#voiceplay

Artists are sometimes viewed as emotionally sensitive and physically delicate, and that certainly can be true. But performing on stage often takes a surprising amount of agility and stamina. Just like ballet dancers and cheerleaders, a lot of musicians are athletes. Part of the magic is making it look easy. These guys go one step further and make it look incredibly fun.

Details:

title: Tick Tick Boom (5 IMPOSSIBLE shots?!), feat. J.None

original performers: Sage the Gemini, feat. BygTwo3 for the Scoob! (2020) soundtrack

written by: John "Johnny Yukon" Mitchell, Danny Majic, Justin "DJ Frank E" Franks, Jim Lavigne, & Alexander "Xplicit" Izquierdo

arranged by: Layne Stein

release date: 8 March 2024

My favorite bits:

Layne setting the tempo with some grimy beatboxing

the casual tone of Geoff's bassy ♫ "Tick tick boom" ♫ as the basketball drops through the net

J.None pulling off ♫ "We bringin' out toys" ♫ ::squeaky:: 🦆 with a straight face

the trio's skillful harmonies demonstrating why they ♫ "should be on The Voice" ♫

the ducky dropping through the hoop, but a basketball rolling away on the floor 🤣

Eli's quick, crisp diction on ♫ "When it's like this…" ♫

the contrast between Layne's descending drum line & Cesar and J's ascending slides ⇵

grooving on the funky guitar riff with ♫ "nah-nah-nah" ♫ vocals 🎸

the playfully whispered "Swish!" 🏀 from Layne

their coordiated hop over Cesar's bouncy ball

putting a little grit on Eli's final "Tick tick BOOOOM"

their over-the-top celebration as they scoot out of frame

Trivia:

○ When he was demonstrating how he wanted everyone to lob their respective balls (or duck) overhead during rehearsal, Layne actually made his shot the first time. Unfortunately, the main camera wasn't recording yet, but there is phone camera footage in their behind-the-scenes video on Patreon.

○ Although they sang the line "We […] should be on The Voice!" with the requisite enthusiasm, the guys seem to have gotten their fill of reality competition shows, between:

4:2:Five's rough America's Got Talent audition in 2009

VoicePlay competing on The Sing-Off season 4, after 4:2:Five barely missed out on season 1

J.None's brief runs on both X-Factor (with 4Shore) and American Idol

Cesar's appearances on American Idol and X-Factor, and earning second place on Yo Soy El Artista

○ Fans still occasionally suggest that they go on The Masked Singer, though, probably in part because Pentatonix had done so in season 9, and founding 4:2:Five member Scott Porter was the runner-up for season 11.

○ That said, some of their regular collaborators have done quite well on The Voice in recent years. Omar Cardona and Deejay Young were both on John Legend's team in their respective seasons, and Omar made it all the way to the finals.

○ Playing basketball with these guys looks like fun, but it could be hazardous. In the early days of 4:2:Five, Layne accidentally fractured Scott's lower leg during a rowdy post-rehearsal game of hoops. Then in late 2021, J.None injured his achilles heel playing in a pickup game, and it took over a year to fully heal.

VoicePlay are generally aware of what their fans would like to hear from them, and do their best to fulfill those wishes. But once in a while they do something delightfully self-indulgent like this, and it turns out just as fun. They're off to the races. Buckle up and take the ride!

Details:

title: Formula 1 theme (feat. Omar Cardona)

original performers: Brian Tyler & The Philharmonia Orchestra of London for Formula 1 racing

written by: Brian Tyler

arranged by: Eli Jacobson

release date: 2 March 2024

My favorite bits:

starting with Geoff's deep engine rumble and the front trio's brassy fanfares

team anchor Layne giving the "Box box box" call (see Trivia section)

Eli's beautifully clear tone on the melody

the quick ascending bell chord from the trio

dropping into that breakdown

Omar's warm timbre as he takes the lead

Layne hitting that beefy "wub-wub-wub" 🔊

the final rising harmonies from Eli, Omar, and Cesar

the doppler panning on the ending vroom as they all watch the car drawing go by 🏎️

Trivia:

Layne, Geoff, and Eli had honed their vroom-vroom noises over years of performing their "Road Trip" medley / comedy sketch.

"Box box box" is the signal that F1 engineers use over the radio to indicate to their driver that they should come in for a pit stop (refueling, changing tires, etc.). The box in question is each team's assigned space along the pit lane.

Eli is an auto racing fan, particularly Formula 1 and the newer Formula E league comprised of electric vehicles. Both fall under the authority of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

Brian Tyler is also an F1 fan, so he was honored to compose the piece, which was introduced for the 2018 racing season.

He conducted the London Philharmonia in a live rendition of the full song at Royal Festival Hall in November 2018 to close out the season.

When people want to pass a little time, they often turn to mobile games on their phones. And when mobile game studios want to promote an upcoming release with a funky song, they sometimes hit up the talented geeks in VoicePlay. This delightful collaboration is sure to get your toes tapping, and might just turn you into a Trailblazer.

