We are very happy to announce that our single "Letters" has been released and is available for download on CDBaby. Visit the link below to download "Letters" and please write a review for our page.
Welcome guitarist Sofiariantika P. Wilson (Nanda) to the band Laguna! Nanda is the other half of the music group Mr. & Mrs. Muffins with bassist Noah Wilson. Before moving to Seattle in 2008 to be with Noah, she was in the Indonesian band Clover. We are really excited about having Nanda aboard, we are sure you will enjoy her sound. Nanda also did the incredible artwork for our 2010 release, volcano which can be seen all over this website. Thank you Nanda!!
Laguna will perform at the Can Can with Matthew Frantz Tuesday, November 20th, 2012. General admission is $5.00, 21+ at 9pm. Can Can is located at 94 Pike Street, Seattle, 98101. Ticket link for Stranger Tickets/Can Can; cancan.strangertickets.com/events/6568471/retro-featuring-matthew-franz-and-laguna
LAGUNA CD Volcano review by EvilSponge.com:
Laguna [review] - Laguna – Volcano (Class M).
Laguna is writing and dreaming new material through the coming months. Drummer, programmer Shane Peck will be Traveling to Thailand through July.
Friends of Rob Anonymous Benefit Show.
"Rob Anonymous, member of Miss Solar System, Thrivealike, and Surrealized, went to the hospital last week. Sadly as an artist he has little coverage for this. Although he is now out of the hospital, he is facing some serious bills and won't be able to return to work for a while.
Rob has contributed to this community for over seven years as an artist, sound guy, and setup champ, asking very little, being *very* humble, and busting ass constantly. I lose track of the amount of theme camps and shows he has contributed to, including Burners without Borders." - Dave Diem Martinez
He's out of the hospital but still out of work, so come hang out and raise some money for our man in appreciation of his supreme awesomeness. His paypal for DIRECT DONATION is "willremix4food AT gmail".
Featuring Laguna, 80s Invasion, Kimo Muraki, and DJ Diem!
$6 or larger donation
http://www.djdiem.com/
http://www.lagunamusic.us/
http://www.eightiesinvasio n.com/
http://kimomuraki.com/
High Dive
513 North 36th St # G
Seattle, WA 98103-8693
(206) 632-0212
Laguna has recently been accepted into the supported artist program at Headcaseradio.com, Headcaseradio.com - Artists.. Tune into Headcaseradio.com to hear Laguna and other artists at Headcaseradio.com.
First Laguna news for 2011! Not much going on in the gig department recently as we are currently working on new material for a future release. Laguna has a show booked for May 28th, 2011 at Club Sur in the SODO district, please mark it in your calendars. We will be performing with our brothers in arms, the surf and spy band Johnny Astro.
LAGUNA CD Volcano review by Fensepost THE indie music blog:
Laguna [Feature] - Laguna – Volcano (Class M).
LAGUNA CD Volcano review and album available at Apple Crumble Record in Tokyo Japan. Apple Crumble Record - Laguna – Volcano (Class M Records).
LAGUNA CD Volcano review by Leicester Bangs:
Leicester Bangs, Short Shorts - Laguna – Volcano (Class M).
LAGUNA CD Volcano review by Muzikreviews.com:
LAGUNA artist review.
LAGUNA CD Volcano is now available at the following local record stores: Easy Street Records (Queen Anne), Silver Platters and Sonic Boom Records (Ballard). Help us out by going to one of these stores and purchasing your copy of VOLCANO! Thanks!
A new original video has been completed for our song "Soca 4". Check it out on our "Media" page! Special thanks to Tilted Thunder Rail Birds Roller Derby Team, Westenders SC Scooter Club and the 9lb Hammer. Music: "Soca 4" by LAGUNA, Creative/Storyboard Direction: by Lydia Nor, Camera/Editing: by Hector Cruz.
Review of our LAGUNA CD by the Westenders SC on their website.
We are very excited to announce that our song "Wedded Beat" is on the Series Two Records, Retrospective Compilation, Retro-01.
The complete track list for the Retrospective Compilation series by Series Two Records is now official and will be released on MAY 11th of 2010. In total there are 5 different Compilations on 5 different CDs with 118 total song contributions from 118 different artists spanning the world. The compilations in total feature more than 380 minutes of original songs.
DETAILS as follows:
Artists from the Series Two Records “Retrospective Compilation series” include those located in (17) different states of the USA: Ohio, California, Kansas, Nebraska, Maryland, Washington, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Missouri, Wisconsin, Arizona, Virginia, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Washington DC; International artists include those located in: Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, France, Serbia, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Russia, China, Philippines;
The Retrospective Compilations are now available. If you would like to own a complete set of the retrospective compilations by Series Two Records, here is how. You may send a PayPal payment in the amount of 30 US Dollars payable to seriestworecords@gmail.com
(International & USA shipping rates already included in that price). All compilations are arriving hand numbered and limited to 100 copies only!
