JEM

JEM

Jem makes a welcome return with a brand new single and album on 2nd February 2009. Her album, ‘Down To Earth’, is the follow up to her million-selling debut ‘Finally Woken’.  Lead single ‘It’s Amazing’ will already be familiar to everyone who has seen ‘Sex And The City (the Movie)’, featuring prominently in the film.   Both are released on her new European label, Dramatico Records/ATO.

After the release of her debut in 2005, Jem may have been heading down the Portishead or Daniel Day Lewis path of prolificacy, but ‘Down To Earth’ more than makes up for the wait.  If her debut album showcased a stunning new talent on the music scene, one who used a background as boss of a dance label to craft lush pop electronica using ingenious samples, or trip pop to some, ‘Down To Earth’ expands her sonic horizons even further, with Latin, gospel and African influences. 

The album is released in the UK and Europe through a joint venture between UK label Dramatico Records and ATO, the US label Jem has been with since her launch.  Although Jem started working on ‘Down To Earth’ as soon as promotion for her debut release concluded, at the beginning of 2006, its release was delayed whilst her US label went through some restructuring.  The wait hasn’t dented the enthusiasm with which the new album is being met in the USA, enjoying rave reviews.

‘Down To Earth’ was recorded in Detroit and Los Angeles, with production shared by cohorts old and new.  In Detroit, Jem followed her love of hip hop once again, working with Jeff Bass, the Grammy Award-winning producer behind Eminem, D12 and 50 Cent.   

In Los Angeles, she added a salsa-sensuality to the album with producer Lester Mendez, acclaimed for his work with Nelly Furtado and Shakira.  Also in the production mix, on a rock tip Mike Bradford (Deep Purple, Uncle Kracker) and on an electro tip, Greg Kurstin (Beck, Kylie Minogue, The Bird & The Bee). 

Having sold half a million copies of ‘Finally Woken’ in the UK alone, Jem can’t wait for her fans to hear the new album. She said; "Down to Earth is different from Finally Woken in a good way. As before, I mix up genres as I like listening to lots of different types of music so that's what comes out. It is a little darker in parts and then a little lighter too, as is life."