Underskog

Nytt album ute: Christiania

Napoleon IIIrd is a musician, solo artist and producer who is based in Holmfirth, Yorkshire

After his previous band (Little Japanese Toy) split in 2004, James Mabbett decided to go it alone. Driven by a rediscovered love for the beach boys and a continued love of skewed dance music and loud guitars he became Napoleon IIIrd. Promptly retreating to his newly built home studio in Leeds, Napoleon resurfaced six months later armed with a surround sound system, a 40 year old reel to reel player, an acoustic guitar on a pole with built in strobe light and a battery of new songs.

Recorded after several years of regular live performances and two limited, sold-out EPs (released on Leeds based Dance to the Radio and Brainlove Records), ‘In Debt To:’, Napoleon IIIrd’s debut album, displays a meticulously refined sound, both lo-fi and stunningly complex in its production; behind the ragged vocals and strummed acoustic guitar lie swirling layers of brass and humming organs.

Napoleon IIIrd has relocated to the countryside and now resides in Holmfirth, at the foot of the Pennines. Where he has recorded Hideki Yukawa, a mini album released on the 16th of February 2009.

Napoleon has remixed the likes of The Cribs, ¡Forward Russia!, Los Campesinos, Sky Larkin, Duels, Ill Ease, Grammatics and iConcur

In 2006 he recorded and co-produced The Independent Scrutineer by labelmate Pagan Wanderer Lu. He has also contributed backing vocals to various songs by post-rock band iLiKETRAiNS.

An embarrassment of musical riches… a perfect late curio of 2010.” 8/10 NME

“Sheer pop-hook majesty and killer choruses… pure inspiration” – Sunday Times ****

“An eccentric Yorkshireman who deserves to be considered the peer of fellow electro-melodicists Fuck Buttons and Animal Collective” – **** MOJO

“The melodies are generous, the emotions writ large, and the arrangements thrilling.” – Word

“There’s an appealing spirit of English eccentricity to James Mabbett’s second album… it channels influences as far-flung as Brian Wilson, Balearic house and space rock.” – The Observer

“Swirling atmospheric backdrops take you on bizarre aural trips… an infectiously entertaining, from-the-heart album” – Artrocker

“Christiania is faultless.” – (Recommended Album) The Line Of Best Fit

“It’s not often that an album like this comes along… a masterpiece.” – *** God Is In The TV

“An inarguably majestic affair” – **** The Big Issue

“An off-kilter trip-pop wonder, recalling the likes of Panda Bear and Dan Deacon.” – Clash

“Life and vivacity flows through the album… stunning.” – 8/10 Drowned In Sound

“Nine songs of remarkable breadth and magnitude…Napoleon IIIrd is rightly celebrated as one of the most distinctive and intriguing contemporary artists.” – High Voltage

“Christiania’s dense pop productions merit further investigation and reveal a perverse intelligence at work.” – Stool Pigeon

“A true master of the kind of outsider pop that’s created for bespectacled youths turned off by chart hits.” – Loud & Quiet

“Napoleon IIIrd sweats undiluted awesome power. The kind of performance that makes you want to call everyone you care about and tell them they should be here to see it.” – The Fly

http://www.napoleoniiird.com/

http://www.myspace.com/napoleoniiird