Featured Blogs

For anyone whose relationship is struggling to withstand the confines of quarantine, Red Flower Lake understands. The indie-pop duo comprised of real-life husband and wife Abel and Rahimah Wright makes lush, romantic ambient-pop in the style of Mazzy Star or Cigarettes After Sex, and their new Three Truths EP is all about the struggle to keep love alive in a long-term commitment. The EP (which was released on all streaming platforms in September 2020) opens with "Heart is Breaking", a song Rahimah says is about feeling wrecked by how hard it is to be a partnership in parenting, wrecked by trying our very best and falling short, over and over again. Sounds like the definitive experience of being a family (even a chosen family) in quarantine to me. Not many songs speak to how often we can feel heartbroken even while in love - this one offered a refreshing truth. Musically, "Heart is Breaking" opens with an expansive, late 80's-inspired series of chords that suggested Cyndi Lauper might be on the way. Instead, Rahimah's sultry vocals stretch across the lower register in the dreamlike yet powerful manner of Cat Power; they're supported by an accumulating kaleidoscope of electronic sounds, layering to a climax as the song progresses. Red Flower Lake is based out of their home studio in Virginia, where they turn the agony and ecstasy of love and partnership into art. Maybe their romantic songs will be just what you and yours need to rekindle the spark at home. Listen in via: https://open.spotify.com/album/5PAtUjLT9tUcbBZz6wM0cy

Honeypot’s new single, “Over The Line,” rolls in perfectly on the heels of the election. The band’s lead singer and guitarist, Frank Hartman, blends grunge rock of the 60s and 70s with modern day political commentary, calling for compromise between political parties and standing up to the system.  “Over The Line” is a socially conscious version of progressive rock reminiscent of Rush or Pink Floyd. Frank explains that the inspiration for the song was “the deep divide we have as a country. There is a feeling of ‘us vs. them’ that should not be.” The single calls for listeners to put America over this division, and this message is perfectly backed by Honeypot’s striking music video.  The video features imagery relating to so many of the issues highlighted in 2020, especially police violence and Black Lives Matter protests. The video demonstrates that, while these issues divide our nation, Americans are coming together to combat injustice, caring and supporting one another rather than succumbing to the system. It’s a well timed message accompanied by an amazing track from this accomplished rock group. Watch the video here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CINEafCsiIE

Bassist, lyricist, and vocalist Eric Scott has recently released “Peace Bomb,” the title track to his forthcoming soul-infused, rock, funk album of the same name. In such a dark state of the world Eric has created an inspiring, positive, and uplifting single. Calling his new music “Modern Throwback Soul,” Washington, DC soul artist Eric Scott's music continues to evolve on his new single PEACE BOMB. Unafraid of a pop hook, and also of showing some respect for the body of 70's soul that has influenced him… “Peace Bomb” celebrates the joy, spirit, and soul of an era that reminds us that peace, love, and booty shakin' never go out of style. "We need a call to arms right now, and everybody needs to be on the same page. Instead of dropping a bomb that destroys everything, I'm trying to drop a bomb that spreads peace and love instead. That's much cooler and much more needed." says Eric. Eric has toured with B.B. King, Mavis Staples, Aaron Neville, REO Speedwagon, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, and award-winning blues/jazz artist Deanna Bogart. He’s written, produced, and released 5 solo albums, and he is a 15-time Wammie winner (WAMA - Washington Area Musicians Association). My favorite part of the track, in addition to Eric’s trained vocals, groovy drums and jazzy vibes, is the final chorus where Eric sings, “We’ve got to love each other” a few times over, a phrase that is said often, but is rarely acted out. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/6AmuOstEk9L6cbjdbhALp0 Visit Eric Online: https://www.ericscottmusic.com https://www.instagram.com/ericscottmusic https://twitter.com/eric_j_s https://www.facebook.com/EricScottMusic

Sharing your music is about building and growing your fanbase. So, your music is already available in the rest of the world and not so many are following or listening to your music, or not as many as you would like. And China has been added to your current distribution service and you think this is enough. The truth is most distributors distribute to only a few of the mainstream services in China, putting your music under the competition of the top chart artists. You are owed every opportunity to grow your fanbase and get paid for it. What does China pay per stream, how much will I get from 1 million streams? The big picture: compare China and Spotify, representing the total global digital market. Like Spotify now with 92 world markets and 286 million listeners, China has 100’s of music services yet has over a billion listeners. When your music is played on Spotify the pay per stream varies greatly from country to country. Your one million Spotify streams will pay you over $8000 from Iceland or it will pay you $800 from Argentina. This is the same in China, the pay per stream varies greatly from service to service and from user to user. Your million streams can get you 10 times or more from one service to another. Distributing your music is about establishing your fanbase, especially in China. If you don’t have fans you won’t have returning paying listeners. So, do you want to get paid 10 times per stream or do you want 10 times the listeners? Which scenario gets you more fans and more opportunity for your music to get heard and listened to? You deserve the edge in this growing new market where artists are gaining traction and finding success with where they couldn’t elsewhere. Get your music to over 50 music services in China with Musicinfo to give you the advantage over the typical distribution services. Secure your music copyright and collect 100% of your royalties with one of their distribution packages. Musicinfo’s one-stop-shop gives you access to their distribution and promotion services enabling you to engage your audience though Chinese social media channels, video platforms and playlists. It is often possible for you to distribute to China with Musicinfo and still keep your music distributed to the rest of the world with your current distributor. Giving you the best opportunity to attract more fans. Join Musicinfo’s growing community of artists, get your music to China, establish your fanbase and get paid.

Keeping the spirit of rock n’ roll alive, The R Train’s explosive new single “Take a Ride” makes you want to stomp your feet, clap your hands, and take a much-needed break from the craziness of the world around us. The Brooklyn-based band made up of vocalist/guitarist Jeffrey Black, drummer/vocalist Mike Annese, and bassist Denny Lee is truly taking the new wave rock world by storm with their tracks that just keep coming. LISTEN IN HERE! https://open.spotify.com/track/5lX5WL2vbNGnNee20Nm9Nz Powerful electric guitar riffs drive this song with pounding drums that make all listeners want to stop what they’re doing and dance. “It is intended to make the listener feel as if they are having an adrenaline rush. We are trying to lift people's spirits by taking them on an exciting, fun, fulfilling musical ride,” says Annese. The song definitely delivers its promise, so put away your worrying and “Take a Ride” with The R Train!

With their acclaimed ambient electronic music project Time Being, spacemusic maestros Phillip Wilkerson and Jourdan Laik have been exploring the expansive sonic realms of atmospheric soundscapes for the better part of a decade, becoming favorites on ambient, sleep, and study Spotify playlists. On their third album, An Ocean Of Time, the duo venture into over 70 minutes of deep-drifting, time-melting, soul-stirring bliss that hovers delicately at the fringes of darkness and light. The album releases today on Spotted Peccary Music in CD format and in 24-BIT AUDIOPHILE, CD QUALITY LOSSLESS, MP3 and streaming formats. See inside the album and sample the music in this unboxing video: https://youtu.be/beLliEy6J3c. The vast and immersive ambient soundworlds that unfold throughout An Ocean Of Time foster an introspective, deeply-serene state of mind well-suited for yoga and meditation. The album’s fathomless spaces evoke a sense of ageless infinity. The sublime combination of synthesizers, electronics, spatial effects, and subtle swarms of orchestral wonder coalesce into a boundless auditory expanse where time is forgotten. Hints of cello and violin drift upon an open sea of textural ambience, as occasionally pulsing electronics or melodic illusions come into focus, hold us in suspense, and gradually dissolving back into the void. With soundscapes as expansive as the mind will allow, Time Being musically ponder this question in an attempt to touch a perfect heart of awareness, presence, infinity, and the essence of being. The music invokes the question, “Are we in the cosmos or is the cosmos in us?” The sound of Time Being sometimes portrays forms in fog that offers suggestions without always simply resolving. To further illuminate what I hear on the album, I have reached out to both musicians to discuss their process and to bring their electronic art into a more crisp context. What you will read here are many short ideas that resemble a stream, flowing past bits of quartz and gold, containing bountiful plant life and an amazing range of small living creatures; life is raging all around, and every moment is magical, forming an interplay of the eternal, unchanging consciousness and the temporary, material world. The conversation begins with the topic of making music. Robin James: How would you describe your methods for inventing your sounds? Phillip Wilkerson: I’ve had a lifelong interest in the creative process and discovered that creativity is more of an opening to the experience rather than trying so hard to capture the experience. Opening to the creative process sets vibrations in motion that are expressed as sounds or words. Capturing the vibrations (recording sounds) is just a mechanical set up--a recorder, a pen, etc. Getting stuck in the mechanicals is easy to do and sometimes, even results in new forms of creativity. So balancing both aspects is necessary, but for me, the mechanics are always secondary. Jourdan Laik: Layers. You cannot sit down and create an intricate soundscape in one fell swoop no more than you can create a flower with just carbon. Robin: How did your parents prepare you for your journey? What do you remember about discovering music? How does that allow you to create now? Jourdan: I couldn’t have been more than 8. I was with my parents at a record shop. My mom asked me which I would like; she held out a few cassettes for me to choose. I picked one that was all black - I thought it looked cool. It was Mozart. We listened to it all the way back home. Once home I listened to it till bedtime. It wasn’t my first time hearing classical music. Maybe it was because the tape was mine but this was likely the first time I actually listened to music. I liked picking out all the instruments and following them up, down, in and out. I would even wave my hands around to the beat pretending I was a conductor. Phillip: Most recently, I’ve discovered that the music primarily creates itself and the mechanics take care of themselves. Music channels through me and gets recorded. I don’t always “make it happen” It often happens spontaneously and without intent. Again, it’s setting up creative opportunities and then letting whatever happens next happen. Jourdan: I want to make music and sounds that take people to a different place. Each composition means something to me personally - but I’m not interested in forcing you there. I want you to go where the music takes you. So as long as the music allows you to disconnect from where you are now, and go to a different place, then I have achieved my task as a composer. Phillip: My task as a composer is primarily to create music that listeners enjoy returning to again and again--not necessarily on repeat, but over a number of years, revisiting like an old friend. To create ambient music that is evergreen and timeless. I wouldn’t call composing a task, but rather an opportunity. Robin: What is music? Phillip: Music is setting vibrations in motion in the form of sound. Sound is primordial and is a two-way manifestation that we can all participate in--as sound creators and sound listeners--neither is merely passive. Jourdan: Everything is vibrating. The frequency of these vibrations define the different things we see. Humans love to experience beautiful things. When the vibrations are just right - they please us. Music is vibration organized into patterns and harmonies. But so is a flower. You can see a flower. But you can only really appreciate it when you look closer. Understanding everything about even one flower requires more than just a glance. Listening is the aural version of visual exploration. Robin: (to Phillip) What is listening? Phillip: Listening is Awareness, being aware of what is happening in the imminent moment. We can listen with our whole body to what is happening all around us and within us as a field of our immediate presence--locally, globally, and as a universal presence. And maybe simply because there is no definitive answer, it becomes apparent, if you ponder long enough, that life calls upon each of us, individually, to create a reality for ourselves and to take responsibility for creating an existence, within our sphere of influence, that is meaningful and beautiful. I think that might be what ‘waking up’ is really all about--taking personal responsibility for making our brief, fragile lives as beautiful and meaningful as we can. Jourdan: Our reality is now. Dreams are a part of that reality because we experience them. If we were to “wake up” to something else, the same questions would persist. There’s a lot of conjecture and speculation about what’s out, up, outside of here. I think that’s a result of people wanting to escape the many unfortunate realities that befall us in the now. The best way to be more awake is to love. Robin: What would you tell a youngster about getting ideas for composing and about the process of creating music? Phillip: Don’t follow anyone’s rules or try to imitate other artists. Discover your own processes and let the music make itself. Jourdan: Learn everything you can about music. Train your ears. Learn the rules so you know what to break and when. Learn the piano. You will wish you had these skills only a few years from now; and it won’t be long before you realize that you should’ve started earlier. Phillip: Life calls upon each of us, individually, to create a reality for ourselves and to take responsibility for creating an existence, within our sphere of influence, that is meaningful and beautiful. I think that might be what ‘waking up’ is really all about--taking personal responsibility for making our brief, fragile lives as beautiful and meaningful as we can. Meditation is just a way to access and open our inherent powers of Awareness into spontaneous Being and Presence. Robin: Are you able to bring music back from your nocturnal dreams? Jourdan: I can lucid dream and have full control over making music. I seem to have the ability to create almost anything I want. I can’t seem to bring anything back with me though. When I wake, it’s all gone - only the memory that I could do it remains. Phillip: Dreams are just another form (vibration) of Awareness. I would not make a distinction as to “where” music comes from. Recorded music is just an incident in Awareness that was captured. Jourdan: We can be surrounded by a lot of info all the time. You can soon feel like all things are known. Where we’re from and where we’re going. The fact is that we know so little. There’s so much to discover. Phillip: Life isn’t a passive process. It’s a creative opportunity. In many ways, I feel like I do live my dream, without being in an actual dream. My life is good. Which is not to say that I don’t have challenges. I just let whatever happens next happen and meet it with a welcoming attitude to see what unfolds. Robin: The music of Time Being allows listeners to consider many impossible things. When listening I find myself exploring strange new oceans and vast alien summits. What are the most beautiful places you have ever experienced music in? Jourdan: We don’t have any noteworthy mountains or seas in Wisconsin. But in the early summer, when it’s warm and the corn is still short - there are places where the vista goes on and on. With not a sound in the air - it is as tranquil as can be; you can float. Phillip: I live in the land of magnificent sunrises and sunsets, Florida, with vast skies and magnificent clouds. We don’t have mountainscapes in Florida, we have sunscapes and cloudscapes. I’m being inspired constantly, just looking out my window. Jourdan: Sometimes I want to be in a dark huge forest. Other times, someplace warm. I’d love a chance to photograph the upper midwest, Oregon etc. Robin: What would you like to share about yoga and meditation, and your personal methods for experiencing a good life? Jourdan: If you have a hard time with the kind of meditation where you’re alone with your thoughts, try meditation with music. Listen to it and try to visualize where your brain takes you. Don’t try to think about what the artist wants you to see - just let it happen. I have found that this is an incredibly easy way to quiet the mind. Robin: Time is "what a clock reads" or a certain number of repetitions of one or another standard cyclical event, the motion of the sun across the sky, the phases of the moon, the swing of a pendulum, the pulse of the surf on the shore, or the beat of a heart. What if our clocks were to Stop? Jourdan: We’d need to change the batteries in our clocks. Phillip: In a sense, the clocks can stop if you move your Awareness outside the paradigm of time and deeper into Awareness. Again, this is pretty close to a definition of meditation. Robin: What would you like explorers of the ever expanding universe of music to know about An Ocean of Time? Jourdan: Just to listen and go where it may lead. Phillip: The artwork for An Ocean of Time reflects the expansive, boundless, spaciousness that the music opens up for the listener. It also hints at that balance / interplay between dark / light and time / being. I don’t necessarily equate the word “ocean” with the actual body of water we call the ocean, but more like the “face of the deep” primordial ocean or void (although I really don’t prefer that word if we can “avoid” it). “An Ocean” is a play on “A Notion” as in the first and last title tracks. Time and Being first and last in titles to tracks 1 and 8. Time “seems” to Be endless (a notion). And Being (in the truest sense) is Timelessness. So we are Beings, experiencing “being” (awareness), in the infinite oceanic void of perceived Time, yet we’re always in this moment, in the now, where living and experiencing life really takes place. Sure, we have memories and expectations. They are just part of the play. All the titles of the tracks reflect these basic questions and themes: Awareness, presence, infinity, the essence of Being, timelessness--it’s all ultimately illusory, yet it is also fully and imminently experienced by our senses and our Presence in the eternal Now. Robin: Your new album is a moving mirage of strings and particles touched and reverberating, patterns form in the haze, this one might be called substance and that one might be called serendipity, life understood as life is lived. Thank you for all of your fantastic work and for sharing your perspectives on the creative way of life! Now let us turn to the music itself. A global ocean has existed in one form or another on Earth for eons, and the notion dates back to classical antiquity in the form of Oceanus. In the first track, the title track, "An Ocean of Time" (7:09) I hear a subtle sigh of surf under a night sky, gentle tones, with no repeating melody, from a fantastic ethereal piano, with a slight hint of strings shimmering for brief moments. Various objects pass through the stars never lingering. The sound portrays forms in fog that offer suggestions without resolving. Darkness within darkness, nearly revealing fragments of gradually emerging details in a wide open skyscape, "Drifting Form, Ineffable Void" (5:47). There are significant differences between the way things are perceived to exist and the way things really exist, the "now" and the "not now" are part of the music. A bridge crosses the Styx at Limbo. "Here. Now. Always." (6:51) considers the ever expanding present, depicted by colorful vapors and small thin clouds of desire. Form, and formlessness, the "present" is a relative concept different for observers in relative motion. The music invites us to muse in our beds about dreaming and multiple consciousnesses, death, collective memory, and the simultaneity of the constant presence of the "dreamer." When living consciousness becomes coherent, the behavior of random systems may change. Life is raging all around, and every moment is magical. Time as an illusion, a mirage of strings touched and reverberating, patterns form in the haze. "Infinite Cadence" (10:35) suggests that there could be a correct understanding of the relation of the self to the external world, but offers no actual proof. No matter, I just like the way it sounds. The next track speaks of liminal experiences, radical subjectivity, and the great moment, only to wake into another dream. "Unfolding Way" (3:56) to me sounds like a series of sheets that are made of night. The sound has a flowing, surreal, dreamlike quality, neither affirming or denying what "is" or "is not." Human reason has boundaries, when we sometimes experience existential dread, anxiety, or anguish, the moment gets stuck and stands still, and to seek expectantly the possibility of the good is to hope, perfection guides us from inside. Following this principle allows us to live in peace with nature and to find tranquillity. "A Perfect Heart" (9:44) brings a sound of motion deep within huge clouds. Later the sun comes out and is sparkling brightly. A centaur is an example of poetic fiction, an illusion from antiquity, or perhaps a relic of someone’s dream. Humans are thus sometimes compelled to find or create meaning, authenticity is evidenced in acting, one should act as oneself and try to realize that in the most lucid dreams we are in control. "Momentary Illusions" (11:21) brings us deeper ever more, floating between the bottom of the ocean and the shimmering surface of the water. Does a dream offer clues for a deeper interpretation of waking reality? The idea of lucid dreaming, of knowing that you're dreaming and thus being able to exert some control over your dreams, suggests that the only things that exist are thoughts and ideas. In the closing track, "A Notion of Being" (15:30), the sound asks me, can there be a desert canyon under water? This is what the wind might sound like there. Time Being allows listeners to consider many impossible things. Time travel is the concept of moving backwards or forwards to different points in time, and some people might be traveling at different speeds, while agreeing on cause and effect, and measure different time separations between events. The past lies behind, fixed and immutable, while the future lies ahead and is not necessarily fixed. Music such as this investigates being as being, often to find no real equivalent of our concept of existence. Again the essential questions, perhaps the only questions that matter, are: Does it sound pleasing? Will you play it again? 1 An Ocean of Time 2 Drifting Form, Ineffable Void 3 Here. Now. Always. 4 Infinite Cadence 5 Unfolding Way 6 A Perfect Heart 7 Momentary Illusions 8 A Notion of Being An Ocean Of Time was mastered by Ben Cox, and is available for physical purchase in CD format and in 24-BIT AUDIOPHILE, CD QUALITY LOSSLESS, MP3 and streaming formats. The CD version of the album arrives in a factory sealed 6-panel gatefold package that includes vibrant artwork, liner notes, a 4-page booklet, and exquisite package design by Daniel Pipitone, with an original photo by Matthew Cooper. Time Being will be featured in the coming weeks on Spotted Peccary Music's popular Spotify "Impulse: Artist Curated" playlist, and on the label's YouTube live stream series: Transmissions; subscribe for updates at the links below. About Time Being: Time Being is the collaborative project of Jourdan Laik and Phillip Wilkerson. Both Jourdan and Phillip are interested in expressing and capturing photographic and/or artistic images that relate to time, eternity, and capturing the presence of the current moment, that is, freezing a moment of time in an artistic expression. Their collaborative music is an attempt to capture the presence of the moment using audio and sound capture. (timebeingmusic.com) About Spotted Peccary Music: Portland-based Spotted Peccary Music is North America’s finest independent record label with a focus on deep, vast and introspective soundscapes. For over three decades, the artists of Spotted Peccary have been on a mission to develop, produce, publish and release ultra-high-quality, deep-listening experiences that engage the listener and exceed expectations. Every release is carefully prepared in a variety of high quality formats from MP3 to high-res studio masters. Explore more than 170 titles and 45 artists at SpottedPeccary.com and AmbientElectronic.com. Links: Spotted Peccary Album page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/an-ocean-of-time/ Youtube Transmissions: https://youtu.be/kxuu089d-48 Time Being Artist page: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/time-being/ MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/spottedpeccarymusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timebeingmusic Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spottedpeccary/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/spottedpeccary

