01.04.06 Wine Tourism News Confessions in White - Jim Hislop If you're a fan of European chill out music, like Air and Royksopp, then "Confessions in White" should appeal to you. Some of the music would also be perfectly at home on a Cafe Del Mar compilation, though it has a feel of its own that's a little more three-dimensional with a blend of ambient, orchestral and lower tempo house with a hint of reggae thrown in. The 'white' in the title refers to white wine and you can definitely feel a slightly cheeky collusion between the wine and the music. Jerome Arthur is based in Franschhoek, a place where, to quote Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous - the air alone in 100% proof!'. If you close your eyes you can almost taste that Chardonnay gliding down your throat, it's enough to make you rush out to the nearest bottle store.
The CD kicks off with the orchestral 'A Quiet Day At The Estate' and ends with 'Vineyards Waltz' with some sensual, cool and calming tunes sandwiched in between. It would be a little insulting to say it would make good background music in a restaurant, because each tune stands on its own as a worthy listenable song. This music is the perfect accompaniment to a lunch in the winelands with a good meal and preferably a hot love interest! The sensual mood and sultry vocals on the second track 'Vin Blanc' should definitely get even the most 'frosty' of companions 'in the mood' if you know what I mean. Try listening to its predecessor, 'Confessions in Red', whichwill complete your overall sensual wine experience...

01.03.06 Food & Home Entertaining Music To Drink Wine To - Kim Hoepfl Inspired by the "refreshing, seductive and frivolous" characteristics of white wine, Cape-based Belgian musician Jerome Arthur has come up with Confessions in White, a CD of deeply relaxing Euro-lounge music, with references to classical music and acid jazz. This is music to eat and drink to - restaurants take note. The album also has a red wine twin, Confessions in Red

15.03.06 Sunday Times Just Listen For Two Ticks - Neil Pendock The most interesting idea raised by Carl Honore in his ponderous paean to all things slow, In Praise of Slow (Orion, 2004) is the notion that classical music is played twice as fast as it should be. This implausible idea was advanced by the Dutch musicologist WR Talsma who contends that since metronome markings used to be denoted on musical scores by tow ticks per note, whereas today they get a single tick, classics from Bach to Vivaldi are played at double speed. Which is perhaps just as well, as surviving Wagner's Ring strectched out to twice its current length is a physical impossibility. One question Honore ducks is just when this speed-up took place. Surely audiences noticed that concerts were getting shorter and shorter, or perhaps it happened on one fateful day when conductors decided to halve the duration of performances. Be that as it may, not all musicians are in a rush. One modern SA composer in no hurry is Jerome Arthur. With home a small cottage in Franschhoek (self-proclaimed food and wine capital of SA) Arthur takes his inspiration from his environment, which explains why his tow latest releases are called Confessions in White and Confessions in Red. The titles of his instrumental melodies confirm a vinous connection: Vineyard Waltz, A Quiet Day At The Estate, Sundowners in Cape Town, Vin Blanc. The sound is distinctly New York-chill, (remember the haunting theme to the TV sitcom Taxi?) with some etnic (French, Xhosa) spoken interventions. Music and wine are two cultural solutions to the problems of stress and Arthur's music is perfect for "a long night of good food, good wine and good company." © Neil Pendock, The Sunday Times (SA)

15.03.04 Future Music Confessions in Red We get sent a wide range of [CD's] from all over the world, but this is our first from South Africa. Jerome aims to make sophisticated lounge music, and he's managed it really well. His use of spoken word in Xhosa gives Behind the Sun a unique feel; it's very reminiscent of both Massive Attack and Air. The production is top notch. The thick pads give a really nice, relaxed, almost meditative quality to the [album], and this is only enhanced by the vocals. The rest of the tracks on the [album] follow a very similar path to Behind the Sun. No Horizon features the vocal talents of Thobeka, who recites one of Jerome's poems to the musical backdrop. This track, more than any of the others, has a real Massive Attack feel to it, probably due to the combination of piano, solid repetitive synth baseline and string-led atmosphere. Dream About You has a really dark opening, with a very low pulsing bass and slowly developing synth lines. Jerome's aim is to make the perfect soundtrack to a stylish dinner party; it's fair to say that he's really achieved this, and there's no doubt that he'll do really well. And of course, there's the obvious target market of advertising soundtracks - this stuff is absolutely ideal for those purposes. © Future Music UK

01.08.05 Oprah Winfrey Magazine Rhythms of Red Sit back, relax and enjoy the silky keyboard sounds with just a hint of vocals on Confessions in Red. Franschhoek-based composer and producer Jerome Arthur has created "a musical interpretation of red wine" and this full-bodied CD is a delicious treat with your favourite tipple. © The Oprah Winfrey Magazine (SA)

