“Brooklyn Communal Cool: The Brand”- New York Times
Brooklyn-based producer ATR777 (aka Andrew Thomas Reid) has worked with everyone from Theophilus London to Freddie Gibbs to denitia and sene to Blu, to Coco O from Quadron but this time, he’s turning attention to himself. As part of BKLYN1834‘s upcoming compilation album release, ATR777 is releasing the song and video for the tripped-out song “Down To be Your Man.” Based on an attempt to maintain a failing relationship, ATR777’s vocal sample for the phrase “Down to be your man” became the loop on which the entire song is based. The video, which he filmed on a trip to Shanghai, reflects the aesthetics heard in the song with its spacious, down-tempo grooves, and ghostly textures of chopped and screwed vocals.
As the founder of BKLYN1834, a group of seven artists who live together in a Victorian mansion in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, it was ATR777’s idea to start a house where creatives could live together and work with each other. Despite a successful launch of the clubhouse living arrangement, Andrew’s world soon turned upside down. Following weeks of fighting, his housemates asked his then live-in girlfriend to move out. Faced with losing his girlfriend, ATR777 pleaded with her, “I’m down to be your man, just tell me what you want,” forming the foundation of the song.
As the originator of the BKLYN1834 artist community, ATR is used to working with dozens of different styles and genres. Beginning his production arc working with mostly rappers, his love for hip-hop eventually morphed into more melancholy, spacious thumps with ethereal layers of synth, giving way to his own vocal style. The influence of his Texas roots shines through with slow tempos and chopped and screwed vocal samples.
Redefining how artists create, distribute, and market their work, BKLYN1834 exists for brands to easily tap them for collaborations. Some of those brands include Pepsi, Converse, Apple, and Blackstone Realty. The collective has housed over 50 artists and gave birth to media darlings denetia and sene, who met as roommates. and previous and current residents have worked with Prince, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Snarky Puppy, Theophilus London, Freddie Gibbs, Pharaohe Monch, among others.
BKLYN1834’s debut compilation, Comp_01, is set to release on November 13th and will include seven songs, with each having their own accompanying video. Comp_01 will span from indie rock to indie pop to electronic songs and contain songs from NΔTIONS’, Saint Ballantine, Sanctuary Sound, ATR777, Bobby Only, and Foe Destroyer.
BKLYN1834 Comp_01 Tracklisting:
“One Clear Thought” – Sanctuary Sound “Enough” – St. Ballentine (Sene and ATR)
“Planned Out World” – NΔTIONS “Down To Be Your Man” – ATR777
“Dropping Hints” – Bobby Only
“My Ways” – NΔTIONS
“Unconditional Love” -Foe Destroyer
Watch the “Down To Be Your Man” video: https://youtu.be/HMTcO8fyUmo
Listen to “Down To Be Your Man”: https://soundcloud.com/bklyn1834/atr777-down-to-be-your-man
Read the Okayfuture premiere: http://www.okayfuture.com/videos/atr777-down-to-be-your-man-bklyn1834-video.html
Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with BKLYN1834 artists.
BKLYN1834 is a talent incubator for young artists who live together in a co-op style Victorian Home in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn and create music, art, videos, comedy, and other creative content. Modeled after the salon-like atmosphere of Hitsville U.S.A. and Gertrude Stein’s home, founding resident and creative director of BKLYN134, Andrew Thomas Reid, traveled to Nicaragua and Spain to convince friends to move into the house in the summer of 2009.
BKLYN1834 supports young artists by providing them with a place to live, write, record and produce content in a creative and collaborative environment. Previous and current BKLYN1834 residents have worked with Prince, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Snarky Puppy, Theophilus London, Freddie Gibbs, Pharaohe Monch, Denitia and Sene, among others. Fittingly nicknamed “The Clubhouse,” the community has housed over 50 residents since its inception.
BKLYN1834’s long-term goal is to create a network of similar clubhouses across the country and around the world. By continuing to produce digital content in-house, we want to create a global community where artists, fans, and brands can all engage.
With more and more brands recognizing the value of authentic grassroots ideas that appeal to 18-34 yr olds, BKLYN1834 has already been tapped for collaborations by Pepsi, Converse, Apple, and Blackstone Realty. Forbes called BKLYN1834 “a tool every marketer should have in its back pocket.”
official site | twitter | facebook | youtube
“Down To Be Your Man”: https://youtu.be/HMTcO8fyUmo
“My Ways”: https://youtu.be/9pLcPcX6Bao
New York Times story: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/nyregion/brooklyn-communal-cool-the-brand.html
Huffington Post Live story: http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/5314e6c802a760638200085f