Be it Dubai or Mumbai, London or Lisbon, citizensound is excited to find that more and more brands are investing in the power of the senses as part of the consumer experience. The old one dimensional approach to sensory marketing is moving out of the mainstream into the background, being replaced by strategies that consider a multitude of senses.

For most musicians it is their SOUND that is the core of their communication, though for a few ‘musicians’ it might be more about how they look rather than how they sound!

The VISUAL has always gone hand in hand with sound. From the astonishing performances of Mozart to the Sgt Peppers album cover, from MTV to recent mashups.

An example of this came to me at our NOTWORK night last week. I met Rob, otherwise known as O Yuki Conjugate. He shared this with me…

This was beautiful to look at. But it didn’t stop there.

When you TOUCH the CD, you realise that this is art, not a CD. The tiled front cover is a wonderful tactile experience.

The album is called The Euphoria of Disobedience.

I showed it to people at NOTWORK and in Lisbon last week, and after the initial positive comments, the inevitable question got asked…

Great, but how does it sound?

This is where TASTE comes in. I leave it to you to listen to and decide for yourselves. However, I think it lives up to the rest of the experience. Wonderful.

Why do I share this with you?

Three things for Brands and musicians to consider:

1. If you want people to sample your wares, then work hard to draw people in - Don’t expect people to come to you.
2. Get noticed by exploring ALL of the senses, not just one.
3. Make sure you deliver on the promise.

Well, big thanks to The Hospital for letting us put on NOTWORK 2 there. Great turnout for the night.

Notty Culture were up first, turning in a perfect start to the night. Three songs, great soulful voice. Lovely.

Short break then on to Fanfarlo. I had heard them in soundcheck, and I knew we were in for a treat.

Things kicked off with Simon, the lead singer on a table, leading the band in an acapella opening.

Then it continued on a high for the set. Phenomenal. We will post a clip of their brilliant stuff soon. In the meantime go here, listen and buy!

Anyone who attended, let us know what you think.

From these piccies, seems I wasn’t the only one to enjoy it…

More photos from the night found here…

The citizens are off to plan NOTWORK 3 now

David Bowie is their number 1 celebrity fan, the ever on the ball Rough Trade Shop reckon they are the best British band they’ve heard in years, and everyone from the Drowned In Sound and the NME to Mojo and the Sunday Times are raving about the band and their debut album.

Yet they remain unsigned, funding this their self-released debut album with US producer Peter Katis (Interpol, The National) themselves. This either shows a distinct lack of taste amongst the UK A&R community, or maybe a firm determination on the band’s part to keep control of their own destiny for as long as possible. But don’t think that this shows a lack of ambition; this is big music, which probably explains why Snow Patrol chose the band to support them on their recent UK arena tour, including two sold-out nights at the O2 in London.

When it comes to musical reference points Sufjan Stevens, Zack Condon’s Beirut and The Decemberists all spring to mind, or maybe a darker, more baroque take on Belle and Sebastian. Current single “Drowning Men” and the propulsive “Luna” are reminiscent of a British Arcade Fire, while  “Harold T. Wilkins, or How To Wait For A Very Long Time” could easily be pre-Fear In Music Talking Heads. Their use of strings, brass, banjo, accordion and glockenspiels certainly sets them apart from the homogeneous ‘meat and two veg’ guitar rock that seems to characterise so much of the UK indie scene at the moment.

Reservoir is a staggeringly good debut, which is decidedly more inventive than the vast majority of records you’ll hear coming out of the UK in 2009, or anywhere else for that matter. If justice is done this album will sit alongside albums from Animal Collective, Dan Deacon, Grizzly Bear, St. Vincent and Bat For Lashes at the top of both the critics and fans polls at the end of year.

You can click below to hear “Luna” from Reservoir…

…or watch the video for “Harold T. Wilkins, or How To Wait For A Very Long Time”…

The album is available now from iTunes for only £4.74, or on CD from the end of May. The first single from the album, “Drowning Men”, is out now on Moshi Moshi Music Club.

You see Fanfarlo playing a rare acoustic set at citizensound’s Notwork night at the Hospital on the 13th May.

citizensound are back in action with NOTWORK - the live music event for everyone working in the music, marketing and communications space

The latest event showcases two of our favourite new bands FANFARLO and NOTTY CULTURE

Fanfarlo’s debut album Reservoir, has received rave reviews from both the NME and Mojo, while Number 1 celebrity fan David Bowie reckon they make “uplifting music with delicious melancholia.” The band recently completed a nine date UK stadium tour supporting Snow Patrol, followed by six gigs in four days at the SXSW music industry jamboree in Austin, Texas. This will be a rare chance to see them up-close and acoustic, in the intimate setting of the Hospital Club, the  unique Covent Garden venue that is designed specifically for the creative industries.

To hear a track and watch a video from Fanfarlo’s debut album click here

Support on the evening comes from London-based two-piece Notty Culture, who fuse elements of Ska and Funk to the upbeat feel good rhythms of Motown. Expect song’s about binge drinking, being broke and the Brazilian wax, reflecting contemporary British Culture in their own inimitable style.

The DJ for the evening will be citizensound’s very own Paul Martin, partner in the legendary Talkin Loud records, the former home to Roni Size, 4Hero, Nuyorican Soul and the Young Disciples.

The place to be is THE HOSPITAL CLUB in Endell Street, Covent Garden
WEDNESDAY MAY 13 from 7.30 to 11pm.

Only the first 80 names arriving at mariana@citizensound.net will gain FREE entry, so get emailing us now

Click here to go to the Notwork facebook page…

You saw the pictures before but now you can hear it! It is our first notwork party, last December at The Social.

It gives you an idea of EJ´s power on stage and a Old Romantic Killer Band´s fanstatic performance. If you don´t want to lose the next one. Stay tuned to this blog.

More to come..

A big thanks to all of you that managed to come to the first ever NOTWORK last Tuesday. We hope you had a great time and will come again!

For those of you who sadly couldn’t make it you missed two stunning acts - EJ will be a huge star (and amazingly signed a record deal this week and is flying out to LA today to work on her first record), and the Old Romantic’s who blew away the cobwebs like no other band…Lead singer Harry has the best blues howl I’ve heard in years. Fantastic. And also a big up to Jean-Claude for spinning some great music.

Also a big big thanks to last.fm for keeping the free drinks running all night.

We will be back with another NOTWORK in January, so keep in touch.

In the meanwhile we’ve got some more photos of the night… Head for the sidebar (Look right on the screen and scroll down!).

Nick, Paul, Paul and Mariana

citizenbay’ favourite band: Old Romantic Killer Band

citizens Watt, Duarte Silva and Martin enjoying the first notwork night

EJ proving why Sony snapped her up!