Jonathan Bree - Sleepwalking
Reliable shipping
Flexible returns
On his third album, *Sleepwalking*, New Zealand composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jonathan Bree, with his distinctive baritone vocals, weaves heavily orchestrated elements—lush strings, horns, celeste, and soprano choirs—with chamber pop reminiscent of a bygone era (Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra). The songs delve into and out of the avant-garde in a decidedly modern way, including the hit "You're So Cool," whose masked video had garnered over 31 million views on YouTube by the end of 2023 and was named Music Video of the Year 2017 by New York's Time Out magazine. "You're So Cool" features his mysterious band in masked outfits, which Jonathan has refined over the years with a white bodysuit, a face mask (complete with cheekbones!), and a shell wig. A plucked cello, a minimal bass line, and a drum pattern form Jonathan's trademark sound, which runs throughout the album. With "Sleepwalking," Jonathan Bree explores 60s lounge, exotica, and French pop. The album includes several duets, notably with New Zealand musician Princess Chelsea (in "Static" and "Plucking Petals"), with whom Jonathan has collaborated for many years. Catalan musician Clara Vinals features on the single "Say You Love Me Too," which has a distinct Serge Gainsbourg feel, with whispered, intimate vocals sitting over a prominent bassline and driving drum pattern. A self-confessed workaholic and social recluse, Jonathan spends his days (and nights) in a dingy home office trying to run his record label, Lil' Chief Records (home of Princess Chelsea, Ruby Suns, and others), while simultaneously producing albums for artists like Princess Chelsea, appearing in viral music videos for smoking duets ("Cigarette Duet"), and still finding time to record his own material and shoot his masked videos. And sometimes he sleeps...
Tracklist:
A1 Sleepwalking
A2 Boombox Serenade
A3 You're So Cool
A4 Say You Love Me Too
A5 Characters
B1 Roller Disco
B2 Valentine
B3 Static
B4 Plucking Petals
B5 Coke
B6 Fuck It