Heap finds TV, film a comfortable fit
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
January 19, 2006
Take a look at the best movie and television soundtracks from the past few years, chances are you'll see Imogen Heap's name pop up more than once. From "The O.C." to the new "Chronicles of Narnia" movie, the 28-year-old British musician's beautifully crafted, down-tempo electronic music is finding its way to more listeners.
While Heap's breathy voice seemingly is permeating all forms of media, she's still a widely unknown commodity on radio stations and pop charts.
"For whatever reason, I've never had that much luck on the radio," admits Heap during a recent conversation from her London flat. "No matter how commercial I think a song is, it doesn't get picked up. The 'Garden State' album was a big success. That song is probably Frou Frou's most famous song but it never gets played on the radio."
The British chanteuse has scored spots on soundtracks like Zach Braff's movie "Garden State" ("Let Go," as one half of the duo Frou Frou), the "Music From the O.C. Mix 4" disc ("Goodnight and Go"), the excellent "Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends" soundtrack for the HBO series ("Lonely Little Petunia") and most recently the blockbuster fantasy film "The Chronicles of Narnia" ("Can't Take It In").
So why does her music fit so well with cinema, large and small?
"Sonically you can get away with a lot more when you have visuals because you are not just concentrating on the music," muses Heap. "You can be a bit more daring with TV and film than you can on radio."
After growing up in Essex, England (outside of London), the classically trained pianist released her first album, "I Megaphone," in 1998 before teaming up with producer Guy Sigsworth in Frou Frou. Named from the French slang term meaning "the rustling of a woman's skirt," Frou Frou signed with Island Records for 2003's "Details."
Nestled between the sleek pop sounds of Frou Frou and the stripped down trip-hop of Heap's 1998 debut, the vocalist's 2005 disc "Speak for Yourself" finds the middle ground between her previous recordings.
Complete with keyboard-driven melodies and intricate string arrangements, the album contains 12 tracks of thoughtful electronic pop. After working with producers on her first two albums, Heap created "Speak for Yourself" as a completely solo project, filling the roles of performer, engineer and producer.
"I've always wanted to do a record on my own," says Heap. "I bought all this gear for the studio with the intention of doing as much as I could on the record. I wanted this record to be me. "
The entire disc is filled with solid songwriting and musicianship, but the standout track is the a cappella "Hide and Seek." Heap uses the vocoder technology to add a layered metallic tone to vocals, creating a striking effect.
"It's one of those rare magical occasions where a song comes out of nowhere and you don't have to spend four months deciding on a lyric," says Heap. "It just arrived on a plate. I plugged in my vocoder and I plugged in my keyboard into my harmonizing thing. It just came out and there it was at the end of four and a half minutes."
Just as she created the album, Heap performs solo live. Taking full advantage of technology, she manipulates computers and keyboards to re-create her songs onstage: "It's me with my mixing board, my keyboard, my laptop, hard drive with loads of strings loaded on it, my harmonizer, a sequencing box I can play base lines on and make loops on."
Heap also uses an instrument called the Array Mbira, an African thumb piano designed by San Diegan Bill Wesley. The unique device incorporates a five-octave range, and can be used to trigger other sounds through MIDI technology (Musical Instrument Digital Interface).
Despite all the gadgetry, Heap's performances are passionate and intimate affairs.
Chris Nixon is a San Diego writer.