Bombardier Jones creates rock and roll reminiscent of the likes of The Monkees, The Kinks, and many other Brit-rock favorites of the 90s — which doesn’t come as a surprise, considering frontrunner Ian Jones credits British psych-rock and the alt-rock of the 80s/90s as some of his greatest musical influences. Based in Baltimore, Ian Jones has long run in the underground indie-rock scene of DC, and his band’s latest release Dare to Hope has been long anticipated. The album perfectly showcases Jones melodic vocals and guitar riffs, especially on tracks such as “Take Your Time.” “Take Your Time” gently carries the listener through a sweetly sung chorus as electric guitars softly strum in the background. As the melody builds, sweet piano accompaniments contribute to the reassuring sonic landscape of the track, instilling peace within the listener. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4yGj2PDXCaokC1NG0TqoEv?si=CEEsu_D3SkSCe-dbNM_r0Q

Through using her vocal ability as a sort of spiritual practice, Raphaela Gilla creates music that transcends the mundane of everyday life. Born and raised in Israel but now based in London and Berlin, Raphaela’s multi-cultural heritage and upbringing inspire her faith and in turn, her music. Raphaela’s vocal style covers quite the range of practice, from ritualistic shaman to soaring melodies. Her latest single, “Star Song,” is the first off of her upcoming album Ancient Angel. This track pulls the listener in and upwards as she sings of the warmth that she feels in the presence of unconditional love. Her vocals rise angelically over the top of an atmosphere of ambient electronic sound and gentle single-head drumming. Listen to "Star Song" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4aYsABRD72Mai5lcDWBTlm?si=AY4ak2qmST6Y5JnSLIVeGw Connect with Raphaela Gilla: https://raphaelagilla.com/ https://www.instagram.com/raphaelagilla/ https://www.facebook.com/RaphaelaGilla/ https://twitter.com/GillaRaphaela

Perhaps this one album, Hemispherica Portalis, changes everything. Music is organized sound, an invisible expression that lights up your inner universe. Here are some new colors and materials. Spotted Peccary Music released the new duo's debut album worldwide on September 25th (2020), with most popular sales and streaming links available at https://orcd.co/hemispherica-portalis. Here are some delicate flavors for your tongue's sensitive ears, moving between different points in time, experiencing products of vivid imagination, whose goals aren’t purely to explain phenomena beyond comprehension, but perhaps they also function to assure, encourage, and inspire. In the history of humans it has been said that the world has always existed, or the world did not always exist but was created in some way, or the world previously existed, but in another form, and has somehow been brought into this present moment. Music can provide an atmosphere for thinking new thoughts. On Hemispherica Portalis I hear lots of textures, there are no words except for the song titles. The artists deploy new technologies which create a sonic experience that has never before been considered to be possible. Desensitized is a collaborative project realized between Deborah Martin and Dean De Benedictis. The name “Desensitized” could be an antidote for our strange times, seeking relief from the most recent changes that have emerged from the teetering and whirling globe we live on. The controversial author H.P. Lovecraft once postulated that the most merciful thing in the world is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. Desensitized is a balm for these new tribulations we are living through now in 2020. Performing under the moniker “Desensitized” these two veteran ambient electronic sound explorers have joined forces to craft a thought-provoking work of art that combines ancient and futuristic moods into a captivating world of sound, filling the imagination with illusory images of undiscovered realms. In 1996, De Benedictis released a self titled album called Surface 10, which remains one of his primary stage names. This was his debut ambient electronic music CD on Hypnotic/Cleopatra Records, featuring dark, ambient soundscapes and teutonic (Berlin school) techniques with a borderline space rock sound. Since then, he has brought the Surface 10 name into completely uncharted territory, melding a broad range of genre-based styles with edgy experimentation. Dean gained later momentum rekindling his ensemble-performance roots by working with groups including Brand X and The Stratos Ensemble. He is perhaps most known for his solo music, creating new sounds, sometimes even exploring the glitchy side of digitally generated melody, amidst his techno tribal and ambient music exploits. Dean is also the co-founder and producer of Cyberstock, an outdoor music concert and visual arts display that was once held in the Santa Monica Mountains. He is the founder of both Fateless Records, and the Fateless Flows Collective. He has a mountain of composition and recording accomplishments, many of which include visual components, and he has dabbled in filmmaking as well. In addition to Spotted Peccary, Hypnotic/Cleopatra and Fateless Records, his work has also been recorded on DiN Records, Novabeats, Bottom Heavy and Hypnos. His sound has been described as electronica, experimental, ambient, IDM, Berlin school, jazz fusion, progressive rock, deep space, tribal, down tempo, and drum & bass. Some of his favorite instruments include piano, synthesizer, guitar, voice, cedar native flute, concert flute, and percussion. Deborah Martin is blessed with a vivid imagination and a deep love of historic places and peoples of the past, she has the ability to travel through space and time to create a mystical and energizing sound journey, a melding of modern and ancient music. She blends visual elements of places, people and events of long ago with sound, spirituality, theatre arts, music, anthropology and medicine. Deborah is one of three owners of Spotted Peccary Music as well as being one of its best selling artists. She is a multi-instrumentalist, her favorites include ambient electric and acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards, orchestral textures, Taos drums and various percussion instruments. In previous albums she has been known to use sampling technology to include partial segments of Omaha and Kiowa cylinder recordings from 1894, and live recordings of Kiowa pow wow songs as well as field recordings from her own travels to places such as Nepal and Tibet. She has made her way throughout Europe, Asia, and the North American continent. Her sound comes from a very deep and ancient place, whispery melodies and lush, haunting chordal movements, evoking the sights and sounds of past and present while invoking the theme of sacred spaces. The abstract and alluring music that unfolds across the album’s seven tracks is in many ways just what one would expect when Martin and De Benedictis' recognizable yet disparate styles are focused into a singular expression. Hemispherica Portalis acts as a jumping-off point for the duo’s Desensitized deep dive into a new form of texture-based sonic exploration – one that merges vintage space-music tendencies with a modern electronic ambient style. Roiling in slow motion, Martin’s signature sounds and digital synth expressions expand and contract as the occasional acoustic flourish or melodic moment briefly bubbles to the surface. Added to that are the nuanced layers of De Benedictis’ remarkable laptop-based sound-sculpting approach and the resulting array of textural, experimental, and at times gritty elements that he expertly swirls into the mix. “I knew the drastic contrast between our two approaches would likely yield something new,” explains De Benedictis. “Deborah has a majestic and pristine melodic style, while I bring a textural and sometimes edgy experimental approach, using sounds I often create on the spot. I find the combination of our layers and approaches uniquely lush and personally refreshing.” Martin elaborates, “Dean’s years of sound sculpting expertise paid off in ways I can never fully explain; as soon as I began playing the melodic basic song structures, he was immediately adding textures and nuances that glued the passages into place. The creative result is a breathtaking display of original sound samplings, live recorded textural beds, and electronic elements melding into a profound ambient electronic revelation.” I think it is only fair to wonder why they chose the name "Desensitized," so I asked them. First Dean De Benedictis responded, "To me, the word describes something happening to the general populous, because so many of us experience the world through media now, and I find this somewhat of an additive to all of the other experiences that are inherent to life on earth. In a way, yes, the media kind of homogenizes our potential authentic experience, but I think there’s even more to it than that. I myself, personally, get more of an abstract impression from the term desensitized, not as just as the name of our band, and not implying only one cause, but a multi-tiered and universal affect. When you say the word "desensitized," it actually implies many aspects of the world that we have become "desensitized" towards, at this point. Sensory overload sometimes comes from many different places now, not just living life. Yes we get it from our own real-world experiences to some degree, but when you add modern developments like media and technology to that, now we have so many different angles and convolutions about experience in general that there really is no one thing that we have become "desensitized" towards." Deborah Martin added, "When we decided to get together and work on a collaboration, even though I have my name on other collaborations with Spotted Peccary, we thought, let's do something different, let's create a name that fuses both of our energies in a way that does not detract from our individual artist names, but really does make a statement about what we are doing together for our music projects, and I thought of the name Desensitized simply because, as Dean said, we become oversaturated with many things, whether it be media, even medicine, there are just so many different things that we become used to that it does not have a shock value any more, we are not affected as much by it, and that is distressing, so we wanted to make that our moniker, so to speak, because as Dean described, and I agree with him completely, it covers so many different aspects, not just the meaning of the word "desensitized" and so there is a depth to it that we feel accommodate the music projects that we are working on." Now, about the sound. What I hear are millions of small sounds, lush melodic electronica that transports listeners into new territories, blending edgy textural and experimental soundcraft with a commanding sense of depth and imagination. What I hear is not traditionally melodic, I hear lots of textures, there are no words except for the song titles. The artists deploy new technologies which create a sonic experience that has never before been considered. This album of sonic mythology is really different and essential, I think it is best suited for late night listening, when the planet is very quiet. There are so many tiny details and shivers to be experienced. Questions to be pondered, such as, are those myths and legends fanciful stories of something that existed only in the minds of our ancestors, or were they based on true events? How was the earth created? Why do we have night and day? Why do people die? How did the human species arise? There are no lyrics heard in the music, so your thoughts and discoveries are ultimately unlimited. Music is organized sound, an invisible expression that lights up your inner universe. Here are some new colors and materials. Here are some delicate flavors for your tongue's ears, moving between different points in time, experiencing products of vivid imagination, whose goals aren’t purely to portray phenomena beyond comprehension, but perhaps they function to assure, encourage, and inspire. In the history of humans it has been said that the world has always existed, or the world did not always exist but was created in some way, or the world previously existed, but in another form, and has somehow been brought into this present moment. Music can provide an atmosphere for thinking new thoughts. In my mind, Salvador Dali's abstract clocks glow across a dark background, representing time travel theories. Not all scientists believe that time travel is possible. Myths are a folklore genre consisting of narratives or stories that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Many societies group their myths, legends, and history close together, considering such stories to be true accounts of their remote past and mix into a blend of all their folktales, fairy tales, superstitions, weatherlore, ghost stories, as well as stories of isles and continents lost below the surface of the waters. I sometimes wonder if some kinds of music permits the spirits of ancient humans to continue to navigate the seas, explore lost civilizations, examine sacred writings, tour ancient places, investigate ancient discoveries, question mysterious happenings, to ponder creation, divine will, fertility, death, and love - such concepts that are a universal part of many cultures throughout the world. Tales are told and sung, perhaps someone might embellish a detail here, exclude a name there, transpose two incidents, amplify a cryptic part, perhaps sometimes one might give greater motive or justification to an action. The only important question might be, do you like the way it sounds? Sometimes we are faced with unknown possibilities. The sound on Hemispherica Portalis is of electronica and air, changing into new unnamed forms and impressions. It starts with flutes, winds through a vast array of electronic illusions and ends with harps. The sound brings the listener through new territory in the electronic ambient universe, two astonishing artists collaborating on a colossal sonic adventure, a series of creative acts and intellectual contemplation where the "experiencer" and "experienced" argue about the ways in which supernatural agents formed the earth and peopled it, the causation to direct the natural forces to produce various effects, and often inspires at least one ambition of science: to invent an explanation, translating the unknown into the known. However, the constant listener should not make the error of believing. Always question what can be assumed, and most of all, enjoy the show! All of the music on Hemispherica Portalis was composed, performed, co-produced and recorded by Deborah Martin and Dean De Benedictis at Dreaming Edge Studio, which is located in Vancouver, Washington. There was some recording assistance on tracks 2 and 5 by Daniel Pipitone. The album was mixed by Matthew Stewart and Deborah Martin. Hemispherica Portalis was mastered by Howard Givens at Spotted Peccary Studio NW in Portland, Oregon, and is available for physical purchase in CD format and in 24-BIT AUDIOPHILE, CD QUALITY LOSSLESS, MP3 and streaming formats. The CD version of Hemispherica Portalis arrives in a factory sealed 6-panel gatefold package that includes vibrant artwork, liner notes, and a 16-pp booklet with a visual story for each of the seven tracks -- all of the exquisite package design & layout is by Daniel Pipitone of Daniel Pipitone Design, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Tracklist: 1 Hemispherica Portalis (Portal of 1000 Years) 06:59 2 Concunus Dracus (Dragon of the Heavens) 09:30 3 Formulata Oblivonos (A Complicated Tale) 09:15 4 Ecumenicus Orato (The Umbilical Center) 12:54 5 Saltis Nominus (Floating Seabeds) 11:38 6 Terminus Equitos (Redemption Seeker) 06:09 7 Amphibinatum (Myths and Legends) 09:05 Links: Spotted Peccary Album page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/hemispherica-portalis/ Album Unboxing Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u08x7-7OWow Smart Link: https://orcd.co/hemispherica-portalis Spotted Peccary Artist page: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/desensitized/ Interview of Desensitized: https://ello.co/robinja56/post/iglmjdgzuqhpp7makkvwjw

