Vital
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Music
Press
What do you get when you mix Kid Cudi with John Legend?* Other than, perhaps, if your taste in music is anything like mine, an orgasm. This guy Vital is completely new to me. And by that I mean I found out about him yesterday, and I’m listening to this song over and over again. The beat is contagious. And his voice sits perfectly on top of it. To add to that, the lyrics really bring me back to my childhood days with references of Red Light/Green Light, Lunch Bells, Family dinners at the table, Simon Says, and more. Perfect timing to remind me to stay young – my birthday is on Saturday!
Let’s go back to when we were younger, laughing all the way to go nowhere… - Sunset in the Rearview
Vital started off as a Hip Hop MC and producer who wanted nothing more than find a sense of home behind the music scene that paced quickly before him… mastering demos for fellow artists in the Bay Area and then eventually releasing a few of his own. The simple twist of this fate here, however, is that while he succeeded in becoming a little more well-known in the game, he coincidentally remained unfamiliar to himself.
Vital, who’s real name is Duranta D. Cook, played no fool to this struggling identity of his. He continued to pursue his career in music, but on his own terms and now possesses a genuinely free and imaginative spirit towards his style of production–sky’s the limit, as they say and even more so through his amazing debut music video (see below). Cook has escaped those 16-bars and is now a combination of Kid Cudi and John Legend, slyly scatting along the keys where Cudi falls unbearably flat–I can’t be the only one who thinks he is terrible singer. Yes, beneath that perfectly fitting woven and charming smile, lies an insanely creative man who brings new meaning to this idea of eccentricity, where words that read plainly on paper take shape once the music kicks in. - Music For Ants
Vital is Duranta D. Cook, a indie singer/songwriter who used to make hip hop. He experimented some more, and the result is The Vital EP. You can listen to songs from the EP on his website right now. I posted “Airport” below. It sounds light and free from the strains of life. Vital’s music comes off as powerful and uplifting, something our generation can certainly use more of. - We All Want Someone
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
VITAL JUST GOT BOOKED FOR....
SUMMERFEST 2012, Milwaukee WI, JULY 8th
SESAC SHOWCASE @ NEW MUSIC SEMINAR, Tammany Hall, New York, JUNE 18th
Vital is an indie singer-songwriter that is poised to change everything. Vital was born in Vallejo, California, USA, and currently lives 2 blocks from the ocean in San Francisco.
Close your eyes and imagine a lush garden blooming with wonder and flourishing with surprise. A garden tended with care and brimming with all the promise that spring has to offer and much more. Yet, in the place of flora and fauna lie the blossoming aural delights of reverberating guitar chords and mesmerizing synths, moist with the dew of poignant lyricism and vibrantly emotive vocals. Open your eyes and immerse yourself in the splendorous sonic wonderland of Vital.
Boldly drawing from a wealth of influences across the vast musical spectrum, the California-based singer-songwriter is poised to inject a desperately needed shot of adrenaline into a languishing wasteland of repetitive radio playlists and deprived iPod droids. Blacksky Records introduced Vital and his attempt to gallantly traverse galaxies of musical genres with the release of his breathtaking new 5-track offering, The Vital EP. While Vital has no qualms in reconciling his myriad of musical inspirations with his life story, the journey to get to that space was not without its obstacles.
I always knew I had a voice, but I never wanted to use it because of the things that I was going through, he recalls. Because I was angry, I wanted to express myself through hip-hop instead. It was really rough growing up. So I didnt want to sing it to you; I wanted to rap it to you. Subject to a life less ordinary at an early age, Vital volleyed between Vallejo, California and Chicago for much of his childhood. As a result, hip-hop became his preferred mode of communication. After years of rapping, he finally made the decision to use the full range of his voice in a steadfast trial and error fashion.
Recorded entirely in Atlanta, the EP was the beginning of a recording process that would eventually result in a catalog of over 30 songs. It came naturally, he says of the creative process. Chris and I created the songs together. It wasnt a situation where I was sifting through throwaway tracks that other artists rejected. Everything was raw. We made so many songs in this little room with a sound booth in a closet. That just goes to show that it doesnt really matter where you record. If the vibe and the sound is good, the songs will come out good.
You can hear the new record in JUNE, 2012.
Links
