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The Angel aka 60 Channels is an eclectic female composer whose work spans from underground, experimental projects to mainstream television and film. She has collaborated with, remixed and produced an eclectic array of artists like DJ Food, Towa Tei, Jody Watley, etc. These artists all have a strong identity in their individual genres and The Angel has provided them with unique sonic platforms to expand upon. Meanwhile, her 60 Channels moniker enables her to continue to include drum 'n bass, dub, hip-hop and other alternative flavors into her productions.
As a recording artist, record producer and remixer of artists like The Brand New Heavies, Michael Franti's Spearhead and Blue Note's Donald Byrd, The Angel was able to create her own sound and became known as a downtempo, trip hop pioneer.
I recently caught up with The Angel/60 Channels to get some history and see what's new.
M: How did you get your start in music production?
A: I started out back in the nineties teaching myself how to use the groundbreaking technology available at the time, like the first Akai samplers, synths and various sequencers including using Cubase on an Atari STE!
As I was writing and programming my own tracks, I was actually laying the foundation for producing not only my own records as The Angel and later, my alter ego 60 Channels, but also producing other artists, like Bay Area, Grammy Nominee, Mystic, The Pharcyde's Slimkid3 and co-produced my collaboration with Bristol's More Rockers/Smith & Mighty called Jaz Klash.
As a recording artist, record producer and remixer of artists like The Brand New Heavies, Michael Franti's Spearhead and Blue Note's Donald Byrd, I was able to create my own sound and became known as a downtempo, trip hop pioneer.
M: How did you make the transition from being a recording artist and record producer to becoming a composer for film & TV?
A: By creating a large body of work. Some of my early releases caught the ear of filmmakers and producers, who wanted to license my tracks to film & TV and that led to my being given the opportunity to begin my journey as a film & TV composer.
Since the nineties, I've become one of a handful of women to have scored studio feature films as well as network and cable TV. I'm known for the New Line classic, BOILER ROOM (starring Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel and Ben Affleck), the British classic, KiDULTHOOD, (starring Aml Ameen, Adam Deacon and Femi Oyeniran) and my latest Showtime original film, HEIST 88, (starring Courtney B Vance and streaming on Paramount+).
We have just released my HEIST 88 (Original Motion Picture Score) album across all the music streaming services with a driving electronic score.
M: What led you to initially delve into more underground genres like Drum 'N Bass, Trip-Hop, Downtempo and Dub?
A: I always gravitated toward downtempo, beat-driven tracks...
Coming from Brooklyn, where I was steeped in east coast hip hop and then moving to London, I organically began experimenting by layering in a mix of jazz, funk, soul, reggae and dub into my tracks.
And it was in London in the early nineties that I started recording my own take on acid jazz, which led me to sign a deal with Los Angeles based independent record label, Delicious Vinyl. At the time, they were having hits with Tone Loc, Young MC and The Pharcyde, and they were excited about adding a female producer/artist/remixer to their label.
M: How did the collaborations with More Rockers and Navigator come about?
A: Once established in LA, I began working with a British manager named Simon Goffe (now a partner in Brownswood Recordings with Gilles Peterson). At that time, Simon was also managing Smith & Mighty, Roni Size and the Ragga Twins...
Simon introduced me to Rob Smith and Peter D (More Rockers) to see if we'd gel as collaborators. And we quickly realized that we could create something unique by joining forces, so that's when we formed Jaz Klash. I brought all the half time programming and jazz elements, including live instrumentation from some jazz greats, like Brian Auger and Katisse Buckingham. And they brought all the jungle programming to the table, all of us co-producing the tracks. We created a hip hop/trip hop meets jazzy jungle blend.
While in Bristol, writing and recording the Jaz Klash album, Thru The Haze, I remember SUV coming by the studio one day to check out what we were doing, and him being surprised to find this American woman programming tracks alongside my partners.
Thru the Haze by Jaz Klash, released 09 September 1998 1. Off The Edge 2. Intrigue (Down For Whatever) 3. BQE 4. Intoxicated 5. '67 6. Traffic 7. Thru the Haze 8. The Finale 9. The Gift 10. The Party Next Door 11.
During my stay in London, Simon took me to a Ragga Twins gig, where I met them and their guest vocalist, Navigator. Simon, who had started working at a major publishing company, had arranged for me to write with and produce tracks for Navigator. That's how we began recording together and gigging over many years and we're still close to this day.
When I got back to Los Angeles, I knew that I wanted more artistic freedom to incorporate jungle, dnb and alternative flavors into my own records and that's when I decided to create another artist identity as 60 Channels. For this project, I brought in featured vocalists from different countries and genres, including Angie Hart (Frente!), Navigator, Monday Michiru, Slimkid3 (The Pharcyde), Craig McMad, Cokni O'Dire, Rain Phoenix, Karen Grant and DJ Collage.
60 Channels was formed in 1998 by L.A.based female producer, film composer/recording artist, The Angel as an alternative, electronic musical persona. 60 Channels played the first Coachella music festival and has released two albums; TUNED IN, TURNED ON & COVERT MOVEMENTS featuring vocalists Angie Hart (Frente), UK jungle MC, Navigator, Monday Michiru, Rain Phoenix.
M: Will there be another Jaz Klash collaboration/record/album?
A: It's unlikely, only because we're all so busy with our own projects... and because my main focus shifted to scoring film & TV since the late nineties.
M: How was it working with Jaz Klash remixers Die, SUV and Flynn & Flora (RIP).
A: I got to know Die and SUV a bit between my visits to Bristol and their touring in LA with Reprazent... I met Flynn & Flora at their place in Bristol, just once, but have stayed in touch with Flynn over the years. I was so sorry to hear about Flora's passing. What a terrible loss. All the work that each of them did for Jaz Klash, happened on their own, so I never actually had an opportunity to work with them as such.
M: Do you have a recording available of your Freedom Is A State Of Mind (2 Hard To Handle Mix)? I can't find it available online.
A: I only have it on vinyl stashed away somewhere... After all these years, Delicious Vinyl has given me back the rights to "Freedom IS A State Of Mind (2 Hard To Handle Mix), the single "Spirit of Love" and my first unreleased album, "A Message From The Angel...", which I'm planning to release in 2025, once we've cleared or replaced all the samples. Gotta love the nineties!
M: Which track(s) did you produce/remix for the Solsonics' Jazz In The Present Tense?
A: I remixed the song "Jazz In The Present Tense" (Remix) and (Bonus Beats Remix). Additional production and Remix by The Angel for A side of the Solsonics 12" released in 1993 before their album with the same name dropped later that year.
M: Ah I see. Which track did you produce/remix for The New Groove (The Blue Note Remix Project Volume 1)?
A: I remixed Donald Byrd's gem, "Kofi" and brought in Bay Area rapper/spoken word artist, Mystic (Digital Underground) to write and perform a powerful spoken word piece:
I also produced the only new track on the album, "Mixed Feelings (The New Groove)" by Jacky Terrasson and brought in the late great Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious) as a featured vocalist. This track is one-of-a-kind, where I take the listener from downtempo, jazzy hip hop through jungle and back again.
M: Which track did you produce/remix for The Rebirth of Cool 4?
A: On the double vinyl version of the release - The Pharcyde - Otha Fish (The Angel Remix). See:
FULL DISCOGRAPHY
https://discogs.com/artist/8594-The-Angel
https://discogs.com/artist/24522-60-Channels
PRESS
https://theawfc.com/spotlight/the-angel/
https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-the-angel-of-los-angeles/
MΣTΛR1DD1M
