Emancipator is coming to the historic Theatre in Leesburg, VA on April 22, 2016!

Don’t miss this one!

            There is something ineffably emotional in the music of Emancipator, something that takes the listener on a journey through varied inner landscapes full of soulful beauty and genuine connection. His songs, which are full of organic instrumentation blended with samples and smooth down-tempo and trip hop beats, often fall into that rare space somewhere between introspection and dance- ability. Some of my friends who were originally skeptical of electronic music’s authenticity as a form of expression have even opened up to its possibilities as a result of listening to Emancipator’s music. I’ll never forget my first time seeing Emancipator back in 2011 at Rootwire Music and Arts Festival at its original Kaeppner’s Woods venue in Logan, Ohio. I had never heard of him, and I was completely entranced by his music: dreamlike, ethereal sounds paired with brilliant hip-hop-inspired beats which set my heart and head soaring as I danced. For weeks, I couldn’t stop listening to the incredibly original sound collage, “Shook”. The unexpectedly perfect mash- up of Sigur Ros and Mobb Deep was pure magic- a potent blend of achingly gorgeous, dreamy sounds, a dope beat, and brutal lyrics. It was a revelation. I’m pretty sure it showed up on every mix tape I made for friends for quite some time. If you haven’t heard it, do yourself a favor, and go find it on youtube or soundcloud. From there, I realized that this was only the tip of the iceberg. I fell in love with the songs on Soon It Will Be Cold Enough and Safe in the Steep Hills.

            Emancipator, the alter ego of Doug Appling, is an electronic music producer who lives in Portland, Oregon. His latest full length album, Seven Seas takes the listener on a voyage that is simultaneously made up of organic textures and electronic music. From the gorgeous shards of piano notes that evoke raindrops splattering against the earth juxtaposed against the trippy electronic backdrop of the opening track, “All in Here” to Madelyn Grant’s aching, soulful vocals on the title track to the stunning violin melody of “1993” (which is my personal favorite on the album) to the reggae-like electronica of “Oasis” which makes me feel like I’m standing on futuristic beach, Seven Seas is non-stop musical biss. I couldn’t be more excited to see Emancipator perform these newer tracks live along with some classic ones. As luck would have it, the artist is bringing his conscious electronic music to the Tally Ho Theatre on April 22. It is always a pleasure to catch him in a live setting.  Always authentic, always full of heart, Emancipator is sure to be bringing a night full of richly textured music and magic to the venerable, art-deco landmark in downtown Leesburg. I’m really excited about this one. I hope to see a lot of you there. Come prepared to dance. Come prepared to feel a transcendent sense of connection to music, life and each other.

Emancipator is coming to the historic Tally Ho Theatre in Leesburg, VA on April 22, 2016

Tickets are available at www.tallyholeesburg.com/event.cfm?id=230518&cart

They are $19.00 in advance and $20.00 day of show.

Emancipator’s music is available for purchase at   www.emancipatormusic.com