Chilly Gonzales - Ivory Tower

Chilly Gonzales returns with his first official UK full length release since Solo Piano in 2006. Ivory Tower, an ambitious, intelligent and typically of Chilly, fun album, is also companion to a feature film of the same name starring Tiga and Peaches as well as himself. The ambitious project confirms Gonzales as the musical genius and legendary all-round entertainer he’s always claimed to be.

Having spent the last year wooing British audiences with his now infamous Piano Talk Shows, where high profile fans from the music industry as well as satirical mavericks were in attendance and lining up to sing Gonzales’ praises. The likes of The Mighty Boosh and Chris Morris, to Erol Alkan, Jarvis Cocker and James Ford were all seen jostling for places at the shows, proving Gonzales’ credentials among highly respected and credible artists.

And it’s not only Gonzales’ live shows that are in demand, his skills as a ‘Super Producer’ and live collaborator continue to attract artists from all ages and backgrounds. In the last year alone, he’s worked with artists as diverse as Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marina & the Diamonds, Thecocknbullkid, Tiga and Boys Noize, the latter having produced Ivory Tower with Gonzales. If we go back just a little further, we can add Bjork andDaft Punk among many others to that list. This combined with Erol Alkan putting out the recent single ‘Never Stop’ on his own label as well as Gonzales’ history of ‘star making’, a long roster that includes million selling artists like Feist (whose album The Reminder earned him a Grammy nomination) and underground gone over-ground hipsters such as Peaches and Jamie Lidell, it seems Chilly’s appeal is far reaching and consistently relevant with his unique talents, ear for a sharp arrangement and hit pop songs still hugely in demand.

So on to Chilly Gonzales’ own musical output… It’s no wonder he’s better known for his collaborations than his solo work, partly because he’s so prolific and spreads himself so wide but also because of his refusal to be boxed or pigeon-holed into one genre. With every new album, he’s aped a different musical identity and genre, often pulling it off with more style and panache than those who’ve spent a life time trying. From the early days of the way-ahead-of-its-time ‘prankster hip-hop’ album Gonzales Uber Alles in 2000, to the critically acclaimed Solo Piano which consisted entirely of beautifully arranged classical and jazz piano numbers, and his most recent Soft Power in 2008 where Chilly turned his hand to 70s AM rock and pop ballads inspired by the music of his youth, it’s hard to keep up with Chilly.

Now he brings us Ivory Tower, a total musical U-turn once again as Gonzales delves into Euro pop with a smattering of his Piano Talk Show style ballads and some stunning instrumental pieces that double up as the film soundtrack. Not to mention writing, producing and starring in the film itself, which centres on two champion chess-playing brothers (Gonzales and Tiga) who share a love for the same girl (Peaches). We’ve all been there, right?
The album opens with the gorgeous piano-led ‘Knight Moves’ which slowly builds into thumping electronic disco with strings and soft vocals lacing this slightly melancholic track. Swiftly followed by the hilarious ‘I Am Europe’ in which Gonzales talks over more Boys Noize crafted beats. An affectionate poke at his adopted home continent, Chilly’s sharp and surreal observations are as funny and on-the-money as ever; “I’m a dog shit ash tray, I’m a shrugging moustache, wearing a Speedo tuxedo… I’m an Imperial armpit, sweating Chianti, I’m a toilet with no seat, flushing tradition down… I’m gay pastry and racist Cappuccino”.

The recent single ‘Never Stop’ begins with a the stark finger click intro, promptly joined by the layers of piano and Chilly’s ‘never stop’ vocal refrain, from where we are taken on a deft and addictive journey that builds into an acidic euro pop crescendo.

Whether Gonzales is attempting euphoric disco sing alongs like the title track ’Ivory Tower’, or playing sombre piano on ‘Final Fantasy’, or shamelessly tearing his worst enemy (and himself) apart with the tremendous and very honest ‘The Grudge’ “What I need are enemies… You are my grudge, and I won’t budge, this is my right, who are you to judge… You are my mountain and I will piss on your summit”, Chilly never does things by halves. He nails it every time.

This is no spoof or ironic take or sideways glance, and it’s not a joke. Chilly Gonzales is a perfectionist and the hardest working man in music today and he demands your attention. The man is restless and he does all this to entertain you. It’s time to show him some gratitude.

Tracklisting:

01. Knight Moves 02. I Am Europe 03. Bittersuite 04. Smothered Mate 05. The Grudge 06. Rococo Chanel 07. Never Stop 08. Pixel Paxel 09. You Can Dance 10. Crying 11. Final Fantasy

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