New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Green Light Go) *Chi is an amalgamation of all the genres and locations that gave Philadelphia Indie Rock singer/songwriter and producer Ray Ward his start. Prior to launching his independent project, *Chi, Ward began his musical career as a bass player, inspired by his father's jazz band that practiced in his house as a child. He then went on to play in Philadelphia reggae bands, a rock band based in Connecticut, a blues band based in New Jersey, and a folk band based in Brooklyn. Now landing in Boston, Ward says, "I guess I've been on the move a lot, and the music probably reflects that -- it's never static; it's always changing and evolving."
As Ward bounced around from state to state, it's no wonder that a lot of the songs are about being in transit, trying to find a home and a sense of steadiness. Some of his songs are about the efforts to find personal growth amidst confusion. He says, "I'm really interested in the people out there who aren't satisfied with the cookie cutter versions of 'happiness' that are presented to us. But, questioning authority and developing awareness also causes a lot of disorientation and pain." His songs tap into a dilemma between wanting the easy way out and the choice to take the road less travelled.
The project combines elements of different styles and genres, a result of coming from a musical household where he grew up with an appreciation for all kinds of music. His parents named him after Ray Charles, but they never forced music on him. He says, "I taught myself how to play for the most part. Seeing the fun that my dad had playing in his bands was the best kind of training -- it showed me what a fun experience making music could be."
Wards influences are just as diverse as the music that informs *Chi; a range which includes Blur, Johnny Cash, the Gorillaz,
Velvet Underground, Bonobo, and Neil Young. Most of *Chi's songs are written on the acoustic guitar and grounded in the traditional songwriting of alternative rock, but he often fills in the details of the songs with elements of electronica and hip-hop.
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About
*Chi began as a side project where Ward could focus on doing his own production. He says, "I realized that doing all of the production and playing all of the instruments allowed for a really consistent vision to come through. There were no compromises to navigate around. I love collaboration, but this project allowed me to sink my teeth into all the elements of musical production, from writing the songs, to recording them, to editing them and ultimately producing a final version."
While experimenting with keyboards and production techniques, he wrote and produced a number of singles, which were released independently. His debut EP,
Digital Temptation, will be available on
September 16.
Praise for
"[*Chi] blends gently plucked guitar notes, an insistent bit of percussion, and his own expressive voice into something whose influences can't be easily dissected and categorized." - Beats Per Minute
"...[*Chi] in some way it reminds me quite a bit of Radiohead, if they decided to cover
Neil Young or a little bit of a contemporary band such as Junip." -The Joy Of The Violent Movement
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