Micachu

Micachu is the stage name of Mica Levi, an English singer, songwriter, composer and producer from Surrey. Born in 1987, Levi is classically trained and begins writing and playing music at the age of four. They study violin, viola and composition at the Purcell School, then receive a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study composition.

Early work and London scene

Levi performs as a DJ and MC around the UK garage and grime scene in London. In 2006, they release the mixtape Filthy Friends on their Myspace page. The mixtape brings together contributions from a wide range of musicians, including MCs Baker Trouble, Brother May, Man Like Me and Ghostpoet, singer-songwriter Jack Peñate, the jazz band Troyka, the London pop group Golden Silvers, and producers Kwes. and Toddla T. It becomes sought after on the London club scene.

The Shapes and recorded output

While studying at Guildhall, Levi is commissioned to write an orchestral piece for the London Philharmonic Orchestra, performed at the Royal Festival Hall in April 2008. Levi forms the band The Shapes with Raisa Khan on keyboards and Marc Pell on drums. The group signs to Accidental Records, which releases the debut single "Lone Ranger" in May 2008 and "Golden Phone" in August 2008. Their first album, Jewellery, is produced by Matthew Herbert and recorded during Levi's composition studies at Guildhall. After advance copies generate positive reaction, Rough Trade releases the album in March 2009.

Style and instrumentation

With The Shapes, Levi works in experimental pop music, though they describe the project as pop. The music often uses an acoustic half-guitar with non-standard tunings, heavy distortion, noise, found objects and occasional unusual time signatures. Levi also uses homemade and modified instruments, including a guitar adapted with a hammer action called a "chu", a bowed instrument made from a CD rack, broken bottles, a vacuum cleaner and a 3rd bridge Home Swinger built by Yuri Landman.

Screen work

Levi also composes the music for Jonathan Glazer's 2013 film Under the Skin.