ANTHERIUS

HOUSTON BASED KEYBOARDIST, COMPOSER AND TECH WHIZ ROCKS, CHILLS AND GROOVES OUT IN CREATING HIS OWN UNIQUE, PROGRESSIVE INSTRUMENTAL GENRE ON ‘2008-03'

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“Centrifuge,” The First Single From The All-Instrumental Collection, Joins Legendary and Contemporary Artists Santana, Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Paula Abdul, Alicia Keys and Sara Bareilles As It Hits The Top 40 On FMQB's AC Chart

In conjunction with the release of his second album 2008-03, Houston based independent keyboardist, composer and studio wizard Antherius makes his thousands of fans worldwide an extraordinary offer.

While they're rocking, chilling and grooving out to the artist's latest collection of tracks blending rock beats, symphonic accompaniment, ambient and exotic textures, they can also post comments and suggestions on Antherius' myspace blog at www.myspace.com/antherius. “Your participation,” he writes on www.antherius.com, “will influence the direction of my next album (and yes, that one is already underway!).”

This exciting interactive artist-fan connection bodes well for the continuing emergence of the progressive instrumental genre that the multi-talented musician and engineer has been singlehandedly creating since releasing his critically acclaimed debut 2006-01 in (you guessed it!) early 2006. Several tracks from his debut album received significant spins in the New Age Reporter markets, and “T.O.U. (Thinking Of You)” appeared on the FMQB AC chart from November, 2006 to January, 2007.

With the rapid success of 2008-03' s first single, the hypnotic and trippy, Latin influenced “Centrifuge” more and more adult contemporary fans across the country are vibing with Antherius' fascinating synthesis of sounds. For the week ending April 9, “Centrifuge” made the leap onto FMQB's AC40 Chart from #62 the previous week. For the week ending March 25, it was the #1 most added song.

This crossover momentum is all the more remarkable considering that the all-star company Antherius is keeping on the chart—among the notables, John Mayer, Sara Bareilles, Paula Abdul, Alicia Keys, Fergie and Linkin Park —are all vocalists. Just ahead of him are Santana with Chad Kroeger, Lifehouse, Sheryl Crow and The Eagles.

Growing up in the vibrant 60s and early 70s, Antherius recalls a bygone era of more instrumental pop hits and extended vocal-free passages in the progressive rock songs of The Moody Blues, ELO, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Blood, Sweat and Tears. His lifelong love of music led him to do weekend DJ stints at FM radio stations while studying engineering sciences at Texas A&M and business at the University of Houston.

Combining his love for the symphonic/classical rock of that era with his 80s fascination for all things MIDI and his later appreciation for new age oriented artists like Tangerine Dream, Enya and Chris Spheeris, Antherius began developing his trademark hybrid sound. The early 2000s arrival of new home studio technology allowed him to pick up where his early composing and performing dreams left off. The convergence of multi-timbral tone generators, powerful PCs, DSP technology, sophisticated sequencing and mastering software perfectly complemented his skills with ambience, rhythms and hooky melodies and allowed him to create and produce his music more efficiently.

“Back when I was growing up, there were a lot more instrumental songs on mainstream/pop radio,” says Antherius, whose fascination for keyboards began when he started learning to play piano at eight years old. “One of the objectives of my musical venture is to get instrumental tunes back on pop/rock radio. I have been coming up with songs ever since delving into MIDI , but the collective technology just wasn't there to create the kind of music I'm able to do now. Around 2003 when software and hardware technologies evolved in a manner that complemented a composer/producer like myself, it was like reaching critical mass – suddenly I had all the pieces necessary to help me realize my creative visions.”

Explaining his composing process, he adds, “Sometimes the tracks start with chords that I wrap a melody around, and sometimes that's in reverse. Other times I'll awaken in the middle of the night with a catchy verse or hook, and I'll drag myself over to the keyboard to transcribe it; otherwise, it will be gone by morning. What struck me about the great reception from the track ‘T.O.U. (Thinking of You)' was that particular song took only two days to create it from conception to master recording. I had spent countless hours on other songs, but I'm beginning to see that my fans seemingly prefer the tracks that are less “fussed over.”

In contrast to 2006-01, the songs on 2008-03 have more acoustic and electric guitar sounds, and more of a musical “edge.” My current work is being influenced by the Sirius “Chill” Channel, which I find myself tuned into most often. The first album had more pop and dance flavored material because I was generally exploring, evolving, and primarily educating myself on all aspects of the “work process” of making a record. The new collection has variety but it's the result of a more focused, streamlined approach overall.”

Much like legendary studio masters like Jan Hammer (“Miami Vice”) and Paul Hardcastle, Antherius composes, performs, engineers, and masters every track. While much of his technology is concentric around his PC workstation (and via digital sequencing and multi-track applications from Cakewalk), he also employs a rich arsenal of external equipment including his three M-Audio keyboards, sound modules from Roland and Yamaha (some new, some vintage), and E-MU digital interfaces.

Beyond “Centrifuge,” 2008-03 is chock full of compelling tracks that have strong AC crossover potential. These include “Passion Shards,” whose easy vibe travels Eastward with its cool sitar flavors; the guitar driven Top 40/CHR melodic rocker “Heading Your Way” and “Wet Tunnel,” which features a unique swirl of metallic rhythmic bits anchored around a rock beat.”

For Antherius, whose unique left brain-right brain lifestyle includes his career as a business development manager for Cambridge , MA based Aspen Technologies, a return to composing and producing was based on more than the availability of new technology. It's part of an overall creative and spiritual quest that's been lurking behind the scenes in his life too long and is finally breaking out into the forefront.

“In the mid 90's, I started looking for the greater meaning and purpose in life,” he says. “So, I revisited my lifelong passion for creating music. In my business life, I put together multi-million dollar solutions that significantly benefit the operations and profitability of energy and petrochemical companies, but I see music having a more essential and eternal value in a life that is otherwise finite. It is important and exciting to me to have the opportunity to touch people with messages that originate from my real heart and soul. Music possesses a unique ability to deliver essence to life, as well as significantly impacting the emotions of so many people.”