Birth name Paul Mansford Instruments Vocals, keyboard | Origin London, United Kingdom Years active 2012-present | |
Genres Electronic, blue-eyed soul Occupation(s) Singer, instrumentalist, songwriter | ||
Thousand Hours is a London, UK-based electromantic blue-eyed soul music project featuring Paul Mansford. Paul is a multifaceted singer, instrumentalist and songwriter whose energetic yet emotive performances employ live and looped vocals/EDM, beats/synths, and ambient Nord keyboard stylings.
Contents
Influences
Thousand Hours' music has elements in common with artists such as James Blake, Daft Punk, Calvin Harris, SBTRKT, M83, Sam Sparro, Example and Allen Stone.
History
Paul previously performed as frontman and lead vocalist for Total Movement, a London-based electropop project with his twin brother Alan (bass and vocals), Joe Dickenson (guitar and samples), and Will Calver (drums and triggers). Their single "Show Them What You’re Made Of" (2010) was signed to German Clubland label Sound of Now, and their EP releases include Halo (2008) and Grace (2009).
Thousand Hours’ executive producer is NYC and London-based multi-platinum songwriter Wayne Cohen (European Pop Idol, Eternal, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Curtis Stigers, Martin Sexton, Laura and the Tears). The two met through a mutual friend with whom Wayne was co-writing. Wayne and Paul eventually began collaborating, working on songs and recordings via Skype. From there, Thousand Hours - initially a one-man band featuring looped beats, vocals, and synths - was born. “Electromantic,” the term used to describe the music, was born out of Paul and Wayne’s different interpretations of the project. NPR contributor Stephanie Coleman deemed "electromantic" as "having no meaning and every meaning. It's a buzz word - people will make their own associations to the word electromantic."
Discography
Thousand Hours’ debut album, Dark & Light, was released on March 22, 2013.
All vocals by Paul Mansford and his loop pedal (London, UK) | Produced and mixed by Wayne Cohen (NYC) | Assistant Produced and Mixed by Max Graham | Some programming by Henry Steinway | Live keyboards by Paul | Recorded at Paul's house (London) and Stand Up Sound] (NYC) | Mixed at Stand Up Sound (NYC)
Performances
Thousand Hours has performed at London venues such as The Regal Room and The Bedford. Thousand Hours' New York City debut in June 2013 included shows at Rockwood Music Hall, The Bowery Electric, The Bitter End, and ZirZamin, and as a featured performer at Sync Summit, a music industry showcase which took place at SoHo House, NYC.
Fan reactions
"So much music coming out of one face!" - Vin Goodwin (Host of "Vin's Night In" at The Bedford, London)
"..I am SO loving Dark & Light. 'Light Me Up' is rocking my world. So impressed by the production, Paul's emotion, and the writing. I would never have thunk I'd be so into something that doesn't have a banjo. :) " - NPR contributor Stephanie Coleman
"I really like the songs and think he's a great writer" - David Ryan Jordan (ASCAP UK/Europe)
"Fantastic set by Thousand Hours at The Bedford." - Emily Mann, fan