“One part electronica, one part pop soul, one part techno party; it never seems to want to touch down, keeping the listener firmly planted in mid-air.” C.E. Moore for The Christian Manifesto

Growing up on Technotronic, KLF and Dance Mix '92, Bishop & Mulholland (producer and vocalist Paul Dirks) was instilled early on with a love for big and brassy synthesizer lead lines. As "Renaud", Paul released a house/trance album in 2003 titled "Waiting For The Sunshine" that featured a positive uptempo vibe and soaring synth melodies; the latter which would later underpin his work as Bishop & Mulholland.

While working at iZ Technologies (maker of RADAR Hard Disk Recorders) in Vancouver, BC he began developing a new paradigm that incorporated trip-hop influences and more varied song and vocal structures. At the time, most electronic groups were using female vocalists or male rappers (Massive Attack, Portishead) and Paul envisioned handling the production side while working with a female vocalist. His name for the projected duo? Bishop & Mulholland.

While working on the songs, Paul began slowly to incorporate his own vocals. Wanting to eschew the light synth-pop feel of many of his contemporaries, he found inspiration in the soul greats of the past- The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations and Otis Redding.

A series of robberies at his home in East Vancouver in 2004 resulted in the loss of much of his equipment, including his first synthesizer love- a Korg Prophecy. But it was a blessing in disguise for his music, as some new equipment (EMU E6400 Ultra and Nord Modular G2) prompted a creative spurt that has continued to this day.

By the time he started recording the first few tracks of Essays and Ear Candy, Paul had begun using the moniker Bishop & Mulholland for himself as a solo artist and used it to invoke the idea of the twin substances of man- both soul (Bishop) and body (Mulholland). This body and soul idea permeates the album and is rooted in Paul's spirituality and faith in Jesus Christ.

Although retaining some of the brooding feel inherent in triphop, the mixture of electro and soul influences brought together a style of music that most reviewers and fans are at odds to describe. Dubbing it Electro Soul, Bishop & Mulholland skirts the edges of both electronic music and pop, delivering catchy synth hooks, head-nodding beats and Paul's fervent vocal delivery.

Bishop & Mulholland released the Essays and Ear Candy EP in 2006 with three tracks- Seeker, Don't Cry For Babylon and Among The Myrtle. Buoyed by the response from friends and fans he continued to work on the project over the next couple years, mostly late at night in his home studio. Finally on October 1st 2008,Bishop & Mulholland released his full-length debut album under the same name and has been garnering increasing praise with each album review and show.

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