CELLOMANIA is a new name on the scene, so let us help you get acquainted. If you don’t know their name, you might at least be familiar with the GAME MUSIC COLLECTIVE or the GAME MUSIC COLLECTIVE BAND. This local collective of classically trained musicians have formed an orchestral collective and band dedicated to video game music (and adjacent nerdery). Now, band founder and cellist Lukas Stasevskij has teamed up with Jaani Helander to form CELLOMANIA. Their first release is a cover of Dick Dale‘s rendition of the old traditional song, “Misirlou,” which is best known as the theme from Pulp Fiction.
As a longtime violinist, there’s always been something magical about the deeper tone of a cello to me. Even though there are only two players, they weave a very robust sound, covering such a vast range of dynamics. The song begins with a slower intro, before turning up into the familiar Pulp Fiction theme song. The arrangement is so masterfully done that it feels like there are more cellists present than just Jaani Helander and Lukas Stasevskij, but that’s it! The speed and skill of these players is clearly evident and if you watch the video, you may find yourself slightly mesmerized by the way their hands move. This is not glitzy or glam, it’s just two astounding artists doing what they do best!
CELLOMANIA will be (hopefully) releasing an album this year, and the GAME MUSIC COLLECTIVE have some things in the works, so stay tuned to see and hear more from these guys and their projects!
