iCu_useLess (smm002)

...one man, many basses...

   iCu [ai si: ju(:)] is the solo project of bass player Cyrille de Haes, a lonesome musician that for the last few years has been playing as sideman on different projects, evolving in a variety of musical styles.

   At one point, he decided to create his own sound, recording some lines and ideas with different basses, from upright to fender bass VI. Ending up with plenty of small tracks without knowing precisely what to do, he eventually concentrated on the idea of turning his experimentations into music.

   This led to iCu: a bass music that is almost "visual". Music in progress evolving to find new ways of expression. Influenced by Steve Reich’s repetitive and minimalist music and produced exclusively on his basses, iCu’s music explores new sensational worlds by juggling with textures, sounds, riffs and melodies to paint overlapping parts as Tortoise’s, electronic scansions and impressionist colours.

   After different concerts (Recyclart, Botanique, Entrepot, Khartel… ), iCu decided to release his first album “useLess” on Spank Me More Records to materialise his work. Considered by the musician as a compilation of his work, this album “useLess” resumes two years of musical research.

   Composed, arranged, played and recorded by iCu, “useLess” was mixed by Finckle (Pentark “Ha Ha Ha!”, Cahone “Claire Obscure”,…) and mastered by Karel De Backer (Zita Swoon,…).

   Formed as bassist (electric and upright) at the Conservatoire Royal of Brussels, Cyrille de Haes became well-known as sideman by performing with different bands in different styles on different stages (Paleo, Benicassim, Vieille Charrue, Route du Rock, Dour, Francofolie, Bataclan, Fête de l’huma Paris,… ; various jazz festivals : Brosella, jazz Marathon, Django Liberchies,…  ; toured in the USA, Canada, India and Oceania and various European capitals from London to Berlin,… ). He composed also music for short movies (“bonne nuit” directed by Valéry Rosier, winner 2008/09 of Vaux-en-Velin, Belgrade, Alès and Brussels) and for photographic exhibitions and art videos (Galactical Nature).