89. Etienne Buys, Cape Town Underground, Cape Town, SA, 31.10.2008
Ike Moriz "All Around the World" -
October 2008
The launch of the new album by Ike Moriz
took place at Fashion TV in Cape Town,
and was attended by the kind of crowd you
would expect at such a venue: Plenty of
good looking people and people that thought
they were really, really good looking.
Unfortunately, Derek Zoolander did not make
an appearance... The evening kicked off
with a few drinks at the bar for media and
other guests while a few of Ike’s music
videos played on the screens in the club.
The band took to the stage at about 10.30
after a sizeable crowd had arrived. The
crowd seemed somewhat subdued in the
beginning; I think this was partly to do with
the blinding stage apparatus that spelt out
“IKE” for all to see. The first half of the
performance was pretty much taken over
by the incredible lighting which I think
took away from the actual band but made
for some pretty cool photography and some
small talk around the bar during the break.
|
A few videos were shown
during the break of some
European DJ’s endorsing Ike
and his new album. The second
set resumed without the blinding
presence of about 100x60Watt
bulbs and everyone seemed
more into the vibe and ready
to partake in the event. After the
show the DJ’s kicked in and
everyone got really drunk,
as expected.
Words: Etienne Buys
Photography: Louise Gale
|
88. Kirsten Smart, The Next 48 Hours, Cape Town, SA, 31.10.2008
Ike Let's It All Hang Out
At Fashion Tv Bar
I once had a choir teacher who looked just like
David Bowie. Unfortunately for her she was a
woman and unfortunately for me she didn’t
like me at all. I was always the one at the
back who would crack inappropriate jokes
and make up crude lyrics to sing to the
“Carmina Burana”, much to the annoyance
of Mrs David Bowie. Nevertheless, being in
choir (as well as being in detention- courtesy
of Mrs David Bowie), as my dad would say;
“built character” and was, I feel, an important
part of who I am today (which is rather low
on musical ability and high on cynicism). So
when I heard that Ike Moriz’s music is
inspired by David Bowie (the original,
not my choir teacher) I couldn’t pass
up the opportunity to attend his new CD
launch, “All Around the World” at Fashion
TV Bar. After getting off to a rather late
start (which, I have come to
realise, is expected of the Capetonian
“artsy” crowd), the band struck up a
surprisingly upbeat, yet unique tune.
I was quite relieved, however, to see that
Moriz didn’t also adopt the British pop
icon’s sense of fashion and, is in
fact rather ruggedly handsome =>
|
=> in a “Yeah-I-just-threw
-this-on-and-happen-to-look-like-a-
movie-star-now-let-me-croon-to-
you-on-my-awesome-black-guitar”
kind of way. Ike is a professional
down to the tee and his
performance is seamless
yet still full of energy and although
he is well-known both in South Africa
and in London, he still remains down
to earth and unaffected by his fame.
His fresh take on Indie-pop (yeah,
I’m not quite sure what that means
either, I’m just trying to sound like a professional journalist here) is
definitely David Bowie-esque, but
with a twist. So if you’re a fan of
David Bowie, Indie-pop, my ex-choir
teacher or if you’re just looking to
hear a fresh new sound I’d definitely
suggest you give Ike Moriz a listen.
|
87. Maretta Bellingan, Sunday Rapport, Tydskrif, SA, 26.10.2008
Neem kennis:
Ike Moriz het geland
deur Maretta Bellingan
Die wit baadjie gooi jou bietjie van koers
af. Ike Moriz lyk inderdaad meer na 'n
binneversierder of 'n modeontwerper as
'n rock-sanger. En wanneer die voormalige
hoofseun later verklap dat hy as
kind baie skaam was en eintlik nog
steeds is, lig jou wenkbroue nog verder.
Maar kyk na die telling, sê die
sportentoesiaste as hulle span gewen het.
En Moriz se "telling" verklap dat hy gewis
nie 'n wannabe of 'n maybe is nie. Hy's
klaar daar. Een van sy liedjies is in
sewentien verskillende lande op die radio
gespeel. Snitte van sy eerste twee CD's
het die eerste plek op verskeie radiostasies
in Brittanje, Suid-Afrika en Holland, behaal.
Ike is ook op ZA Zone as een van
Suid-Afrika se vyf top solo-kunstenaars in
2006 gekies. En so gaan dit aan.
In een van Smokie se bekendste liedjies
vra hulle, wie de dinges is Alice? Mens wil
amper vra wie de dinges is die kunstenaar
wat onlangs die meeste stemme vir die
Oppikoppi Wildcard-fees gekry het? Al het
hy nie daar opgetree nie, "want hulle het
verwag dat ek in die vroeë oggendure
wanneer almal skuinsdronk moet sing."
