A Night Of Acoustic Power Pop

Sky High Records presents A night of acoustic power pop featuring one of the UK's finest songwriters Dara playing tracks from forthcoming album Sunday 27/5/01

Born in Dublin in the first summer of love, Dara helped carry the banner of Irish music into the 21st century, with a chequered career to date.

In the UK in the mid 80's he played in a reggae band called 'Bass Culture' who supported legends like Mysty n Roots and Steel Pulse.

As house music hit the shores of England in the late 80's Dara formed a new partnership with DJ remixer Joey Mushphia under the band name of A Taste Of Paradise who were signed to Cooltempo in the summer of 1991. This Chrysalis dance label was also home to names such as Monie Love, and Advea.

Their first track 'Reach Out' was released the following summer after EMI bought the label putting all the UK acts on hold while they streamlined the roster.

It did well in the UK national charts despite the fact the track was floated, without any promotion. Reach Out was supported however by people like Pete Tong on BBC Radio One, Paul Okenfold (who played it at the Black and White Ball at the Royal Albert hall) and was well reviewed by the UK music press such as The Face, DJ magazine, ID and Music Week.

The BBC program Rough Guide To The World played Reach Out while they partied on a Silcilan which just about says it all.

Dara then experimented with a harder edge sound and in the same vain as Donna Summer brought in singer Janet Cofee for a track titled 'Feels Surreal' . It filled the Kiss FM sound waves in 93, and Graham Gold made it his tune of the week when it promoed it on the Amato Disco label.

After making a film for Manhatten cable TV on the Baleric Island, Ibiza, in 94 Dara hooked up with the Wayne Anthony from 21st Century Records who had heard him playing piano and singing in a club on the Island.

21st went on to put out the Havin It series which were some of the biggest selling dance albums in the mid 90's and were complied that summer on the Ibizan Island.

They quickly signed Dara, for the album 'New Dawn' which he wrote and produced. The track featured on the Havin UK series reached #1 later in 94. Daras press reviews where so favourable that they were used on the inside cover of volume 2.

The word had spread and Dara was in demand internationally, especially in Australia where he to toured and played venues like the Metro in Sydney.

The demand for his sounds meant he ended up staying for two years, writing, producing and remixing for various labels. During this time he wrote a hit for a group called Ultra Love Machine which featured the vocals of Sonia Chemarin from Sydney. The track went out in 97 through Festival Records and was titled 'SensualWonderland'. It was picked up by ABC's rage and Tripple J the Australian equivalent of BBC Radio One.

After remixing everything from Aussie rock star Jon Stevens (Noise Works) to Tears for Fears 'Mad World' and turning down Savage Garden on the grounds he couldn't get into the track, Dara returned in early 98 to the UK and set up the Sky High Recording label.

The first track on Sky High featured the vocal talent of Rachael Brown (Faithless).

Under a new guise of Urban Harmonix a soaring gospel house classic titled The Pleasure Zone reached #1 in the people sound dance charts in the summer of 2000.

Next came tours of the Middle East, Europe and in America Dara show-cased his new solo project which features himself on vocals.

Late last year Dara returned to Australia's Sunshine Coast to write and co-produce (with Orlando Allen) another track for Sonia Chemarin. It's trip hop affair called the Mirror which will be released under the band name of 'Chillum'.

Dara's album is currently being recorded in Auckland, New Zealand, under the working title 'It's Never 2 Late 2 Be Great' ...away from the distractions bigger cities bring.

Dara has also just been published. Some of his short stories, through New Fiction in the UK appear in a book titled 'Out to Lunch' which features some of the UK's finest up and coming writers.

If you would like more information about Sky High music releases and film projects please check out the website www.skyhighrecordings.co.uk Or contact Sky Highs NZ representative - Leesa Tilley at spirals@clear.net.nz

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