THE BAND

Audio-lava has created a lush sound blending live drums with programmed drum loops, keyboard samples, spaghetti western guitar and the powerful yet delicately emotive vocals of Lisa Butel. All four members of the band sing, creating a rich vocal and electronic sound. Their music can be described as moody, groovy, jazz influenced trip-hop. The music orginates from their home studio Lavaland.

Brent and Lisa's songs have received national airplay on many CBC radio shows. Their music received over 40,000 plays on CBC’s Radio 3 and was picked as one of their top 20 band picks for 2004. Sook Yin Lee’s DNTO chose audio-lava as their band of the week.
Their song Leaf from their Embers and Icicles cd has been included on CBC Radio 3’s New Music Canada compilation Vol.1 and the Fabulous Gay Tunes compilation Vol.3 titled Lick.(www.FABGAYTUNES.COM)

Brent and Lisa have performed at Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival, the Regina Folk Festival, toured western Canada in 2004 and performed main stage at Connect (Electronic + Tribal Music Festival). Audio-lava performed “Oh Canada” at the opening ceremonies of a Saskatchewan Roughrider’s football game in the summer of 2004. In Vancouver audio-lava has performed at the Railway Club, the Sonar, Rime, New Music West, the Vancouver International Dance Festival and Sista'hood.

In 2005 audio-lava scored their first full- length feature film starring Ian Tracey of Da Vinci’s Inquest and Intelligence. Their former band the MUDLARKS was a Vancouver favorite for five years running.

For live shows they will perform either as a duo or full band with loops, samples and programmed drums remaining a key focus. The full band includes Brent Cross (guitar, drum machine, computer loops, vocals), Lisa Butel (on vocals and roland sound module), Jenny Beech (on drums and background vocals) and Lorri Dar (bass and background vocals).

Brent started his music career playing classical piano. He plays guitar, computer loops, drum machine and sings in audio-lava, however it's the production and writing which keeps him up working late at night. Ambient and electronic music that houses great songwriting is what makes him say yes. He has studied electronic music at Vancouver Community College. Brent records audio-lava’s music as well as other artist’s music at his studio, Lavaland, in Vancouver.

Brent has received a major FACTOR CD loan for a previous recording with the MUDLARKS. This recording received nation wide distribution with Festival Records in Vancouver. He recently received a FACTOR Demo grant in November 2006 and is currently working on audio-lava’s next release.

Lisa Butel received classical voice lessons in Regina, Saskatchewan throughout high school. She has explored singing many different genres and presently sings and writes for her band audio-lava and experiments with her voice in improvised new music. Some of her favorite bands are Lamb, Bjork, Portishead, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush, Fourtet, Tricky and various classical and new music groups. Lisa is inspired by modern dance, the human voice and improvisation/new music.

Praise for Lisa: Victoria's MONDAY Magazine writes: "sweet, strong vocals, innovative stylings in the tradition of Jane Siberry (but with more punch) and simple yet beautifully arranged lyrics make this CD rich in tasty treats. Five stars".

the band

Jenny Beech - on drums and percussion and background vocals. Co-founder and co-writer and drummer for the popular Vancouver based band NO MONA.

Lorri Dar - plays her funky bass lines and adds background vocals. Co-founder and co-writer and bassist of popular Vancouver based band NO MONA.

REVIEWS:

TOM HARRISON from THE PROVINCE (December 10, 2002) – “Lisa b. sets the tone of “embers and icicles”, which is Morcheeba-influenced trance pop...She and partner Brent Cross create a warm, seductive musical tapestry....”.

SHAWN CONNER from THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT (December 5, 2002) – “I get it. Embers and Icicles = hot and cold. The hot part of the equation would be the smoldering vocals of Lisa b., while the cold is provided by the sci-fi keyboards and chilled-out beats of audio-lava.....Butel’s jazz-inflected singing blends smoothly with her bandmate’s cinematic synths, trumpet, and occasional Morcheeba-like spaghetti Western guitar”.

FIONA HUGHES from THE VANCOUVER COURIER (December 11,2002) – “Lush, loopy and oh-so-moody, audio-lava and Lisa b. have a new album of beats, sultry vocals, spaghetti western guitars and plenty of trip hoppy freshness called “embers and icicles”.

GERRY KROCHAK from the LEADER POST Regina (June 3, 2004) - “The debut full-length album is at once cool and warm, moody and jazzy, trippy and groovy, ambient and soothing, trance-inducing and oh, yes, very sexy...Univeral musical themes, notwithstanding, the sultry and emotive vocals of Butel are what set audio-lava apart”.

Robert Shea of MAP MUSIC -"I have listened to your CD quite a few times now and it certainly has grown on me, as all good music tends to do."
(West coast electronic music label)

Robert Dumont - "I found your CD interesting and I must say there is something about your work that I like. I know my girlfriend would love it very much and that's why I'm taking the CD home tonight."
(DJ with CBC Radio Saskatchewan)

Steve (a friend) - "Audio-lava sounds like SPACE AGE JAZZ."