“21st Century ‘80s Music” from Diamond Field

Diamond Field is the creation NYC-based kiwi Andy Diamond aka Andrew B. White, who has spent the last decade working on musical projects with a number of artists. Many of these artists appear as guests on the debut Diamond Field album. After a string of single releases over the last few years, the album builds on the strong ‘80s-influenced sound that Diamond Field is known for.

The album features a strong New Zealand connection featuring appearances from Wellington artist/producer Nik Brinkman (Junica, Over The Atlantic, Physical), Auckland’s Belinda Bradley (Selon Recliner), and several ex-pat New Zealand artists. These include Pennsylvania-based Miriam Clancy who co-writes and provides vocals on ‘Glowing In The Dark’ and LA-based multi-instrumentalist Rodger Cunningham. Cunningham was a finalist at the 2006 NZ Music Awards for “Best Mana Māori Album” and has written for film and TV, as well as playing with White in Rotorua bands back in the early 1990s. Completing the NZ connection is Melbourne-based vocalist Matthew J. Ruys (Fuemana, Houseparty, Strawpeople) who contributes lead vocals on two of the album’s tracks, along with dollops of backing vocals throughout. Ruys also co-wrote and appeared on Diamond Field’s second single ‘This City’ in 2015.

Other contributions come from synth and soundtrack artist Cody Carpenter (John Carpenter, Ludrium), Chicago’s Kyle Brauch (MIDWAVE, Rain Rabbit) and NYC’s Chris Ward aka The Saxophone Warrior (Felix Pastorius’ Hipster Assassins, Fischerspooner, Lord Huron). There is a return appearance from Minneapolis artist Nina Luna who featured on Diamond Field’s debut single ‘Neon Summer’, and Chelsea Nenni (whose band Late Slip White is also part of). Finally Glasgow multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Becca Starr brings her powerful Scottish pipes to several tracks. Having worked with these collaborators over the years, the album feels like one big musical family affair.

Diamond Field’s sound is inspired by ‘80s producers like Hugh Padgham (Phill Collins, The Police), Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order) and Peter Wolf (Wang Chung, Survivor), whose production techniques mixed traditional instruments with the latest tech of the time. On Diamond Field, electric guitars, bass, and ‘real’ drums are combined with drum machines, sequencers, and synthesizers; vocals are up front and stacks of backing vocals regularly fill out the choruses.

For the songwriting, inspiration comes from many places – from ABBA to Michael Sembello, The Go Go’s to Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark. Careful attention is given to song arrangements – intros to draw you in, pre-choruses build, choruses soar, solos and middle eights keep you engaged. Hooks are everywhere and stick in your head – this is “ear worm central”!

All the album’s tracks were written before the covid-19 pandemic with final mixing taking place over the course of 2020 and early 2021. By chance, many of the song lyrics deal with hope and positivity, and combined with the album’s catchy music, it makes Diamond Field an ideal soundtrack as we find our way forward.

For this release, White’s own label Luca Discs teamed up with LA-based boutique label Sofa King Vinyl to press physical copies of the album.

The physical release of the Diamond Field album comes in the form of a limited edition hot pink vinyl with a 12x24” insert featuring lyrics and liner notes, and special edition 2x CD card wallet set featuring a bonus disc of instrumentals of the album’s tracks. Though the album was released in 2021, the vinyl version took several months to produce due to the huge backlog in vinyl production, so the vinyl edition of Diamond Field signals the album’s “true” arrival!

Diamond Field – LP and CD hits stores on Friday, March 4, 2022. Distributed in New Zealand by Rhythmethod.

Tracklist:
1. New Situation (with Nina Luna)

2. Bring Back Love (with Matthew J. Ruys)

3. Glowing In The Dark (with Miriam Clancy)

4. In This Moment (with Nik Brinkman)

5. Spills Like Love (with Cody Carpenter)

6. It’s Your Time (with Becca Starr)

7. A Kiss Apart (with Belinda Bradley)

8. Used To Be (with Chelsea Nenni)

9. Look To The Stars (with Kyle Brauch)

10. Out Here For Love (with Matthew J. Ruys)