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David Helpling is a California-based musician, guitarist and keyboardist, recording artist and film score composer specializing in ambient music and electronic music. He sonically embraces listeners with his signature guitar sounds and textures, crafted synthesizers, powerful percussive pulses and rich multi-dimensional recordings. His production company is named DHM Music Design.

His new album IN started as a collection of new musical phrases and ideas that were kept together in hopes of becoming his third release. He had just released his second album, which is titled Sleeping on The Edge of The World. He muses, "Before I fully produced any of these ideas I began working with Jon Jenkins… 3 records and 7 years after that our epic trilogy was complete. It took another 8 years after that for me to create and build many of my original concepts and several new ones into what I felt was something special, powerful and my best work. Once I had everything close to what I felt was amazing I sent the entire project to the record label, Spotted Peccary Music."

Howard Givens responded with enthusiasm, but he knew that Helpling could make each piece truly special with some extra attention and the priceless presence of a new set of ears. They worked side by side to produce and mix the Sleeping album, and Helpling realized that moment was a perfect time for the duo to begin to plan to work together on a new project. All these years later, with Howard as co-producer, they took the entire double album from great to amazing. "I cannot describe in words what it felt like when the last track had a final mix," beams Helpling.

Imagine the vast universe as seen through a microscope, represented by symphonic cinematic electronica, through the electric guitar and keyboards, sometimes with transcendent ethereal vocals. This is the sound of unlocking the mysteries of dark waters, creation myths, and revealing things moving across the bright sky, bringing listeners the discovery of unusual and unexpected phenomena. Helpling brings his unmistakable style and dense sound sculptures to a deeper, more powerful and cinematic level.

Before Helpling released his trilogy of epic ambient collaborations with Jon Jenkins, before his shimmering guitar records A Sea Without Memory and RUNE — he had an idea that would evolve to become IN. It was inspired by the tiniest of places, when one square inch of forest holds a world of color and life, when a shard of lichen is a monument, a twig a skyscraper, an arm’s length a universe. What would that SOUND like? Helpling is an artist with a great sense of wonder, and IN captures the exploration of that magic space, as well as inspiring deep listening and introspection about ourselves.

Helpling embraced collaborations for IN, and wielded an impressive array of instrumentation, studio gear and synth on the album, including ambient guitars, the Sequential Prophet 6 Analog Synthesizer and the Waldorf Iridium Digital Polyphonic Synthesizer, and a 1981 Yamaha CP70 Electric Grand Piano, which summons a classic yet fresh organic sound. Matthew Schoening’s electric cello enchants on the track “You Already Are.” Famed Adiemus vocalist Miriam Stockley lends her rich, ethereal vocalizations to “Slipping” and “I Too Am Coming Home,” and multi-instrumentalist Benjy Wertheimer plays the Esraj, an expressive bowed instrument from India on “The Bliss You've Always Carried.” Vocalist Nidhi Bhatmuley gives a soaring performance on the post-rock flavored “This Burning Sky,” an emotional epic that evokes Hans Zimmer’s work with Lisa Gerrard. Through these significant contributions, Helpling has realized a macro-focus on his contemplation of life.

“A lot of attention was paid to detail, mixing and mastering the highly emotive music,” observes Bert Strolenberg of Sonic Immersion. In the New Age Music Guide, BT Fasmer adds that “IN is an exploration of that magic space: an expanse of delicate subtlety and minuscule vibrancy that suggests a poignancy of existence itself,” and a music review in The BEING Blog notes "Cosmic energy is at play. Helpling seems to be communicating with worlds far beyond ours."

Co-producer Howard Givens worked closely with Helpling to explore the hidden nuances of this album and elevate each piece to its final form. Portland fine art photographer Brandt Campbell captured IN’s micro-world in breathtaking macrophotography. Spotted Peccary’s creative guru, Daniel Pipitone, crafted vibrant collectible art, graphics, and packaging.

The visuals call for stunning music videos, and Helpling says he has at least three planned for the rollout. Johno Wells directed the first single's video, "Waves Dream of Breaking," and Helpling released an enigmatic teaser for "This Burning Sky." Spotted Peccary's official album video (below) shares music clips and a preview of the physical CD.

On March 16, Ambient Zone held a Sessions Video Release Party, an 55-minute interview with Helpling discussing the project, which can be heard at https://www.mixcloud.com/ambientzone/sessions-002-interview-with-david-helpling/

"I envisioned sounds and textures that I hadn’t created yet and I was determined to make each piece on the record a stunning work of art that could stand on its own. With such lofty goals, there were many periods of feeling rather defeated when things didn’t turn out as I had envisioned or I struggled to create all of the music that a piece was asking for." Helpling continues, "So, this giant double album was abandoned more than once as I felt so overwhelmed and broken down from the process. Every time I stepped away from it I came back with new energy and hope to get back to completing each piece and to achieve my own high standards."

IN was born from finding wonder in the tiniest of places, nature wrought in new colors. Places where a macro world of beauty surrounds, and micro budding plants and spores are towering colorful structures of a seemingly alien world; the greens and blues of tree and sky replaced by microbial fuchsia, garnished with luminescent folded violets. IN celebrates this notion in a deeply emotional and explosively powerful display in musical form and vibrational intensity as to bring awareness to the self in every listener, the unshakeable notion that going inward within the self is where endless magic, healing and inspiration is nurtured. Self love is more than confidence in one's own integrity, but an embracing of the blindingly bright initial spark that makes the entirety of one's own consciousness. And in doing so, loving that pure, kind and powerful “I am” that eternally burns brighter than any pain, loss or sadness of the human experience can mask. It has always been there and will never be extinguished.

From the first track, "Waves Dream of Breaking" (7:32), we are a gull, soaring wheeling and gliding over an endless ocean, sensing the shore and the sky, with amethyst, emerald and sapphire shades emerging as we soar above the realms of the sea.

Nidhi Bhatmuley has the power to elevate consciousness to the level of the divine, interacting and interlacing with the instrumental modalities which complement one another. Helpling's nimble fingers dance on guitar and piano, starting with gentle ethereal vocals and percussive sensations, enveloped in flames, only to be reborn anew, then breaks into a dive, soaring freely and then plunging upwards, the sun is bright and high and the vocals get more energized, new textures visit and vanish. So intensely expansive and so perfectly transparent is the surface of the deep, that we might believe the reflected surrounding universe to be a huge blue liquid ball, and our little spaceship is the one solitary material speck in all creation, floating in the midst of it. Under this gaze, the sky catches on fire. Sky and water merge into a perfectly clean horizon line, "This Burning Sky" (7:20) is an expression of the natural love of life, some inward motions of joy, represents cosmic energies and communication between worlds, fingers on guitar and piano starting off, with gentle ethereal vocals and percussive textures. Our gifted vocalist brings us into high altitude to dive, and then rise again. The sun is bright and high, the vocals get more energized, new textures visit and vanish, and I shiver all over. The radiant orb clears the eastern horizon.

Helpling first worked with Nidhi Bhatmuley when he created the film score for Trade Offs, which immersed him in the music of India. Bhatmuley's wildly expressive and emotional voice brings the character in the story to life. That track originally started with a guitar phrase… Helpling remembers that lonely, tragic piano melody, the chord movements and the synth textures followed it almost immediately. "Once I started working on the drums I really felt a story was being played out that was worth exploring. So with this new story in mind, I set out to create all of the different acts through music… almost like scoring a film that didn’t exist. I knew right away that this story’s one character needed a voice and Nidhi Bhatmuley was the only one I wanted to play the role."

The stunning part is that this surprising beauty is true no matter where you go as you listen. A pattern has been established, cycling melodies break open and gain more altitude, sparkling full orchestral strings sweep over us. My ears part liquid curtains that close again behind me, and my shadow fades swiftly under the water.

We soar ever onward, and these vast plains of sand seem endless. Full orchestral strings sweep over us, a melodic pattern is established, a sparkling and cycling melody breaks open and gains more altitude in "Only What's Been Taken" (6:26). The tiniest sounds are transmitted with a speed to which the ear is unaccustomed; I am always struck by the echo and reverb effects unique to this medium. This sensation is difficult to understand for anyone who has never heard sonic color so sharply defined, the sound of small, thin, white clouds with ragged edges, tinted with fine shades of ultramarine; then, off in the distance, it turns darker blue and fades in the midst of a hazy darkness. Above me, I can sense the calm surface of the ocean.

"Here All Along" (6:24), is denser than the atmosphere on land and almost as transparent, the guitar establishes a pattern, warm electronics build, electric guitar and keyboard scatters on high. Imagine the clouds colored in bright, wonderfully shaded hues, and that vision then slowly fades. Who else but guitarist David Helpling could portray the effects of this light through these translucent sheets of water, the subtlety of its progressive shadings into the ocean's upper and lower strata all the way into the infinite sky?

Melodic spinning bells are struck in a pattern, the guitar joins in, later electronic strings and interesting textures layer or just visit and vanish. Its variety is infinite. "Still As Stone" (6:12) brings sparkling and spinning melodic small bells or chimes, the guitar joins in, later strings and interesting textures layer until the music hits an open spot where things quiet down. There is no empty stillness, there is constant motion and metamorphosis, there is building density and then release returning to the bells and the patterns build and layer all over again.

