The Dead Heart

The Dead Heart

Declan Kelly launches the first Diesel n’Dub single featuring Emma Donovan, in support of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Released NOV 15 through Diaspora Music / MGM
Preview now on iTunes

Iconic Australian hit The Dead Heart gets the reggae-dub treatment delivered by Emma Donovan’s powerful and soaring vocals, in aid of raising awareness and funds for Indigenous literacy across the country. The single launches Sydney musician and producer Declan Kelly’s long-incubating passion project, Diesel n’Dub, a re-recording of Midnight Oil songs in dub-reggae style, produced in Australia and taken to London to be mixed by dub legend Mad Professor (Neil Fraser) at his Ariwa Studios.

For both Kelly and Mad Professor, Donovan’s spine-tingling and heartfelt rendition of this classic song, first released by Midnight Oil on their Diesel and Dust album in 1986, was the standout choice with which to launch the project.

“The Dead Heart stood out as the track to herald in the 'Diesel n’ Dub' album (due for release early 2014). One of Australia's great Indigenous singers, Emma Donovan just owns the song and gives it her own power and authenticity,” muses Kelly. “Her voice just gets me and moves me. When she sings, " we carry in our hearts the true country, that cannot be broken…" it really drives home the reality of these lyrics. It is such a powerful tune.”

The project was set up by Kelly to raise awareness of Indigenous literacy issues and in the process raise funds for the crucial work of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. A fixed percentage of profits generated from sales of the single and album will be donated directly to the cause for the next five years. When pulling together the project, Kelly was motivated by the strong parallels between reggae music’s social conscience foundations and the outspoken political activism in Midnight Oil’s songwriting.

“It seemed like a perfect match to fuse the tunes of Midnight Oil in a reggae style. Reggae music has always been a platform for rebel music, and Midnight Oil has always been a band that addresses world issues in a powerful musical way. I am always humbled by their willingness to take a stand and voice out what needs to be said. To invite prominent Indigenous singers to sing the parts once sung by Peter Garrett seemed very fitting.”

Donovan, who has included a verse of the song in her traditional Gumbayngirr language echoed Kelly’s sentiments. “It’s a good time for these songs to be heard again,” she commented.

On the full album, which has been over two years in production, Donovan is joined by other Indigenous guest vocalists each taking on an Oil’s classic. Radical Son (David Leha) on the track “Short Memory”, Frank Yamma on “Beds are Burning”, Stiff Gins on “King of the Mountain” and other popular singers Katie Noonan on “Power and the Passion”, Alex Lloyd on “Armistice Day”, Pat Powell (Melbourne Ska Orchestra) on “Read About it” and “Beds are Burning”, Tony Hughes (King Tide) on “King of the Mountain”, Tina Harrod on “Put Down That Weapon” and Kelly himself on a haunting version of “Truganini”.

All of the tracks have been lovingly produced to sound like authentic dub-reggae gems, backed by the tight and heavy instrumentation of the core band and the input of Mad Professor’s inimitable dub stylings. Commenting on his musical pilgrimage to the Ariwa hub of dub, Kelly states “Mad Professor was and still is an innovator of audio technology and in creating dub music, so working with him was an honour - and a real trip to spend time with him creating and dubbing the Diesel n’Dub album. I am such a fan of Jamaican music - reggae, rocksteady, ska, dub. For such a small little island in the Caribbean, it has such a large presence musically worldwide, so hanging with Mad Professor was like sitting in with a musical historian!”

Kelly (pictured above) helms the band on drums and vocals, joined by Winston Stephenson (bass/vocals), Robbie Woolf (keys/vocals) and Ross Fotheringham (guitar). The Dead Heart single also features Ronald Jermott (percussion) and Yanya Boston (backing vocals). Most of the recordings were done by engineer Richard Belkiner at Free Energy Device Studios in Sydney.

Diesel n’Dub is the latest addition to a growing body of work by Kelly, a respected and hard-working artist. Firmly established and highly regarded as a musician and producer, Kelly plays regularly across Australia and abroad, at the world’s biggest roots and world music festivals as a solo artist, with his trio The Rising Sun, or as a special guest. Across the industry he is sought after for his drumkit skills resulting in tours and recordings with international artists the likes of Passenger (UK), Spearhead (US), Stranger Cole (Jamaica), and Eugene Hideaway Bridges (Texas, US). Locally he has collaborated with artists Alex Lloyd, Katie Noonan, Karise Eden, OKA and KingTide and most recently had two tracks from his stunning album “Adrift” featured in the BBC series “Top of the Lake” directed by Jane Campion.

With this latest single The Dead Heart just the tip of the Diesel n’Dub iceberg, Kelly has further broadened his horizons and created a major new musical release. To launch the project stay tuned for the music video broadcast in the coming week showcasing Emma Donovan and Kelly in performance, and featuring two stunning visual works by distinguished artist Adam Hill and a selection of archival images from the Australian National Library.

Diesel n’Dub is being released by newly formed roots/urban/world music label Diaspora Music, in partnership with MGM Distribution.

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ENDS

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