Moriz het ook gehoop dat hulle ten minste
sy vervoerkoste van Kaapstad sou betaal.
"Wat maak hulle met al daai hekgeld,"
wonder hy terloops. Maak kom ons begin
by die begin. Wie de dinges is Ike Moriz wat
op sy CV beskryf word as 'n internasionale
Suid-Afrikaanse Indie-popster en akteur?
En hoekom hoor ons nou eers van hom?
Die 35-jarige sanger het "oraloor
grootgeword, my pa was in die
advertensiewese." Duitse pa, Suid-
Afrikaanse ma en 'n ouer suster wat 'n
juwelier in Duitsland is. "Ek het op skool
begin toneelspeel omdat ek so skaam was.
Ek speel klavier vandat ek sewe is, maar
was beslis nie 'n tiener wat sy eie
garage-band gehad en gedroom het daarvan
om eendag beroemd te wees nie."
Tog is daar musiek in sy gene. "Oupa was
'n operasanger en ouma was 'n suksesvolle
klavierpianiste." Die jong Ike was egter 'n
diep seun, 'n Kafka-aanhanger, wat 'n
skrywer van ingewikkelde boeke wou word,
maar uiteindelik musiek en toneelspel in
Suid-Afrika, Duitsland en Holland
bestudeer het. Vandag spog hy met
diplomas in musiek-afrigting sowel as
uitvoering. Aanvanklik speel Ike in verskeie
bands in Brittanje, maar besluit later om
die solo-pad te loop. "Dis makliker. Jy
skryf die liedjies en jy maak die besluite."
'n Jaar later ontmoet hy George Michael
se musikale vervaardiger en neem in 2002
sy eerste kort CD met vier liedjies op.
|
In 2004 stel hy sy eerste album, Mirrors and Shade vry en 'n jaar
later volg Play me. Hy begin toer en raak bekend in veral Brittanje,
Holland en Duitsland. Hy stig ook sy eie plate-etiket Mosquito
Records London en is betrokke by die vervaardiging van
verskeie ander groepe se CD's.
"Fall into the sun het baie goed gedoen, selfs plaaslik. Dis
eintlik bisar, wanneer jy in die buiteland woon, dink hulle jy's
great, maar wanneer jy hier kom woon, trek (party) radiostasies
hulle neuse op.
"Mense sê ek klink soos 'n mengsel van John Lennon, David
Bowie en Suede," sê die sanger wat die styl van sy nuutste album,
All Around The World as melodiese Britse pop-rock, beskryf.
" Die musiek is meer postitief as my vorige CD's, maar daar is
nog steeds 'n paar mense wat nie regtig Brits-gemotiveerde
pop-rock verstaan nie."
Sy besluit in 2005 om Londen en 'n groeiende Europese
loopbaan vir 'n huisie in Houtbaai te verruil, verduidelik hy,
gaan doodeenvoudig oor lewensstyl. "In Londen kan jy nie die
son sien ondergaan of opkom nie. Die lewe is baie intens daar
en ek 'n hengse klomp geld bestee om myself te bemark. Toe
ek tydens 'n vakansie in Suid-Afrika in Muizenberg optree en
die mense is so warm en vriendelik, het ek geweet dis tyd om
huis toe te kom."
Ike is nog besig om sy stempel op die plaaslike mark af te druk.
'n Verskyning op Top Billing het gehelp, terwyl sy musiek-video's
op die DSTV-kanaal MK89 die lenige blonde man met die
babablou oë verder bekendstel. Hy het ook al op verskeie
plekke opgetree, maar hoop beslis dat All Around The World hom
na groter verhoë sal neem.
"Nee, ek gaan nie ryk word in Suid-Afrika nie. Die mark is
eenvoudig te klein, maar ek is reeds besig om CD-vrystellings
in Duitsland, Londen en Holland te reël. Hopelik het my
aanhangers daar nog nie van my vergeet nie." Ike is ook
plaaslik betrokke by 'n township-koor Brothers with Voices
en het hulle gehelp om 'n borgskap te kry sodat hulle hul eerste
CD, Peace Dream kon vrystel.
Hy lag (half skaam, ja) oor sy loopbaan as akteur. "Hoofrolle
in musiekblyspele, maar die res is maar kleinerig." Hiermee
verwys hy na rolle in verskeie Britse sepies en rolprente soos
Love Actually en Alfie. "Ek het intussen ook 'n rolletjie in
Backstage gehad en sal beslis nie soortgelyke geleenthede van
die hand wys nie."
Nou ja, nou weet jy ook wie de dinges Ike Moriz, die
internasionaal bekende Suid-Afrikaanse Indie-popster is.
Meer persoonlike detail sluit in: mal oor die natuur; baie lief vir
katte; doen graag yoga en grootse vrees is om Alzheimers te kry.