And you thought rocks had boring existences. There is no empty stillness, actually there is constant motion and metamorphosis, there is building density and then release, returning to the bells and the patterns build and layer all over again.

On the sixth track, Benjy Wertheimer plays the Esraj, which belongs to the chordophones family of stringed instruments. This bowed sonic vehicle is usually heard only in the eastern and central regions of India. It is played upright like a cello with a bow. "The Bliss You've Always Carried" (8:00) is a call and response in the ocean of bliss, fingers on electric guitar strings make patterns, which take form, melodic rainbows weave around the bowed instrument, sounding at times much like a vocal glissando. Midway, a percussive shaker establishes itself. The solar rays easily cross this aqueous mass and disperse its dark colors. Somewhere around midway a percussive shaker establishes itself; planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets all seem to emerge through this magnificent and glorious universe bringing peace and pleasure to all who hear. This dazzling carpet is a vibrant mirror, throwing back the sun's rays with startling intensity. The outcome is an immense vista of reflections that penetrate every liquid molecule.

Multi-instrumentalist Wertheimer is equally accomplished on tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar and keyboards. Helpling had only met Wertheimer through a friend a year or two before completing IN and fell in love with his vibe and artistry immediately. Wertheimer brought the sultry, seductive sound of the Esraj, an Indian bowed instrument, to this piece, which was composed just for his instrument to be featured in.

Miriam Stockley adds exquisite, haunting, ethereal vocals to the next track, absorbing every color of the prism of the sea, except its blue rays, reflecting the latter in every direction and supporting a wonderful indigo tint. "Slipping" (8:00) takes place in a huge open area, decorated with free fall electronica that is rescued by a pattern that comes along, tambourines shake and change happens, the density opens up then returns to the vocal colors. During this crossing, the sonic palette continually lavishes us with the most marvelous sights, intangible and authentic, carried with perfect distinctness in the midst of the floating electronica, starting from a distant point to cross through a huge open area, embraced by a pattern that comes along. Change happens, the density opens up then returns with the vocal colors.

Helpling glowingly reflects, "I reached out to Miriam Stockley in the mid ‘90s as a super fan (even more so now), but didn’t truly connect with her until Jon Jenkins and I were finishing the last record in the trilogy." Stockley has a distinctive solo voice that has graced several film and TV soundtracks including Lord of the Rings. "I had been talking with her on social media and asked her to sing on the title track and what she brought to the piece just brought tears to my eyes." Miriam brought her unmistakable soul-melting voice and techniques to “Slipping” with more sensuality and passion than I can express. She also plays an ethereal role as the shimmering choir and solo voice in the final piece on the album “I Too, Am Coming Home."

Heavy clouds pass above us, an icy studio sound forms and fades, modulated by the changing densities of the long oceanic swells, and breaking crests proliferating over the surface of the water. What creatures inhabit, or could inhabit, these regions?

Sometimes giving off a phosphorescent glow, drifting between a double ultramarine of sky and water. It announces the presence of a pack, or shoal, of ice. "The Cold Distance Between" (5:55) features a keyboard orchestra, continuing the big open sound of the astronomical soaring over the ocean and through the open sky, rolling slowly as the music sweeps along. Mists are rising from the cold surface of the water. The outlines of the continents allow the seas to be divided into five major parts: the frozen Arctic and Antarctic oceans, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. To me this track evokes a frozen sea that opens up a new world of possibilities, now the travelers of time reach a summit of this half-crystal, half-meteor vessel, continuing the open icy studio sound, soaring over oceanscapes and rolling slowly as the music steps along.

Matthew Schoening's electric cello vibrates resonantly, it glides through the watery mass, tension builds and the vista expands. "You Already Are" (6:42) leaves us marveling at these beauties of sea and sky, after emerging like a flying fish, and falling back into the sea, making the glittering waves leap to prodigious heights. Matthew Schoening provides a warm safe blanket of inspirational and healing sound, reflective, refractive, and translucent, it saturates the air and gives such rays the appearance of luminous celestial objects and phenomena, all of which give way to vast spaces of deep and mystifying ambience. Tension builds, the vista expands.

Schoening creates a spiritual and illuminating sonic experience, he is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed world fusion ensemble Ancient Future. He has brought his signature Electric Cello to the epic “You Already Are,” a piece that was created specifically for him to perform on. Helpling said that "Matthew is like me, only using Cello instead of Guitar… he is so damn good and such an amazing artist."

The tenth track, or track 4 on disc 2, folds around what sounds to me like an mbira pattern, and expands into greater depth. At points the beat stops and leaves us shimmering in mid-air, the beat returns and the symphonic patterns build further, perhaps a piano replaces the mbira as the main instrument, "Following the Lines" (5:30). The edge of its light sweeps over the sea in an immense, highly elongated oval, condensing at the center into a blazing core whose unbearable glow, diminished by degrees outward.

Soon the glow no longer simply illuminates the water, it is liquid light, revealing the movements and the beauty of their forms, aerial arcing focus, bells and keyboards that build a melody that stops and starts, builds and releases, alive and at large, I couldn't help seeing the actual shadows of large birds passing overhead, swiftly skimming the surface of the sea. "Bending Towards the Night" (8:21) has a shimmering opening, featuring a high altitude electric guitar in an aerial arcing focus, with bells and keyboards that stop and start, they build and release silver synth zephyr bursts in sequencing lights, the track builds itself out deconstructs and in the end lingers as an endless reverberation.

What an indescribable sight, and what a variety of settings and scenery where these reefs and volcanic islands seem to dance "In Waves of Fire" (5:49). There, in natural wonder, the watery mass offers some thrilling and dreadful scenes to my ears. There is lots of motion, cymbals splash, bells chime and keyboards shuffle, beats stratify, the cycle builds and then explodes and soars into a wider, higher atmosphere.

A hierarchical structure of matter begins to form from minute variations in the mass density of space, and then brings supernova explosions, gamma ray bursts, quasars, pulsars, and cosmic luminous radiation. A keyboard, a shuffle beat, layers pull in more matter, and organize into groups and clusters of galaxies, then into larger-scale superclusters. There is lots of motion, cymbals splash and the cycle builds and then explodes and soars into a wider atmosphere.

What is the mind’s ultima Thule? What substance must be regarded as first, and therefore as the seed of the universe? What is the eternal Something, of which the temporal is but a manifestation? I imagine that it is the concept of home. The climax track, "I Too Am Coming Home" (6:44), Miriam Stockley provides refreshing reassurance, strength, affirmation, prayers, supernatural portents, angels, and in the end, the mists are dispersed under the action of the sun's rays.

Layers of clouds cloak the sky and leave only a few stars in view. Like the flocks of old Proteus, King Neptune's shepherd, herds graze, bigger and faster than any whales and without fear on the ocean's submerged immense prairies. The entire sky, although lit up by stellar radiation, seems pitch-black in comparison with the whiteness of these waters. As far as the ear can see, the ocean seems universal.

The ocean depths still remain a largely unexplored part of the planet, and form a relatively undiscovered domain. Sonic exploration is about making discoveries, searching for things that are unusual and unexpected, and there is nothing quite like flight: the freedom, the solitude, the beauty. And with the right wind, you can become one with the sky. At our feet: dazzling tracts of silver and white. Over our heads: a pale azure, clear of mists. The uneven surface of the ocean is due to localized gravity effects from mountains and valleys along the depths.

The deepest parts of the ocean are essentially unknown to us. What goes on in those distant depths? Above, the sun shines fiercely in the sky, a ball of fire blazing, invoked by strong studio craft and a superhuman focus on technical precision. This magnificent radiance comes from some force with a great illuminating capacity. In the midst of this placid natural setting, sky and ocean compete with each other in force and tranquility, the sea offers the orb of night the loveliest mirror ever to reflect its image. The listening experience is about making discoveries, searching for things that are unusual and unexpected. Exploration is key to increasing our appreciation of the world of sound.

As I have observed once before, during the release of his previous album Rune, chasing the Ambient Guitar dream is a big one, and Helpling absolutely loves working with synthesizers and samplers. Ancient scholars were forever trying to describe the world, and they came up with their own explanations for why. IN is magnificent and direct, a close up observation, forever unlocking the mysteries where the wonder and excitement of exploration comes from. There is so much love in this music, we trust Helpling to take us to previously unencountered places, some are microscopic and within us, many of them are in deep space, some are under the sea; we venture with him to explore some places in unknown and extraordinary zones or regions of a universe previously hidden, where sometimes dwell huge slow curious creatures no human has ever seen, answering the calls of gigantic celestial whales, and places where shimmering colors progress through rainbows of delight for the ears. You will be rewarded by the wonders emanating from this kaleidoscopic sonic hall of mirrors, IN.