============================================================================== Ancient Future Times Zoom Into Fall and Help Ancient Future Stay Here Now View Online With Photos: http://www.ancient-future.com/newssept2020.html Fall Equinox 2020 Issue: Blue Bear Masters •Masterclasses at the Bear Online: Read Music Through Classical Guitar, World Beat Workshop, Indian Raga http://www.ancient-future.com/newssept2020.html#workshop Concertless Cash Crunch Continued: Help Ancient Future Stay Here Now •Tax Deductible Contribution, Support A.F.A.R., Purchase Music, Vinyl from the Ancient Future http://www.ancient-future.com/newssept2020.html#coronavirus Private Online Music Lessons •Zoom into Fall http://www.ancient-future.com/newssept2020.html#lessons ============================================================================== Blue Bear Masters Matthew Montfort's Masterclasses Return to the Bear Online https://bluebearmusic.org/classes/online-rhythm-training/ Matthew Montfort taught music at the Blue Bear School of Music for over two decades. This fall, he returns to teach three virtual masterclasses: 1. Have Fun Learning to Read Music Through Classical Guitar Technique September 29 to November 3, 2020, Tuesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 PM, Have Fun Learning to Read Music through Classical Guitar Technique, Blue Bear School of Music Online. This class by Matthew Montfort will get you started learning to read standard music notation, while at the same time introducing foundational classical guitar technique that you can also apply to other styles of playing. You'll learn simple etudes and classical pieces, great for boosting your fingerstyle skills while actually having fun learning to read music! Tuition: $160 for six weeks. Buy Tix: https://bluebearmusic.org/classes/online-rhythm-training/ Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/782220905869020 2. Got Rhythm? World Beat Workshop Returns to Blue Bear Online September 30 to November 4 September 30 to November 4, 2020, Wednesdays from 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM, World Beat Workshop, Blue Bear School of Music Online. Matthew Montfort’s Got Rhythm World Beat Workshop is presented in an easy to follow, entertaining, yet educational format for all music lovers. African polyrhythms, Balinese kotèkan and Indian classical music are presented because these traditions cover the major types of rhythmic organization used in most of the world's music. This training from Montfort's book Ancient Traditions -- Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India can help anyone with a desire to improve their rhythmic skills. Tuition: $200 for six weeks. Buy Tix: https://bluebearmusic.org/classes/online-rhythm-training/ Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/608710749816299/ Get Rhythm! Ancient Traditions – Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training Through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India by Matthew Montfort. http://www.ancient-future.com/atfp.html This classic "world beat bible" by Matthew Montfort takes the student on a musical voyage through the ancient rhythmic traditions of Africa, Bali, and India with a series of exercises that require no instruments to perform. Interesting, imaginative and fun, these rhythm exercises will be of immense help to all music lovers, not just percussionists. The new downloadable companion set of MP3 audio guide and MIDI groove tracks of the exercises in the book is set up for playback on Mac and PC computers, tablets, and smartphones. 3. Indian Raga for Western Musicians Improve Your Improvisation Skills Through Melodic Training October 1 to November 5, 2020, Thursdays from 6:15 to 7:30 PM, Indian Raga for Western Musicians, Blue Bear School of Music Online. World fusion pioneer Matthew Montfort will help you improve your soloing in any music genre from rock to jazz to free improv through melodic training. You'll learn the emotional power of each interval and how to construct meaningful melodies through the tradition of Indian raga. Open to all instruments. Tuition: $200 for six weeks. Buy Tix: https://bluebearmusic.org/classes/online-rhythm-training/ Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/350847699296657/ ============================================================================== Concertless Cash Crunch Continued Thanks for Helping Ancient Future Stay Here Now! We'd like to thank the Ancient Future fans who have stepped up to help Ancient Future stay here now! Because of fan donations, we've been able to make some progress on the next Ancient Future record through remote recording, but there's a lot more to do to support this music and the musicians who make it until normal band activities are possible again. Live concerts will be among the last activities to return because they won't be safe until COVID-19 has been thoroughly dealt with through widespread mask wearing, widespread testing, contact tracing, treatments that are known to work, and a safe, effective, and widely distributed vaccine. Efforts to reopen the economy early are causing outbreaks, further delaying the next concert season. Musicians in Northern California were already suffering from very high housing costs, decreasing support for the arts, and absurdly low payments from the music streaming platforms. With all of this, we very much need your support to survive until concerts return, hopefully by 2022. If you've been able to return to work or have the means, below are four ways you can help. 1. Make a Tax Deductible Contribution http://www.ancient-future.com/donation.html#intermusic Ancient Future was accepted for fiscal sponsorship with InterMusic SF, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization, and now donations made through them on behalf of Ancient Future are 100% tax deductible to the full extent of the law! 2. Push A.F.A.R. Past the Finish Line http://www.ancient-future.com/afar.html The Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, Ancient Future's fun fan funded recording project, has over 86 minutes of music in it so far. Another set of studio tracks that will expand the project by over 50% is in production. With all of the concert cancellations, now is a good time to record remotely. Indeed, the bansuri, guitar, tanpura, and MIDI mock up tracks have been completed on a 28 minute suite, plus the guitar and MIDI mock up tracks on a 10 minute piece. But remote recording can't be done in real time, so hundreds of extra hours of production are required to make MIDI mock ups and tempo tracks for the musicians to perform to. Because many of the master musicians in Ancient Future's collective don't have home recording equipment, we need to raise money for a few professional stereo audio recording interfaces and studio microphones. Please consider becoming a supporter at one of the levels below, starting at just $15. And if you are already a supporter, you can still upgrade to higher quality downloads until each supporter level is sold out. Once you become a supporter, you will receive all of the tracks in the archive (and all of the tracks that will be added in the future), and you will be eligible to buy a limited edition CD-R of the Best of A.F.A.R. So Far, which includes all of the best tracks that will (barely) fit on a CD-R. Supporter Levels and Premiums: Recording Newsletter-$15 (receive 128 kbps downloads) Download Supporter- $25 (320 kbps downloads) Limited Edition CD Sponsor- $50 (all previous plus CD quality audio) Honorary A & R Representative- $75 (all previous plus video and 24 bit audio) Donor VIP- $??: Make Additional Donation. A.F.A.R. So Far CD-R- $20 Additional. (SALE $15) 3. Purchase Music to Support the Arts Ancient Future's 2020 Vision sale on recordings and educational materials has been extended to encourage support. Purchases at the Ancient-Future.Com World Music Store directly support the artists and the music, and this sale offers bargain prices. http://www.ancient-future.com/catalog.html Five for Fifty: Five Releases Just $10 Each: Yearning for the Wind by Ancient Future. Signed Audio/Video E-CD-R. List $17.98. SALE $10. Planet Passion by Ancient Future. CD. List $17.98. SALE $10. Sangria by Mariah Parker. CD. List $17.98. SALE $10. Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort. CD. List $17.98. SALE $10. Sympathetic Serenade by Matthew Montfort. Signed EP CD-R. List $12.98. SALE $10. 4. Vinyl from the Ancient Future http://www.ancient-future.com/visions.html Visions of a Peaceful Planet by Ancient Future is the band's debut recording, recorded between December 1978 and May of 1979, when all of the members were studying at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California, under the late sarod master, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. "The first thing that makes this LP a delight is the magnificence of the instrumental blending. 'Zzaj,' by Montfort, for instance, sounds like music to celebrate the sunrise. 'Morning Song,' on the other hand, is based on Indian instruments, the Bansuri flute of Klein over a harmonic bed of sitar, tabla, sarod, zither, and tanpura; great stuff sounds like a dove whistling in a forest of stringed instruments." – Philip Elwood, legendary music critic, San Francisco Examiner In the Ancient Future archives are two dozen original vinyl LP copies of Visions of a Peaceful Planet (not a re-pressing). Used previously played LPs have been sold by collectors on eBay for $44 each. But these are unopened virgin copies, and quite a bargain at $40 each until they are gone! Don't have a record player? Get the enhanced CD version of the recording that also includes the band's first video shot in 1978 at the College of Marin. Visions of a Peaceful Planet by Ancient Future. Original Vinyl Pressing. Very Limited Stock. LP- $40.00 Enhanced Audio/Video E-CD-R- $19.98 ============================================================================== Private Online Music Lessons Zoom into Fall Private Online Lessons with Ancient Future Bandleader Matthew Montfort. Study any of the musical traditions featured on the Ancient Future web site, all styles of guitar (and other fretted instruments including ukulele, bass, mandolin, charango, and sitar), record production, composition, world rhythms, music theory, and repertoire for all instruments. 60 Minute Lesson- $75. (Sale $60 for new students): Custom private one hour online lesson. 45 Minute Lesson- $65. (Sale $50 for new students): Custom private 45 minute online lesson. 30 Minute Lesson- $50. (Sale $40 for new students): Custom private 30 minute online lesson. http://www.ancient-future.com/skype.html There are many advantages to online lessons. The lessons can easily be recorded, and it is easier to evaluate a student's technique with a camera than from behind a music stand. The main drawback to online lessons is that recording software is needed to perform duets due to internet latency issues. But duets are possible online via file exchange, digital audio workstations, and a free browser-based multitrack recording platform. Matthew Montfort will return to teaching in-person lessons when it is truly safe. At that time, he will be offering hybrid online/in-person lessons for students in Marin and Sonoma counties, with package deals for three online lessons and one monthly in person lesson to develop ensemble skills. ==============================================================================

A life in music seems to have been destined for Artem Ramsay from the day he was born. Better known as Muhammad Abdul Al Khabyyr, the renowned trombonist and fixture of Quebec’s music scene and beyond for more than 40 years can’t remember a time when music wasn’t prevalent in his life. His professional career has spanned a multitude of genres, from jazz, to rock, pop, and classical. Ramsay’s new song, “...and all the leaves stood still,” came to life in the wake of death and is completely performed on piano. Sitting on his porch after the loss of someone dear, the air and large trees that enveloped him were still. Suddenly, a golden maple leaf appeared on the ground in front of him. Ramsay understood; all those leaves had stood in honour of that one fallen leaf. Yes, leaves are like people, no different. Think “...and all the leaves stood still” is out now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAomh4r8qII&feature=youtu.be

Guiding the listener on a fascinating voyage, the album DREAMS BEYOND has nine tracks that allow listeners to travel through quiet spaces and mysterious realms, frequently propelled by dynamic rhythms that build to powerfully dramatic moments. Using his collection of synths, electronic percussion, electric guitars, and sound design software,Norwegian musician Sverre Knut Johansen infuses the tracks with a creativity that satisfies the ears and sparks the imagination, weaving melody, rhythm, and texture into a captivating musical tapestry that constantly evolves from beginning to end. Inspired and sincere, Dreams Beyond is bestowed with passion and warmth. It is a thoroughly enjoyable exploration that invites us to follow our dreams into the unknown and beyond, seeking – and discovering – a peaceful paradise of long days and beautiful landscapes, safe from danger, and hidden from the outside world. A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Dreams are also sometimes seen as a means of seeing into other worlds, dreams often function as a “signpost” motif to mark certain stages in life, the unexpected discovery of one’s own jewels. Perhaps knowledge cannot be defined through perception. This album presents an opportunity for using your ears to explore impossible and fantastic landscapes in alien worlds, sometimes resembling the mountains of earth, sometimes resembling nothing you have ever seen. Are dreams experiences? I had the opportunity to exchange email with Sverre Knut Johansen in August of 2020, The first question I asked him was about how the album came about. This is what he told me. SKJ: Most of the music on this album is crafted and sound designed with inspiration from the art picture BEACON by Michał Karcz. The BEACON picture is the front cover on this album and for me it is quite magic and maybe a little unreal. Q: Why did you choose that particular image? SKJ: I guess I chose the picture because it reflected the music I want to make. Also I had this title “Beyond Dreams” in my mind for some years, and this fine picture also reflected this title. When I was working with the music I always used BEACON as my screensaver, for when I compose and when I listen. At this point I decided I wanted to find out about Michał Karcz, so I looked at several websites, Karezoid Michal Karcz (https://500px.com/karezoid) and Abduzeedo (https://abduzeedo.com/node/82933). Here is a summary of what I found. On Abduzeedo: “The combination of digital photography and painting totally works well for his art. The universe that Michal is taking pleasure to make are places that don’t exist coming from his dreams, desires, imagination and fears. For those you won’t know about Michal, he is an artist based in Warsaw, Poland that graduated from High School of Art in Warsaw.” On Karezoid: “My journey into the world of photography began in the early 90’s, but at that time my biggest passion was painting, which helped me to develop a vision that was hard to create with other visual techniques. Unfortunately I had to leave the paintbrush and canvas. A few years ago I have opened “the door” to my own world with help of a different key. Most of my work is like a journey to the places which don’t exist. Places from my dreams, desire, imagination and fears.” The Work of Michał Karcz shows great imagination, and I look forward to seeing more. He has a new website: https://www.michalkarcz.com/. Let us return to Dreams Beyond and the interview with Sverre Knut Johansen. SVK: The meaning of the title Dreams Beyond is to explore and follow our dreams beyond the unknown, finding, searching and discovering a secret treasure (a paradise) hidden from the outside world, a peaceful place with long days surrounded by birds, beautiful landscapes, safe from all danger in this world. A healing place. The music is more ambient than what I have recorded before this time and some sounds also pull the music in a more orchestral direction. (Now I would like to pause in the interview and take a closer look at the music.) The story never begins or ends – it merely ‘becomes.’ The last of the summer moons have begun to wane, the old crows break their long silence and begin to shriek strange cries from the darkness, expressing dark moods framed by adventurous melodies that haunt the ancient mountains. These are the Tatra Mountains, the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains, which form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. Their topography causes one of the most diverse climates in that region. Leo Frankowski mentions the Tatras several times in his Conrad Stargard series of science fiction novels, also there is mention of these same mountains in The Wolves of Time, a series written by William Horwood. The composer Karol Szymanowski on occasion found inspiration with the distinctive traditional music of the same Tatra mountains in southern Poland. The opening track sets this listening adventure in motion, “Tatra Mountains (Introduction)” (4:40). There might be a science of dreaming, crossing the ancient chasm, cautiously emerging into percussive motion and pulse, a dance into the fullness of time and what lies hidden. Before the magical time of the chimera ends one might sometimes be aware while dreaming that one is dreaming, “Awakening” (9:37). To look through the ceiling, through the roof, to dream of reaching the sky, weaving awe for the soaring landscape, is sometimes a simple matter, requiring only a “Skylight” (8:58). Such openings allow for rhythm and pulses to lead the way up into the vast beyondscape. With a sound signal like whistling the title track emerges, leading into a stop and start sequencer pattern that keeps repeating and building: “Dreams Beyond” (10:54). Unseen creatures continue to whistle from the void, calling out to each other to enhance their telepathic illusions, thoughts dance upon the pillows of oblivion. What I hear next reminds me of the majestic beauty of creation and all those who love the silence and calm of the mountains, “Dawn” (4:01) is the frontier of the void, light emerges with varying shapes of the crystal-image spreading luster across the sky. The term Tatra is a general expression in Slovak for barren or stony land, and in Russian for rocks and small stones in a river. The Tatra Mountains are home to many species of animals and insects and this song includes many imaginative clues that may trigger your ideas of what those beings might be doing. The track “Tatra Mountains” (8:35) presents a melody that haunts the wonderful meadows just under huge lime cliffs, walk through the valleys and then climb the higher parts of the range and behold the soaring landscape all around. The Legend of the Sleeping Knights is a folktale from the Tatra region, inspired by the outline of one of the most famous peaks, Giewont, which is said to resemble the posture of the sleeping knight. You are now floating gently above the delicately painted sleeping knight, now surging towards ecstatic climaxes, now yielding to the hypnotic strains of a wordless dance. My favorite track is “Causeway” (9:48), an interesting journey through many layers and textures on a raised road across wet ground. I hear electronic insect sounds, portraying a trail through night and mystery, time and room variously for romance and terror, and letting go. Imagine discovering that you have already fallen into some accidental time travel to prior historical settings, and have been left stranded. Imagine being suddenly transported into the past, and managing to make something by exploiting all the things you know from having studied history. The mood is slow and vast, ever stranger events rekindle the fires of a dying universe. “Echoes of the Past” (9:19) The final track is titled “Human Connection” (6:38) and is a reflective processional meditation, in my mind’s eye I can see lines of pilgrims climbing the mountain to find gems holding the powers of the season. The cello is played by Henrik Silfverhielm, and the synthesizers provide the situation. Q: What equipment did you use for this project? SKJ: There are two important synth pads that have been great for making this album: The "Equinox" Pad from PRISM for REAKTOR By Native Instruments and the "Epic Majestic" Pad from OmniChill by Plugin Guru for Omnisphere. The Epic Majestic Pad is the foundation for the two "Tatra Mountains" tracks, also giving life and passion to "Dreams Beyond" and "Awakening" tracks. The dramatic bird sounds I use in "Tatra Mountains" are a big part of this song as they create a more dramatic and intense vibe throughout the track. These two minutes I created with these sounds are important to the whole album as I also use them elsewhere to link the tracks together. The bird sounds on "Tatra Mountains" along with different effects and synth sounds was crafted from the OSCar programmable Music Synthesiser. I have for some years been thinking about the guitar and for this album I asked some friends and borrowed a guitar and a EBow. Playing the guitar is a new experience for me and this can be heard on all songs except “Tatra Mountains.” - For the tracks - “Dreams Beyond” - “Dawn” - “Echoes of The past” - “Human Connection” - I use EBow on the guitars. Q: What have been your earliest and most important musical or artistic discoveries? SKJ: In 1976-1980 around this period I listened a lot to Isao Tomita and at the same time I read the books of Erich Von Daniken. A perfect combination. Tomita`s “Bermuda Triangle” was an exciting musical discovery. This might mean that I have been growing up with more symphonic classical music and not so much electronic traditional music. Q: In a few words, how would you describe your composition process? SKJ: Finding the right sound and seeing what happens. Most of my music is Improvised in real time. Q: What would you like to try that you have not tried yet? SKJ: A concert. Sverre Knut Johansen was born in 1960 and is from Mo i Rana, a lesser-known town in the northern-central Helgeland region of Norway, just below the arctic circle. Rich content and strong melodic elements have become his musical trademark. Johansen’s first electronic album was produced by Erik Wøllo in 1994 on the Norwegian label Origo Sound. Johansen has allowed his listeners to become Krononauts, providing a path to the extreme distances of time, sometimes to explore the creation of the universe, and other times just for the speculative wonderment. He has a master’s degree in music technology from NTNU in Trondheim, Norway (2009). In the beginning he experimented with audio cassettes and then built his first music studio in 1983, where he composed and recorded his own symphonic rock through the 1980s, adding computers and midi technology in 1990. Some recording highlights include Distant Shore (Origo Sound, 1994); The Source Of Energy (Origo Sound, 1999); Av Jern (Orkana, 2008); Planets (Origo Sound, 2013); Hibernation (Origin Music, 2013); Life (Origin Music, 2013); Ancient Prophecies (Origin Music, 2013); Lights (Origin Music, 2013); Elements Of Light (Origin Music, 2014); Different Directions (White Horse, EP 2014); Nightshift (Origin Music, 2014); Earth From Above (Spotted Peccary, 2016); Secret Space Program (Spotted Peccary, 2017); Contact (Origin Music, 2017); with David Helpling – The Vast Expanse (Spotted Peccary, 2018); with Robert Rich – Precambrian (Spotted Peccary, 2019). The new album, DREAMS BEYOND, a beguiling collection of compositions infused with imagination and beauty, is on Spotted Peccary Music in a wide variety of formats, available at https://orcd.co/dreams-beyond TRACKS 1 Tatra Mountains (Introduction) 2 Awakening 3 Skylight 4 Dreams Beyond 5 Dawn 6 Tatra Mountains 7 Causeway 8 Echoes of the Past 9 Human Connection FOOTLINKS Spotted Peccary https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/dreams-beyond/ https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/sverre-knut-johansen/ Bandcamp https://sverreknutjohansen.bandcamp.com/ https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/ Michał Karcz https://www.michalkarcz.com/ https://abduzeedo.com/node/82933 https://500px.com/karezoid Tech https://www.adsrsounds.com/reaktor-tutorials/a-detailed-demonstration-of-the-prism-reaktor-ensemble/ https://www.pluginguru.com/ http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/oscar.php https://encyclotronic.com/synthesizers/misc-instruments/oxford-synthesizer-company-oscar-programmable-music-synthesizer-r1720/ https://ebow.com/ Erich Von Daniken http://www.daniken.com/ Isao Tomita https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/isao-tomita Bermuda Triangle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjFKQY2IjZc&t=1412s Tatra Mountains https://culture.pl/en/article/the-tatra-mountains-astonishing-images-of-a-lost-land http://panoramy.zbooy.pl/360/?c=tatry&lang=e&pg=cat http://winterclimb.com/climbing-base/item/34-climbing-in-tatra-mountains-poland-slovakia https://www.earthtrekkers.com/visit-the-high-tatras-from-poland-or-slovakia/ #AmbientElectronic #ElectronicMusic #SynthesizerMusic #ElectricGuitar #SverreKnutJohansen #SpottedPeccaryMusic #ElloAmbient #BeyondDreams #InstrumentalMusic #TatraMountains #MichałKarcz