For if you are interested in additional releases from Series Two Records, there is a convenient easy to use order form found here: www.indiepages.com/seriestwo/store
Happy April Fools! Laguna is pleased to announce that we will be performing with the bands Poland and Cleemann (from Denmark) Thursday, April 8th at the Tiger Lounge!! Laguna drummer Shane Peck and bassist Noah Wilson will be playing in all three acts of the bill.
The new Laguna website is up! We'll be making some adjustments here and there to improve it. The artwork for the website and for the upcoming Laguna cd Volcano is by musician, artist and designer Sofiariantika Primananda of Mr. & Mrs. Muffins and the Indonesdian band Clover. Site design and web management is by Laguna's Shane Peck.
The new Laguna cd "Volcano" due to be released in April, 2010!! Email us to reserve an advance copy.
Laguna is in the final stages of completing their upcoming cd, Volcano, due to be released at the end of April 2010 on their own class M records. Stay tuned for details about our cd release party at Tost on May 7th, 2010. There are also a few other show dates coming up on our calendar, check into our myspace page.. Laguna, Official Myspace Page!
Laguna to perform JAN 25th at the 3rd ANNUAL SYNCHRONIZE CONCERT SERIES: BUILDING A WORLD COMMUNITY DURING SUNDANCE 2010
PARK CITY, UT – January 14, 2010 - At Sundance 2010, humanity will begin to Synchronize. In an effort to rebuild the bridges to our World Community, a partnership of socially-conscious media organizations are coming together to raise awareness for the good of humanity.
The Synchronize Concert Series, the unofficial music festival of Sundance 2010, will be hosting a series of music, film and media events at the exclusive Crown on Main, in Park City, Utah.
Synchronize Concert Series
January 21-31, 2010
Crown on Main
508 Main Street
Park City, UT 84060
Live review of our 04-17-09 show at the Mix on Westenders Scooter Club Web Site!
"Laguna, a Seattle band that puts a hot new spin on the 'lounge' sound. Laguna is fronted by the lovely Lydia Nor, whose sultry, seductive, yet oh-so-sophisticated style seems equal parts Sade and Astrud Gilberto! If the works of SHAG were set to music, the soundtrack would definitely be by Laguna!"
We are very happy to announce that Laguna is on the following compilation, Series Two Records Compilation VOLUME 23. Track 3, "Watch Your Back".
This compilation is part of a series which includes Volumes 15-19 and Volumes 20-23. The compilations will be available January 20th at the following url: www.indiepagescom/seriestwo/store.html
Many thanks to Series Two Records!! Make sure to check out all of the incredible artists on these compilations!
Artists from the January compilations by Series Two Records include those located in 13 different states of the USA, Canada, Australia, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, Ireland, Croatia, Indonesia, Singapore, Poland, Philippines, Brazil, Belgium, Switzerland, and Israel.
Shane Peck and Laguna in the Seattle Times, Music and Nightlife section Friday 22nd, 2008
"Big names in Seattle music: together at last"
A Review by the Ectophiles' Guide
Laguna!, Outside Casa, The Ectophile's Guide
"Laguna! play loungey, poppy, and often madly catchy electronic pop. They sound like they're having fun and that's infectious. The lead vocals are terrific and the mood relaxed. They seem to have crafted the perfect soundtrack for summer. Or for remembering past summers".
a Review by Amy Lotsberg, Producer of:
Collected Sounds - A Guide to Women in Music
In a word: Fun!
One thing is for sure, Laguna! sounds like they're having a blast on this record and they're bringing us along for the ride.
I'm a big fan of the old style light jazzy artists, your Sergio Mendez, Tijuana Brass, etc. Laguna is in a similar vein. It's not exactly the same, but they have a great loungy, jazzy feel that reminds me of that great old stuff. There's also a hint of 80s dancy jazz music here as well. Especially on track one, "Stop it All". I'm having a little Basia flashback.
I'm digging Lydia Nor's sort of carefree, joyful vocals. She also wrote the lyrics on all the songs.
"Leave You Behind" has a real 60s feel to it. I want to have a cocktail party.
"Modern Day Mystic" makes me want to dance.
This is a nice fun, jazzy record that I think many will enjoy.
Posted on February 15, 2006
The group’s influences range from James Brown to ska to reggae to Miles Davis to world music to soft rock. Those influences are united by strong (but not overpowering) and airy (but not lightweight) vocals by Lydia Nor. Also very intriguing are foreign language speaking parts that add an ethereal dimension to the music. Keep It In Mind has a really sexy aura about it.
