CatDesigners hail from London (the UK love their cats, even more than the US, ya know), and have developed an introspective indie feel that trips into a marriage between David Bowie's Scary Monsters and Earthling. Maybe more toward Scary Monsters, but with a great sense of modern mixing and scheming.

Musically, their scope is guitar, non-danceable eclecticism, skirting pop and rock while feeding in enough melody and feedback to sink a DJ. Chemically, they are more emotionally disturbed, and hard to pin down. Like a kid who loves cartoons, yet could the next minute sit and stare at the wall like Michael in the first Halloween. Yeah, it can get scary if you think about it. So don't. Just listen to the grey areas.

Over the years, musician Johnny Clegg has worked hard to merge two worlds ­ the English-speaking and the African American culture of South Africa ­ and succeeded in doing so with the formation of the first interracial band - Jaluka. However, the group formed around the time of apartheid, which brought upon unforeseen complications including the banning of their first album by the South African government. Having to deal with so many uncontrollable issues, the group broke up in the mid-80's, and Clegg formed another band with Savuka, combining European pop music with South African melodies.

City Canyons Records, indie music's "new sound in town" is proud to announce the signing of a groundbreaking new group, Finland's Valerian. The three album-deal contract between the downtown Manhattan label and the Finnish group kicks off with the late fall 2004 release of Valerians' North American debut album 'Intimations Of Sorrow'.

At 10, a young Martin Pronn found his father's guitar tucked away in the back of a closet. Fearlessly, he dragged the instrument from where it was hidden and from that moment on, Martin Pronn was a guitarist. "My father, he was pretty much happy with me playing his guitar," laughs Martin, recalling the event. "He had stopped playing it, so he was happy that I had found it."