sweet suburban disco - billie ray martin
Former S’Express singer Billie Ray Martin is set to storm her way back into the UK charts with her first single since the 2008 international club hit Undisco Me, the ‘queen of electronic soul’ will release the single Sweet Suburban Disco on March 28th.
Already a massive hit on the German club scene Sweet Suburban Disco looks likely to re-establish the singer in the UK with this almost laid back, yet dance floor bound, pop track.
Angst on the Suburban Dancefloor is the theme, as only Billie Ray Martin, ‘the Nico of the rave generation’ as one magazine described her, can deliver it. Featuring mixes by Vince Clarke (Yazoo), Horse Meat Disco, Severino and Luke Solomon, this is one almighty package.
Billie Ray Martin first came to prominence leading the acclaimed deep house act Electribe 101, her unique voice hitting both the house scene and the charts with a strong infusion of soul. Electribe 101 scored a brace of hits including the classic Talking With Myself, before Billie left to explore other musical interests.
After releasing the thoroughly scary “Persuasion” with Spooky and the monumentally beautiful “Four Ambient Tales” with The Grid, Billie found herself with a worldwide number one with Your Loving Arms, now considered one of the all-time classics of dance music. Three more hits and the album “Deadline for My Memories” followed.
Since then Billie has worked with Ann Peebles, Carla Thomas and members of Aretha Franklin’s band on her album “18 Carat Garbage”, and has continued to release cutting edge electronic productions, including hit collaborations with DJ Hell and Slam.
Billie’s epic Crackdown Project released in 2010, featuring her takes on the Cabaret Voltaire classic album “The Crackdown”, reinforced her unique position as an artist who appeals to the both the uber-cool Flux Magazine, Wound and The Wire as well as the pop mainstream achieving ‘Song of the Day’ status at Popjustice. 15,000 downloads in a matter of days, plus overwhelming press and DJ feedback confirmed her vision.
While Billie is currently working on a new solo album, her project The Opiates with musician Robert Solheim (dubbed “the Carpenters of electro” by the press) will release their album “Hollywood Under The Knife” in Spring 2011. Featuring artwork by Turner-prize winner Wolfgang Tillmans, who has photographed Billie twice before and nominated her as one of the 25 most influential women in i-D Magazine.
She continues to run her record label, Disco Activisto, in Berlin and DJs around the world with growing success.
