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 It is on a rare occasion that an artist creates music that is so moving and ground-breaking that the whole world seems to stand up and listen. This is truly the case with Scottish producer/dj Calum Walker and his jazzed-out house collective known as Solar House. First appearing on Large Music in the fall of 1999 with the “Universal EP”, Solar House grabbed the attention of the global dance community. Blending Latin-tinged beats with dreamy, expansive chords and techno influences, Calum’s unique sound created the musical framework for such artists as Miguel Migs, Joe Claussell, and Julius Papp. The title track, “Universal”, was soon licensed to the Future Sounds of Jazz vol. 7 on Compost Recordings in Germany.
Calum’s subsequent releases on Large included the now famous “Got 2 B U” track, which was licensed to over 20 compilations including the prestigious Café Del Mar cd series and Naked Music’s Nude Dimensions 2. Fast becoming a classic among deep house heads, this blissful journey featured the lead vocals of Angie Reid, the newest addition to Solar House. “I heard her singing with a local funk and soul band, and the hairs on my neck just stood up when I heard that voice over a crowded bar” says Calum about Angie. “We couldn't see her, but to hear soul like that in a place like Glasgow was a gift from above.”
Poised and confident from critical and commercial success of his one-off projects, Calum is ready for his next great venture- the full length album on Large Music entitled “Magic of the City”. Blending a broad range of musical styles such as house, nu jazz, latin, trip hop, and soul, this album stands out as a tribute to all things funky. “There's a lot of real poverty and social problems here in Glasgow,” says Calum, “some of the housing projects are among the worst in Europe. Dancing and going out has been a big thing since the 1940's as people have needed to escape the harsh conditions…to find a bit of magic in their lives through music. This is what I am trying to express with the album.”
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