Here is another fantastic review from We Are Cult (magazine) regarding tenek’s ‘Smoke and Mirrors – Instrumental′ which was released via Bandcamp as of November 6th, 2020. A big thank you to Ange Chan! – tenek and crew
❉ Ange Chan speaks with Tenek about revisiting 2015’s ‘Smoke & Mirrors’.
© Tenek (Geoff Pinckney) – Soundstock Festival [Chelmsford, UK]. Photography by Simon Watson and John Newstead
‘tenek Sees Red in 2020 Vision“
“…the instrumental versions give a new sound-scape to an already strong and powerful album. The lack of vocals on this album takes absolutely nothing away from their original counterparts and in many parts actually adds to the ambience of the ethos of the 2015 version.”
During the lockdown period many musical artists have reworked their previously released material, often to great effect. Tenek’s 2015 album Smoke & Mirrors has received a similar treatment and is completely devoid of the original lyrics, offering up an instrumental version of all the songs on the original version of the album Smoke and Mirrors (Red).
Cheri Freund, Tenek’s PR Manager said to me, “The ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ album was yet another great opportunity for the fellas to push their creativity into new directions. It shows just how diverse these artists truly are. While Geoff and Pete were working on the album, it became obvious to all of us that both the instrumental and vocal versions easily stood out in their own right. And we knew that this album would indeed appeal to a variety of listening audiences. When the fellas were prepping the final audio files, we had both vocal and instrumentals mastered, so when the fifth anniversary of Smoke and Mirrors was coming round, both Pete and Geoff felt now was a good time to let the instrumental version of the album be released publicly. Hopefully, this release will create a newfound appreciation for the talent that is Tenek!“
The original release is a masterclass by Messrs Pinckney and Steer in a distinct collaboration of genres; pure electronica mixed with driving guitars making it the ultimate ‘Rock meets Synthpop’ mash-up. The original 2015 album garnered some impressive feedback from radio stations and magazines alike, including a few Metal-orientated ones, which was a complete surprise! The new (Red) version of the album offers a fresh perspective for a lockdown era, and offers a clearer view of the musical content of the songs unhindered by vocals, bringing a contemporary new view to those old classics. Peter remembers that some of those bass-lines were played on a Fender Squire Precision guitar that he bought from eBay for £71! What a wise investment!
Talking to Tenek recently, Geoff said “It was a real pleasure for me to hear those tracks again, like this. I’ve not heard them since Tenek’s last gig. All those months I spent on the production and mixing now feel totally justified. I actually prefer them as instrumentals! It’s great to hear all the details that would otherwise be obscured by the vocals. I really hope our supporters get the same satisfaction from these as I have. Much love and thanks to everyone for their support over the years”. *To read more from this issue, click HERE!
**To purchase this DIGITAL album, please visit the band’s BandCamp page!
Thanks to everyone for your ongoing support! – tenek and crew xx