Len Seligman, award winning musician and vocalist has brought his listeners an incredibly beautiful and meaningful message with his latest release, “Our Turn Now.” In such an important time in our country, Len Seligman uses his platform to tell a true story about John Lewis, Jimmie Lee Jackson, and so many other brave men and women who fought for equality and rights and have now become heroes for us all to look to. In the accompanying video, Len not only displays his emotion, his guitar skills, and his heart of gold, but listeners are able to put a real picture to the story of what happened in our history so many years ago. Inspired by Len’s recent pilgrimage to Selma, Alabama, “Our Turn Now” talks about how black men were not allowed to vote, the peaceful protests, and how these heroes showed us how to assemble and vote for what is right. “We will rise, we will vote and organize.” A strong message given to his listeners and viewers, in an extremely relevant and crucial time for our voting and justice system, Len Seligman sings a democratic anthem that we can listen to as we exercise our own right to vote. Watch the video for "Our Turn Now"here: https://youtu.be/USDWXFSnYoY Connect with Len Seligman: https://lenseligman.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LenSeligmanMusic https://twitter.com/lenselig https://www.instagram.com/lenseligman/

Italian born and NYC based, talented multi-instrumentalist Lorenzo Mohr has just released the second single from his upcoming self-titled album. The track, “Harry Wants To Be Free,” is as Mohr declares, “a song of liberation.” Through his lyrics, Mohr tells the story of Harry, a man who dreams of connecting with nature rather than existing a day longer in a society in which he feels constantly surveilled. The song’s conceptual nature is perfectly embodied by the powerful energy of the track. Electric guitars rip open the track and Mohr’s rock n’ roll vocals are soon to follow. As Mohr cries “Harry wants to be free!” the listener feels full of the janglin’ spirit of the track. Mohr’s style of rock feels reminiscent of Car Seat Headrest with a twist of rock that would fit right into in the 90s — it’s noise rock with a well executed melody, and it truly is liberating. Listen to "Harry Wants To Be Free" here: https://open.spotify.com/track/1IP17tEArf1mvCj5lYsbGm?si=4HYei7sDTje61bIW_LBSZg Connect with Lorenzo: https://lorenzomohr.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thelorenzomohr/ https://www.facebook.com/thelorenzomohr https://twitter.com/thelorenzomohr

Audra Santa’s genre-bending style has been dubbed “Noir Soul”, combining elements of trip-hop, dark-pop and art-rock with rich, ambient textures. Her upcoming EP, The Boudoir Project, is a collection of sensual, downtempo electronica. Audra recently released her new single, “Naked”: “I want people to experience a sense of inner awakening when they listen to my music, whether they feel emotion or examine their shadow self. Music has a way of helping us discover parts of ourselves we would otherwise keep buried.” Sensual and expressive, Audra’s voice shapeshifts from whispers to draw you close and strength to bring you to your knees. Her bad-girl gospel will have you ready to join the choir by the time she’s through with you. Audra’s upcoming EP, The Boudoir Project, is a collection of sensual, downtempo electronica. Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/audrasanta/naked-audra-santa

Sebastian Gaskin released his debut EP Contradictions in May 2019 on his own independent label imprint LieBoy Concepts, and followed up the album with a cross-Canada tour. He’s had two number one songs on the National Indigenous Countdown and was a recent recipient of Canada’s Indigenous Music Award.  Inspired by a toxic relationship that went on for years, “Snakehold” was recorded in both Sebastian’s basement and Roman Clarke’s studio and captures the vibe of old dance/funk tunes.  In 2019, Sebastian has made appearances at established festivals throughout Canada like Festival Du Voyageur, Canadian Music Week in Toronto, sākihiwē festival in Winnipeg, Interstellar Rodeo in Edmonton, Harvest Moon Festival, BreakOut West in Whitehorse and M for Montreal.  He performed at APTN’s massive Indigenous Day Live event, and opened for legendary rapper Common at 2019’s TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival. Sebastian also toured Western Canada supporting legendary songwriter and activist Buffy Sainte-Marie in fall 2019, and frequently collaborates with DJ / Producer Boogey the Beat. He is currently signed with award-winning booking agency Paquin Artists Agency and started working with Winnipeg based artist management company Mighty Cypress Talent in early 2019. Sebastian has just released the new song, “Snakehold,” available to stream + share now: https://soundcloud.com/birthdaycakemedia/snakehold/s-dCZP5wy9DVE

When Estrella Morente, Deva Premal, Uyanga Bold, Chloe Pourmorady, a children’s choir, and a wealth of premiere world musicians come together under renowned producer Yuval Ron’s direction to sing about the four “sublime states” – the Brahma-viharas – the resulting album is extraordinarily rich and timely. Two years in the making, the music was composed, arranged and produced by Yuval Ron, who also wrote lyrics to complement the traditional Sanskrit lyrics. Vocalist Deva Premal shares her enthusiasm about singing mantra music, saying, “You can’t sing with a closed heart. You just can’t do it. And if you try, as soon as you start singing, your heart just naturally opens up more and more.” Premal is beloved in the kirtan, mantra, and yoga communities, and credited with introducing Sanskrit mantras into the mainstream. Morente is a highly-celebrated flamenco songstress, the daughter of singer Enrique Morente and flamenco dancer Aurora Carbonell; she grew up steeped in the essence of flamenco, and sings in both Spanish and Sanskrit on this album. Bold and Pourmorady -- rising stars in the recording industry -- bring a youthful yet soulful energy to the production. One also hears vibrant performances by acclaimed world musicians including Pandit Nayan Ghosh, Alam Khan, Adam Del Monte, Somnath Roy, Dennis Karmazyn, Jamie Papish, Elinor Sitrish, Yuval Ron and many more fine artists, playing instruments such as the sitar, sarod, oud, guitar, udu, gatam, ney, udu, keyboards, sutra, bell, and wooden sticks to name a few. The CA-based Blair Studio Singers children’s choir, conducted by KC Daugirdas, lends their voices to all four tracks. Nyanaponika Thera of the Buddhist Publication Society, best described the modality on which the album is based, writing “the Brahma-viharas, the four “sublime states” – are considered to be the ideal social attitudes, the springs underlying the ideal modes of conduct towards living beings. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. A mind that has achieved meditative absorption induced by these sublime states will be pure, tranquil, firm, collected and free of coarse selfishness.” As in-depth as a summer study course, teachings on The Four Divine States of Mind album page at Metta Mindfulness Music's official website offer insights to the Brahma-viharas, as well as lyrics, suggested mantras, and multiple ways to practice. Event participants are encouraged to choose one of the four virtues to practice this week, and share their observations in the live chat on Saturday. Access the free teachings, insights and music links at mettamindfulnessmusic.com/fourdivinestates.html. What you will hear is the four “sublime states” – the Brahma-viharas, a blend of voices and musical instruments from around the world, coming together to create beautiful original music informed by ancient wisdom promoting healing and well-being through sound. Music is a path of healing and a way of life, simply listening to music has many benefits such as facilitating meditation and deep relaxation, or just enjoying the enhancement of mental focus and openness to artistic inspiration. Medicinally, more is being discovered about the benefits of music therapy for heart ailments, brain dysfunction, learning disabilities, depression, PTSD, Alzheimers, childhood development, and so much more. Dr. Richard Gold, Executive Producer, was one of the four founders of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, and was first introduced to meditation and yoga in 1970. He has studied neuroscience and the evolving understanding of the effects of sound and meditation on the brain. Yuval Ron, composer, arranger and producer, is a renowned World Music artist, educator, peace activist and record producer. He graduated Cum-Laude in 1989 from the Berklee College of Music. He has continuously researched various ethnic musical traditions and spiritual paths worldwide and has composed TV and films scores as well as original scores for theater productions. He is a multi-instrumentalist, on this album he plays keyboards, Oud and conducts the string orchestration. In a recent conversation with Dr. Gold, Yuval Ron and Beth Hilton, Yuval Ron spoke about the process of developing the Four Divine States of Mind project, expressing Four Buddhist beliefs, as a universal message of world spirituality and guidance towards realizing a more positive world. “The first idea was Mantra chanting. Then, I knew the album would not be instrumental, it would be vocal, and I thought, who would I want to sing these four vocal messages? I decided there would be four female divas to express these teachings… Who would be the most thoughtful singer in the world to sing about compassion?” The answer that came through: the Flamenco singer Estrella Morente, from Spain. “Then I was thinking about Deva Premal, I love her voice for chanting and mantras, she studied Sanskrit from a very young age... I wanted her to sing the song about vicarious joy.” He continues, “Then I thought about Úyanga Bold, who is a singer from Mongolia, from a Shamanic Buddhist background and is at the beginning of her career.” To complete this incredible team: “Chloe Pourmorady, a Persian-American singer also at the beginning of her career, she is from Los Angeles, she sings in many different languages… I chose her because when I heard her sing, I felt her soulfulness, tenderness and vulnerability, which I felt best expresses the idea of loving kindness.” Loving-kindness is the practice concerned with the cultivation of benevolence, kindness, and amity, with silent repetitions of phrases such as "may you be happy" or "may you be free from suffering." The practice of loving kindness expresses benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the insolent and ill-behaved. The music is a meditation on Divine Love, motherly love, tenderness, abundance of kindness, and mother Earth. The singer is Chloe Pourmorady, a Persian-American composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and educator best known for blending global ideologies and philosophies into her work. The music she writes is innovative and imaginative, influenced by tradition, and yet her sound has been described as "the music of her generation." Her listeners describe feeling elevated through songs of hope, prayers of love, and words of truth. https://www.chloepourmorady.com/ With Alam Khan, Sarod; Rachel Valfer, Mawal (ad lib vocal solo); Somnath Roy, Ghatam; Malek Vossough, Ney; and Yuval Ron, Oud. Music and Lyrics by Yuval Ron. An act of compassion can be defined as simply expressing creative helpfulness. Qualities of compassion are patience, wisdom, kindness and perseverance. Compassion involves being moved by suffering and feeling the motivation to help alleviate and prevent it. Music and Lyrics by Yuval Ron, with an invitation to contemplate compassion, the suffering of yourself and others and try to cultivate a compassionate attitude towards these suffering beings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrella_Morente For the second offering are heard the vocals of Estrella de la Aurora Morente Carbonell, professionally known as Estrella Morente. She is the daughter of flamenco singer Enrique Morente and dancer Aurora Carbonell. She has performed with her father since age seven and recorded her first album in 2001, Mi Cante Y Un Poema (My Songs and A Poem). This was followed the same year by Calle del Aire, and her third album, Mujeres (Women) came in 2006, which her father produced. Her art has dazzled not only the most demanding flamencologists but also rockers like Lenny Kravitz. With Adam Del Monte, Guitar; Yuval Ron, Oud; Jamie Papish, Udu; Manuel Gutierrez, Back up vocals; Jose Ramon Montero, Translation of Spanish lyrics; Felipe Baron, Associate producer; and Pablo Sánchez, Recording engineer for Estrella Morente recording. To show vicarious joy is to celebrate happiness and achievement in others even when we are facing tragedy ourselves. The foundation for letting joy into our lives is gratitude and the associated savouring of what is good in life such as achievements, friendships or your child’s development. Vicarious joy is the experience of the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's well-being. https://devapremalmiten.com/ The vocalist Deva Premal explains that the purpose of her work "is to be open to the Goddess of music – to be true to ourselves, as musicians, as 'teachers;' as partners, and ultimately, as individuals – fellow travellers. We accomplish this by not 'trying' to accomplish anything. Our nourishment and life’s work is to create gatherings around the planet where people can come together in celebration and meditation, to work positively towards valuing and rejoicing in the good fortune of others, which in turn increases our own joy in life." She began her journey with a mantra in her mother's womb, as her father chanted to her daily. The mantras continued to be her bedtime lullaby after she was born. Many years later, she heard a friend singing one of her prenatal mantras and was inspired to put together an album. Premal met her partner in life and music, Miten, at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune, India in 1990, where she was studying reflexology, shiatsu, cranio-sacral therapy, and massage. They have been touring together since 1992, offering concerts and chant workshops worldwide. Premal and Miten recorded The Essence (1998) in her mother's apartment in Germany, where she was born and where she first heard the Gayatri Mantra. In many Yoga traditions, the virtue of equanimity can be one of the results attained through regular meditation, cultivating an evenness of mind, calmness, and a strong sense of abundance, exaltation that is somehow immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will, an evenness of mind, neither elated nor depressed. https://www.uyangabold.com/ Living and breathing music, and rather obsessed with improvement and self development of any kind, Úyanga Bold plays for healing experiences promoting mindfulness and personal transformation. She grew up playing classical piano, and later developed a fascination with exotic instruments, including dilruba, frame drum, and baglama saz to name a few. Known for her otherworldly dynamic voice on film, television and video game soundtracks, along with videos viewed by millions, Úyanga is an internationally acclaimed soundtrack vocalist, vocal arranger and songwriter. Vocalist Úyanga Bold; with the Divine Sutra String Ensemble (cello soloist: Dennis Karmazyn); Hirokazu Kosaka and IKKYU Archers group, Sanskrit Chant of the Heart Sutra, bell and wooden sticks; Yuval Ron, Keyboards and strings orchestration; and Blair Studio Singers children choir conducted by KC Daugirdas, who sang on all four tracks. Music by Yuval Ron, Lyrics: traditional Sanskrit. This new album from Metta Mindfulness Music brings a welcome and much needed meditation on the daily expression of loving kindness for healing a wounded world, resulting in increased relaxation and an intimate conversation, with gentle sharing of ideas. The sound is a meditation on bringing people of many cultures together through music in a prayer for universal welfare, experiencing a nourishing quality of interconnectedness, the wish to relieve a being from suffering, wishing fellow travelers on a spiritual journey happiness, to open our eyes to the rivers of goodness in the world and to enhance our sense of gratitude. May all beings be fulfilled and secure, may they be happy-minded, connecting with others in order to conversely experience renewal, support, and validation. Music can free us all from inordinate reactions to the changes and chances of the world, to help us to cultivate the capacity to be joyful for the joy of others and to experience vicarious joy, all beings sharing that same location. About Metta Mindfulness Music: Their mission is to create beautiful original music that enhances health, mental equanimity, and the daily expression of loving kindness. To create original music that is informed by ancient wisdom traditions and the most current advances in neuroscience and music therapy research. To engage renown performing artists in recording music for the purpose of promoting healing and well-being through sound. Visit Metta Mindfulness Music at: http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com More Links: Amazon Pre-Sale: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BQ2JCXZ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_I.J-Eb5A95QRA Spotify Pre-Save: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/yuvalron/four-divine-states-of-mind-2 Direct Purchase: http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com/store.html Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MettaMindfulnessMusic/ Album Page: http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com/fourdivinestates.html Yuval Ron: https://yuvalronmusic.com/yuval-ron-2/ Dr. Richard Gold: http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com/about.html