"Featured Seattle band in the month of August, 2002"
-Seattle PI
Review by The Tablet Newspaper, 2002
"Looking for some unique local pop? I found it in Keep It In Mind by Laguna! The Seattle band combines a ton of styles from ska, lounge and bubblegum pop to '60s spy movie music, jazz and more. Think of Cibo Matto crossed with Don Ho crossed with No Doubt. Somehow it works, which is pretty amazing. I think it's the uniqueness of the band, along with the sexy vocals and crafty samples that keeps this CD in rotation on my stereo. Laguna! play the kind of music I want to hear in the background as I sip Blue Hawaiians in a dark candlelit lounge".
Review by New Digital Reporter, 2002
Pinpointing the Laguna! sound is somewhat difficult because they are so original. That's honestly a term I do not use lightly, but with Laguna! it's true. Imagine a sultry mix of Caribbean reggae, with a dash of lighter Bjork arrangements, trip-hop and beautifully delicate jazz and pop all supporting the lovely harmonies of lead singer Lydia Nor and Janet Utterback's vocals. The result is music that immediately grabs your attention and puts a smile on your face. This is one of those CDs I love to find because I just don't have anything quite like it in my collection. As a matter of fact, it's fun to put it on the stereo when you have some friends coming over. I'll lay back with a sly smirk on my face knowing that somebody will eventually interrupt the conversation to ask "Just who is this?!" Turning friends on to a cool/new local group is my favorite reward to reviewing music like this.
Review by Q13 Morning News, 2002
"This five-member group plays a mix of tunes from pop and jazz. Laguna! takes you all over the world with different languages and cultural influences."
Review by Listen.com, 2002
Jazzy upstarts from Seattle make music that dabbles in Caribbean rhythms and Reggae, evoking the feeling of lying on a deserted island sipping daiquiris while the band plays over the sound of the waves.
Review by Plug in Music,100% Unnatural Electronic Fanzine, 2002
"For the past few years, Seattle-based lounge lizards Laguna! have sailed the uncharted waters between ambient electonica, retro-lounge, and Phish-style instrumental jamming, releasing two fine Eps of highly distinctive music to criminally little fanfare. Fortunately, the lack of acclaim hasn't cast a shadow upon Laguna's sunny, tropical sound, as evidenced by their latest release.
On Keep It In Mind, the band’s first proper full-length, the electronic elements of Laguna’s sound are generally relegated to frosting on the jam-band cake – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the group has improvisational skills worth showing off. The lead is passed between the guitars, saxophones, and marimbas while the warm-butter vocals of Janet Utterback and Lydia Nor come and go without imposing too much song structure upon the proceedings. For most part, the vibe is chilled as an islandl breeze, though a few tracks – namely “Live and Die In Paradise” and “Spy” take on a funky, urban edge more evocative of Isaac Hayes than Harry Belafonte.
Though solidly crafted and enthusiastically executed, the new songs generally play by the established rules for world fusion / jam bands. Still, fans of Laguna! won't be let down, and who knows - this record could easily serve as a gateway for fans of worlbeat/jam music to discover the wonderful world of poptronica."
Press Reviews for the album, "Morocco"
Review by Plug in Music,100% Unnatural Electronic Fanzine, 2000
Morocco, the new EP from Seattle lounge-tronica outfit Laguna, greatly expands upon the sonic palette of their debut EP, Uta. On it, Laguna add touches of down-tempo house, drum n' bass, and funk to their trademark blend of ambient electonica and breezy Caribbean jazz. The results might not be as accessible as Laguna's earlier material, but they're certainly a lot more interesting. Where the tracks on Uta sounded like trip-hop remixes of old Martin Denny records, the songs on Morocco compare favorably to the electro-tropical experiments of the Tom Tom Club and Pizzicatto Five. The opening track, "Shooting Star" (assuming the track order on the band's MP3.COM page is the intended album sequence), begins with a mellow club groove then adds a Cardigans-esque disco guitar riff that bounces throughout the length of the track. "Morocco", the title track, is built around an idiosyncratic drum n' bass pattern that leads into the Arabic chorus of "Habibe, Habibe..." (which roughly translates "Hey, baby"). "You and Me" is a slow, jazz creeper featuring dueling saxophones and vocals. The saxophones are even more prominent on "Atmosphere", an eerie jam reminiscent of the ambient bookends on Morphine's Cure for Pain. Morocco closes with "Shinkasen", a better-than-average specimen of the Japanese-language fetish that's become something of a cliché in Poptronica lately (for another example, see Freezepop's Japanese track "Tenisu No Boifurendo"). Laguna are already one of the most unique acts in the poptronica scene, a fact that won't change anytime soon if they continue along their present track of experimentation. If you're in the mood for something chilled out that isn't the same old ambient drone, then Morocco is definitely worth the time it takes to download. |
