Hitting the Right Note
Joy of Jazz
Four years since his last release, songwriter Michael Lowman has released his new album, PopRadio.
In between finding love and a discovering a slight sense of independence, Michael wrote PopRadio in just under a month. Co-produced by Howie Combrink, the album was recorded at The Hit Lab in Johannesburg and at Michael’s home studio in Cape Town. Inspired by external perception, he set out to write an album which showcases the different sides to him that people are unaware of.
“Most people think I’m the guy who plays acoustic guitar in my room, melancholy tears dripping onto one of many scribbled out notebooks – and they’d be almost exactly right. But I’m so much more than that. I love pop music for the cleverness of its melody. I love hip-hop for its passion and beats. I love D&B for the way you lose yourself in it. I am so much more than the acousticguitar-playing muso you thought I was. PopRadio is meant to change that perception.”
PopRadio is not just a departure of genre for Michael, it is a testament to his growth as a musician since the release of his previous LP. The album sees him experimenting with sounds and arrangements, playing around with vocal layers and harmonies for the first time, and pushing his musical abilities to their limits. He decided to co-produce the album to intentionally throw himself into a world he previously had no experience of. He wrote from the heart, resulting not in a new beginning for Michael Lowman, but a continuation, a new chapter.
“When I say the name PopRadio I see all the colours on the album, I feel exactly what the album is. I see 80’s neon pink and I love it! It’s a collection of songs about discovery… in music and in self. This album has something for everyone – or no-one. But that’s okay.”
PopRadio also features another new avenue for Michael: collaborations with the likes of Karlien van Jaarsveld, Khuli Chana, Ross Jack and Lelo.
“My expectation for this album isn’t to sell a million copies, or to break new ground. I’m not trying to be ‘the next big thing’. Sheesh, I’m not even trying to get ahead… I just want PopRadio to make you question who you thought Michael Lowman was. I want you to know that this album is the gate holding back the flood that is my musical capabilities, and that when it drops, there’s nothing anyone can do or say that will stop the torrent of music that will accompany the rest of my life.”
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