Electric guitar soundscapes, layered textures and atmospheric symphonics, remastered from the original 2003 release SPM-1203, this is a streaming digital-only re-release, not available on vinyl or CD, originally recorded at Wintergarden Studio in Norway 2001-2002, with cover art by Greg Klamt, and photography by Erik Wøllo. Imagine different types of twilight in which emotions could form a landscape described best from a distant vantage point, moving through a wide range in style and mood, giving us time to dream. Erik Wøllo is a Norwegian composer and musician, a guitarist and synthesist, on this album he plays guitar synthesizers, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, electric bass guitar, percussion, and created the programming. Liv Frengstad plays cello on "Sounds of the Seen, Part I" and "Sounds of the Seen, Part II." Music is a way to utilize the power of creativity, an entry point for connection and meaning. On Emotional Landscapes I hear variations of meditations on sunrises that start quietly and build into complex layers. Human emotions could mean many things, the range of emotions could possibly include war as well as peace, energized and dormant, negative and positive, but the songs on Emotional Landscapes are consistently calm and positive, often constructed by steadily building themes and layers, always an interesting weave of ideas expressed on guitars and electronics, the music is sometimes melancholic, always very hopeful and affirming. Erik Wøllo has been using his guitar since he was 11 years old, learning to bring a new freshness to the light, to ignite our thoughts to beauty. Under the midnight sun, there is a continuous period of twilight during the summer months in Norway, and during the winter, the darkness, a musical silence, the soul hearing the melody that the ears could not. The dawn of a new beginning, when light is still visible in the sky due to sunlight scattering off the atmosphere, the sunrise over the water with distant mountains. When the world is sleeping at midnight, dreams come as nature's easel, giving brilliant colors and mystery to the vast starlit night. The symbols of nature are usually the objects and things from nature that represent thoughts related to them, I hear whirling air, I think of dawn on the water as a new day begins. There is color on the cloudy horizon, with textured atmospherics, distant birds at sunrise, the musical elements collect and grow into melodic themes. "In The Picture" (2:46). Metaphors can be implied and extended nonliteral comparisons, the metaphors we use shape the world and our interactions to it. Metaphors spontaneously arise in art and serve as an entry point for connection and meaning. They spread so quickly and smoothly, a new beginning, symbolizing nature's easel, giving brilliant color to what was hidden under the passing starlit night. The second track, "Metaphor" (4:45) begins with guitar finger patterns, continuing the cloudy melodic dawn, which expands into a flow, and then percussion completes the transition into form. Euclid defined the term "prism," referring to a geometric shape with polished surfaces that refract light and display the colors of the rainbow. In the track "Prism" (4:16) I hear emerging textures patterns, kalidescopic synthesizer drones arcing over clouds and then wind, changing light caused by subtle movement, rising patterns and glowing. A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe. The "Second Totem" (5:25) begins with voices from distant times that blend and echo through a matrix, shamanic dance elements with melodic patterns unfolding joined by beats that layer in repeating patterns. This next track is my favorite song, "Sounds of the Seen, Part I" (8:06). It begins as the cello sings a sad haunting melody floating through a wash of atmospheric electronic textures, eventually percussion kicks in and the textures take movement and form, a dance takes shape about half way through, and after a journey, the track ends in a collage including field recordings of people's voices happily echoing in a large building. The album notes indicate that the voices of people were recorded under the World Trade Center in August of 2001. Liv Frengstad plays the cello. A valley is a low area between hills or mountains often with a river running through it. The sixth track is titled "Valley" (3:02) and what I hear is a guitar cathedral, atmospherics sustained high above us, framed by a landscape that is green and alive in the warm weather, valleys surround the mountains in all directions and in the darkness of night, northern lights illuminate the sky. The concept of virtual worlds significantly predates computers, Pliny the Elder spoke of perceptual illusion, and in 1962 the cinematographer Morton Heilig explored the creation of the Sensorama, a theatre experience designed to stimulate vision, sound, balance, smell, even touch, through wind. A virtual world facilitates interaction across time and geographic boundaries, on the track "Virtual World" (5:54) I hear thicker electronics emerging with beats forming textures and glowing complexities, guitar sounds travel along, interlocking elements create a kinetic feeling of dance and locomotion. The synthetic worlds blend into the next track, "Mountain Beach" (5:20) in which I hear cascading melodic pulses merging rhythmically into repeating patterns, subtle ringing chimes and even these toughest and most rugged landscapes shine beautifully, through deep forests, arctic tundras, grand mountain tops, colorful grass-roofed houses, and, of course, majestic fjords. Next, it is time to return to the big room with the sad cello that haunts our memories, "Sounds of the Seen, Part II" (3:06) makes me think of flocks of small electronic birds at dawn taking form, joined by Liv Frengstad on cello. In outer space, a satellite is an object in orbit around a larger object, and can take the form of natural satellites such as Earth's Moon, or the word can refer to objects such as the world's first artificial satellite, such as Sputnik 1, which joined the peripheral regions of our planet on the 4th of October in 1957, and began the age of space exploration. The track "Satellite" (4:20) brings the listener deep into space where a repeating melody rises, transforms, and then fades into the darkness. The measure or beat of movement, the pulse or pace in the darkness, "Echo of Night / Cadence" (6:20) brings to my mind’s eye many layers of electronic textures emerging from the void and taking form, lightly dancing, a science fiction ghost story told with distinct electric guitar engaging in dialogue with keyboards, washed away to be replaced by a more somber ceremonial dawn. It has been a long journey through many different slow textures, clouds of cicada, the ocean in the distance gently slips away to reveal the final song, "The Hidden Track" (9:53). Norway is famous for its fjords, still blue lakes that stretch deep inland, often with cliffs towering either side. Waterfalls in Norway are renowned for their power and size, with a steady supply of water coming from its fjords, lakes, glaciers and mountains. Twilight is the time between day and night when there is light outside, but the Sun is below the horizon. Allowing for silence, choice, exploration, and observation, what would an emotional landscape sound like in terms of melody, intensity, setting, style, and feeling? Landscapes can be vastly different and can include settings like the woods, oceans, deserts, fields, mountains, etc. Silence can be supportive and grounding, especially as a sanctuary from the often frenetic energy of the universe. This collection of guitar-based electronica offers ways to explore our emotions and experiences through metaphor, in a continuous period of darkness becoming twilight that transforms into dawn, again and again. https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/emotional-landscapes/ TRACKS 1 In The Picture (Remastered) 2 Metaphor (Remastered) 3 Prism (Remastered) 4 Second Totem (Remastered) 5 Sounds of the Seen, Part I (Remastered) 6 Valley (Remastered) 7 Virtual World (Remastered) 8 Mountain Beach (Remastered) 9 Sounds of the Seen, Part II (Remastered) 10 Satellite (Remastered) 11 Echo of Night / Cadence (Remastered) 12 The Hidden Track (Remastered) https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/erik-wollo/ http://www.wollo.com/home.htm https://erik-wollo.bandcamp.com/ https://www.projekt.com/store/product-category/artists/wollo-erik/

Cabin Fever Orchestra is the art project of Graeme Cornies that began in 2016. It has been his passion project, taken up at every available opportunity, when not writing for immediate television score deadlines. It has been a means of exploring new musical palette ideas, expanding on orchestration ideas Graeme found while working on other visual media, and it has served to expand his network of talented instrumental collaborators. “Under the Ice” is the first single to be shared off of Imaginary Landscapes, Graeme’s first album release since Patchwork from his former indie rock band Us and Others. The accompanying music video for “Under the Ice” venerates the beauty of nature, evokes curiosity and makes something ordinary feel like something novel. Listen up: https://soundcloud.com/graeme-cornies/sets/under-the-ice-pre-release

Shelby Merchant, a young, up and coming pop-folk artist, just dropped her first single, “flammable” off of her upcoming album, way past seventeen. At seventeen years old, Shelby’s music is inspired by her experiences of hope and heartbreak as she navigates the ever-shifting way of life that is growing up. She sings with a rawness beyond her years, putting words and passion behind blazing emotion. “flammable” opens with Shelby’s mature voice, building energy swiftly as the chorus rises with a rush of electric guitars and a driving drum beat. The track is suggestive of what the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus might have produced as they were just starting their careers -- and is an exciting taste of what to expect off of Shelby’s first record. Listen to "flammable" on Spotify now: https://open.spotify.com/track/6AfUFPGvMEyntgslICnpGk?si=clAhJrKySlGxuh67VfL0lA Connect with Shelby Merchant: https://www.shelbymerchantmusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ShelbyMMusic/ https://twitter.com/ShelbyMMusic

Yenisei Crossing by Mystified: Fearless Automatic Generative-Iterative Soundscapes Known for creating numerous works of abstract sonic art from field recordings, industrial drones, found sounds, and electronics, Mystified's Thomas Park has always searched for meaning in chaos, combining seemingly random sound sources into sonic environments that challenge the sensibilities and redefine the experience of listening. On Yenisei Crossing, the sound adventurer Mystified presents a fearless and striking collection of sonic collages that explore the random yet cyclic nature of recorded looping sounds overlapping at different durations and tempos. The soundscapes, inspired by the Yenisei river that winds its way through the stark landscapes of Siberia, provide a constantly moving soundtrack generated from a surreal and haunting blend of pulsing acoustic percussion, real world events, and ethereal atmospherics. Known for creating numerous works of abstract sonic art from field recordings, industrial drones, found sounds, and electronics, Mystified has always searched for meaning in chaos, combining seemingly random sound sources into sonic environments that challenge the sensibilities and redefine the experience of listening. On Yenisei Crossing, Mystified has taken this concept a step further, pioneering a new form of computer generated composition – one where the musician establishes possibilities before the computer is free to explore them endlessly. "For the first time, I am using a form of Generative/Iterative composing, which I have developed with original Python programming code," Park explains. "This has enabled me to work with my computer in search of sound and rhythm combinations that would have been next to impossible for me to have found myself." The process began with Park curating a large pool of sound sources that he transformed into elements ideal for iterating and mixing. Then the computer took over, layering the loops in different ways to create countless combinations which Park recorded in real time before he assembled the most interesting results into a collection that best fit the dreamlike feeling of his Yenisei Crossing vision. By using the computer as a generative compositional tool for the first time, Mystified's Thomas Park has broken ground on a new creative process, exploring fresh artistic possibilities where soundscapes are no longer constrained by the direct choices of the artist. The resulting sonic tapestries of Yenisei Crossing are otherworldly and intense, propelling emotions forward on a relentless journey through the illusory landscapes of the mind. When asked how he arrived at the name for the album, Park confided that “Once in a memorable dream I felt that I was in Siberia – or a sort of dreamlike Siberia. Later, when I searched for films of the region, I found it was much like my dream; flat, sparsely green, with some slowly sloping hills. Very beautiful in its own way, I found it to be a bit like the American Wild West, but cooler, and even less populated. The Yenisei is a huge river that moves through this landscape. It divides Siberia in half, carrying time forward, and water to the sea.” "It has been said that all music is rhythm, or percussion. If this is true, then I hope to help musicians and listeners alike realize that they can be free of militant or precise rhythms, as I feel that the West has a sort of craze with rhythmic precision that is far from ideal." That leaves the door open to quite a lot of otherwise unexplored territory. Next I asked him what the album's title means. When I searched for the word "Yenisei" I learned that the Yenisei River is the fifth-longest river system in the world. The maximum depth of the Yenisei is about 80 ft, the average depth is about 45 ft. Starting in Mungaragiyn-Gol (Mongolia), it flows north to the Yenisei Gulf in the Kara Sea. To the west is the often frozen Western Siberian Plain, to the east is the chilly Central Siberian Plateau. The Yenisei River basin includes the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal. The Yenisei River flows through a large part of central Siberia. I asked him specifically about the story of the creation of Yenisei Crossing. Please note that Python is an interpreted, high-level, general-purpose programming language. "At the time, a lot was going on with me creatively. I had been working on a series of Python applications that enabled my processor to, mainly, choose a body of samples, treat them in any of certain ways, and then map them out on a live looping console. I could get some unexpected and really interesting loop-based compositions this way." "The first immediate advantage was that I did not have to spend hours preparing loops for mixing. The Python code took that task out of my hands. Nor did I have to rely on my own rather specific and perhaps predictable choices. The random functions available to me put sounds together in ways I would not have predicted. Sometimes the result was unlistenable, but more often than not it was intriguing, to say the least. Pursuing coded music has become a sort of dream-escape for me, or pastime. Like my nocturnal visions of Siberia, they took me places I never thought I would experience." The Yenisei River valley is habitat for numerous flora and fauna, with Siberian pine, Siberian larch, and Scots pine, or Pinus sylvestris, which was abundant in the Yenisei River valley before 6000 BC. Some of the earliest known evidence of human enigma can be found at the confluence of the headstreams of the Yenisei Valley, where stelae, or stone monoliths and memorial tablets which date from between the 7th and 9th centuries AD, are still waiting. https://tarihvearkeoloji.blogspot.com/2019/05/okunev.html The song titles were generated using coded random string generation. The composer suggests that you might think of them as remnants of some forgotten language, or, perhaps, transmissions from space of someone we have yet to encounter. I looked through the Discogs online catalog (see link below) and came to realize that his various pages of projects documented there reveal but a shadow of his spectrum of awesome productivity. The artist known as Mystified has produced music under other names, including Autocad, Grid Resistor, Mister Vapor, Model 201, and he has been active in something called A Cryo Chamber Collaboration with a roster of thirty or so members from all over the planet. Mystified is a minimal/dark ambient/drone project. AutoCad has been focused on mathematical and fractal electronic music. Grid Resistor uses only sounds created by machines and is generally of the industrial drone genre. Mister Vapor is a side project started in 2009 and described as misty, hazy ambient work. Model 201 was started in 2017 and for this project all sounds were ripped from old Mystified cassettes. The list goes on, his is an active catalog that grows daily. He collaborates and creates constantly and he has found many purposes for his music, including scores for films, online and terrestrial radio shows, festivals of aesthetic, political, and other varieties, informational cd-roms, spots on many scores of compilations, and "quite a few" independent releases (hundreds). He reveals on his Spotted Peccary artist page, that his is “not the utopian ambient of the typical soundscape artist. It is serious music for serious people.” The sound is experimental, based on creative science and applying stimulus to new sources, then collecting the results and curating what he chooses to keep and display. He has invented an online program, The Generative/Iterative Jukebox, that generates new sounds for each listener who clicks on the button. There are links to several of these inventions posted at the end of this story. What does the work say? Did we unravel the mystery? Is it music? Where does it take us? This strange so-called music has thrilled and alarmed researchers forever, long into the future. Laymen often find it unintelligible, a monstrous reunification of music, with dissonance, chaotic melodies, disturbing symphonies of noise. What does Mystified intend? When a situation leaves you baffled or puzzled, you're mystified. I am mystified. There is wonderment. The verb mystify is at the root of the adjective mystified, from the French word mystifier, perhaps from either mystique, "a mystic," or mystère, "a mystery." What I hear might be described as a form of electronic music using the generative-iterative method, created for those with a taste for the dark and minimal. It has also been said that the tracks have an inner consistency, that these tracks make a good set, that they work well together and with one another. They are also a bit dark and edgy-- they push the boundaries of ambient. With this new release, we must admit, there is a chance, a possibility, that it will be summarily rejected, and that excites me. Taking chances is something we constantly learn to perfect, in order to build upon, or to plunder our own new treasures from, all in order to find an unexpected new way into our futures. We, the listeners, are at the center of things, sound identities can often be intentionally obscured or appear unconnected to their source, in order to unlock our own completely new possibilities for organizing the music of our future “Great River.” Spotted Peccary Album page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/yenisei-crossing/ Album Unboxing Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-rzJ2mDYt0 Spotted Peccary Artist page: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/mystified/ Artist page: https://archive.org/details/ThomasParkBenchmarkHub Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/718941-Thomas-Park Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/ Generative/Iterative Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6peOdqAMG74 L31MF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVNwGsaYyMo&t=2s The Generative/Iterative Jukebox Experiments: https://www.thomasparksolutions.com/ https://www.thomasparksolutions2.com/ https://www.thomasparksolutions3.com/