As an accomplished and highly sought after composer of music scores for film, David Helpling is continually honing his compositional skills. “Creating music for film and video projects is wonderful and rewarding…but it also has its limitations. I think the emotional writing and technical experience of scoring certainly gets me closer to the core of what is important in my own music.” As a young teen, David Helpling pushed himself to learn guitar – experimenting with various effects and signal processors to create illusions with sound. Together with his passion for synthesizers and percussion, this guitar sound became centric to a complete vision and musical style that expresses sonic moods with a definite soundtrack feel. “Music is always in my head. That’s how I write. I’m always dreaming.”

My last question, as I gather my quickened thoughts about the Brobdignagian music I have just encountered, "Next?" To which Helpling replies, "I want to make an entire record using only the female voice… multidimensional, special processing and powerfully emotional."

IN
Spotted Peccary Music
https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/in/


TRACKS
DISC 1
1 Waves Dream of Breaking
2 This Burning Sky
3 Only What's Been Taken
4 Here All Along
5 Still As Stone
6 The Bliss You've Always Carried
DISC 2
1 Slipping
2 The Cold Distance Between
3 You Already Are
4 Following the Lines
5 Bending Towards the Night
6 In Waves of Fire
7 I Too Am Coming Home


Links:
Artist Website & Social Links: https://davidhelpling.com/
IN Smartlink: https://orcd.co/helpling-in
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/07E8fEXel4D6n9CxV2kF7G?si=o1qcUeozSge6WU-L3IgANw
Spotted Peccary Album Page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/in/
Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/

Hailing from the coastal strawberry fields of Camarillo, California at the edge of Los Angeles’ Santa Monica Mountains, Steven Doman is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and audio engineer with an affinity for nature.

His new EP, Our Lady Of The High Appalachian Mountains, drew inspiration from the process of moving from California to Québec in 2016 and the moods that followed.

Focus track, “Follow The Ripples,” is a gentle piano-led pop song, written for the film En Eclaireuses by Constance Chaput-Raby, a documentary about a group of girl scouts adventuring in the forest of Estrie, Québec.

Listen to “Follow The Ripples” here: https://stevendoman.bandcamp.com/track/follow-the-ripples-2

Further options here: https://stevendoman.lnk.tt/OLOTHAMEM

“Tulip’s head above the breeze, pendulum in the wind.” Psychedelic and warm, “Follow The Ripples” features lyrical contributions from Doman’s partner, multi-disciplinary artist Grace Singh.

The new song from OurGlassZoo was inspired by the singer's (Josias Tschanz) experience working on the Eastside of Vancouver through a volunteer organization. It deals with the misconception of homelessness in the city through the eyes of a close friend that was lost.

Vancouver is a place of two minds: on one hand, it is wealthy, shining and beautiful - constantly growing. On the other hand poverty, addiction and hardship abound.

The poignant emotional sounds of horns mixed with the presence of guitar layers add to the melancholic/poetic concept of the song. The band wanted to create an anthem for anyone who might be adrift. ‘Here’ is the voice that reminds you that you are not alone and that there is someone that will listen and reach out their hand when you need it the most.

Listen to the song: https://youtu.be/2C10RdLKlL8

“Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing is the new album by Eli Lev and is inspired by the entire range of emotions that we all went through as the world around us changed overnight. We reimagined what our lives could be like and how we connect with each other as human beings over two years of a pandemic and that is what this album encircles. The writing process was fraught with isolation and yearning for creativity and connection, but also each song a miracle in the fact that it even came to existence during a lockdown. Virtual sessions, remote jam sessions, online collaborations, and masked recording time in the studio came to fruition in these five singles. I wanted to convey a message of humanity and hope, that anything and everything is possible no matter the odds, and that it is up to us to create our communities in our own image of strength and positivity.”

Rising singer-songwriter and global citizen Eli Lev is making the world a smaller place, one song at a time. Eli pens lyrics and melodies for everyday enlightenment—songs that resonate because they’re heartfelt, earthy, and offer the wisdom he’s gained through lifelong travel and self-discovery.
Prior to becoming a full time musician, the Silver Spring, MD native spent three years as an 8th grade English teacher on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona. The indigenous traditions he learned during this time are the inspiration for his Four Directions project. Just as each cardinal direction holds unique characteristics in the Navajo tradition, so do each of the albums in Eli’s ‘Four Directions Project.’ Together, the series imaginatively and intrepidly connects spheres and generations within a body of work that is irresistibly uplifting, emotionally resonant, and down-to-earth authentic.

Eli explains, “We are surrounded by four directions, and each has distinctive attributes, powers, and teachings according to Navajo traditions. For example, because the sun rises in the east, it is the first direction and source of new ideas and inspiration.

The northern direction in Navajo belief is that of the black night, of reflection, of quietude, of completion, and the stage where we get the highest amount of understanding from events and actions. From growing up in Maryland, studying in Indiana, being a teacher in Arizona, living abroad in Israel and Andorra, and finally coming back home to Maryland and becoming a full-time independent musician- has offered experience to create to the fullest of his ability. “I felt it important to follow the order and the characteristics of the four directions belief system as it holds deep wisdom and kept me on track and guided me through the entire project.”

Eli is releasing single “Singing Along for the First Time” along with his Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing album and we cannot wait! The single is a folk bluegrass wonderland that holds his voice majestically as it creeps through the highs and lows and harmonies of this beautiful serenade.

Eli’s releases have earned critical praise from Paste Magazine, Buzzfeed, CBS Radio, AXS, and The Bluegrass Situation, and have received national folk radio support and placement on prominent Spotify playlists. In 2019, Eli Lev won multiple industry awards for his work: his second album Way Out West won a Washington Area Music Award (WAMMIE) for best Country/Americana album, while his single “Chasing Daylight” won a grand prize in the SAW Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Competition.

Listen to "Singing Along for the First Time" and 'Walk.Talk.Dance.Sing.' here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/04C9ht4TxYXA9FcSBUuJcx?si=QcWdnwTyTkeMiJafDinnxA

Alex Exists is the new solo project of Alex Pulec, frontman of The Nursery (awarded Best Independent Rock/Pop Band in Canada at Indie88’s 2018 Indie Awards).

His first release is a cover of the David Essex song, “Rock On,” for a multi-artist cover album, Coverama. Alex’s version is a hypnotic and sultry interpretation that incorporates rhythmic breathing, pizzicato strings, ragtime pianos, toy drums and more… which challenges the question, “What is rock ‘n roll really supposed to be?”

“If I was going to do a rendition of a golden age rock and roll classic, I knew I had to launch it into orbit with an unexpected modern twist,” said Alex. “I was inspired by this idea that if aliens came to earth, years after rock and roll had died, found this record, fell in love with it, took it back to their planet and started making their own interpretations of it, how might it sound?”

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/E-NIoorV0ps

The elevating new single from Regina rockers, Dead Levee, “Nothing Good Comes Easy” is a redemption rock song about overcoming any and all obstacles that may come between you and your dream. Recorded on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, British Columbia with legendary producer, Garth Richardson, at The Farm Studios, this song brings nature and rock n roll together in perfect harmony.

The band was inspired to write this song when they were driving by the ocean on Sunshine Coast, BC in their 1989 Ford Econoline, and realized that this song they had been writing for the past 2 years was missing a perfect hook to tie everything together. “Nothing Good Comes Easy” is a reminder that in order to see the best views or experiences, you have to keep pushing ahead through the peaks and valleys of life.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwvgXYtHfio

Michael Gutierrez-May's single ¨Drifting to the Right¨ comes from his new album of the same title. US singer-songwriter Gutierrez-May has been writing music since he was 16 and promoted many shows in the 80s, but then took an almost 25 year break before returning to release new material in 2009. His passion for music and for writing continues on to today.

The song is a beautifully crafted acoustic song inspired by a friend of Gutierrez-May who commented he was ¨drifting to the right¨ after talking with him.

“This was inspired by something the same friend said after talking to someone he knew in high school and after talking to him, commenting that he was drifting to the right. This is something I have also seen with older people closing their hearts and wanting to shut out the new, emerging America, younger, more multi-racial, more diverse in lifestyle. I feel those of us who are older need to embrace these changes and the continuation of the spirit of egalitarianism and democracy into the future.”

This thoughtful and empathetic song is strong in the tradition of American folk and country music, with its characteristic guitar strums and vocals. The listener is intrigued to hear more and, as the song develops, there are more elements like the haunting backing vocals and piano.

Today, Gutierrez-May calls himself “Social Worker by Vocation, writer and musician by Avocation”. Influences include Paul Simon, Stevie Winwood and Bruce Springsteen. Comparisons have been made to other artists such as Jeffrey Lewis, Paul Simon and Phil Ochs.

Listen to more stories on Gutierrez-May´s forthcoming album “Drifting to the Right”. The album was created with a group of eleven other musicians, produced by Stephen B. Martin and engineer Joe Clapp at Ultrasound Productions.

