,” had 9 different versions until it settled into a striking atmospheric power ballad. And while many of the tracks evolved from songs that were already written, others like the Sade-inspired “The Dark is Easier,” were composed in the studio.
“Not many artists would allow a producer to take them on this kind of ride,” said Schreiner, “But Stephanie was down to roll with all of it. Because of that I think we ended up with something that has upped the ante for singer songwriters, showing what they can do with their songs when they look outside the box and use the studio as an instrument for creation instead of a place merely to record their songs.”
The partnership has also effectively sparked a powerful live trio project including James Beaton (Storm and the Balls, Everclear) that will be performing in support of the record throughout the NW and beyond.
Electronic: Trip Hop