Solareye

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Solareye : Somniloquy
Biog by Bram Gieben
‘Somniloquy’ is straight-up rap music that will appeal to jazz junkies, funk fans and hip-hop headz alike.
Meet Solareye, a talented MC from Airdrie, on a mission to change people’s perceptions and experience of Scottish hip-hop. “The whole hip-hop ethic from the very start has been about taking elements from things and re-constructing them to suit yourself,” says Solareye. “I’m not talking just about cutting and pasting using a sampler and a sequencer, it’s more about taking disparate styles and elements, and making them your own.”
Relying heavily on live instrumentation, ‘Somniloquy’ is a direct shot to the heart: not just for hip-hop fans, but music lovers in general. “The straightforward way to make commercial hip-hop seems to be to make these club anthems, with meaningless lyrics and repetitive beats you can bounce to all night,” says Solareye. “Instead, I just try and capture some soundscapes and fairy tales, and try and fascinate peoples’ imaginations.”
Former frontman of the much-missed live band D.O.P.E. (Disciples Of Panic Earth); veteran performer with a whole host of live improv bands and at open mics all over Edinburgh and Glasgow, Solareye has a confident, natural flow, combined with an innate knack for storytelling: “That’s what fascinates me as a hip-hop artist – not just writing strings of words, but being able to sit down and write four minutes of rhymes that tell a story,” he says. “Something that can capture people’s attention, keep them interested, and have them wanting to know what happens next.”
'Somniloquy' is also produced, mixed and arranged by Solareye, with contributions from Edinburgh instrumentalist Mangomad and singer Paula McGoldrick on ‘Sun Dance’, ‘That Good Word’ and ‘Gotta Get Out Of Bed’.
As well as his flair for storytelling, Solareye writes strong, socially conscious lyrics. This self-proclaimed ‘wide-o wi’ a hype flow’ is on a mission: as anyone familiar with his D.O.P.E. antics, or his frantic lyrical contributions to tracks like FBC’s ‘Engineer’, and ‘The Rain’ by Hooverfish will tell you. What’s more, he’s only just beginning to peak. ‘Somniloquy’ displays his versatility: his verbal precision and dexterity balanced with laugh-out-loud humour and a keen ear for melody.
Solareye’s here to remind us what truly great hip-hop is all about. Time to wake up!
Stop panicin' Anakin...