Born and bred in Toronto, the artist known as Gaiaisi (spelling mnemonic: Gaia-is-i, pronounced: “Gaia’s Eye”) has a seemingly inextinguishable quest to “expose the torture of dogs, cats and wild animals by the fashion industry.” Uniting this quest with his own musical vocation, he has: released music videos; contributed to documentaries; soon to appear on the Fox Channel; and entered creative partnerships with such organizations as Greenpeace, PETA, and the World Wildlife Fund.
As he prepares for his first album, Gaiaisi draws on such varied influences as John Lennon and Public Enemy to include elements of hip-hop, 60s-era-soul, rock and dance. Right now, Gaiaisi offers some music videos, including “Tell a Friend,” which has already garnered well over 100,000 views. Join the crowd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KgNx8OgSrA&hd=1
It’s a lively track of spirited vocals that are well-complemented by acoustic strumming and a simple percussion bit. Admittedly, some of the excerpted video clips are quite disturbing, as they show animals (some of ‘em friendly-lookin) in painful predicaments, such as being caught in a trap, presumably set by someone working for the fur industry. As brutal a winter as it’s been for millions of people in North America, the winter can have even more brutal implications for certain animals, who are slaughtered for fur trim coats.
Another well-viewed Gaiaisi music video is “Change The Earth” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zlhdQmaUBo&hd=1). This track takes on a theme of an even more pressing nature: that of the survival of our planet. Indeed, this issue affects us all, as Gaiaisi declares: “No matter location, dollar denomination / Political placement or religious persuasion / The nature of the globe is a single situation.”
Must say this video is extremely well produced. A wide array of memorable clips are featured. Gaiaisi’s emphatic rap-style vocals mix with some groovy bass lines to make for a fine track indeed.
There are moments of both the swaggering and the soulful. He offers a rather dramatic presentation at certain points, singing while almost completely submerged in water.
Submerge thyself in some Gaiaisi: https://soundcloud.com/gaiaisi/a-taste-of-my-wordplay-gaiaisi
Rumor has it that: “Gaiaisi is currently trying out instrumentalists and backup vocalists to be a part of his touring band.”
Further info on the musician and his causes at: http://www.gaiaisi.org/
Or just head to his YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK1S2O82Af0dN-Z46GqJZBA?sub_confirmation=1
Ray Cavanaugh – owleyesgatsby@yahoo.com