The Mckenzie Emporium
  • Magical Things
  • Magical Things
    Genre: Indie
    MP3 (04:21) [9.97 MB]
Biography

**PRESS RELEASE and BIOGRAPHY:


Press Release:

EMPORIUM release MAGICAL THINGS on November 11th 2013.

Emporium's new single follows the acclaimed 2012 release 'The Umbrella Shop' which was described as 'bloody lush' by Allgigs and 'Beautifully sumptuous' by Mudkiss.com.

Taken from latest album 'The Afterlife', 'Magical Things' is coupled with 'Mind Games' - a song which originally appeared on their 2005 album 'Silver Brainwaves'.

RECENT MEDIA REVIEWS:

''I can tell you most of what you need to know about Emporium by saying that top notch, eccentric, pop and pomp-pop and dance-pop and quirky-pop all co-exist in the weirdly coherent and consistent sound that is Emporium.'' (Unpeeled.net)

''Lush melodies wading in psychedelica topped off with Eighties synthesizer sounds. This is a band that isn't "happening", hip or otherwise. Longevity is the keyword here, a band carving a niche outside the mainstream with layered songs about going nuts in a gentle way (Mindbender) and being afraid to go to sleep (Magical Things).The Afterlife might not be skyscraper, but it is built to last.'' (Here Comes The Flood)

'' when the songs live up to the harmonies and the arrangements as they do on the title track, the fabulous ballad, 'Bluebell Wood' and the single, 'The Umbrella Shop', it really is a delight. They avoid most of the pitfalls of the indie scene by remembering that writing good songs and singing them well is what makes a record. '' (Zeitgeist)

''The band does not only demonstrate these influences with their own unique personality, but they bring them up to date with our age, "upgrading" the vintage vibe with a massive, wide soundscape.'' (Hellhound Music)

''This is an album you will keep coming back to again and again'' (Pennyblackmusic)

''Standouts are the album opener “The Afterlife,” the languid ballad “Bluebell Wood,” the track “Magical Things,” “Beautiful Insanity (Don’t Fit In)” and the piano-driven “The Umbrella Shop.”
(Jamsphere)

www.facebook.com/mckenzieemporium
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Biography:

EMPORIUM were brought together in January 1998 when work commenced on their first album of home recordings A FINE FINE LINE, released on PEOPLESOUND the following year.

Formed in Edinburgh originally as a 3-piece, Emporium chose to remain studio based for much of the next 4 years, performing just a short series of gigs in the summer of ' 98. Around this time the song SLEEPING DOGS was receiving acclaim from radio in Scotland and indeed reached the year-end top 10 songs on BBC SCOTLAND's BEAT PATROL show, as published in NME the following January. Together with a 5-star review in GUITARIST magazine for HAPPY HIGH e.p (and cover cd), the hard work was paying off....

Over the next 18 months many songs from their debut collection were given airplay including DREAM DAY, ZOMBIE, and the 2nd ltd edition single ELEVATE which was a collaboration with FREDDIE PHILLIPS, best known for his work on the 1960's TRUMPTONSHIRE t.v programmes.

By the new millenium Emporium had notched up 17 radio plays including ZOMBIE on STEVE WRIGHT show (BBC WORLD SERVICE) and HAPPY HIGH on EVENING SESSION in Scotland (BBC RADIO ONE). A second batch of songs was completed in 2000 for the album ITS THE THOUGHT THAT GETS YOU HIGH including SALISBURY PLAIN , NO WAY OUT, and their first nationally distributed single EMAIL EDDIE, released on the band's own label and distributed in the Uk by Pinnacle/Shellshock on January 22nd 2001. This was followed on July 30th by the single LISA ON THE SCREEN which was airplayed in Germany, Uk, Holland, and America where it was also given a glowing review in Boston's Music Business Monthly.

The release of HALLUCINATIONS (11 track collection) on April 1st 2002 brought further positive feedback from various media, and scored ALBUM OF THE MONTH on POPSCENE (Netherlands) and PLANETE INDIE (Belgium) , where it was also ranked 3rd best album of the year from the 11 nominated albums. A single 'Sixes and Sevens' appeared the following October.

In 2003 Emporium were awarded a Scottish Arts Council Grant towards the recording of a forthcoming album. The new album 'Silver Brainwaves'(13 tracks) was released on October 10th 2005, and was preceded by a vinyl single 'Wasted' on June 27th. The single was eventually given a digital release via Itunes on May 15th 2006.

On April 2nd 2007, a remix of 'Dice Man' featured on the 21 track Whimsical compilation 'Elevate'.

During a four year sabbatical, Emporium took time to develop their own label further, contracting music for release and publishing to Whimsical and subsidiary PLATFORM RECORDS, yielding over 20 releases and winning critical acclaim with their numerous artists. A new business THE MUSIC ELEVATOR was also set up in 2010, this offering artists a release co-ordination service along with plugging to webzines and radio.

On June 13th 2011, the SILVER BRAINWAVES album was given a digital re-release while being re-promoted to various media, generating some fantastic feedback.

In 2012, Emporium returned with new tracks MINDBENDER and THE UMBRELLA SHOP, both of which feature on the 17 track compilation FROM ANOTHER PLANET - THE BEST OF EMPORIUM (1998-2011), the latter also released as a single.

A brand new 14 track Emporium album 'THE AFTERLIFE' was released on December 22nd 2012.

A remixed version of MAGICAL THINGS came out as a single on November 11th 2013.
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  • Members:
    McKenzie
  • Sounds Like:
    The Beatles,Belle and Sebastian,Donovan,Talk Talk,Simon and Gurfunkel,Pulp,The High Llamas,Mamas The Papas,Saint Etienne,The Beta Band,Haircut One Hundred,The Beach Boys,The Kinks,China Crisis,Visage,The Dream Academy,Momus,The Association, Stereolab,Teen
  • Influences:
    The Beatles,Belle and Sebastian,Donovan,Talk Talk,Simon and Gurfunkel,Pulp,The High Llamas,Mamas The Papas,Saint Etienne,The Beta Band,Haircut One Hundred,The Beach Boys,The Kinks,China Crisis,Visage,The Dream Academy,Momus,The Association, Stereolab,Teen
  • AirPlay Direct Member Since:
    10/20/12
  • Profile Last Updated:
    08/14/23 22:21:04

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