Slegte gewoontes? Die man met die wit baadjie dink diep. "Ek
het regtig lank probeer om te rook, maar kon dit nie regkry nie."
Meer oor Ike: www.ikemoriz.com
|
86. Cape Argus, Evan Milton, SA, 16.10.2008
|
|
IKE MORIZ:
All Around the World - Mosquito Records
Ike Moriz brings glam back to indie-pop, launching
All Around The World with dancers, international
link-ups and models. (Friday, FTV, cnr
Buitengracht and Hout sts, 8pm, R30).
|
85. Sunday Rapport, Tydskrif, SA, 05.10.2008
|
|
IKE MORIZ:
All Around the World - Mosquito Records
Soos'n mens nou al kan verwag van die Indie-popster
Ike Moriz is sy nuwe album, All Around the World, van
hoe gehalte en byna foutloos. Hy het byna al die musiek
self geskryf vir die CD wat deels in Londen opgeneem is.
Hy gaan deur'n wye reeks emosies en stilistiese elemente
terwyl hy geanker bly in sy oorspronklike kleurryke musiek.
Aanhangers van Britse pop/rock kan gerus die album
aanskaf. Hulle sal nie teleurgesteld wees nie.
|
84. Overtone, www.overtone.co.za, SA, 19.09.2008
"The big question: is Ike Moriz really South
Africa’s answer to David Bowie? Well, if
All Around The World is anything to go by,
perhaps. Some Ike Moriz die-hards might find
this shameful – and there are many of them
– but prior to receiving the task of writing a
review of the tall blonde, starlit singer-
songwriter, I had never before heard of Ike
Moriz. Maybe being a fully-fledged indie rock
girl has something to do with it…
Overtone | Ike Moriz - All Around The World
|
As with any carefully crafted pop album, the
majority of the tracks share an aural aura.
A couple of gems that should be kept in your
radio-friendly archives include All Your
Heroes Are Dead and the title track. Still
(Bravo Mix 2007) is a good indication to go
by when curious to find out more about
Ike’s music. Whereof One Cannot Speak may
be the only song not written by Ike himself,
it’s opens the album on a strong note, and
suddenly you’re at the front row of the
outdoor festival listening to your new
favourite solo artist from the South."
"... on a second and third listen, you can
actually invoke the spirit of David Bowie.
Seriously. Put the album in a circle of
candles, play the title track and chant
‘Ziggy’ three times while snorting a line of
uncut cocaine. You’ll be amazed.
The self-titled indie-pop star is no stranger to
the global music industry. He’s recorded all
around the world (no pun intended), making
a name for himself in Germany and London.
But Moriz has traded in some of the glamour
of being a musician for film. He himself has
also graced the silver screen, featuring in
major motion pictures like Shanghai Knights
[view] and Love Actually [view]. You
can understand why. Tracks such as
Killing Games and Always You (Samsara)
are just screaming for a part in the next
Hugh Grant/Colin Firth hit.
A definitive Ike Moriz hit mixes a blend of
synth-pop with acoustic guitar-driven
melodic rock. If you were an 80s kid, listening
to a vinyl by Talking Heads, The Cure, Gary
Numan or Soft Cell vinyl, give this album
a listen."
|
Ike Moriz - All Around the World
Written by Dex, on 16-09-2008 14:45
Ike Moriz's latest offering "All Around the World" is a mixing pot of
great catchy lyrics,sweet melodies, some of the finest musicians SA has to
offer and the warm voice of Ike Moriz.Starry Night featuring Elana Afrika
adds a touch of spice to the album, with a sort of Rocky
Horror duo feel to it. Each track leaves an aftertaste of sweet familiarity.
This album could be the one that puts SA pop music on the global map.
I expect we will be hearing a lot of it on the airwaves.
If you are into POP music, this is definitely one for your collection.
|
82. Sunday Tribune, 'The buzz', Durban, SA, 07.09.2008
|
|
IKE MORIZ: SOUND OF THE WEEK!!
Ike Moriz, local indie pop star and actor, has just
released his third album, All Around the World.
The album was recorded in London and Ike got to
work with George Michael's producer, Steve Kent.
Indiepop Spinzone describes his sound as
'Bowie without the glam meets Oasis without
the self-importance, teamed with UK chart
'alternative' without the boredom'.
|
81. Cape Concierge, issue 1757, SA, 08.09.2008
|
|
ZIMFEST 2008
6 September - 7 September
An humanitarian fundraising music
event with some of South Africa's best loved bands including Freshlyground, The
Dirty Skirts, The Rudimentals, Ike Moriz and Coda. All proceeds from ticket sales
will go to refugees and asylum seekers from Zimbabwe.
|
| | | |