“Dark Longing” is a captivating release by the talented harpist, Pia Salvia off her latest album Blissful Sigh. Raised in Belgium and now based in NYC, Salvia creates genre-defying harp music by combining her gorgeous voice with various styles of harp instrumentation to make music that transcends her classical training. “Dark Longing” opens with a percussive harp and rich bass line that perfectly weave in and out of Salvia’s sultry spoken-word style vocals. As the chorus rolls over the listener, Salvia’s harp style shifts to complement a jazzy drum beat and soft trumpets. Throughout the track, the style of harp gently morphs to mimic the smooth rise and fall of her voice. The dreaminess of her harp, coupled with Salvia’s enchanting voice makes “Dark Longing” a mesmerizing release - a theme carried throughout the rest of her album which also includes gorgeously artistic pieces such as "L'Acapelle" and "Standing In A Dim Light". Listen to Blissful Sigh on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2dxhDwDK2nY8EDsMVPYmna?si=2gLMtcZSR2SZqke7bHVqPw Connect with Pia Salvia: https://www.piasalvia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/piasalvia/ https://www.facebook.com/PiaSalviaOfficiel/ https://twitter.com/PiaSalvia

Silk Tonic is an indie-pop band from the outskirts of Montreal composed of two childhood friends that have been playing music together for as long as they can remember. Matthew Brouillet, being the lead singer and drummer, alongside Mark Hodges, the lead guitarist and bassist. They started off in a band called OneFortySeven from 2017 to 2019, and in 2020, decided it was time to start their own project: Silk Tonic. Their purpose is to share their love for music in the hopes that it will bring to others the same joy it brings them. Their recently released debut single, “Summer Time,” describes the feeling of meeting that special someone for the first time, when you struggle to keep your composure and feel overwhelmed by your emotions. It relates to the euphoria of being love struck. Dive into Summer here https://soundcloud.com/silk-tonic-982643770/summer-time/s-t5dRd1IIk5a

What you will hear is the four “sublime states” – the Brahma-viharas, a blend of voices and musical instruments from around the world, coming together to create beautiful original music informed by ancient wisdom promoting healing and well-being through sound. Music is a path of healing and a way of life, simply listening to music has many benefits such as facilitating meditation and deep relaxation, or just enjoying the enhancement of mental focus and openness to artistic inspiration. Medicinally, more is being discovered about the benefits of music therapy for heart ailments, brain dysfunction, learning disabilities, depression, PTSD, Alzheimers, childhood development, and so much more. Dr. Richard Gold, Executive Producer, was one of the four founders of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, and was first introduced to meditation and yoga in 1970. He has studied neuroscience and the evolving understanding of the effects of sound and meditation on the brain. Yuval Ron, composer, arranger and producer, is a renowned World Music artist, educator, peace activist and record producer. He graduated Cum-Laude in 1989 from the Berklee College of Music. He has continuously researched various ethnic musical traditions and spiritual paths worldwide and has composed TV and films scores as well as original scores for theater productions. He is a multi-instrumentalist, on this album he plays keyboards, Oud and conducts the string orchestration. In a recent conversation with Dr. Gold, Yuval Ron and Beth Hilton, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_DMYDn-I8A), Yuval Ron spoke about the process of developing the Four Divine States of Mind project, expressing Four Buddhist beliefs, as a universal message of world spirituality and guidance towards realizing a more positive world. “The first idea was Mantra chanting. Then, I knew the album would not be instrumental, it would be vocal, and I thought, who would I want to sing these four vocal messages? I decided there would be four female divas to express these teachings… Who would be the most thoughtful singer in the world to sing about compassion?” The answer that came through: the Flamenco singer Estrella Morente, from Spain. “Then I was thinking about Deva Premal, I love her voice for chanting and mantras, she studied Sanskrit from a very young age... I wanted her to sing the song about vicarious joy.” He continues, “Then I thought about Úyanga Bold, who is a singer from Mongolia, from a Shamanic Buddhist background and is at the beginning of her career.” To complete this incredible team: “Chloe Pourmorady, a Persian-American singer also at the beginning of her career, she is from Los Angeles, she sings in many different languages… I chose her because when I heard her sing, I felt her soulfulness, tenderness and vulnerability, which I felt best expresses the idea of loving kindness.” Loving-kindness is the practice concerned with the cultivation of benevolence, kindness, and amity, with silent repetitions of phrases such as "may you be happy" or "may you be free from suffering." The practice of loving kindness expresses benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the insolent and ill-behaved. "Loving Kindness" (12:56) (Metta) From the album notes, “Dedicated to Deva Premal, whose soulful Mantra chanting gave the inspiration for this song.” The music is a meditation on Divine Love, motherly love, tenderness, abundance of kindness, and mother Earth. Heard on the first track is the voice of Chloe Pourmorady, a Persian-American composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and educator best known for blending global ideologies and philosophies into her work. The music she writes is innovative and imaginative, influenced by tradition, and yet her sound has been described as "the music of her generation." Her listeners describe feeling elevated through songs of hope, prayers of love, and words of truth. With Alam Khan, Sarod; Rachel Valfer, Mawal (ad lib vocal solo); Somnath Roy, Ghatam; Malek Vossough, Ney; and Yuval Ron, Oud. Music and Lyrics by Yuval Ron. An act of compassion can be defined as simply expressing creative helpfulness. Qualities of compassion are patience, wisdom, kindness and perseverance. Compassion involves being moved by suffering and feeling the motivation to help alleviate and prevent it. "Compassion" (11:47) (Karuna) Music and Lyrics by Yuval Ron, with an invitation to contemplate compassion, the suffering of yourself and others and try to cultivate a compassionate attitude towards these suffering beings. For the second offering are heard the vocals of Estrella de la Aurora Morente Carbonell, professionally known as Estrella Morente. She is the daughter of flamenco singer Enrique Morente and dancer Aurora Carbonell. She has performed with her father since age seven and recorded her first album in 2001, Mi Cante Y Un Poema (My Songs and A Poem). This was followed the same year by Calle del Aire, and her third album, Mujeres (Women) came in 2006, which her father produced. Her art has dazzled not only the most demanding flamencologists but also rockers like Lenny Kravitz. With Adam Del Monte, Guitar; Yuval Ron, Oud; Jamie Papish, Udu; Manuel Gutierrez, Back up vocals; Jose Ramon Montero, Translation of Spanish lyrics; Felipe Baron, Associate producer; and Pablo Sánchez, Recording engineer for Estrella Morente recording. To show vicarious joy is to celebrate happiness and achievement in others even when we are facing tragedy ourselves. The foundation for letting joy into our lives is gratitude and the associated savouring of what is good in life such as achievements, friendships or your child’s development. Vicarious joy is the experience of the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's well-being. "Vicarious Joy" (14:34) (Mudita) Deva Premal, Vocals; with Pandit Nayan Ghosh, Sitar; Somnath Roy, Percussion; Yuval Ron, Oud; Kamal Engels, Recording engineer for Deva Premal recording; and Raya and Chinmay, Recording engineers for Pandit Nayan Ghosh recording. Music by Yuval Ron, Lyrics from the traditional Sanskrit. The vocalist Deva Premal explains that the purpose of her work "is to be open to the Goddess of music – to be true to ourselves, as musicians, as 'teachers;' as partners, and ultimately, as individuals – fellow travellers. We accomplish this by not 'trying' to accomplish anything. Our nourishment and life’s work is to create gatherings around the planet where people can come together in celebration and meditation, to work positively towards valuing and rejoicing in the good fortune of others, which in turn increases our own joy in life." She began her journey with a mantra in her mother's womb, as her father chanted to her daily. The mantras continued to be her bedtime lullaby after she was born. Many years later, she heard a friend singing one of her prenatal mantras and was inspired to put together an album. Premal met her partner in life and music, Miten, at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune, India in 1990, where she was studying reflexology, shiatsu, cranio-sacral therapy, and massage. They have been touring together since 1992, offering concerts and chant workshops worldwide. Premal and Miten recorded The Essence (1998) in her mother's apartment in Germany, where she was born and where she first heard the Gayatri Mantra. In many Yoga traditions, the virtue of equanimity can be one of the results attained through regular meditation, cultivating an evenness of mind, calmness, and a strong sense of abundance, exaltation that is somehow immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will, an evenness of mind, neither elated nor depressed. "Equanimity" (14:36) (Upekkha) Living and breathing music, and rather obsessed with improvement and self development of any kind, Úyanga Bold plays for healing experiences promoting mindfulness and personal transformation. She grew up playing classical piano, and later developed a fascination with exotic instruments, including dilruba, frame drum, and baglama saz to name a few. Known for her otherworldly dynamic voice on film, television and video game soundtracks, along with videos viewed by millions, Úyanga is an internationally acclaimed soundtrack vocalist, vocal arranger and songwriter. Vocalist Úyanga Bold; with the Divine Sutra String Ensemble (cello soloist: Dennis Karmazyn); Hirokazu Kosaka and IKKYU Archers group, Sanskrit Chant of the Heart Sutra, bell and wooden sticks; Yuval Ron, Keyboards and strings orchestration; and Blair Studio Singers children choir conducted by KC Daugirdas, who sang on all four tracks. Music by Yuval Ron, Lyrics: traditional Sanskrit. This new album from Metta Mindfulness Music brings a welcome and much needed meditation on the daily expression of loving kindness for healing a wounded world, resulting in increased relaxation and an intimate conversation, with gentle sharing of ideas. The sound is a meditation on bringing people of many cultures together through music in a prayer for universal welfare, experiencing a nourishing quality of interconnectedness, the wish to relieve a being from suffering, wishing fellow travelers on a spiritual journey happiness, to open our eyes to the rivers of goodness in the world and to enhance our sense of gratitude. May all beings be fulfilled and secure, may they be happy-minded, connecting with others in order to conversely experience renewal, support, and validation. Music can free us all from inordinate reactions to the changes and chances of the world, to help us to cultivate the capacity to be joyful for the joy of others and to experience vicarious joy, all beings sharing that same location. Available starting July 18, 2020 as hi rez tracks (48hz) from Amazon, Tidal, YouTube, and http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com/fourdivinestates.html TRACKS 1 Loving Kindness (12:56) 2 Compassion (11:47) 3 Vicarious Joy (14:34) 4 Equanimity (14:36) Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxkydrF3XAg Four Divine States of Mind: An Album from Yuval Ron, METTA MINDFULNESS MUSIC Available starting July 18, 2020: http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com/fourdivinestates.html

Seersha is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer hailing from ATL. Her name comes from the phonetic spelling of Saoirse, an Irish or Scottish name meaning “freedom.” Writing alone and producing herself in Ableton for complete creative control, Seersha blends retro-future synths, textural vocals, electronic elements, and trap-influenced drums to create a lush bed for her earnest melodies. Her 2017 self-produced debut EP earned her the name “synth-pop crooner” by her hometown’s Immersive Atlanta webzine and comparisons to Susanne Sundfør and Robyn by AnalogueTrash. Her music soon caught the attention of underground tastemakers such as yvynyl, Wonky Sensitive, Ultimate Music, Music & Other Drugs and more. Citing influences as broad as Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith to Phil Collins to Grimes, her distinct sound is uncompromising and rebellious. 2019 saw three new singles accompanied by visuals from Seersha. Her sophomore EP Metaphors, released independently on her Fox Nose Records label April 15, 2020. Seersha streams regularly on Twitch and has new original music slated for release late summer/early fall. Find the album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3LlRUXsMmuAmxwPvG0XilB

County Clare has a strong history of traditional music, with many seasonal music festivals. One of the legends for the origin of the county name Clare, sometimes also called the Banner County, comes from the settlement of Clare (now Clarecastle), whose name Clár, or plank bridge, is a place for crossing over the River Fergus. The first track on the newest album by Fiona Joy Hawkins, MOVING THROUGH WORLDS, is titled "Calling County Clare" and is a haunting bit of a quiet easy dance with piano, percussion, acoustic guitar, bass, Irish flute, and vocals floating ethereally. This is a great time for something brighter and lighter, something that brings some ease to the weary listener, who is seeking feelings of harmony and simple respite from our troubled world. The gifted composer, singer, and pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins has just the thing, a new album. I hear an enchanting and amazing exploration of themes such as land, water, fire, climate change and the vanishing of souls into the wind. The 14 tracks feature mostly solo piano, some are duos with violin or cello, some have a more full range of accompanists. The sound has a way of traversing lots of moods, rich with dynamic energy. In places the sound is delicate and slow, in places the feelings build and gain velocity and then gently recede. As the Australian Bushfires crept toward her rural home, Fiona Joy Hawkins turned to her Stuart & Sons piano to do what has always bought her solace: write music. After crafting 4 songs that she later marketed as fundraisers for firefighters and wildlife rescue – and which are included on this album – she began final preparations on a new album: Moving Through Worlds. And, when the fires gave way to a pandemic she was grounded from touring, so Hawkins began a wildly popular series of weekly live-streamed “Living Room Concerts” on Facebook, much to her fans’ delight. In celebration of her new album releasing today, she will be the premier guest on "The River of Calm's 20-Minute Tuesdays Concert Series" produced by The River of Calm – Music to Soothe Your Soul™ on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at 7pm CDT; to watch, simply go to https://www.facebook.com/theriverofcalm/ or the Fiona Joy Hawkins music page at https://www.facebook.com/fionajoyhawkinsmusic/. Hawkins began recording and conceptualising this album three years ago, and yet she describes it as an album over 44-years in the making. One of the classical-crossover pieces is “For the Roses” which a 12-year-old Hawkins wrote and performed for her Grandmother’s funeral. The song “Calling County Clare” reaches even further back, to her family’s Irish roots, called forth with a wistful Irish whistle by Paul Jarman, Hawkins on piano/vocals, and Will Ackerman (guitar/hopi), Tom Eaton (accordion), Jeff Haynes (percussion) and Tony Levin (NS bass). Along the way, Hawkins also attracted musical contributions from renowned soprano & violinist Rebecca Daniel, Charlie Bisharat (violin), Jill Haley (English horn), Jeff Oster (flugelhorn, and Eugene Friesen (cello). “My wish is to open a few more hearts to the power of music with this album. I believe music is a gift from another world, from ancestors of the past communicating to inspire and give us hope,” Hawkins said, reflecting on the world’s current challenges. “Music is a universal language that connects us without prejudice, it speaks to us all equally, yet is received with great variation. Now, more than ever, we need the connection to our past to find the pathway to our future.” The 14-track album was produced by Will Ackerman (Founder, Windham Hill Records) and Tom Eaton. As per her usual style, Hawkins defies genre by bringing classical, contemporary piano, ethereal vocals, and lush new age instrumentals together to create a sound that is uniquely her own. The blend of solo piano and instrumental pieces reflect some of the worlds that she has moved through so elegantly while this powerful music gathered in her soul: cue the cumulative life of an artistic woman: granddaughter, nurse, wife, mother, daughter-in-law, caretaker, friend, lover, painter, pianist, singer...and, ultimately, composer. Jonathan Widran, in a music review for JWVibe, wrote “While fusing the old and new on these tracks to help her come to terms with the past and 'put her ghosts to bed,' Fiona places a dreamy, easy flowing coda on this era of her life with 'All That is Left,' blending piano, violin and flugelhorn to create a final confrontation with these issues – and a sense of hope that she is on her way to healing.” Hawkins' loyal fans are a global bunch who "chat" excitedly during the weekly live streamed concerts, while newcomers enjoy Hawkins' ballet-like piano playing style, stemming from a childhood spent learning classical piano, dance, painting and overcoming her shyness via performance. In her music, one can hear the inspiration of Felix Mendelssohn and Frédéric Chopin, and yet it is usually likened to modern composers such as Ludovico Einaudi, Michael Nyman, Liz Story, and George Winston. When not at her rural Australian home, Hawkins regularly tours China and the USA, and is also a member of the award-winning contemporary instrumental group, FLOW (Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Will Ackerman). For a complete biography, visit Hawkin's Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Joy_Hawkins Sometimes one has to go into those difficult issues in order to come out the other side, coming out the other side. This also unlocks the ability to dream and connect to the ghosts of those who died, and can modify the energy of the colors primarily to stretch and bend into themes of peace and release. Moving Through Worlds is a journey of transition from danger and loss, the transforming miracles of nature and humanity, but today we gather to mourn, honor, reflect and begin to learn from the black summer that continues. To enjoy the color of water's vibrational states, as well as the the cold and dark as deep related questions about what we do not see. The songs come from different worlds and together they create a sense of hope and beauty for listeners to enjoy. We are forced to continually change our strategies and tactics to accomplish our tasks. The winds blow hard, making and unmaking dunes, covering up the present and uncovering the past. We utilize these traditions as symbols, which reflect honor and respect on those who have given so much and who have served so well, sharing concerns for the future of threatened wildlife, such as glossy black cockatoos, Kangaroo Island dunnarts, and koalas. If the legends are true, we can pass through worlds again and again, always learning and always experiencing new seasons. MOVING THROUGH WORLDS will be available in physical and digital formats, both downloadable and streaming on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer and 200 other platforms, or, purchase directly from the artist at https://littlehartleymusic.com.au/shop/music-cds-sacds/moving-through-worlds-2/ Track List: 1 Calling County Clare (5:06) 2 Bushfire Moon (5:03) 3 Prayer For Rain (4:08) 4 All That is Left (5:34) 5 Aqua 1 (1:55) 6 Prelude in E Minor (Chopin, #4) (2:37) 7 Desert of Crystal (4:28) 8 Tolling of the Fire Bell (5:18) 9 Aqua 2 (1:20) 10 Passing Of Midnight (3:39) 11 Moving Through Worlds (4:28) 12 For the Roses (Solo Piano) (3:28) 13 Song For Louise (1:49) 14 Twilight Moment (2:32) Connect: https://littlehartleymusic.com.au/ https://fionajoy.com/ https://flowthegroup.com/ https://www.facebook.com/fionajoyhawkinsmusic https://twitter.com/fionajoymusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fionajoymusic/ Videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/fionajoy About Fiona Joy Hawkins Fiona Joy Hawkins is a mainstream Composer/Pianist/Vocalist with an international following, whom she greets weekly with pandemic-inspired, live-streamed concerts from her rural home in NSW Australia. The event’s growing popularity may be attributable to a combination of her musical talent, a love for her fans, and her disarming Aussie humour. Her latest album is Moving Through Worlds, produced by Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton, for her own label, Little Hartley Music. A prolific composer, she has always been interested in creating music that evokes images, emotions and tells stories. https://fionajoy.com/

