Conjure One
Canadian electronic project blending ambient and Middle Eastern sounds.
Conjure One is a Canadian electronic music project led by Rhys Fulber, a musician already known for his work with Front Line Assembly and Delerium. The project got its start after Fulber left Front Line Assembly to go solo. He set up a studio in Amsterdam, and the time he spent living there, along with travels around the Eastern Mediterranean, sparked the idea for an ethnic ambient sound. A debut album was announced soon after, but Fulber’s busy schedule as a producer and remixer delayed its release until September 2002.
That first album, *Conjure One*, mixed the keyboard-driven, rhythmic dance beats of Fulber’s earlier work with Middle Eastern influences. Those influences gave it ambient melodies that recalled Delerium. Several tracks leaned pop and featured guest singers, most notably Poe and Chemda—the latter sang entirely in Arabic. Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo, Sinéad O'Connor, and Jeff Martin of The Tea Party also appeared.
Fulber returned to Front Line Assembly and Delerium, then put out a second album, *Extraordinary Ways*, in 2005. This one used more contemporary sounds, with a bigger role for guitars and trip hop beats. Vocalists included Tiff Lacey, Poe (credited as “Jane”), Chemda, Joanna Stevens, and Fulber himself, who covered a Buzzcocks song. In 2007, Sandra Cretu covered “Sleep” as a bonus track on her single “The Way I Am.” In 2012, Fulber signed with the Dutch dance label Armada Music and started work on the album *Holoscenic*.
The project’s discography includes five studio albums: *Conjure One* (2002), *Extraordinary Ways* (2005), *Exilarch* (2010), *Holoscenic* (2015), and *Innovation Zero* (2022). Singles include “Redemption” (featuring Chemda, 2001), “Sleep” (featuring Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo, 2002), “Tears from the Moon” (featuring Sinéad O'Connor, 2003), “Center of the Sun” (featuring Poe, 2003), “Extraordinary Way” (featuring Poe, 2005), “Face the Music” (featuring Tiff Lacey, 2006), “I Dream in Colour” (featuring Leah Randi, 2010), “Like Ice” (featuring Jaren Cerf, 2011), “Under the Gun” (featuring Leigh Nash, 2013), “Still Holding On” (featuring Aruna, 2013), “Ghost” (featuring Kristy Thirsk, 2016), “Animals” (featuring Jaren, 2021), “Wolves at the Door” (featuring JEZA, 2022), “Wheels Come Off” (featuring JEZA, 2022), and “I Don't Want To Go There” (featuring Jaren, 2023).
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- yes
- Origin
- Vancouver, British Columbia and Amsterdam
- Genre
- Electronic / ambient / trip hop / pop / trance
- Years Active
- 1997–present
- Label
- Nettwerk, Armada
- Current Members
- Rhys Fulber
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
After performing with Front Line Assembly at the 1996 Roskilde Festival, Rhys Fulber left the band to pursue a solo career. He set up a studio in Amsterdam; the influence of life there and traveling to the Eastern Mediterranean gave him the idea of an ethnic ambient project. A debut album was announced, though Fulber's work as a producer and remixer pushed its release to September 2002.
The resulting album, Conjure One, fused the electronic characteristics of Fulber's previous work—keyboard-based, with rhythmic dance beats—and the influences of Middle Eastern music, which inspired ambient melodies more reminiscent of Delerium. Several songs were pop-oriented and featured guest vocalists, primarily Poe and Chemda, the latter singing entirely in Arabic. Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo, Sinéad O'Connor, and Jeff Martin of The Tea Party also appeared.
After returning to Front Line Assembly and Delerium, Fulber released a second album, Extraordinary Ways, in 2005. It utilized much more contemporary sounds, including greater prominence given to guitars and trip hop beats. Vocalists included Tiff Lacey, Poe (credited as 'Jane'), Chemda, Joanna Stevens, and Fulber himself covering a song by the punk band Buzzcocks. In 2007, Sandra Cretu covered 'Sleep' as a bonus track on her single 'The Way I Am'. In 2012, Fulber signed to Dutch dance label Armada Music, and work began on the Holoscenic album.
Reader's Guide
Conjure One represents a distinct fusion of electronic dance music and Middle Eastern ambient textures, largely shaped by Rhys Fulber's experiences in Amsterdam and the Eastern Mediterranean. The project's debut album in 2002 introduced a sound that combined the rhythmic, keyboard-based style of Fulber's work in Front Line Assembly and Delerium with ethnic melodies and guest vocalists. Subsequent albums like Extraordinary Ways and Holoscenic evolved to incorporate contemporary elements such as guitars and trip hop beats, while maintaining the project's core identity. Conjure One's significance lies in its role as a vehicle for Fulber's solo exploration outside his better-known industrial and electronic groups, and in its contribution to the ambient and world music crossover genre. The project's discography spans two decades, with singles reaching the UK chart and remixes for artists like Alice Cooper and P.O.D. Its legacy is that of a consistent, genre-blending electronic project that has adapted to changing musical trends while retaining a distinctive atmospheric quality.
Did You Know?
- The debut album's release was delayed to September 2002 due to Fulber's work as a producer and remixer.
- Guest vocalist Chemda sang entirely in Arabic on the debut album.
- Sandra Cretu covered the Conjure One song 'Sleep' as a bonus track on her 2007 single 'The Way I Am'.
- Fulber signed to Dutch dance label Armada Music in 2012, leading to the Holoscenic album.
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