We live in a musical era in which drummers get kicked out of bands by drum machines because it makes them sound more like LMFAO, in which artists would rather you buy 13 singles than one album because the record companies steal all their money, in which Justin Bieber gets nominated for Grammys and in which the two most famous musicians are not famous because of their music, but because they‘re either giant douche bags or they wear meat bikinis.
Yes, folks, these are trying times indeed. All we wish for is a simpler time, away from the My Chemical Romances, the Maynard James Keenans, the idiots at the Academy, the Kanye Wests and the Lady Gagas (all from which my previous accusations come from).
In this 3OH!3 and Ke$ha-ridden world, where can we turn for some musical peace and quiet?
I would suggest turning to coming artist Andreya Triana, a sultry R&B singer from Great Britain who has recently released her first solo album, “Lost Where I Belong,” on independent label Ninja Tune.
Triana is a stark contrast to the corporate hustling and bustling of today’s popular music since she is a completely self-made woman. She taught herself to sing at a young age and made her first recordings with cheap cassette recorders in her bedroom. Her musical repertoire expanded as she began studying musical technology while fronting multiple experimental Latin, fun, soul and jazz outfits.
As she honed her musical skills and styles, she began to attract critical acclaim and was eventually asked to contribute vocals to popular experimental acts as Flying Lotus (in their song “Tea Leaf Dancers”) and Bonobo, with the latter featuring Triana on three of the tracks off his most recent album, “Black Sands.”
He was pleased with her work on the songs, Bonobo eventually approached Triana in hopes of being able to produce her first solo album. She agreed, and the result is a wonderful debut we have now.
The album itself is as DIY and eclectic as this star duo will have it, resulting in a smooth, mellow, yet perpetually fun and entertaining album. The two wrote the songs together, combining live instrumentations and found sounds in unique and subtle ways.
The album is undeniably jazzy and full of deep, funk-laden bass lines, spunky shuffle-rhythms, soft horns and lush vocals, melting us in the same way that chocolate melts into crushed velvet by candlelight. Bonobo’s production gives the songs intricate layers, and all the while keeps the tracks spacious, giving us and Triana ample space to breathe.
Highlights include the peppy “A Town Called Obsolete,” the bossa nova-y “Something in the Silence,” and the funky, flute-powered soul jam “Up in the Fire.”
Tune into KSLC 90.3 FM to catch a tune off of Andreya Triana’s debut album, “Lost Where I Belong.”

Philip Yovetich/KSLC 90.3 FM
Philip Yovetich can be reached at [email protected].