Stay current with Gutierrez-May:
Website: http://www.mgutierrezmay.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgutierrezmay/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mgtzmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeGyz

Listen to "Drifting to the Right" via:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2zh2OhgBSuMrqlu6ZkDwlw
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/michael-gutierrez-may
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lWn5wGBi-FBGi-PdBTmAkIf7hMNsJATtE

Dear friends, colleagues, musicians and music lovers,I want to thank you all, to inspire me with your great appreciation. A song that I recorded many years ago became one of your favorites! 'Yis Ku Khimetn Chim Gidi', the folk-rock cover of a love ballad by XVIII c. bard Sayat-Nova, was and is in the Top 40 for many consecutive months, so I decided to make a video of this song.
Few of you might know that the hero of the famous movie 'The Color of Pomegranates' of Sergei Parajanov is the very same Sayat-Nova- the famous Armenian bard from 18th century!
I edited a video, using magnificent visuals from this cinematic masterpiece, and also added some more frames from Polish-British producer-filmmaker Daniel Bird's installation from unused footage from 'The Color of Pomegranates'. This installation called 'Temple of Cinema' took place in Yerevan, in 2019.
Thanks again and enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxgmhbAXFj8

Ps.I am often asked about the lyrics... ET VOILA!
Don’t know how precious you are,
Like a gem you are,
The one who sees you, becomes like Majnun,
In the image of Layla you are.
Sayat-Nova, 18th cc.
Յիս քու ղիմէթըն չիմ գիդի`
Ջավահիր քարի նըման իս.
Տեսնողին Մէջլում կու շինիս`
Լէյլու դիդարի նըման իս:
Սայաթ-Նովա, XVIIIդ.

Jeff Louch started his own band in 2008, Victory Chimes, after many years of playing with various Montreal rock bands.

A new album, When the Fog Rolls In, arrives on May 20th and goes down the rabbit hole of psych synth layers, sub bass drones, hypnotic hip hop drums. Inspired by solitude, lyrical colouring spans across the spectrum from the macabre to blissful fantasy, and styles stretch from narrative to stream of consciousness to absurdity.

The characters in the single “Holiday” are isolated and in search of connection online. It’s a satirical narration of two friends going on a holiday together whose situations take a turn for the worse with quite a dark but hopefully humorous ending. “I wanted to juxtapose the apocalyptic events with a light kind of ‘50s psych beach vibe,” Jeff adds.

Listen in here: https://soundcloud.com/victorychimes-743557669/sets/holiday-single-release/s-EoSKvVYUPU

Navigating life as a diasporic queer woman of colour, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Jenn Nucum's music deconstructs the complex fabric of identity with dreamy and ambient Alt Rock melodies, honest lyrics, and emotive vocals.

Her new single, “Monuments,” was inspired by Jenn’s childhood experiences that continue to echo and affect her daily life as a diasporic Filipinx person.

“This song is about being groomed to be palatable to western society, facing cultural erasure starting at a young age, and being forced to navigate oppressive colonial systems and institutions as a racialized person,” Jenn explains.

Reflecting and empowering, “Monuments” takes inspiration from post-rock. Strings and melodic guitar guide Jenn’s voice before the track bursts into catharsis.

“Blessed are the oppressed fighting a broken system,” Nucum sings, reworking and subverting The Beatitudes from the Bible, reflective of her Catholic upbringing and the Philippines' colonization by religion.

For Toronto-based Nelson Sobral, when you inject Americana with a hard-edged, urban blast of gritty midwest blues, rock'n'roll, and northern soul, the genre adopts an entirely new identity, one of overpasses, subway trains, and the grit of city streets.

On his full-length album Second Arrow (out Feb 25), Nelson’s lifelong love of country, soul and rock is woven into a sound aptly described as a torrential downpour of jubilation. The album title is “a reference to a Buddhist parable,” Sobral explains. “If someone does you harm, that’s the first arrow; but dwelling on it, that’s you causing yourself the next wave of suffering. The second arrow is the arrow that you fire upon yourself. It’s all about how you deal with things.” Listen to the full album here.

High-energy opener “Dancing Fool,” about letting go of what no longer serves you, leads the charge with its bombastic chorus, raw swagger, and virtuosic guitar playing.

Listen in here: https://soundcloud.com/nelsonsobral/nelson-sobral-01-dancing-fool/s-mrnWP1ncb3r

Tessa Balaz is multi-disciplinary artist from Sudbury, Ontario. Having played cello in the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, as well as performed in numerous musicals, Balaz has spent the better part of the last decade writing and producing original music and collaborating as a member of production teams for major artists including Daniel Caesar, Drake, The Weeknd, Migos, and Mariah Carey.

Her single, “Wisemen,” reflects on the metaphors she has found in the biblical story of the Three Wise Men as it relates to her upbringing in a religious household, which made it difficult to live as her authentic self.

There is a guttural feeling of loneliness in this haunting track, which centres around Tessa’s voice, with guitar and cello accompaniment.

“I think it was difficult for me to be who I am at my core - black, queer, bold, sensuous - because of the utter shame I always felt from this upbringing,” explains Balaz.

“I think we are always, in a way, searching for that authenticity in our lives. I’m grateful to have found it and now try to face anything that makes me fearful rather than bury it down.”


Listen in here: https://soundcloud.com/user-997928894/wisemen/s-4PB1SMI9EGn

Jeff Greinke is a musician, composer, performer, and sound sculptor who is known worldwide for his unique sound. Through a highly developed process of layering, Jeff composes and performs music rich in texture, depth, mood, and subtle detail. Using various acoustic and electronic instruments, found sounds, and extended studio techniques, Jeff sculpts soundworlds that conjure a strong sense of place, hovering somewhere between the exotic and the familiar. With numerous releases to his credit, Greinke has been an active artist for more than three decades and has composed music for film, video, dance, theater, radio, and art installations.

All of the sounds heard on Jeff Greinke's new album Noctilucent are electronic, made by keyboards with samples, forming textures and atmospheric presences. Noctilucent is a word used in meteorology to define a rare type of cloud phenomena, called night shining clouds, which occur in the upper atmosphere, higher than any other cloud. They exhibit tenuous wavy patterns, are silvery or bluish white, and are typically visible on summer nights in high latitudes.

Making music is by far Greinke's greatest passion, nature has informed and shaped this work in subtle but significant ways. He has a seemingly insatiable drive to be in the studio and work with sound. He puts a tremendous amount of care into this work, the joy of creating music brings out all the glorious colors of his beautiful range, deep blue and purple in the shadows of the peaks, green and brown where grass and rock mingle, and an endless perspective of jagged rock and pointed crags, until these are themselves lost in the distance, where the snowy peaks rise grandly over the desert gardenscape.

“This collection of works is the result of my first foray into using virtual instruments. Up until recently my studio had remained fairly static since the early, mid-90’s. I started to upgrade my gear slowly a couple of years ago, then early in 2021 began exploring plugin instruments, primarily a variety of synthesizers I obtained through Native Instruments. I found having access to several new instruments at once, with seemingly infinite capacity to manipulate sound, to be incredibly inspiring.” Greinke continues, “My process has been consistent over the years. Most of my music is made without the pressure of a deadline. This affords me the luxury of being able to just fuck around with sound, searching for sounds that interests me, honing in on that, and then layering new sounds from there until something evocative starts to take shape. I take my time, sometimes tweaking things for days or weeks even. I think I’ve gotten pretty adept at knowing whether or not a particular sketch has promise. Anything short of that gets discarded rather quickly. In that way, my success rate in completing tracks that end up on an album tends to be pretty high.”

“This album verges more toward what I consider to be ambient music than anything I’ve done in decades. My focus was on creating soundscapes rich in texture, evocative moods, and abundant three-dimensional space. Melody and more conventional timbres such as those created by traditional acoustic instruments, which had become a greater focus of mine in recent prior years, have either retreated further into the background or are absent altogether. All of the music was electronically produced. I found it refreshing and somewhat liberating to go back to exploring sounds using synthesizers to sculpt my soundworlds, with the expansive palette those instruments provide and abundant opportunity to manipulate sounds. “

The overall mood is subtle, the sound is primed for interpretation, like the clouds, with a huge vista appearing solid while being gentle. The music possesses a quite extraordinary range of different timbres and vibrates along with the air inside it. "Unrest" (4:31), a sound heard when the falling sunset threw into strange relief the ghost-like clouds which amongst the hidden mountains seem to wind ceaselessly through the valleys.

An ocean is a body of water that composes much of a planet's hydrosphere, extraterrestrial oceans may be composed of water or other elements and compounds, and there could be evidence for the existence of oceans elsewhere in the solar system. "Of the Deep Sea" (5:02) brings purring leviathans and odd toothy monsters of huge sizes. In the distance, a bell, bobbing loose on the waves, sounding sometimes nearer and sometimes farther. For the track titled "Tunnel" (5:34), sounds emerge from the dark opening ahead. The tension beats like a railroad track, and luminous spectra are frequently seen. Here inside the mountain, impulse will always tremble at the sound of the hidden and fathomless worlds of strange life which may pulsate in the gulfs.

The title track, "Noctilucent" (5:43) provides a sense of granular motion, perhaps a distant foghorn glows, conditions which will produce one sound-color round the margin of the cloud, and that color mixed with others, and so giving rise to other tints, farther in; at this specific unfolding altitude -- the texture is very complicated.

The final track, "Undercurrent" (7:16), leaves us with views of the stars, galaxies, nebulae and clusters we look at during every season of the year. The light from the tiny lamps falls on all sorts of odd forms, as the rays cross each other, the opacity of our bodies throws great shadows, and they are gorgeous.

