Michael Franti Mixes In EDM On New Album ::Michael Franti News ::antiMusic.com

Michael Franti Mixes In EDM On New Album

08/02/2013
. (Radio.com) Michael Franti's musical style has changed since his early days. No longer is he the spoken word troubadour with a guitar slung on his back. His latest album, All People, with his band Spearhead, continues in the same pop vein of his previous two releases, specifically 2009's All Rebel Rockers, which garnered him his first mainstream hit with "Say Hey (I Love You)." But even though Franti's gone pop he's still able to send a clear message. This time around he's just combined it with an EDM-style beat.

On the album's title track, "All People" Franti is celebrating the diversity and beauty in people all over the world over a twinkly electronic beat, while the synth-driven "11:59" is about being on the edge of some great change. "In life and in the world right now we're on this precipice for lots of issues," Franti said. "So the metaphor 11:59 is right at that stroke before midnight. What are we going to do? What is going to happen? What's the next step? What's the next thing?"

For those who feel Franti's new record is a big departure for the singer, he says that dance music has always been in his blood, citing Kraftwerk's 1977 album, Trans-Europa Express as one of the influences on All People.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I've always loved electronic music but I've never made electronic music," he said. "With this record I wanted to do it but in a way that was authentic to who I am, so I combined it with acoustic guitar." more on this story

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