A self-described late bloomer, Brett Altman didn’t sing publicly until the age of 20. Just 21 months later, he performed in front of a crowd of 17,000 at Penn State University for a talent competition, which he won. He has since won Indie Nation’s Viral Music Competition, and released his first single, “Come Find Me”, through Sony Music’s The Orchard. His earlier single, “Full of You”, is described by Atwood Magazine as “easily among the most dynamic of Altman’s work, with its quick pulse and energetic, harmony-laden choruses maintaining a lively atmosphere from start to finish”. Since moving to Hoboken, New Jersey in 2015, Altman has established himself in the Tri-State area music scene through gigs at Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End NYC, PIANOS, The Bowery Electric, and other local venues. His upbeat music is a fusion of pop and folk, with songwriting that illuminates moments of everyday life. His biggest musical influences are John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Ed Sheeran, and Dave Matthews Band. Altman is set to release a series of singles leading up to his first EP, Low Overhead. Listen on Spotify today! https://open.spotify.com/track/1QxuWUOd4MPNahShuPMgE9?si=Lzx2HE9zTaiLM30lDsOjTg

Dawson Gamble’s passion for music began early. His father’s love of Blues and Classic Rock integrated with Hip Hop and RnB’s growing cultures intensified his interest in music. By picking up his dad’s 1979 Fender Strat guitar, he found his own love of soft Blues and Ballad rock which was further influenced by Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and Ed Sheeran. Dawson’s love for guitar playing and instrumentation led him to explore songwriting where he further discovered his passion for musicality and zest of flowing lyrics. After performing with (now disbanded) The Chase, Dawson’s new track, “Everything About Me,” is the first offering of his solo project. A compilation of his dearest influences from over the years, the single’s upbeat vibe provides a stark yet tasteful contract to its edgy, sad lyrics. Jump into Summer here: https://soundcloud.com/dawson-gamble-87533970/everything-about-me-master

After 10 years of classical operatic vocal training, Mathew V moved to London, England at the age of 17 to teach himself how to write pop music. Now only 22, Mathew has accomplished a lot since returning home to Vancouver. Mathew penned a deal with 604 records and his debut single “Tell Me Smooth” went top 40 on Canadian Radio (Hot AC/AC) for 18 weeks, peaking at #18. Now with a catalogue approaching 15 million online streams, Mathew is making new music, pushing his boundaries and preparing for what’s to come. Mathew’s newest single, “Give It All,” is a love song to his partner: “I found that most of my songs were sad, and I wanted to switch up my formula and express my willingness to go with the ebb and flow, together.” Listen in here: https://soundcloud.com/604recordsmusic/mathew-v-give-it-all

Connecting to the words of artists like Dallas Green, Dan Mangan and Elliott Smith helped Bretton Lee John understand that he wasn’t the strange and oversensitive kid that his rural Albertan upbringing made him feel like he was. Lee’s dream is to be able to sing something that does the same for someone else. His new single, “Rock Show,” is an effort to manifest something you wish would happen. It’s the kind of song that plays as credits roll on a summer romance movie. Listen to it while you hang out with your cat, your best friend or a new love and feel all warm and fuzzy. Listen in here: https://soundcloud.com/user-376112077/rock-show

Rock rolls with primitive swagger in the music of Holy Roller Baby. With music as spirited as their name suggests, the band blends the best of 70s string-bending guitar rock with an undeniably forward-thinking perspective. Raucous and gritty with a focus on songwriting, melody, and substantive lyrics, the band plays glorious rock at concussive volumes while swinging to an unmistakable beat, filtering a thunderous bluster through a soul crooner's sensibility. Founded in 2017 in Austin, Texas, the band’s lineup previously played in the psych/rock band Heavy Glow, playing over 300 shows in the US and Canada. Spearheaded by the songwriting of Jared Mullins and using two lead guitarists, the four-piece was invited to record their debut album at Radiohead’s Courtyard Studios in Oxfordshire, England. Together with producer Ian Davenport (Band of Skulls, Supergrass, Philip Selway of Radiohead) the band recorded a blistering 50-minute, 12-track album that combs through a diverse array of blues-tinged rock, even borrowing amps and percussion from Radiohead and guitars from Gaz Coombes (ex-Supergrass) to do so. Holy Roller Baby - "Leper Blues" https://open.spotify.com/track/5J9xecMdIddervwpqAWH21

Scout Gillett is a singer-songwriter hailing from Kansas City, MO, influenced equally by Bonnie Raitt and Karen O. She packed up her mom's Kia Rio and moved to Brooklyn in 2017, forming two bands, frequenting the local venues, and touring the U.S. in a shortbus. Having organized punk shows in Kansas City throughout high school, Scout picked up a knack for booking and founded her own booking company, Road Dog Booking. Like many musicians and artists, Scout saw multiple tour and release dates postponed in the COVID-19 pandemic. Scout just recorded a full length record with producer Nick Kinsey at The Chicken Shack in upstate New York. Scout has just released her single "one to ten," for you to check out via all digital outlets. Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3K8Ej76xqDUEEVv5rohVvd?si=H1pXT59PQHS1GiB5xoloHg

Using pure organic tones within their many analog, digital, and modular synthesizers, Howard Givens and Craig Padilla have created hypnotic and meditative music to stir the heart, embrace the soul, and free the mind. The LP is a factory-sealed deluxe 140 gram 12" vinyl record of THE BODHI MANTRA, pressed on teal and blue splatter-colored vinyl with premium polylined sleeve, and color insert with liner notes about the music and its inspiration. Myriad consumer sales and streaming links to Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iTunes, Tidal, Deezer and more are available at this link: https://orcd.co/thebodhimantra With this third collaboration, Givens and Padilla continue a musical journey that follows the concepts introduced in their previous album, Being of Light (2017). Created together in studio last Fall 2019, the duo embrace pure organic tones within their many analog, digital, and modular synthesizers; with intention, this duo has created hypnotic and meditative music to stir the heart, embrace the soul, and free the mind; music that is based on their appreciation of experiencing the perception of consciousness. Delicate, breath-like pulses set an intention of mindful solemnity, punctuated by moments of fulfillment and enlightenment, and underlining discovery of the ultimate relationship with the one true self. The music, the method and the message, are intertwined, in a way, according to Padilla. “Howard and I continue to grow as a musical duo every time we create music, both solo and as a duo. This new album evolved from our personal journey of music, which is based on our appreciation of the way we have been experiencing the perception of consciousness. This is The Bodhi Mantra. Bodhi is a Sanskrit word translated as 'enlightenment' or 'awakening' which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego. The Mantra is the musical expression of this serene offering. We represented this idea in the music by making it sound warm and peaceful; hypnotic and uplifting.” The Bodhi Mantra was mastered by Howard Givens, and the vinyl format arrives inside an exquisite package designed by Daniel Pipitone, with a richly printed jacket and sleeve combination. Spotted Peccary Music, a Portland-based label, also launched its popular annual Summer Sale on Bandcamp today, which includes The Bodhi Mantra, offering its catalog at 25% off with the code “summer25”. (https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/album/the-bodhi-mantra) Tracklist: 1. Prana (13:01) 2. Serenity, The Peaceful Place (09:29) 3. Leaving Behind the Now (18:50) Relax and receive immeasurable auspiciousness, brilliance, magnificence, and ease as you listen to these celestial sounds. Listen to eliminate the illness and suffering of all sentient beings, to provide all their necessities for health and happiness, and mostly just because it simply sounds sublime. Thanks to the original vows of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, a miraculous force resides in mantras, so that by pronouncing them one might acquire insight without limits. As nebulous as the clouds, these electronic soundscapes are ethereal meditations with many levels of symbolic meaning that allows relaxation by moving you to a tranquil and romantic mood. Practicing meditation may be helpful for a variety of conditions ranging from insomnia and high blood pressure to anxiety and low back pain, or just to help you learn to relax in the moment. Synthesizers evoking space-age heartbeats offer a meditation on universal mythology, inspired by ancient dances, and probes the mysteries of the cosmos and glacial chords, soaked in cathedral-like reverb, all to bring profound inner peace and induce unwinding, improving one's mood and leaving the listener revitalized. As we listen to these celestial sounds, we may be tempted to imagine pieces of evidence that there were giants on Earth a long, long time ago. Where did they come from and what practical importance is there now of them today? Music offers illusion as well as confidence. Mantras come in many forms, a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times. Some of our best evidence exists because someone long ago used their time to carve mantras into rocks as a form of meditation. Mantras are a religious thought, a prayer, a sacred utterance, but are also sometimes believed to be a spell or tool of supernatural power. If there is one consistency in life, then it is the one of change. The recording studio has brought the carving of mantras into heretofore unimaginable places. Listeners to music do it to satisfy their love of mystery, and to make themselves comfortable, music creates a pleasing experience, and affects our health positively. I have learned from my many years of exploring the audio arts that it is too easy to proclaim that “This is the greatest thing I have ever heard in my life!” The words become meaningless the second time they are invoked, and further such exclamations of sonic miracles tend to lessen the intended effect. But golly-heck, there is a whole lot of great music out there! What best makes this message real every time? Perhaps metaphor is an answer. Water is an important source of life on Earth and about 71 percent of the surface of the Earth is water. A river can be portrayed by many as an everlasting symbol of perpetual and continual change and of the constancy of time and of life itself. For many years people have wanted to find the gold in the river, or perhaps they seek a way of turning all kinds of substances into gold and thus become rich without much effort. Here they are, the secrets of alchemy, and that begets the question of what is gold and what is illusion. Gold might be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness, and the only way to demonstrate that one is truly finding gold is to produce miraculous and supernatural fruit, to demonstrate an ability to be filled with the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? I know only that I cannot define the ecstatic experience. No one can, but still we love to try anyway. Being filled with the Spirit results in an abundant and overflowing life. That might be all the proof needed. Let us receive immeasurable auspiciousness, brilliance, magnificence, and ease, let us use our imaginations to explore possibilities of time travel and the concept of creation of bodies periodically through time. The individual experience of time and how each listener experiences time is very different. There are multiple perspectives of time that one must consider when questioning time travel. Behold the sound engineer, she or he investigates hoaxes, legends, obscure accounts, and the academic excavations of giant bones, skulls and skeletons found globally going back thousands of years. Now think about the future and what might be found here. I had the opportunity to talk about giant's bones with Givens and Padilla, though we never used those specific words. We used email and were in different times and places, yet here is our short conversation for you to view right now. ROBIN JAMES What is the story of your work together and creating your newest album? CRAIG PADILLA Howard and I continue to grow as a musical duo every time we create music, both solo and as a duo. This new album evolved from our personal journey of music, which is based on our appreciation of the way we have been experiencing the perception of consciousness. This is The Bodhi Mantra. Bodhi is a Sanskrit name translated as "enlightenment" or "awakening" which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego. We represented this idea in the music by making it sound warm and peaceful; hypnotic and uplifting. HOWARD GIVENS The work that Craig and I have been collectively exploring, thematically parallels an abstract journey within a sound/music experience… texture, expanse, mood, contemplation, movement, energy, etc., and the self-awareness, realization, and observation of a more expansive appreciation of our existence, usually expressed the abstract experience one has through meditation and yoga. RJ What is your task as a composer? CP My task as a composer is to make a musical story that I would want to hear and feel, and have that energy pass along to the listener. HG There’s a powerful experience that comes from the synergy of working together especially when those moments of an unspoken, mutual tapping into a stream-of-consciousness flow happens. That’s when the magic really happens, at least from my perspective. I believe that this whole “conversation” of music is complete when the listener then becomes involved, creating their own vision, their own experience with the music. So ultimately it’s the goal of my work, with audio, composition, visual art, etc. and the goal of Spotted Peccary Music, to create and present as transparent an expression the art forms as possible, hopefully inviting a deepening space for the listener to participate in. RJ The Bodhi Mantra is a musical meditation, what is listening? HG So the music isn’t really a soundtrack for doing meditation or yoga, but rather an artistic expression OF the process of meditation or yoga. Because we are delving into the sense behind the music, we are trying to create a suggestion of the feeling of these practices. The title of our newest release therefore relates to the inspiration for the music, for the experience. CP "Listening" is both a proactive and a subconscious act of being in tune with sonic vibrations emanating around and within us. HG The sounds we choose, whether electronic or acoustic in nature, has more to do with the space created by their use, and how we resonate with the sonic experience in the moment of creation much like sound and ceremony have helped shift people’s state of awareness throughout human history. RJ What is music? HG For us, the abstract language of music allows us to communicate the nature of our life experience without relying entirely on the use of adjectives to try to define such a subtle sense that often times can’t be adequately described with words (outside of poetry) or pictures, much like how a photograph does not convey the feeling of being present in a particular place. CP Music is the language of the Universe. It can be created with nature, and with man-made instruments. It can speak to the soul. It can tell a story. And all music is a part of history that gets preserved once it's recorded. Music is vibrations of frequencies which stimulate the senses in all living things. RJ When did you first come upon Spotted Peccary Music? What attracted you? CP When I created Vostok in 2001, I had no intention of releasing it because I was making upbeat music at the time. However, I had sent a copy of it to a music reviewer who really enjoyed it, and he suggested that I send it to Spotted Peccary Music. I was not familiar with the label at the time, but I thought I'd reach out to them. Once they heard Vostok, they were interested in releasing it, as well as future albums. I was also attracted by the positive and creative energy from Howard Givens and Deborah Martin, and by the high quality of music that was (and still is) being released on their label. I feel honored to be included on their roster. HG In the mid-to-late 1970’s, my closest friends and I were always looking for more music to listen to that described the space that related to our philosophical / spiritual explorations that we were all delving into at the time. This led us to recordings by Pink Floyd, Yes, Starcastle, Paul Horn, Wendy Carlos, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, Tomita, and early Kitaro, early Styx, Brian Eno... anything that would suggest the spacier, more textural side of any of this music, and oftentimes very electronic in nature. Later of course, this expanded to include more experimental music, David Sylvian, Steve Roach and music that finally was really defining a genre becoming known as ambient, perhaps more than New Age, which was moving away from textural and into more instrumental and melodic. And as we developed our own sonic expression in the early 1980’s with guitar, flute, effects, and then added synthesizers, we started to cultivate a sound while creating a sort of abstract “soundtrack” that was completely inspired by our experiences in the Sonoran Desert around Tucson, Arizona. RJ What listening events changed your life as you were developing your ears? CP I've been playing guitar all of my life. The moment I had first heard Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygene album in a local planetarium during a high school field trip, I decided that I wanted to make music like that. RJ Howard, tell us more about Brain Laughter and your work with Spotted Peccary Music. HG I have been directly or indirectly involved with many of the releases on Spotted Peccary throughout the years, with more of a focus on mastering in the more recent years. As such, I have to squeeze my own projects in between our different releases as well as mastering work for Steve Roach, who I work with “outside” of the Spotted Peccary catalog. So most of the time, sound development continues but compositional time has suffered. Realizing that a label is stronger in its presentation to the industry and to listeners if it has several artists, we invited other artists who had like-interests to create music for the label. So from that point on, the label grew and evolved, adding artists and releases, and even changing its principal ownership and staff to what it is today. But the original concept of a label owned and operated by artists on the label is still true and fundamental to the heart of Spotted Peccary Music, as is a dedication to producing the highest quality sound, visual presentation and artistic expression possible. Drawing on all our spiritual interests as well as including the stories from Carlos Castaneda and his writings of shamanic experiences in the Sonoran Desert, our musical explorations were heavily influenced by all the energy of that powerful region, totally impacting these earliest collaborations that evolved into the “group" effort Brain Laughter and ultimately led to our first full release, In The Land Of Power. As we learned more of what we would need to do to share our work and vision of this music, we created Spotted Peccary Music as our own label to support our work. RJ What is next? HG Lately I have been making a push towards completing some solo works, but I do often prefer the energy around collaboration, like the releases with Craig Padilla and with Madhavi Devi, which interestingly was where I started - with the energy behind the Brain Laughter projects. RJ What is your advice to artists who are starting as musicians? CP My advice to artists is "Never give up. Never stop creating." If you want something bad enough, and you're really passionate about it, then it's possible to manifest whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish. It is the Law of Attraction. My other advice is "Listen to constructive criticism." Criticism can be good and bad. If it's constructive then there is something that an artist may be able to learn to better their craft. RJ Thank you both for your time and for the amazing listening experiences you create! FOOTLINKS Listen: https://orcd.co/the-bodhi-mantra Spotted Peccary Album page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/the-bodhi-mantra/ Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/ Howard Givens Spotted Peccary Artist Page: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/howard-givens/ Craig Padilla Spotted Peccary Artist Page: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/craig-padilla/ Howard Givens Artist website: http://www.howardgivens.com Craig Padilla Artist website: https://craigpadilla.bandcamp.com/ David Sylvian: http://www.davidsylvian.com/ Steve Roach: https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/ Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj7A8SX7ccI