Composers sometimes seek new timbres, and Greinke is a time wanderer. There are no markings on the night sky, though there exist many sky maps to aid stargazers in identifying constellations and other celestial objects. All of the music heard on Noctilucent was composed, arranged, recorded and produced between May and October 2021 by Jeff Greinke at Another Room, Tucson, Arizona, and was mastered by Howard Givens, to be heard by any and all intrepid listeners by way of Spotted Peccary Music.

Noctilucent is available exclusively in digital format.
https://orcd.co/noctilucent

TRACKS
1 Unrest
2 Around the Corner
3 Of the Deep Sea
4 Into the Night
5 Tunnel
6 Sinking
7 Noctilucent
8 Refractions
9 Undercurrent

NOCTILUCENT is Jeff’s fifth release on the Spotted Peccary label. His previous SPM releases include OTHER WEATHER (SPM-3702), BEFORE SUNRISE (SPM-3701), VIRGA (LSM16), and WINTER LIGHT (LSM09). Jeff’s music can also be heard on numerous compilation recordings. Enjoy his SoundQuest Fest (March 28th, 2021) performance on YouTube at https://youtu.be/qZsavlFPbxI and more at: http://www.jeffgreinke.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 165 titles and 45 artists released over 35 years of excellence at www.SpottedPeccary.com and www.AmbientElectronic.com.

Links:
Smartlink: https://orcd.co/noctilucent
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0aUDyR5GWN3KWrt2SOaRyv?si=UmAqQ9xKQuWEg_zcf276sQ
Spotted Peccary Album Page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/noctilucent/
Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spottedpeccary/

“Some Times” by Brittany and the Blisstones wields a hypnotic chord sequence and a crisp beat, and exudes a slow-burn emotionality. Brittany Bliss and Reid Givens make up the twosome, and their journey is a touching story of reinvention, reclamation, and second chances on love. In addition to warming hearts, the couple are opening minds to female artists and helping shift the narrative of women in creative fields through support and exposure.

“This is a song of mindfulness,” reveals Reid. “We can’t control what thoughts pop up in our mind, but we have a choice to focus on the good stuff.” The song’s anthemic outro is a rallying call to choose happiness. It concludes with the lyrics: Let’s all keep singing/We’re surviving the flood/We’re all still singing/Cuz we’ve got air in our lungs. Brittany and Reid write songs that sweetly seduce you into mindfulness. The mellow tones of their distinct island-pop draw from an expansive artistic palette of pop, orchestral, rock, jazz, reggae, ska, Latin, new wave, and beyond. Brittany contributes sultry vocals, jaunty ukulele playing, and co-writes the songs alongside her partner Reid, an accomplished drummer and percussionist with an expansive command of rhythms and a keen sense for the healing power of good grooves.

“We have a magnet on our refrigerator that reads ‘Don’t believe everything you think.’ It’s there to remind us that we don’t really have control over the thoughts that enter our minds - they just show up on their own. What we do have control over, if we’re paying attention, is which of those thoughts we choose to focus on and expand. Remembering that there is a choice is what ‘Some Times’ is about.”

“The track has three verses, and then ends in a B section that is SO much fun to perform live! The B section is an anthemic call to just keep going, no matter how much mud you feel you’re stuck in, because we ALL feel that way at times. So, just like Dory says in Finding Nemo, we can help each other the most sometimes by just reminding each other to just keep singing.”

The story of Brittany and Reid is as exhilarating as the music they make. Brittany is a lifelong closet performer. She has been singing since she was 3, she dabbled with choir in high school, and performed with the Oakland Symphony Chorus as an adult. But she never invested in her natural gifts, burying her desires beneath domestic responsibilities in her previous marriage.
Reid has a similar story of setting aside something that was essential to his soul for home life. He had been playing drums since he was 9, and Reid was a promising musician with expansive abilities. During his time as an active musician, Reid played punk, adult contemporary, pop, metal, and prog rock. He even once opened for the Dave Matthews Band. But at just 18 he got married, and soon was raising a son with another on the way, and taking care of his ailing mother in law. These responsibilities took over his life, cutting a promising career as a drummer short.

“I think we both lost ourselves in our previous marriages, and rediscovering music was a way for both of us to heal and move past the pain,” Brittany shares. “When I dropped my youngest son off at college, I vowed to make music a priority again,” Reid says.
Newly divorced and making baby steps to reinvent their lives, Brittany and Reid first met at an open mic in Chico, CA in 2017. The fateful moment Brittany met Reid he was a fixture at the open mic, and Brittany was braving making her solo artist debut. Her performance that night captivated Reid. “You could tell she was very nervous,” he recalls. “But when she started to play, it was like she was channeling something that just hits you in a very vulnerable place.” The two spoke briefly that night, but felt an instant connection. Two weeks later, they saw each other again but this time they talked for longer, and the couple have been inseparable ever since.

Brittany became more galvanized to play music after the devastating November 2018 California wildfires that burned 153,336 acres, destroyed 18,804 structures, and claimed 85 lives in just 4 hours. This call to action spurred Brittany into booking shows, and nurturing her original music ideas. Organically, her solo project became a duo project with a fluid rotating cast of A-list musicians, some from their friendship circle, the local community, and beyond, including the international musicians who recorded on the EP.

Since forming in 2018, Brittany and The Blisstones have managed to earn an engaged fanbase through organic online exposure and their warmly intimate live shows. The duo has performed in various musical settings around the local Chico area and beyond, including playing venues in Berkeley and Oakland. The couple’s robust profile has enabled them to fund their EP through a successful crowdfunding campaign—a rare feat for an artist without previous releases.

One of the biggest lessons of Brittany and The Blisstones is it’s never too late. It’s never too late to pick up an instrument. “Brittany just had her first piano recital since the second grade,” Reid marvels. And it’s never too late for love. Brittany says: “We got another chance at love, and rediscovering who we really are as people. It’s been such a beautiful restart.”

Listen to "Some Times" here:
https://soundcloud.com/brittanyandtheblisstones/some-times/s-rCAQjs4FBfq

Danish label and music publisher is signing Los Angeles, California, US artist Sam Ortolano and his project PEACEARTHOPE (pronounced peace, earth, hope) to Sublime Exile Recordings & Little Devil Island Music.

Fans of great guitar virtuosos like Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia should really listen to this fantastic musician.
PEACEARTHOPE is Sam Ortolano. Highlighting his deep passion for all things guitar, the group, allows Sam to write, record, produce and perform original music that is all his own. His love of World music along with his vast background in playing many different musical styles is the foundation by which a unique hybrid was created.

A Los Angeles-based guitarist, Sam started playing at the age of 5 and has never stopped. In his early teens, when his friends were all listening to pop music, Sam discovered the world of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, Chick Corea, Return to Forever, Allan Holdsworth, Paco, John and Al, and Pat Metheny. He was immediately moved by the creativity and inspired by the virtuosity. From that point on the guitar became the centre of his universe, practising up to 8 hours a day, with a thirst for knowledge and a drive to be the best guitarist/musician he could be.
Sam has spent his professional life performing with various groups as well as leading his own bands. Covering a wide spectrum of musical styles, he has enjoyed playing rock, jazz, fusion, pop, and progressive metal with multiple studio recordings being released in each genre. Sam has performed hundreds of shows up and down the west coast as well as having extended residencies as a solo guitarist at a number of bars and restaurants in So Cal. During the pandemic, he used the isolation to his benefit and transitioned to being a solo artist full time. With that transition came the advent of PEACEARTHOPE, a showcase of Sam's acoustic guitar music, featuring Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Latin beats and melodies. An initial release entitled "Speed of Sound" is a collection of 10 intensely passionate compositions with beautiful melodies and intricate rhythmic arrangements to be released on March 23, 2022.

The goal of PEACEARTHOPE is to create music that inspires listeners to think outside the box, never settle for the norm, and take an active role in the community that is the world. At the same time, free your mind and spirit, laugh a little bit, love a lot, and dance, dance, dance!

Sincerely

Lasse de Flon
Sublime Exile Recordings
Copenhagen, Denmark

https://www.subexile.org

D. Columbus has been active in the music industry for over 30 years. Notable for his versatility, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist — who is a seasoned guitar player, bassist, backing vocalist, singer, live sound engineer and music producer — has taken part in fourteen studio albums, earning recognition from the Maple Blues Awards and more.

Best known for his collaborations, it’s D. Columbus’ turn to debut his own solo album, demonstrating a mastery of writing catchy feel-good songs that speak to the heart and bring people together. Produced with Angel Forrest and Ricky Paquette, 11 Dollar Bill is a stompin’ good time. Spirited and fun, the track “Saddle Me Up” conjures a euphoric feeling.

Stream “Saddle Me Up” on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/denis-columbus/08-saddle-me-up-mst-1644/s-I8aXpMFIgce

Sensitive yet powerful, D. Columbus has an impressive vocal range. While surrounding his precise yet gravelly voice with full orchestrations that combine guitars, bass, drum, keys, fiddle and pedal steel, he unveils an honest country-pop music — there’s an emotional rawness to it and that’s what makes it so real.

