:: Robyn Loau's "lost album" resurfaces

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

July 2008 will see the limited release of Malaria: The Lost Album in music stores and on iTunes; finally unveiling Robyn Loau's unreleased major record company debut featuring the cult classics Sick With Love and Love Addiction.

In an Australian first, independent label GoSet Music, who has resurrected the album, will also release Malaria: The Lost Album on USB wristband through international innovation company All Access Today (Beyoncé, Mary J Blige, Matchbox Twenty, Rolling Stones).

Chris Guggenheim, CEO of All Access Today explains, “We had an amazing reaction to our LiveFlash – live recording USB wristband program – during Matchbox Twenty‘s Australian tour. We were looking for an Australian artist to launch our USB wristbands and Robyn Loau's voice, personality and music are great and we are thrilled to work with Robyn on the USB release. We are very excited to see the release of a 'lost’ album that was clearly before its time and look forward to seeing the release of Robyn's new studio album on USB format also.”

By plugging-in the Robyn Loau pre-loaded USB (Universal Serial Bus) wristband to their computer (or newer model car and mobile phone/handset with USB port) the user gets Malaria: The Lost Album in mp3 format, a Josh G Abrahams remix, a PopRepublic.tv interview, bonus music videos and 2 short documentaries. To play, the wristband is simply unfastened and inserted into the USB port where the files can be played or transferred to an mp3 player.

Robyn said, ‘It's very exciting to see Malaria released in stores and online in many different ways. When I listen to Malaria now, I hear a young lady with a fiery, 'take on the world’ attitude, desperate to make her opinion heard. Much has changed since then but one thing that remains is my innate love of music & how it can transport you from despair to exhilaration in 3.30mins."

Malaria: The Lost Album combines the sounds of major cities Sydney and London with traditional instruments from the Pacific Islands. Many of the writing sessions for the album took place in the islands during the recording of world music project Siva Pacifica. Lush, epic and infectious, Malaria was named after many of the recording crew were struck by the tropical disease.

Very few people know the true story behind the disappearance of Malaria. At the time, Robyn Loau was on the verge of releasing her major label debut album off the back of an internationally acclaimed world music project Siva Pacifica, top 20 single Sick With Love and a starring role in a top 10 Australian movie Idiot Box. Malaria was the solo project Robyn believed would establish her as a credible Australian artist after achieving incredible exposure throughout Australia, Europe and Asia as the lead singer of pop phenomenon Girlfriend.

Rare promotional copies of Malaria leaked to publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine (who in a 4 star review proclaimed Loau ‘a serious diva in waiting’ and Malaria a ‘wickedly classy solo debut’) and Marie Claire (‘a remarkably assured debut album, showcasing a sultry, soulful and downright sexy voice’).

Mysteriously, just weeks from release, in the midst of a record company merger Malaria disappeared from release schedules.

Upon learning of the album's demise Loau remembers, “I was in total shock. I couldn't believe what had happened. As optimistic & positive as I looked, inside my heart had broken and the album was out of my hands.”

Robyn is currently in the studio co-producing a new album with an all-star cast slated for release later this year. Robyn‘s iTunes-only release 'Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime’, was the theme for the cinema, radio and television campaign for the 2008 season of The Biggest Loser.

Malaria: The Lost Album will be available on iTunes with the CD and USB in music stores mid July 2008.