15.01.05 BPM : Beats, People & Music Confessions in Red - Trancehippie Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting Jerome Arthur and receiving "Confessions in Dub", his first release. "Confessions in Red" is his second release this year and is in no way disappointing. Instead it is proof of an artist maturing and becoming a master. Firstly the most striking aspect of the album is its theme: "imagine a long day, a long night, of good food, good wine and good company" pretty much sums it up. Yet this is not just background music, the mastery and pure beauty of the production scintillates and enhances those feel good times. The occasional vocals are stylish and African, enhancing the sophisticated feel of the album. Put on the CD, open the bubbly and celebrate with yourself and your lovedones. © BPM Magazine, Trancehippie SA

15.03.06 VISI Wine and Song It has to be a glass of white wine with Confessions in White, Franschhoek-based Belgian composer Jerome Arthur's second musical tribute to South African wine (Confessions in Red was the first). It's the perfect soundtrack for a long lunch. White wine is "feminine and sexy", says Jerome. Find the CD at Cape branches of Musica, selected wine estates, including Boschendal, Vergelegen and Moyo@Spier, and the Franschhoek tourism office. © VISI (SA)

15.03.06 Wineland Magazine Music for Fine Wine Confessions in Red and Confessions in White, two musical analogies of wine, were released by wine lover and Franschhoek musician Jerome Arthur in a tribute to the drink and surroundings he loves. The cd’s were inspired by the Cape Winelands and have so far received favourable comments in the media. They feature lounge music with subtle beats, light and jazzy melodies and string arrangements with bits of lounge, electronica, acid jazz and ambient downbeat. Music suited to a tasting room, for instance. Says Jerome, “I’ve translated the characteristics of red and white wine into music, with red wine being earthy, wintery and rather male, and white wine baing airy, refreshing, sexy and rather female.” Confession in Red has sold more than 500 albums already. For more information, visit www.jeromearthur.co.za © WinelandMagazine SA

15.03.06 GQ Confessions in White - Miles Keylock If you can get past chill zone cheese and wine titles, you'll find Cape-based Jerome Arthur's Confessions in White way more rewarding than your average kitsch neo-lounge muzak. Ethereal trip-hop strip teases, retro coffee bar jazzy flows, enigmatic dub drifts and crafted classical sighs make ideal ear candy for a late night romantic rendezvous, stylish dinner parties, lazy Sunday lunches. An unchallenging listen, but then hey, duvet day soundtracks seldom sound more stylish © Miles Keylock GQ (SA)

01.10.05 Beats, People & Music Confessions in White - Green Man This is the second installment in the "Confessions" series started last year by Jerome Arthur. The style of music is certainly varied ranging from electronica to jazz lounge, ambient to calm floaty soundscapes. It's a contemporary collection of melodies with strong cinematographic soundscapes. Lush strings are accompanied by beautiful vocals and dubby riffs whilst big, warm pads drift in and out. It's mood music for sure, so be prepared to become very, very relaxed. Whilst Jerome's first offering "Confessions in Red" had that full-bodied flavour of a good Shiraz or Cabernet, "Confessions in White" offers a more pristine, surreal feel to it. Grab yourself a glass of wine, kick back and enjoy the ambiences © BPM Magazine,Green ManSA

15.03.05 Die Matie A Mature Blend of Flavours - Esti Brand “... recorded in a small cottage in the idyllic valley of Franschhoek, renowned food and wine capital of South Africa...” The back of the cover reads like the back of a wine bottle while the front, by closer inspection, appears to be a close-up of the inside of a glass of red wine. The idea behind Confessions in Red, composer and producer Jerome Arthur’s first release, is a musical celebration of wine. According to Arthur, the album “reflects the natural scenic beauty of the Cape Winelands and the characteristics of the magnificent red wine produced in this area.” Confessions is a mature fusion of different styles, including ambient, lounge, trip hop and electronica. “The laid-back, earthy, warm and imaginative characteristics of red wine are reflected in tunes with a similar feel,” says Arthur. The album has a feel-good atmosphere and would be well suited in lounge bars and restaurants. (Not only would you be able to select a suitable wine to compliment your meal, you would also be able to choose a musical compliment for your wine!) Confessions would be the perfect background music for dinner parties or drinks in front of the fire-place. I would imagine it being well-received amongst tourists to the Winelands. The album includes a collaboration with two local artists, Jongile and Thobeka. Jongile recites his own poem in his mother tongue (Xhosa) while his sister, Thobeka, recites one of Arthur’s poems. The recitals, blending with the eclectic mix of piano, bass, electronic beats and string orchestrations, bring an African ambience to the album © Die Matie,Esti Brand, SA

15.03.04 Future Music Behind the Sun : Confessions in Red - Daren Walder
I enjoyed listening to this song. The Robert Miles-esque piano melodies work well both with each other and with the underlying string pads. The thing I like most about them is that they are played with feeling by someone who obviously knows how to play a piano. The subtle timing differences between the two piano lines at 4:33 make the track - well done on resisting the temptation to quantize! © Daren Walder, Future Music (U.K.)