"This young singer/songwriter/instrumentalist has created a unigue style of electronic pop songs. Textured, melodic and moody soundscapes back Ryan Lea's thought invoking words and soothing voice. Quite enjoyable."
Albums:
Invisible Blue - 2001
The first Nimbus Recording is a seductively subtle musical mood. The whispers of Ryan's voice over warm strings and trip-hop beats grabs your attention in a gentle manner, but holds you there tightly. A promising debut. ****
Muted - 2002
The concept behind this album was to write pop songs, but only record the music. To hear the vocals you will have to check him out live...or wait until these songs re-emerge a la voice. The emphasis was to tell the stories without saying anything, and let the audience relate individually to each song making their own connections to them. The songs 'Tried' and 'Straight Line are definate stand-outs and all in all a giant leap forward for artist Ryan Lea.
B-Side Myself - 2003
A collection of rarities, remixes and cover tunes. The opener 'Here Comes Never' praises a gripping piano arrangement over spooky sci-fi ambience. Then there's the haunting ballad version of Depeche Mode's 'Enjoy the Silence'. Thrown into the mix are new versions of some of older tunes, plus covers Neil Young in an experimental dub track. Overall quirky and beautiful at the same time. ****
You Should Have Come Alone - 2003
Ryan's third album has just been completed and is quickly recieving some high praises. The most noticeable difference on the new CD is that all the music was recorded using analogue synths and vocoders, giving the album a very retro-feel to it. This album also boasts some straight-up pop tracks like "Automate" and "Lean Into My Love". Some of the other songs also lean more heavily into the experimental side of things. The mood and style is instantly Ryan's own, yet he is not afraid of experimenting and taking some risks. There are some beautiful moments on this CD, and I can't wait to hear these new songs performed live. ****
