An alluring modern musical composition, soaked in the sentiments of an 18th-century Venetian composer, inspired by progressions allegedly recued from the ruins of a bombed Dresden library… Adagio is an expansive multi-track production, with a live orchestra and leading vocal performance that brings together two worlds of artistic expression, under a modern, cinematic and all-consuming creative light.
First conceived in sentiment during the impending turmoil of 2020, Shimi Goodman’s single Adagio has been years in the making. After devoting most of his energy to building a successful touring duo with husband Chris Hamilton (Tiano), Shimi’s single Adagio makes further unique use of the power of collaboration and connection, and offers something magnetic and enchanting to modern music.
The Adagio project first began with a new orchestral arrangement from Shay Alon, recorded by the rather iconic Prague Philharmonic orchestra. Producer George Guerrette then built around this orchestral foundation, skilfully weaving in contemporary cinematic textures and traits that offer a notably more vast and modern interpretation of the work.
Shimi admired George’s approach from the start, noting that he wasn’t simply interested in creating yet another classical crossover piece, but rather, sought to allow the song’s natural emotional presence to expand into a greater realm of sonic escapism – whilst carefully maintaining the original beauty and nuance of Shay’s arrangement.
Shimi Goodman recorded the distinct and moving vocals of Adagio at John Calvert’s studio in London, and the song was later mixed in both stereo and Dolby Atmos, by the Grammy Award-winning producer and mixer Justin Gray.
Justin speaks with fondness and passion on his immediate connection to the music of Adagio and to George’s orchestral work, and was keen to take on the challenge of igniting a fresh artistic aura, while respecting the initial intricacy and progression of what already existed.
Justin Gray’s expertise lie amidst immersive audio experiences, and George wanted to work side-by-side with the cinematic producer, to ultimately embark upon a shared journey that would let Shimi’s genuine and evocative voice shine brightly, at the same time as surrounding and consuming the listener with the dynamic range and wonder of a fully-envisioned audio narrative.
The arrangement became incredibly complex at first, with over 100 different layers, and was slowly adjusted and monitored to finalise the two different studio versions. When reflecting on the extensive process of making and releasing Adagio, Shimi Goodman stated the following:
“I was waiting to find the right person that could make it the way I heard it in my head. And I found him. What George has done with this song has truly exceeded all expectations. Working with Justin has been a real honour, and what he’s brought to it is simply remarkable.”
Releasing as a single on July 3rd, with the official video to follow on July 10th, Adagio is an independent release built upon years of dedication to the craft. Both sonically and performatively, Adagio presents a level of collaborative vibrancy, skill, and sentiment, that’s captivating, and profoundly moving.
The style incorporates elements of traditional classical music, but also promises an epic cinematic arena of instrumental detail and power, and at the same time, seamlessly connects with and compliments Shimi’s unrivalled vocal identity in a way that’s truly enthralling from start to finish.
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