Teen Idle is the indie rock music project of 24-year-old NJ-based songwriter Sara Abdelbarry. Growing up miles away from the vibrant music scene of Asbury Park, she was inspired to start writing her own music in high school while taking classes at local music school Lakehouse Music Academy.

Teen Idle shares of the track:
“Burning” was written in Sara’s last year of college about an unrequited crush. It’s entirely self-crafted: Sara recorded the song in her basement studio, played all the instruments (except the drums, which a friend recorded elsewhere), wrote the song, and produced it alone. The song is mixed by Andy Schichter and mastered by Kramer (Low, Galaxie 500, Daniel Johnston, producer of Pulp Fiction soundtrack)."

Teen Idle began as Sara's creative outlet during her senior year of college in New York City, as she was finishing up a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. She started taking songwriting very seriously and uploading self-recorded songs to Bandcamp that spanned a variety of genres, from lo-fi bedroom rock to classical piano. Influenced by so many things, including the idiosyncratic production of Lindsey Buckingham and the nostalgia and romantic nature of the Arab artistic tradition she grew up around in an Egyptian family, Sara's music combines pop sensibility with a grittiness and cinematic tendency. The music of Teen Idle also contains undertones of both NY and NJ: the upbeat, gritty nature of New York City life mixed with the breeziness and spaciousness of life on the Jersey Shore.

Dive into the incredible track here:https://open.spotify.com/album/6hcqlljAfdPOsTPfAjT6HD

https://www.oneworldmusicradio.com/2021-album-awards
When I submit or release music to various sources I can honestly say that I never really expect much from doing so. I don't have much of a fan base or followers, yet somehow my music is reaching top 100 or top 40 lists. I create, record and share music simply for the joy of doing so and because I feel that the world needs more music that is more, dare I say 'peaceful', especially in these current times.
Getting my music in a top 40 list is one thing but, having an album and single on a nominee list is exciting, humbling, a great honor, and inspiring.

I am pleased to announce my participation to the OneBeat Sahara 2022 Program !
OneBeat brings musicians (ages 19-35) from around the world to a region of the U.S. for one month each Spring and Fall to collaboratively write, produce, and perform original music, and develop strategies for arts-based social engagement. OneBeat begins with an opening residency, when Fellows collaborate to create original material, record new musical ideas, and incubate their projects. OneBeat Fellows then go on tour across a region of the U.S., performing for a wide array of American audiences, collaborating with local musicians, and leading workshops with youth and community organizations. During the month, each OneBeat musician also sets out their plans for the future, further developing projects in their home countries that embody the OneBeat mission of collaboration and engagement.
Offical page: https://1beat.org/fellows/onebeat-sahara/

In his uniquely intimate style, Will Ackerman plays all guitars on his newest album of guitar instrumentals, Positano Songs, with aural color added by some of his close friends including Charlie Bisharat (violin), Tom Eaton (bass and piano), Eugene Friesen (cello), Noah Wilding (voices), and Jeff Oster (flugelhorn). Listeners travel to Ackerman’s Positano while listening to this collection of 10 songs, his fingertips sharing memories in soothing patterns. Each imaginative composition unfolds gently as we roam this charming Italian village by the sea. Instrumental flourishes deepen each piece, whether it is the memory of his wedding, a tribute to the sea, or the memory of a dear friend.

Will Ackerman was born with four names, two of which he shed over the years. He was adopted into the Ackerman family when he was 5 days old. His adoptive father was an English professor at Stanford University and his mother took her life when Will was 12.

Will then went across the country to a prep school in Massachusetts, returning to Stanford University only to drop out with 5 units to go. For reasons still unknown, Will decided he wanted to be a carpenter and ultimately became a rather good one and worked his way up to being a general contractor.

Will had been introduced to the guitar by his next door neighbor, Michael Kilmartin, when he was 12. Will was the weakest link in a less than stellar band playing mostly 60s hits rather poorly. But it was fun. It should always be fun.

While at Stanford, Will had put down the electric guitar and picked up an acoustic one.. a rather nice Guild guitar. He would play in stairwells and various reverberative spaces, but what he was playing no longer had a name. He just played whatever sounded right in the moment and he also discovered that there was something magical about throwing away even the most basic things about a guitar.

Everyone knows that the guitar is tuned E A D G B E, but Will (for reasons either brilliant or lazy). the latter being the primary consensus) made up some crazy tunings with notes almost randomly selected in the moment. Will thought he was the only guy in the world doing this until he was turned on to John Fahey and Robbie Basho on Takoma Records. While those guys used a few open tunings, Will used more than a hundred of them.

At some point, friends said he should make a record so he did.

It was a community effort: friends stepped in. His friend (still a dear friend) Gail did the design of the cover, another of Will's friends worked in a print shop and Scott Saxon, the engineer who recorded Will's music, had a bunch of plain white album covers that ended up with the design glued on to them. The minimum order that the record pressing plant would allow was 300. Will believed he would have 237 of these in his closet for the rest of his life.

This is where it gets interesting. This first record, In Search of the Turtle's Navel, was being sold in only one place on the planet, the Plowshare Bookstore in Palo Alto. Leaving the Plowshare one day Will literally ran into Michael Kilmartin (then next door neighbor who had first put a guitar in Will's hands). Will dragged Michael into the store and handed him a copy. That very night Michael called Will and told him that he loved the record and asked for 10 more.

Happy to oblige, Will handed over 10 more. Michael called a week later to explain that he was head of radio promotion for Fantasy Records (which made him arguably the most powerful radio promo guy in the world as he was then promoting Creedence Clearwater Revival). The ten records had been sent to 10 major radios stations across the country and heavy airplay was being reported by all of them.

Will's first paying concert was a sold out show at the Seattle Opera House.

Will's cousin, Alex de Grassi, was working with Will as a carpenter and was playing insanely brilliant guitar stuff, so it only made sense to have him make a record too. Will decided to call the label Windham Hill Records. His building company was named Windham Hill Builders so his business card showed both.

Will met a wonderful guy who played some great guitar, and who also played the piano. So they made a record called Autumn, and the world was introduced to George Winston. It continued like that for a long time, and it was beautiful and miraculous. Windham Hill became one of the most successful independent record labels on earth. Will was awarded 27 Gold and Platinum Records in the US and overseas.

Will sold his share of Windham Hill in 1992, having tired of being part of the corporation it had become. He moved back to Vermont and lives there to this day, recording and producing new artists at his Imaginary Road Studios in Windham County. He works with his dear friend and engineer/co-producer, Tom Eaton.

The walls are covered with Gold and Platinum Records. GRAMMY® nomination awards and a GRAMMY® for his RETURNING CD sits on the windowsill looking out over the West River Valley. He is currently nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for BROTHERS, an album by Jeff Oster, also featuring Tom Eaton. In 2013, Will was very flattered to receive the first ZMR ( Zone Music Reporter) Lifetime Achievement Award.

