South Estate

‘South Estate’ is an alternative folk rock band founded in 2012 by singer/songwriter, producer and guitarist Daniel Grey. Grey leads a line-up that also features Tom Baylem (cello/backing vocals), Owen Schofield (drums), Marco Pisano (bass guitar) and Herve Le Feuvre (lead guitar). Daniel started writing music at the age of fourteen and fronted a diverse range of punk and post-hardcore bands in his early career. However he gradually switched to an acoustic guitar and began to search for a more mellow sound, developing a distinctive and melodic lead vocal. His first EP "Old Timey Songs for Old Time's Sake" was home-recorded and self-produced in 2012 and adhered to this new folksy style. Having filmed a music video for the stand-out single of the EP “The Glass Heart,” Grey then embarked on a solo tour during the winter of 2012/13 which saw him play around 30 dates in the UK and Italy. On his return, Grey commenced work on a full album, which took him a year to record, mix and master. In the resulting “The Goldilocks Effect," Grey’s diverse musical influences are on display, with catchy pop-rock anthems such as “Abyss of a Soul,” “Camilla” and “Active Users,” sitting alongside more introspective tracks like “Collect Them in your Drawers,” “Something Custom Made for You” and “Papercuts.” The underlying theme is the sociological impact of technological consumerism, and in particular how our reliance on mobile phones is diluting our relationships, while simultaneously compromising both our self-awareness and our ability to be alone. The antithesis to this arrives in the form of “Hillbrook Road,” in which Grey offers (in his own words) “a very simple tune…[as an]…honest verse that celebrates my love for you.” Here Grey strips away cynicism and metaphor to depict a loving relationship in its most pure state, segregated and protected from the sharp edges of daily life. Following a positive reception, Grey developed a music video to accompany this track; and later the atmospheric, piano-driven “Papercuts.” Up to this point, Grey had worked with a number of guest musicians to record and perform his work, but as the music continued to attract a following he decided in the summer of 2014 to put together the permanent line-up that makes up South Estate today. Following their debut show together at “The Bedford” on 20th October, the band has played regular gigs at some of the finest gig venues in London, including the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, the Barfly in Camden and the O2 Academy in Islington. Crowds have already taken to the group’s unique sound, especially in fusing a classically-trained cellist into an otherwise conventional rock outfit. In March 2015, the band recorded their debut single as a permanent line up and will sign a deal with GoLoudPromotions in the coming weeks. The single “Camila” is due to be released on the 25th of July 2015. Stay tuned. The Official South Estate Facebook Page. Folk Rock from London, UK.