Tag: GEM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

GEM Lets Audiences In With “RUINS”

Has it really been three years since LA-based Aussie DJ and producer GEM brought us The 2070s? That album showcased what she could do with classic pop songs, but with her latest single “RUINS” she’s revealing a little more of herself. It’s a beautiful slow-burn ballad with GEM’s ethereal voice front and centre. If you love what you hear, you won’t need to wait too much longer for more. GEM’s new EP Healing Feelings drops tomorrow.

“I wanted the EP to reintroduce myself, starting with the parts that I hide the most. The story begins with ‘Ruins’,” GEM explained. “I was holding on so tightly to an idea that didn’t exist anymore – once I let that relationship shatter, the breakthrough begun and the healing started. I wanted the EP to start in mess, tangled, unsure, inching your way into the day as we all sometimes do and slowly, step by step, track by track find that voice, that inner knowing that sets you right again. I made a very deliberate decision to connect all the pieces of myself and make whole, regardless how popular that may or may not be”.

If you’re new to GEM’s music or like me you’re ready to get reacquainted, make sure you listen out for Healing Feelings tomorrow.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Jordan Knight

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“The 2070s” – GEM

My dad used to say to me that you know you’re getting old when the songs you grew up with get the electronic treatment. Something tells me he’d hate The2070s, the new album from Australian DJ and producer GEM. But he’s not the target demographic. While this album might make my father cringe, its songs might be just what young people need to discover these classic tunes.

I’m not as precious about classic tunes the way my dad is. I think it’s exciting to hear where music can go. New interpretations can make a track feel fresh and encourage you to appreciate it in a new way. These songs are often radically different from the originals, and the risks don’t always work. I felt like the emotion of “Wild World” and “Fly Like an Eagle” got a little lost in the treatment. But there’s enough here that does impress to make it worth a listen. Elaskia’s tender take on Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” is beautiful. Jesse Oneill’s cover of The Eagles’ “New Kid in Town” is also a stunner. I can imagine GEM’s shimmery reinterpretation of The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You” packing out dancefloors. The poptastic cover of “Burning Love” with Victoria on vocals is pure joy.

I also appreciate that GEM is introducing us to new voices here. She’s worked with vocalists who grew up in her community in country New South Wales. GEM’s own input is also important. At a time when 98 percent of music producers are male, it’s wonderful to see a talented female making her mark.

Open your ears and mind to The 2070s. It builds on a base of quality music and takes it in a fresh new direction. It’s out now.