Positano (Campanian: Pasitano) is a village and community on the Amalfi Coast (Province of Salerno), in Campania, Italy, mainly within an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. Will Ackerman has been visiting Positano, Italy for decades, that marvelous space has always felt like a home away from home to him. Many musicians have spent time in Positano, legend has it that Jagger and Richards wrote "Midnight Rambler" one night while making the rounds through the local disco scene as tourists, and Texan troubadour Shawn Phillips lived there for many years. Author John Steinbeck wrote about the local color in this article for Harper's Bazaar in May of 1953: "Like most Italian towns Positano has its miraculous picture. It is a Byzantine representation of the Virgin Mary. Once, long ago, the story goes, the Saracenic pirates raided the town and among other things carried away this picture. But they had no sooner put to sea when a vision came to them which so stunned them that they returned the picture. Every year on August 15, this incident is re-enacted with great fury and some bloodshed. In the night, the half-naked pirates attack the town, which is defended by Positanese men-at-arms dressed in armor. Some of this fighting gets pretty serious. The pirates then go to the church and carry the holy picture off into the night. Now comes the big moment. As soon as they have disappeared into the darkness, a bright and flaming image of an angel appears in the sky. At present, General Mark Clark is the sponsor of this miracle. He gave the town a surplus Air Force barrage balloon. Soonafter, the pirates return in their boats and restore the picture to the church, and everybody marches and sings and has a good time."
Famous for its spectacular setting, this vertical town is a resort destination and international fashion center. For Ackerman the music tells a personal story. "It is where Susan and I chose to be married, and a part of my heart will always live there. One of my dearest friends is Carmine Pallone, whose family has lived in Positano for generations. I’m on a first name basis with a lot of people there, and at the very least I’m someone who encounters many recognizing smiles and ciaos as I’m walking up and down the maze of a billion stairs one must traverse throughout this mainly vertical town."
At long last, his newest album is finally coming out after taking 7 years to make. Co-producer Tom Eaton and Will have worked long and hard to create it. The sound is all lush and uplifting instrumentals, played on steel stringed acoustic guitar music, using fingertips in soothing patterns, imaginative and inventive breezes of beautiful melodies creating or discovering a completely unknown landscape. 
Positano is famed for its lemon goodies, limoncello, lemon marmalade, lemon cream liqueur and more! Hospitality and cliffs with head-spinning views, from prehistory to the caves of the Mesolithic; from the Greek era to the myth of the Sirens, to the Roman phase, with the villas of the bay of Positano and the Gallo Lungo, the wrecks in the sea and the archeological elements reused. Anyone who considers Positano properly inevitably ends up with a view in their head, of the Positano fashion, the beaches of Positano and the amazing sea of the Amalfi Coast.
Traveling without moving, floating on vibrating strings above a hollow chamber in the guitar body, the fingers of the player acquire greater voice and importance, which together with the very lively Windham Hill tradition, intends to represent in forms of art and culture, a community aware and proud of its past, enjoying a fusion of cultural influences so prosperous and have resulted in an art that, even today, demonstrates a high level of ingenuity and passion. Cautiously, you take one step closer to see in order to get a better view of his hand positionings.
A mix of the charming, iconic, and modern, with dreamy layered and intricate cycles, building and creating variations as they spiral slowly, "Nighttime in the Chapel" (3:17) sets the mood for the album, the chapel in the village of Nocelle, a celebration of parlor and 6 string guitars as well as a story of romance and happiness; anticipating a wedding, a natural blending of two people, two families each with a shared rich history, culture, cuisine, and other elements. Next, the guitar is joined by violin and ethereal vocals, "Our Wedding Song" (4:05) is a very personal invitation expressed with the essence of guitars, violin, voices, and bass.
Legend has it that the three islets of Li Galli, set just off the shores of Positano and often referred to as the "Sirenuse", were inhabited by Sirens who attempted to seduce with their song all those who sailed nearby. "Did I Dream This" (5:02) is a slower meditation, with lots of pauses, and some ethereal vocals hidden in there with the guitars, cello, piano and bass
Wine is also a big part of Italian culture, and the country is home to some of the world's most famous vineyards. The oldest traces of Italian wine were discovered in a cave near Sicily's southwest coast. Family gatherings are frequent and often centered around food and the extended networks of families, with a special lemon dish after a course of delectable fresh cuisine arriving at your table. This is time to enjoy "The End of the Day" (5:44) and as the slow pace drifts along, reflective guitars, violin and voices, you become transported in a way you have never been transported before.
In the next track, "For Carmine" (4:40) know that life is a powerful thing in a lot of different forms, haunting interweaving melodies that pause and wander majestically, beautiful and miraculous parlor guitar and 6 string guitars with cello and bass, creating a rich chorus effect.
The exceptional architectural stratifications found at Positano allows the reading of two thousand years of history. Italy is known as Il Bel Paese (The Beautiful Country), and one of the most recognizable countries on any map. The arte (arts), famiglia (family), architettura (architecture), musica (music), and cibo (food) are all important aspects of Italian culture. Italian culture is the amalgamation of thousands of years of heritage and tradition, tracing its roots back to the Ancient Roman Empire and beyond, steeped in the arts, family, architecture, music and food. "This is Where It Begins" (4:42) proceeds at a moderate pace, cycling through the various instruments in combinations of guitars, violin, flugelhorn, piano and bass.
Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the twentieth century. The first evidence of a settlement in Positano dates back to Prehistory, more precisely to the Upper Paleolithic in which the "Grotto La Porta" was frequented by peoples of gatherers and hunters. The first archeological evidence dates back to the first century BC, when luxurious Roman villas were built on the coast of the Sorrento Peninsula. Positano has been a holiday resort since the time of the Roman Empire, as evidenced by the discovery of a villa in the bay. Typical are the many staircases that from the top of the village connect the upper districts with the valley area. The main beaches are Spiaggia Grande, Fornillo, La Porta, Fiumicello, Arienzo, San Pietro, Laurito and Remmese, some of which can also be reached by sea.
In Greek mythology, it is believed that the cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea housed the four winds kept by Aeolus. The Tyrrhenian Sea derives its name from the Tyrrhenian people, a non-Greek people largely considered Sea People. The Tyrrhenian Sea still is an important trade route linking various Mediterranean regions, several ports and harbors are located along the coast, including Palermo, Naples, Trapani, Salerno, and Civitavecchia. "The Tyrrhenian Sea" (5:55) is a smooth instrumental, guitars, cello, piano and bass portraying the shimmering light reflected on the vast water, with slow rolls and no whitecaps today, the vista goes soaring on forever.
Summer is a magical time to seize the day and soak up the sun at Fornillo beach, just imagine the splendid sight of panoramic Tyrrhenian Sea views! "Passing Baldo's Tower" (5:38) is your assurance you are headed in the right direction to a hidden beach that only the locals know about, where swimming and sunbathing is very popular. Take a dip into the cool crystalline waters or stretch out and sunbathe, and at the end of the day, you'll leave with a golden glow.
The Italians take time for everything. All will be fine in the end with a little patience. It is a way to live more consciously and slowly, to bring down stress. This is what we call mindfulness, the years go by and the light sweetens. "For Giovanni" (4:52) features guitars, violin, voices and bass.
Will's closing solo is a testament to Positano's rich history and culture, the brilliant yet calm sound of a fond memory. To know exactly where these tunes are coming from, you slowly open your heavy eyes, stirring dreams and wishes towards a glowing future, "I Had To Go There" (1:34). This is guitar music for every moment, when all aspects of life are valued and celebrated, including spending time with family and friends, eating and drinking well, and appreciating beauty in all its forms.
From scenic hiking trails and pebble beaches to special restaurants and artisan specialty shops, Positano has it all, and this music is a testimonial to the particularly bright colors and soothing vistas, a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there, you take one of the paths leading to the tiny mountain outposts above Positano. Remember to cherish every moment with your loved ones, because tragedy can happen at any sudden moment. If there were one most important thing to do, it would be to explore a passion into your life, and enjoy such fine music equally at home in a classical concerto, a jazz improvisation, or a children's lullaby, something to fully savor and to relieve stress. Daily musical inspiration isn't just nourishment, it is life.
TRACKS
1 Nighttime in the Chapel
2 Our Wedding Song
3 Did I Dream This
4 The End of the Day
5 For Carmine
6 This is Where It Begins
7 The Tyrrhenian Sea
8 Passing Baldo's Tower
9 For Giovanni
10 I had To Go There

LINKS
https://lnk.to/willackermanlinks
https://williamackerman.com/
https://www.positano.com/en/s/positano-2
http://www.shawnphillips.com/
https://youtu.be/TUGOKB-JOT8
https://positano-amalfi-coast.com/category/john-steinbeck/
https://windhaming.com/

We recorded Circles of Compassion together in one room without headphones to allow spontaneous interaction which is so important to the way we sound.
You’re Ridiculous!
This music was inspired by my dear friend, Jeni Howland, after she told me I was ‘ridiculous’. I thought about that for a second and then said, ‘thank you very much’. I love to make people laugh so sometimes I do say ridiculous things. Listen to the end to catch the lyrics!
Circles Of Compassion
I wrote this tune in 2017 in response to some horrible news from another part of the world. I found the text by Albert Einstein, here read by Benedict Perkins, that conveyed the message I wanted to get across very succinctly.
Chloë’s Big Adventure
Chloë Jacquet, a published poet, was the inspiration for this title. It was simply a description of how our collaboration felt. I first saw her perform her poetry as part of an International Women’s Day event and was moved by her passion for telling it how it is. I invited her to collaborate with us and was blown away with the power of her poems about the inspiring people she wrote about.
Rachael Heather (Poem by Chloë Jacquet)
We usually work from a melody with chords or sometimes specific voicings or rhythmical figures. This music was improvised in the studio in response to Benedict’s performance of Chloë’s poem. I wanted to show another side to our musical approach. We recorded this in one take. I love our finished track as does Rachael Heather.
Who Are You Today? - (No.7)
This is one of 12 different pieces, with the same title, attempting to illustrate different personality types. It’s also my debut as a lyricist as I prefer to work with writers. You’ll have to listen to appreciate my lyrics. I hope you enjoy them!

Jason Kent’s debut first came out in 2006 – when times were simpler, the world seemed a safer place, and CD’s still reigned. Since then, Kent has continued writing and recording with his ensemble Sunfields, releasing four records. In addition, he has recorded and toured all over with an array of Montreal luminaires including Elephant Stone, The Barr Brothers, The Dears, Kandle, Évelyne Brochu, and Vulagires Machins.

New single, “Something More,” taken from his forthcoming sophomore Soft Commotion LP, is a nod to the current state of things with some rhymes thrown in for good measure and a backbeat you can sway to. In an age where everything’s a commodity, we are never satisfied.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/tyM1CHRqiEM

Bill Boulden, or Downupright as they're artistically known, just released their debut album, 'Click Here To Prove You Are Not A Robot.' It consists of 10 songs, with only 3 originals from Downupright, "Click Here To Prove You Are Not A Robot," "Dirty," and "Wallow." These songs are then remixed in collaboration with other artists in the industry, like Arkstar and code_pig.

"The entire album looks at three different takes on depression, anxiety, and frustration," shares Downupright. "The songs opt out of traditional verse/chorus structure to instead go on frequently shifting and mutating journeys that defy conventional arrangement."