Though based in Austin, TX, in her new single ”The Way,” Roxana Labatt sings sweet nothings about her love for New York City, the first place she ever truly felt at home. Roxana’s lyrics have been described as “viscerally emotive,” and this track certainly tugs at the listener's heartstrings. Roxana explains that the song is about “the experience of finding the place you identify as your home — even if that place is not the place where you happened to be born — and developing your own independent identity.” Roxana’s process centers around lyrical development, a focus that allows her to create music that is achingly intimate while conveying grandiose messages such as that of “The Way.” The personal themes of the track lend well to the soulful piano ballad that accompanies her vocals. As the music swells and fades out, the listener will feel a deep connection with Roxana’s words and emotion, engrossed by the 1980s flavored sound of this new tune. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/6xyuX3C3S35aymgoGfrVHT?si=drzZq01vSzaWIilszqoEIA Connect with Roxana: https://roxanalabatt.com/ https://www.facebook.com/roxanalabatt https://www.instagram.com/roxanalabatt/ https://twitter.com/roxanalabatt

Jorge Alejandro Carrillo Martínez, also known as JACE Carrillo, was born in Valencia, Venezuela and started singing at the age of 4. Since then, JACE has been developing his songwriting skills and studying singing, harmony, and music theory. JACE got into a Gospel choir (2009-2014) and performed around Venezuela. Gospel helped him explore new musical styles and closely follow other artists in what nowadays represents his R&B influences. His Latin influences also helped him create new fusions over the time, mixing the upcoming Urban Latin that was growing in the area. His music career was affected by the political, economic and social situation, which led JACE to complete a degree in Industrial Engineering and he emigrated to Canada in 2015 to continue growing his musical projects and start writing songs for other artists. JACE's first song was officially released in 2019 which he followed with a few additional tracks and collaborations. He will be releasing his debut EP this summer and is leading with a new single called “French Vanilla” which showcases JACE's R&B influence. Listen to the single here: https://soundcloud.com/jace-carrillo-344240929/jace-carrillo-french-vanilla-3/s-yZ52qADasEN

Toronto’s DJ Agile is a multi-award winning producer and artist with a style as diverse as the city he represents. With his eclectic mix of Hip-Hop, Soul, Afrobeats, House, Rock, Pop and Nu Soul, Agile has become a staple in the Toronto music scene. The 5x Juno Award & MuchMusic Video Award nominee, has worked alongside power players such as NaS, Method Man, Melanie Fiona, Dwele, Kardinal Offishall, and more. DJ Agile just released a new single titled “Conversation” featuring JRDN – an upbeat hip hop track bringing in elements of pop, R&B, and neo soul. Agile can skillfully hold down any party. As soon as he hits the 1’s and 2’s you are instantly taken on a musical journey from hip-‐hop, r&b, nu soul, top 40, to house, rock and reggae. His corporate clients include Apple Canada, Nike and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). He is on his way to becoming the official DJ for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they have booked him 2nd year in a row for their “Rivalry Series”. Agile was also the official DJ for the 2008 Major League Soccer All-Star Game Pre Show and Halftime DJ featuring international recording artist Estelle. Watch his new video, here: https://youtu.be/KsMYBmSzivc

Cozmic’s latest single is “Rise For You.” The track blends indie-rock, folk-pop, emo-inspired lyrics, rhythmic vocals mixed with sensually emotive singing, and trap beats. This is a banger of gratitude bursting with goose-bump inducing hooks. The song is pure spiritual uplift with a broadly resonate lyrics that can evoke intense feelings of devotion. Cozmic’s vocals are dynamic and tender, recalling NoMBe’s smooth and reflective indie-pop musicality. Cozmic’s latest single is “Rise For You.” The track blends indie-rock, folk-pop, emo-inspired lyrics, rhythmic vocals mixed with sensually emotive singing, and trap beats. This is a banger of gratitude bursting with goose-bump inducing hooks. The song is pure spiritual uplift with a broadly resonate lyrics that can evoke intense feelings of devotion. Cozmic’s vocals are dynamic and tender, recalling NoMBe’s smooth and reflective indie-pop musicality. Today, Cozmic is brimming with ideas and he is spiritually unstoppable. He says: “This is all truly a journey for me, and it’s not about fame. This life is about making music to feed my soul and sharing that no matter what.” Listen to "Rise For You" On Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/3LFAzLNkxndYDjBTYjd8lV?si=NWzDXlRHQtij53NjEnd7zQ

After many years of playing in various original and cover bands, Chilean musician, Mauricio Flores Sánchez, is bringing his long standing musical expertise to the forefront through his solo project Purple Tone Flower. Following his slow and soulful debut release “I Wanna Make It,” Purple Tone Flower’s latest single “We Will Fight for Us” is an exciting new track filled to the brim with funky grooves. Mauricio juggles many roles: not only is he an architect, husband, father, and musician, but he is now handling almost every aspect of Purple Tone Flower’s production. From songwriting and composing, to recording much of the instrumentation and vocals, Mauricio is taking full ownership of his project from his own home studio. His demonstrated love for creating music shines through in “We will Fight for Us” in the form of a rocking guitar solo and his sultry vocal work. The tune catches the listener’s ear right from the start with a bright guitar hook, then quickly builds energy upon introduction of a percussive bass line that perfectly complements the driving drum beat. The chorus is intensely catchy, and the energetic brass additions emphasize just how utterly groovy Purple Tone Flower’s latest release is. The full EP is set to drop in August 2020, so keep an eye out for even more of Mauricio’s lively take on pop-funk. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/0b0bokYzqRXbopi3vYRfGj?si=V0ITKxkOS_axs0IjlgyNFw Follow Purple Tone Flower: https://purpletoneflower.com/bio https://twitter.com/purpletoneflowr https://www.instagram.com/purpletoneflowr/ https://www.facebook.com/purpletoneflowr

Amelia's Dream, a New York City-based duo consisting of singer/songwriter Amelia Gewirtz and musician/producer/songwriter Harold Stephan, has just released a new track entitled “Hero.” The song shows support for first responders, the heroes of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The intro of “Hero” is haunting - Amelia’s voice lifts and falls gently alongside a solo piano accompaniment as she sings of the “blue times” that the world is stuck in. As string instruments are slowly introduced to the track, the piece begins to crescendo, reaching an emotional peak as the key shifts into a drum backed interlude. Amelia cries to the listener, “Who’s going to make sure there’s a tomorrow… inside of me, is there a hero? I don’t know…” These wrenching lyrics, in combination with the beautiful composition of the strings, encapsulates so well the feelings surrounding the current moment the world is living through. Though there is uncertainty, there is still hope — in this case, the hope in question takes form through the resilience and determination of first responders and healthcare workers. Released on YouTube, the song is set to a montage of NYC healthcare workers and scenes of a hauntingly empty city, perfectly underscoring the message and sentiment of the song. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAMFFG51Um8&feature=youtu.be Follow Amelia's Dream: https://www.ameliasdream.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ameliasdreamofficial/ https://www.facebook.com/AmeliasDream/ https://twitter.com/ameliasdream

Donny Anderson is a singer/songwriter from Toronto, ON who is known for his heartfelt lyrics, instantly recognizable voice and big stage presence. As an artist and songwriter, Donny has worked with/written for many major label artists, Canadian Idols, and has had several major television and movie placements. His songwriting and artistry has amassed Billboard attention, a European #1, a Canadian top 10 single, West Jet in-flight entertainment placements and international touring. Donny has been working with many heavyweight songwriters and producers for his debut album coming in 2021. Donny’s first single of the year, “Lovin’ You,” features the legendary singer, Divine Brown, and is supported by the Songwriter’s Association of Canada. Listen and watch, here: https://youtu.be/rO1PBlKN2xc

Beatrice Betley is an acclaimed vocalist, producer, songwriter and composer, whose roots originated in Hamburg, Germany. Her new single and video for “Sunshine,” is a standout piece which you can dive into below. The Summery song brings a glimmer of hope for the current times, as Beatrice crafts a vibrant sound like no other. Throughout her musical travels, her love of the craft started at an early age. Singing basically before she could even walk, Beatrice learned to play the guitar, recorder, and recently the piano to add to her repertoire. Her music spans genres as she blends elements of Jazz, 80s pop, EDM, Argentinian Folk and dashes of Flamenco and Fado. Discover Beatrice, here: https://youtu.be/cqVHlKKwDV8

WAYLEY, the Folk/Pop alter-ego of Americana artist Andrew Sherriff was brought to life in 2018 through a quest for creative freedom. Most known for his work and success in the Indie/Folk duo, ‘Andrew & Veda’, Sherriff has always had a passion for staying true to a genre while pushing musical boundaries. With a firm belief that you should listen to all of your creative voices, Sherriff felt the need to begin exploring the catchy lyrics and unforgettable melodic hooks of the Folk/Pop realm starting with his first single as WAYLEY, "What's It Gonna Take," which combines anthem-style lyrics and large band sounds. Listen via Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/wayleymusic/whats-it-gonna-take/s-kqqedA99YzP

Anna Klein is a Toronto based singer-songwriter, producer, and performer. Since first writing music as an impressionable pre-teen, she has developed an ever evolving sense of musicality that has shaped her sound into what it is now. In recent years, Klein’s passion for both writing and production have amalgamated. Thanks to her acoustic roots, she is best known for her consistently emotive performances. After discovering an interest in electronic music, Klein started putting more focus on the sound of the instruments in order to create that same emotion. This concept led to her first full length album, These Days (2018), and is constantly influencing the way she produces her music today. Anna just released a new single, "Lonely" - a punchy dream-pop track with an ambient sheen and moody vocals. Listen to the song via Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/annaklein-2/anna-klein-lonely

Born in Toronto, Mike Ruby moved to NY at 18 to pursue a career as a jazz musician, then signed to a subsidiary of Universal Music. After a breakup in college, he picked up a guitar and fell in love with writing songs. Then Mike began playing with synth-pop band St Lucia and while opening for Ellie Goulding realized he wanted to be a pop frontman. His first release in the summer of 2019 broke top 40 radio in Canada, and his original music now has over one million streams. Mike's newest single, "Unapologetic," is an upbeat, pulsing electro-pop track featuring layered saxophone in the chorus. The visual mirrors the lyrics about "that badass that everyone knows - you either want to be them, or be with them." Listen to and Watch Mike's New Single here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0pg1fgFn54

For all of love’s agonies, Calgary soul-roots singer-songwriter Jess Knights isn’t sulking over old wounds. On her debut full-length, Best Kind of Light, due out on June 19, 2020 (postponed date due to COVID-19), Knights comes out on the other side of love and loss without all the bitterness, and a sense of self-assuredness and feminine confidence. “Baby Won’t You Stay,” the first single taken from the forthcoming album, was written on Eleuthera, an Island in the Bahamas that translates to a feminine version of ‘free’ or ‘freedom’ in Ancient Greek. Capturing a vintage, throwback sound with a contemporary twist of dirty blazing guitar riffs, “Baby Won’t You Stay” is the feeling of not wanting a great night to end so that you can enjoy the company of someone who tickles your fancy just a little longer. Listen to the song here: https://soundcloud.com/jessbegoodknights/06-baby-wont-you-stay/s-M0jEh?in=jessbegoodknights/sets/best-kind-of-light/s-MNYgn

Blurring the lines between rock’n’roll and message-driven soul, the Amanda Broadway Band blends funky backbeats with bluesy guitar riffs and powerful songwriting. Based in Nashville, TN, the hair-flipping, tambourine-wielding Broadway captivates audiences with her authentic musical voice and soul-shouting enthusiasm. Grounded by a superb rhythm section, compelling background vocalists, and dynamic horn players, the band brings earnest and infectious energy to every performance. Their debut LP, The Ache, was released on CD, Vinyl, and digital platforms on February 28th, 2020. Recorded over three days at Nashville’s famed analog studio, Welcome To 1979, the record captures the energy of the live band on ten original compositions. “This project is a collaborative and self-produced effort where each member’s voice shines through,” mentions Broadway. The result is music meant for the masses—a stellar and creative endeavor that deserves to be heard on festival stages. The first singles, “No More Giving It Away,” and “Leave Your Light On,” have garnered radio play on several local Nashville stations including Lightning 100, WMOT Roots Radio, and Acme Radio. To celebrate the album release, ABB co-headlined a show with fellow local artist, Kyshona, at The Analog at Hutton Hotel on February 26th. After spending years working as a vocalist in Nashville, Amanda Broadway is excited to serve as the driving force behind this original project. Frequently called upon for sessions and performances, she has worked with artists including LaLa Brooks of The Crystals, CeCe Peniston, Skid Row, Charles “Wigg” Walker, and Nashville locals Elizabeth Cook, Alanna Royale and The Music City Toppers. She has been featured in American Songwriter, won an Independent Music Award for Best Blues Song, and previously released a series of singles entitled The Sanctuary Sessions. Broadway and additional members of the band have toured the world and performed at legendary venues including Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Bridgestone Arena, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Red Rocks Amphitheater, and the Hollywood Bowl. They’ve worked alongside artists including Zac Brown Band, STS9, Phish, Josh Gracin, and Charlie Worsham, among others. Connect online: Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandabroadwayband Instagram: www.instagram.com/amandabroadwayband Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0G1HNBivs8tBdcqZgBFFfE?si=-_GXDmbTS2-J6ODWEG0GOg iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-ache/1496872488 Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/amandabroadwayband Website: www.amandabroadwayband.com

Cayley Thomas is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta who you need to know now. Her natural affinity for constructing catchy melodies reveals her striking vocal range and character which is evident in her new record "How Else Can I Tell You?". Under a delirious guise of simplicity, she weaves sensitive eccentricities and cathartic declarations into her own brand of unique, knowledgeable pop. Cayley’s new album How Else Can I Tell You? is a collection of songs that reflect upon a period of subconscious overwhelm and the subsequent shift into conscious thought and awareness. Recorded between Edmonton and Toronto, the album deliberately combines Hi-Fi studio production and Lo-Fi living room charm. How Else Can I Tell You? is fresh enough for modern indie rock ears to find familiar, with spells of synth and its modern production, all the while drawing on the fuzzy raw warmth of our favorite sounds from mid-century rock and soul. Cayley's new video for "Two Minds" is also out now: https://youtu.be/hoY439zPUpc

Abby J Hall is a Canadian singer/songwriter from Burlington, Ontario. She started songwriting when she was 11 and has been passionate about it ever since. She has been in the studio over the past year and is gearing up to release new music over the next few months. Abby recently released a new single and video titled "Little Things". The track is an uplifting song about love and appreciating the little moments in life we often take for granted. It's been paired with a fun, quirky visual to go along with it. Listen and Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACi-vzk05VA&feature=youtu.be

Starpainter exists in the carved out spaces between rock, country, and pop. Their upcoming debut record is representative of a modern era of alt-country: a two-step here, a ballad there, a radio-worthy chorus in between. On this release, they have constructed a narrative of beauty, love, fear, and loss without seeming either too sweet or sorrowful.The band recently released new single "Wild Azaleas" - a rhythmic roots-rock track with twangy guitars and nostalgic melodies. Our ears are in LOVE! Give a listen here: https://soundcloud.com/user-993196554/wild-azaleas/s-9Vhib

at Cardinal, Jeff Dick, Mike Nash, Doc deGroot, and Jay Der formed The Prairie States in 2017 and immediately started writing songs for their full length album, Lost In The Right Direction. Independently released in June 2018, it was nominated for the ACMA Album Of The Year and included three radio singles, which all broke the top 100 Mediabase Canadian Country Chart. Their current single, “Low Life,” is a bumpin’ tongue-in-cheek song about how the high life is no life for them. It’s all about finding joy in the simplest of things. To accompany the release of the song, The Prairie States teamed up with a local Edmonton business, Sea Change Brewing Co, to create a custom “Low Life” branded beer to accompany the song. Listen up here! https://soundcloud.com/theprairiestates/sets/low-life-auteur-private-link/s-DLYeWfZTUuH