Hailing from Leeds, UK, electronic-music veteran Simon Grainger (AKA Graingerboy) expands his musical territory beyond a 90’s Ibizan sunset heritage (and work with Ministry Of Sound’s Electric Boutique) with his latest creation, Silent Universe. The 5-track digital EP release finds this former backing vocalist and live keyboardist for pivotal British electronic heroes, A Man Called Adam, bridging the worlds of the Balearic scene into an oftimes fuller sound, crossing subtly into almost indie-alt dance tracks.
 
Silent Universe follows up Graingerboy’s long player,Shadowformerself. Co-produced by Ian Catt (Saint Etienne), his debut album was revered as a coveted collection of carefully crafted electronic pop songs with substance, harmonies, and the occasional ambient wash. DMC (Disco Mix Club) Magazine hailed the set as “enigmatic”. The same is true of of his current release "Silent Universe” – though “enigmatic” scarcely scratches the sonic surface throughout.

The paradoxical titling of Silent Universe signals a dichotomy of quiet grandeur, which describes the EP perfectly. It may also reveal Grainger’s intent to establish peace amidst the big and incomprehensible. In his private life, quiet chaos describes both Grainger’s personal fight in surviving a near-death experience in the Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake, and his ambitious but slow recovery from M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). In his music world, sparse-electronic fullness characterizes his sound, one that could be compared to the likes of The Beloved or Hot Chip. Though techno beats underlay the grooves, Graingerboy takes care to flesh out the tunes by embracing a more singer/songwriter approach, like Ben Watt & Tracy Thorn’s Everything But the Girl’s “Missing” (Todd Terry Mix), which soundtracks our after-hours dramas.

While tracks off Shadowformerself all made the Top 30 influential DMC Zzub Chart, it’s not surprising Grainger was listed in Out In The City Magazine's “Top 30 Up and Coming UK Talents” alongside Rod Thomas (Bright Light, Bright Light), Oliver Simm (The XX), UK political writer Owen Jones and Radio Host Nick Grimshaw. Undeniably, Grainger’s talented output with Silent Universe demonstrates how he became listed as a future star in UK music industry bible, Music Week. His legacy was secured in radio support from 6 Music, BBC Introducing, Kiss FM and Album of the Week on BFBS, to name a few. Silent Universe compliments that success, with more achievements sure to follow suit.

Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.