We're super excited to announce that Vav Jungle has joined the Surkeus Records label roster and community of artists today!
"Raindrop" by jeremiah brooklyn with Vav Jungle - OUT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7th on ALL STREAMING APPS.
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Vav Jungle is concept pop electronic producer Eve Rice who also is a DJ under the name DJBeekeeni. Over 9 releases of music since 1992 which, Vav Jungle has evolved into it’s own world of post atomic contemporary sounds.
Eve originally started making music on 70s and 80s Yamaha organs that were brought into her childhood home. At five years old, she was already assimilating Beethoven like melodies and was coined “gifted”. Without much interest in playing anything classical as a youth, she was obsessed by sound and how music would explode out of a speaker. She worked on her own self taught sounds and chordings and continued to squeeze her headphones tightly when listening Donna Summer, Kraftwerk, Barbra Streisand and Klaus Wunderlich. The B52s appeared on television and at the age of ten, realized this is where it’s at, and that it appeared to be ok to do your own thing.
In her teens, Just Ducky was one of the first (and only) electronic underage bands around Canada and became a group effort of sorts making songs for the first time at high speed. The intent was fun, opening for Skinny Puppy and Severed Heads was a surprise and so was being outed for being below legal age playing in a bar. “The Pond” by Just Ducky with Eve and the Chilas sisters is a cassette that bubbles around used record stores around Canada and on eBay.
*“Don’t worry ‘bout a thing Mister” is also a compilation album of assorted bands from Winnipeg in 1987 which includes a first track by JD.
After JD, Eve created Vav Jungle with artist Murray Toews when she danced for Alethea Lahofer’s “Average Life Comix” at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (Murray was making sets for the show). The name Vav Jungle came from a dream and making random sounds was the game as Murray was an audiophile as well as a brilliant illustrator. Murray left the act after a two years and Eve ushered in a go go dancer, Baba Gigi (Grace Martini). Videos were made and the first CD “Zig a Dig” in 1997 brought on a refreshing mix produced by Guy Maddin’s editor and friend of the band, John Gurdebeke.
“Childish music for adults” - Eve Rice
Over the years, “Canadiana Striptease”, “Cream Corn Bath”, “Models For Jelly”, “Pap Rock”, “Crash”, “Coverup” popped out on to the independent music scene across Canada with tracks being used on television, radio and film along with short tours throughout Canada, New York and Minneapolis. She had a friend in David Wisdom from Vancouver who played her music for ten years on CBC and met an array of industry people who knew what they were doing…and didn’t. “I would go to a festival and they’d never believe I was the act…the assumption I was a promoter… it was difficult but didn’t care”- Eve Rice
Eve became DJBeekeeni as well (singing her own tracks and playing others during music sets) in the early 2000s after helping friend Leala Hewak during the inception of her new Gallery called “Cream”. She brought in tracks to play while organizing the gallery. Leala (the owner) suggested Eve wear a girdle or bikini and called her DJ name “DJBeekeeni”…so she did. Eve was the first female DJ at The Winnipeg Folk Fest and broke barriers for anyone feeling out of place in society performing in less claiming “it’s too hot on stage” and having designers give her pieces to wear when performing live. “It wasn’t just because I was in shape…I needed to be empowered as the industry mentally harms artists in general, even still…as a musician I always felt like I was digging out of a hole with not much help by people who didn’t understand what I was doing”. Nonetheless, Eve felt like she could control her hows this way and be a bit tongue and cheek about it. Many women would appear topless at DJBeekeeni shows (Eve never has) but she realized there is power in a solo act performing. “Just be yourself, if you’re feeling brave, go for it”- Eve Rice
Now into the 2020s “Coverup” became Eve’s anthem to her 70s/80s past with everything solely being made from her Hammond Anniversary home organ, bought from a student who didn’t know how to use it. The last of Hammond’s home organ lines analog/digital organs as it wasn’t well received at the time it appeared on the market.all the more to use it… Eve made the album swing and continues to do so still to this day.
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We look forward to working with Eve on her upcoming Vav Jungle album and various other projects in the near future. Welcome to the Surkeus, Eve / Vav Jungle / DJ Beekeeni!