Space Under Sun by Ari Gold

"I wanted to make an album that I didn't have when I was growing up," Ari told Larry Flick of Billboard magazine in 2001 regarding his first album as an openly gay pop singer which would later take home the Outmusic Award for Outstanding Debut Recording. With Space Under Sun Gold goes even further musically & lyrically and creates a pop landscape that goes beyond boundaries and labels.

After landing on Top Of The Pops and being heavily played on MTV with DJ Luck and MC Neat on the UK single, "I'm All About You" (Island Universal) co-written and produced by hitmaker Desmond Child, Gold began working on Space Under Sun. Gold describes the album as "an intergalactic hybrid of 80's and contemporary R&B, spacey pop, and funky smooth soul." The Advocate recently remarked how "Gold has assembled an impressive posse of collaborators....to frame his voice with the crisp yet fleshy sound of a platinum-selling recording." Gold shares co-writing and production credit with Peter Amato (Leanne Rimes), Marsha Malamet (Luther Vandross, Jessica Simpson), MAJOR (Lamya), Mr. Khalil (Res), Steve Skinner (Rent, Bette Midler) and recorded all over the globe from Atlanta, Miami, LA and NYC to London and Israel.

Gay City News stated that "Gold pushes the envelope as much as a rapper like Eminem does." Although instead of lyrics that are fag bashing and woman hating, the subject matter ranges from a guy and a girl (Kendra Ross, currently featured on the latest CD by hip-hop star Talib Kweli) fighting over the same man ("He's On My Team") to getting caught having sex in public with another man by the cops ("Caught), to diva worship ("Fan-tastic"), a matter that is crucial to many a gay man's evolution, seeking independence and self-actualization ("More Than Enough," "Back To me") to romantic and sexual intimacy ("Funk That Ship," "Intimate.") There is also the tender ballad "Bashert (Meant To Be)" in which Gold incorporates his Jewish identity of having grown up as an orthodox Jew in the Bronx.

The 13 track CD includes a downloadable music video of "Wave Of You" directed by Guy Guido which has been playing in clubs across the country alongside videos by Britney Spears, Madonna, Justin Timberlake and Seal and is a tribute to the late great photographer Herb Ritts. The enhanced CD also includes an mp3 of "Review My Kisses" a song co-written and produced by Desmond Child.

Space Under Sun has already debut at #1 on the Outvoice Charts (a chart that tracks albums by queer and queer friendly artists).

Here is what critics have already said about Space Under Sun:

"This is truly inspired music, and should be heard by anyone who appreciates honesty and individuality in their favorite artists...a stunning talent...GRADE: A very solid A." (In LA)

"Gold performs with equal parts of sly, finger-snappin' sass and earthy R&B finesse" (The Advocate)

""Terrific, melodic, retro R&B--as if Craig David were let loose on an undiscovered Alexander O'Neal album circa 1989." (Blue Magazine)

"Musically [the album] flows from electronic-dance beats, lush symphonic arrangements to tightly produced, silky-smooth R&B tracks." (Bay City Windows)

"Ari Gold is a star." (Outvoice.net)

Gold will continue performing in NYC, where Time Out NY called him a "pop sensation" and a "smash success...wowing the local music scene." About his live show Backstage said "Gold's musicianship is flawless." Ari Gold will be performing around the world to promote his new CD.

www.arigold.com

"People in the music business have told me over and over that I need to get successful first and then come out, but I feel like that is disrespectful to all the incredible artists who have come out mid career so that an artist like me can just be me without making a big deal of it-people like George Michael, kd lang, Boy George, Elton John and Melissa Etheridge. And as far as me being a white boy singing black music-I am perfectly happy to be a part of a long tradition of blue-eyed soul. I have been influenced not only by black soul singers like Stevie Wonder, Prince and Sade but also by white soul singers like George Michael, Michael McDonald, Hall and Oats, and Annie Lennox. I specifically chose the futuristic and spacey imagery for Space Under Sun because the space that we find for ourselves either as individuals or as a community does not need to look like anything we've ever known before."--Ari Gold

"Ari is quite clearly a star waiting to burst"--Boy George

Having grown up in the Bronx, Ari Gold was discovered singing at his brother's bar-mitzva at age five. This led to a successful career as a child vocalist singing on over 400 jingles, doing various animated voices and back-up singing for the likes of Diana Ross and the cartoon Jem. Ari's first following began in his home town of NYC where he has performed to packed houses at many NYC hotspots including Joe's Pub, Fez, China Club, Barracuda, Metronome, Flamingo East, Pyramid, SBNY, xl, Bar d'O, Starlight, Avalon and CBGB's. He has also taken his show on the road to Kansas City, Philadelphia, LA, Milan, London, Israel and most recently, San Francisco where he performed at the DNA Lounge. Gold released his self-titled debut CD in 2001 to rave reviews from the press without the backing of a record label. The album anticipated pop music's movement to a more R&B sound and included explicit lyrics of love songs sung to a man by another man-something the genre had practically never seen or heard of before. The album went on to take home the 2002 Outmusic Award for Outstanding Debut Recording and Ari was later named one of Genre Magazine's "Men We Love" of 2002.

The debut album garnered the attention of legendary tunesmith Desmond Child (Ricky Martin, Cher, Aerosmith, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, etc.) and their first collaboration "I'm All About You," (Island Universal) debuted in the top 20 on the UK pop charts and became a top 10 dance hit. Co-written and produced with UK garage sensations DJ Luck and MC Neat the song brought together the sounds of R&B, Pop and two-step-an underground genre that was breaking in the UK. The video, shot in Miami, was heavily played and requested on MTV and The Box. In conjunction with the single Ari performed with Luck and Neat on practically every major TV and radio show in the UK including, Live And Kicking (CH. 5), T4 (CH.4), Radio One Big Sunday and the legendary Top Of The Pops (BBC). The song has since gone on to appear on numerous compilations alongside other smash hits by Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliot, U2, Nelly Furtado, Destiny's Child, Craig David and many more.

He has also lent his songwriting and production skills to other artists and projects. In 2003 Grammy award winning producer David Morales remixed "I'll Be Here" on his label Definity Records which Ari co-wrote with Automagic for Nashom of The Ones ("Flawless") solo project. The song went on to become a top10 Billboard dance hit and was featured in an episode of Queer As Folk. Ari has also written for #1 Billboard dance recording artist Kevin Aviance ("Give It Up") both for his debut CD as well as for his latest release Entity. Ari keeps company with Diane Warren and Stephen Bray on 80's teenscream Tommy Page's last album as well. Ari's music has been licensed to numerous independent films, including the cult hit Latin Boys Go To Hell, where he served as Music Supervisor and appeared in the film performing his song "See Through Me."

Ari's unique look and style have graced top fashion magazines such as W, he was named one of the 9 hottest men in NYC by H/X magazine, and was chosen as one of "the Stylistics" for VIBE magazine's January 2002 issue shot by photographer Walter Chin. Ari has recently released his first ever 12 Month Calendar for 2004 sold through his online store in which his image has been immortalized by acclaimed illustrator Joe Phillips.

Average Customer Review: 3