Details:

title: White Night (feat. J.None)

original performer: Jake Miller for Honkai: Star Rail (2023) [NOTE: The animated video created by the game studio contains some flashing light effects.]

written by: Hanpu Cui (崔瀚普TSAR) & Kexin Wang (王可鑫 Eli.W)

arranged by: uncredited

release date: 29 February 2024 repost date: 13 March 2024

My favorite bits:

Cesar's playful slide across the floor before beckoning the others to join him

the rising zip sound Layne uses to enhance their entrance

how snazzy they all look in their slightly retro suits

J.None deftly navigating between his chest and head voice

the subtle rollercoaster slide Geoff puts after ♫ "you. and. me." ♫

the lean back and momentary glich out on ♫ "Take me away-way-way" ♫

Geoff's smooth drop into the basement

the flirty whisper of ♫ "Take me away" ♫ from Layne before he jumps back on the beat

Eli's clear timbre and precise diction on ♫ "Tick. and. tock. once. more." ♫

J and Cesar timing their eye movements to the beat 👀

kicking up the groove as they head toward the ending

that relaxed descending riff from Eli as they fade out for good

how well it loops on platforms that do so

Trivia:

This video was originally a TikTok exclusive for contractural reasons. VoicePlay reposted it to YouTube and Instagram two weeks after the initial release to ensure continued access after their TikTok account was temporarily hacked.

The song is from the Honkai: Star Rail JRPG, the fourth game in the series, released the previous spring. It's the theme to the expansion questline "If One Dreams At Midnight", set on Penacony, the Planet of Festivities.

The game is produced by the MiHoYo game studio, who also make Genshin Impact. VoicePlay and Deejay Young had opened the first annual GI concert in 2021, and PattyCake created an original song for GI later in this year.

VoicePlay's motto is "sharing the harmony", and that doesn't just apply to the guys in the group. They include their friends, fans, and family members in it, as well. So when their circle added a tiny new member, they welcomed him with some good old-fashioned barbershop from their own childhoods, arranged by the proud papa himself.

Details:

title: Baby On Board

original performers: The Be Sharps in The Simpsons episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (s.5, ep.1)

written by: The Dapper Dans (Harry Campbell, George Economou, Shelby Grimm, & Danny Jordan) with episode writer Jeff Martin

arranged by: Eli Jacobson

release date: 23 February 2024

My favorite bits:

sweet baby Asher snoozing in his dad's arms 👶

the absolute joy in Eli's face as he sings about his son 🥰

Geoff providing rattle percussion along with his ♫ "ba-bum-bum-bum" ♫ pickups leading into each phrase 🪇

their alternating knee bends to accompany ♫ "bounce in my step" ♫

the punny delight with which Cesar points at Layne during ♫ "carpool lane" ♫

Layne sneakily pointing at Geoff (on the beat) after ♫ "call me a square" ♫ 😜

the breadth of sound they achieve in the tag section

noggin smooches for both the Jacobson boys, and mama Ashley's off-screen approval 😘

Trivia:

○ Eli noted on social media that his son "can sleep through anything, just not through the night", which is not uncommon for newborns. The baby's name is a mashup of his parents' names — Ashley and Eliezar.

○ The credits in the YouTube description include "cuteness overload" for Asher, and "baby wrangler" for Ashley, who was just behind the camera during filming in case he needed his mom.

○ Both had also been part of the audience in the "Jingle Bell Rock" video shortly after he was born.

○ The group had launched the VP logo baby onesie Asher is sporting (and a toddler sized t-shirt) almost exactly a year earlier, when Eli and Ashley found out they were going to have a child.

○ The Instagram post got some love from actress Jane Lynch, who the guys had met almost a decade earlier when they both appeared on VH1's Big Morning Buzz talk show in 2015. VoicePlay was there promoting the second Sing-Off national tour in between early shows in the 9-week whirlwind trip.

○ The Simpsons episode featuring this song aired in September 1993, around the time the founding members of VoicePlay were becoming friends in middle school. It was included on the "Songs in the Key of Springfield" album released in 1997, the same year the boys formed their own barbershop quartet, 4 The Love, at their choral director's urging.

○ The songwriting and some of the singing in the episode was provided by members of The Dapper Dans who performed at Disneyland, combined with the regular actors' voices.

Dan Jordan (baritone) & Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson

Shelby Grimm (lead) & Dan Castellaneta as Barney Gumble

George Economou (tenor) & Hank Azaria as Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

James Campbell (bass) & Harry Shearer as Seymour Skinner

○ VoicePlay had recorded a couple barbershop tags the year before, "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Part of Your World", both arranged by Myron Whittlesey who sings with the Dapper Dans at Disney World.

○ Geoff had also performed with the Dapper Dans at Disney World as one of his many theme park gigs. Their friend Sean Gerrity from The Edge Effect later inherited his shoe covers.

These guys love a good adventure song, and have been playing video games since they were kids. So when they heard this sci-fi sea shanty from Warframe, they couldn't resist putting their own vocal spin on it. Get ready to set sail through the vastness of the cosmos, where no one can hear you scream and everyone dies eventually.

Details:

title: Sleeping in the Cold Below (feat. Omar Cardona)

original performers: Damhnait Doyle as Vala Glarios accompanied by The Ennis Sisters, Aarron Collis, & Alan Doyle for Warframe (Official Soundtrack II) (2023)

written by: music by Keith Power & Alan Doyle; lyrics by Keith Power, Alan Doyle, & Adrian Bott

arranged by: Rob Dietz & Geoff Castellucci

release date: 16 February 2024

My favorite bits:

the reverberation on Layne's opening beats, giving the sensation of a being in a cavernous space

the resonance in Geoff's timbre as he starts deep and moseys even further down toward ♫ "below" ♫

Omar adding more urgency with his higher tone, singing about always chasing the next job

Eli and Cesar's breathy staccato repetition of ♫ "Hell. to. pay" ♫

the guys' nifty colored contacts, particularly Cesar and Omar swapping one lens to give them the appearance of mirrored heterochromia

dropping into unison to emphasize the first ♫ "sisters" ♫

Cesar looking intensely into the camera as he sings ♫ "the devil in his eye" ♫

Eli's fantastic wail of ♫ "below" ♫

the angelic choir sound of the harmonies under Geoff singing about death and burial

Layne's pseudo-synth line (which reminds me of the turrets in the Portal games)

the power of Omar's descant ♫ "Going where the winds don't blow" ♫

the uneven descending canon of ♫ "sleeping in the cold" ♫

the breadth of sound they achieve at the end as Eli, Omar, and Cesar climb higher while Geoff descends and Layne saturates his percussion line with faster hits

ending on a stark white background that makes them look like video game models on a character selection screen

the behind the scenes footage in the outro (The rest of that studio space is wild.)

bonus points for all the cool animated space backgrounds

Trivia:

This video was filmed at a new location for the group — OptiView Entertainment studio in Longwood, FL, on a stage that has three walls and a floor made of giant LED screens.

Geoff took inspiration for their outfits from Japanese streetwear trends. Instead of picking specific costumes for each singer, he ordered a variety of jackets and accessories and let everyone pick whatever they liked. Some of the pieces didn't arrive in time for the shoot, though, so the guys saved them for their "Black Hole Sun" video a couple months later. Some of the accessories also reappeared in "We All Lift Together".

When they first teased the release on social media, their sartorial choices received some good-natured ribbing from their erstwhile baritone.

Although they stand fairly still in the video itself, the guys had a bit of a dance party in between takes.

Co-arranger Rob Dietz also contributed his voice to the mix for the "Huh!" shouts in the first two choruses.

There are a few minor continuity errors because Layne forgot to put his gloves back on after a break in filming. A fan joked in the YT comments that he had actually developed telekinesis, which led to some ribbing from both VoicePlay and PattyCake Productions. (The last assertion is funny, but demonstrably untrue. He's been on screen in several PattyCake projects. But he is often unrecognizable because of masks, heavy makeup, or visual effects.)

In the description on Patreon, they named their spaceship "the USS DekeSharon" in honor of their old friend, the illustrious singer, arranger, and producer of The Sing-Off.

Warframe was first released for PC in March 2013, and has undergone frequent content additions and platform ports in the years since. "Sleeping in the Cold Below" is featured in the "Call of the Tempestarii" quest added to the game in April 2021.

Within the game, there is also an instrumental arrangement of this song, called "Sevagoth's Lullaby" that appears during the "Whispers in the Walls" quest line.

When the 2023 Wonka prequel movie was released, it made a lot of folks nostalgic for the original flim from the 1970s that they'd grown up watching, and these guys were no exception. So they dipped their toes in the river of chocolate for a minute of delightfully sweet ear candy.

Details:

title: Pure Imagination (feat. Omar Cardona)

original performer: Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

written by: Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley

arranged by: Rob Dietz & Eli Jacobson

release date: 12 February 2024

My favorite bits:

the deliciously crunchy harmonies on the opening line

Cesar's breathy timbre that conveys the wonder in the lyrics

the little falling run Eli puts on ♫ "travelling in" ♫

the slightly ominous rumble of Geoff's subharmonic note

the subtle riff from Layne at the end of ♫ "explanation" ♫

Omar's beautifully floaty falsetto

hitting that velvetty unison for the ending

how well it loops on the platforms that do so

Trivia:

Due to YouTube's stringent time restrictions, that upload cuts off the very ending, which is quite irritating.

Omar offered praise on Instagram for the fact that his collaborations with VoicePlay allow him to stretch his vocal wings. They like to challenge and showcase their friends as much as they do for each other. 🥰

It was also a moment of nostalgia for him. This song was the opening number of a show Omar was in on a Royal Caribbean cruise gig when he was 19, but hadn't performed it since.

In the prequel movie, this song was sung by Timothy Chalamet as young Wonka in a pitch to secure the Oompa-Loompas as his factory workers. An instrumental version also plays during the opening title sequence.