The overall sound of each song is different and reflective of these themes. The first, "Click Here To Prove You Are Not A Robot," has more of a pop and commercial feeling while it explores identity. "Dirty" is more EDM and industrial and takes on running away from someone who shows you who they are, usually going against what you thought of them before. The last song "Wallow" takes on more of an electro-rock sound and tackles depression, specifically the feeling depressed people get in their sickness that they love feeling depressed and wallow in their pain.

"This is an attempt to invent The New Sound," says Downupright. "With heavily processed vocals coming into vogue thanks to the influence of hyperpop, there is room to combine them with a hard-hitting sound that brings together industrial rock and EDM influences."

Listen to Click Here To Prove You Are Not A Robot here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6juyl0Kig8cLAksRuzzdzY?si=sCgGvifdQxiZk3BMHmnWTw&nd=1

Ali Hugo’s third single from his Afrodisiac EP is charting new territory once again. Hugo is no stranger to experimenting with different genres of music, with this new song titled “ Bora Ninywe Sumu” or “The Poison Song” being a first of its kind in the genre of Swahili opera. The song was penned by Hugo’s grandfather Iddi Farahan. The poison song has a similar theme to that of Romeo & Juliet except in this opera, love is not reciprocated and poison seems like a gracious solution to ending the pain of heartache Hugo explained. Hugo is under no illusion that he has succeeded in convincing critics that he is an exceptional Opera singer. When asked why the song was included to be part of the afrodisiac project, Hugo responded with “ there are a few reasons why I wanted to do poison. First of all, I know that I’m a pop singer and not opera but I think that opera is such an important genre that non-European cultures should seriously think about adopting it. Belief Records research team shows that no such attempt has been made by any musician from the Island of Zanzibar where Taarab music originates and I was ecstatic to be the first artist to lay the groundwork for others to follow. So when recording the vocals I was more interested in setting a standard for Swahili operatic phrasing instead of doing vocal acrobats”. The second reason Hugo chose to experiment with opera was to take advantage of the technology provided by PreSonus and experience what it feels like to use the PreSonus Symphonic Orchestra expansion package.

“ I may feel apprehensive as an opera singer but when it comes to arranging the symphony orchestration, I stand proud by my arrangement of this beautiful piece of work” Hugo stated. In addition, Hugo said “It’s unbelievable what PreSonus Symphonic Orchestra 2022 has enabled me to create! A sound similar to that heard from the Vienna symphony orchestra, for example, it would be nuts for me to pass up an opportunity to do something like this. The PreSonus Symphonic Orchestra package contains an amazing 14 gigabytes of content including a library of various instrumentation, for example, a contemporary strings library that offers a different ambient character for modern productions and all of this is fully integrated into Presence XT.

“Bora Ninywe Sumu” release date is Feb 24/2022 and is available everywhere.

Calgary based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Bourne is about to share a condensed satire with the world by the name of “Black Hole,” what he calls a “dystopian banger” for these times.

Love is to be found within “Black Hole” too, which blends curious synth lines with dreamy guitar-led pop. The song is sung from the persepctive of a “kind of sexy non-binary spiriutual illumination realizing itself in spite of the trouble we appear to be in.”

“Post-apocalyptic anxiety, pandemic isolation, climate change and nuclear threat, social media’s information saturation overwhelm, the vapidity and materiality and vacuum of much of technified modernity… Yet human contact [is] being made nonetheless,” Bourne explains.

Hear and watch “Black Hole”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSbvjBcDCqo

A physicist turned folk-pop artist, Doc Landry’s music is inspired by universal and timeless themes. After discovering his voice and a passion for songwriting in his late 30s, Doc turned to producer Les Cooper (Craig Cardiff, Jill Barber, Meaghan Smith, David Myles) who most recently recorded his forthcoming EP, Axiom.

Inspired by Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving, Axiom will feature five songs each exploring a different perspective on love: romantic, self, parental, brotherly and spiritual. The first of which is “Paris State of Mind,” inspired by a trip taken with his wife to the City of Light, capturing the essence of Parisian romance.

The lyrics begin by reminiscing about well-known experiences, but slowly evolve as the song progresses to undress the listener by becoming more seductive and sultry. The violin and accordion highlights elicit the feeling of taking an evening stroll through the cobblestone streets of Paris with your lover.

Listen in here:
https://soundcloud.com/doc-landry/paris-state-of-mind/s-yzhrfrAsV3s

Imagine a huge open book, or CD cover, with light shining out of it, with ideas of Life and the Universe flying out and around it... As if somebody found the ultimate Open Book to find the Discovery of Meaning.

Or perhaps a Universal Time Clock/Pocket Watch instead of a CD...

Discover why some people fall in love with Mattson Mini Modular systems and why their relentless, fanatical passion for them has made modular synthesizers more intriguing than ever. All of the music on the new album Discovery of Meaning, which can be found on the Spotted Peccary label, was composed, performed, recorded, and produced by Craig Padilla using a variety of analog, digital, and modular synthesizers, sequencers, and field recordings, with vocals by Paula Franke, Melodee Padilla, and Harmonee Padilla.

What is “meaning”? Let us turn to the scholars. Quoting from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life: "Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations."

Now let us turn to the composer, Craig Padilla. In his own words, "Discovery of Meaning is about the concept of experiencing life in the present moment and beyond: The birth, the now, the future, and everything in the Universe is affected by the meaning of its own existence. It's a continuous discovery that we humans learn by living life through our own space/time continuum. Throughout our childhood and our adulthood, we are constantly learning the meaning of new things, the meaning of relationships, the discovery of health, the meaning of intuition, and realizing the pros and cons of surrounding ourselves with positive (and negative) energy. To be a child, to be a parent, and to be a child again. Time and space, stars, planets, cells, atoms, souls, everything has a meaning of its reason for being here. We are connected beyond ourselves. We are one with Time and Space. And that's a concept we learn once we experience the Discovery of Meaning.”

He continues, "The music on this album has been another natural evolution of my own musical experience. It combines elements of electronica, trance, new age, drone, ambient, and cosmic space music. And almost every track uses a synth built by George Mattson (MST/Division 6 Modular Synth and Mattson Mini Modular Synth)."

George Mattson is universally credited with the invention of the Syntar, the first fully self-contained "keytar", in 1978, and is founder and owner of his enterprise, Mattson Mini Modular. The idea for the Mattson Mini Modular began as a challenge, with size and portability a priority. The first Mattson Mini Modular system was introduced to the world on September 15, 2007.

Discovery of Meaning was inspired by Padilla's daughters, as well as some new music that they were hearing, particularly Porter Robison, Jon Hopkins, and fellow Spotted Peccary artist DeeperNET. The project began life at the end of 2019 just prior to the COVID pandemic, and was completed during the shutdown of the world in 2020. He tells us, "This album is an influence of my living situation in 2019, spending a Summer and Fall in my Oregon home with my soulmate brother Howard Givens and my actual home in California with my children Melodee and Harmonee Padilla and soulmate companion Colleen Roady. During this time, my Northern California home had ‘adopted’ a foreign exchange student from Germany, Paula Franke (no relation to the former Tangerine Dream member). She lived with us because she and my daughters were all studying music in high school."

While in Portland, he was finishing an album with Howard Givens (The Bodhi Mantra ) and working part-time at a modular synthesizer shop where he was learning more about modular synthesizer techniques, as well as being exposed to more electronic music around the Portland area. He had also purchased some new music gear which helped to set the music in motion. This Portland energy, and the energy of the sudden onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic, was hugely influential for the music he was creating for this new album.

"I've always wanted to create a piece of music that included the beautiful voices of my daughters. And now that I had another ‘daughter’ in our house from Germany, I knew it would be great to try to record a song that featured all three girls. I thought it would be cool to have Paula record something with me because I thought that it would be a very unique experience for her while visiting the USA.” And he realized that it would be extra cool for his daughters to be involved with the project since all three of them hadn't ever before participated in a project like this.

Suddenly, Paula's trip in the USA was cut short due to the pandemic, and she knew that she had to go back home to Germany. Due to the uncertainty of the events of the world, she had no idea when she was going to be on a plane other than it would be at a moment's notice.

At that time, Chuck van Zyl had commissioned a track from Padilla with the concept of what artists were doing to stay sane and healthy during the sudden change of events in the world.

Chuck van Zyl has been making his own unique style of electronic music since 1983 with a tone that veers from synthesized and atmospheric, to the reckless energized pulse of tumbling sequencer patterns, on down to a somber interiority - moving between the three in an impressive aural narrative. van Zyl is best known as a host of STAR'S END which is WXPN's renowned radio program of space music dreamscapes, and as coordinator of The Gatherings, Philadelphia's premiere concert series of innovative music.

Padilla decided to be extra proactive and finish work on "Continuum", a track that would include both German and English spoken words about the concept of "Time" ("Zeit").

"I came up with a written concept, Paula translated the words into the German language, she recorded her words, Harmonee and Melodee Padilla improvised some musical vocal passages into the music, and the rest is history. I couldn't ask for a greater opportunity than that. The experience was extremely positive for all of us!"

Human knowledge comes from human observation, experimentation, and rational analysis, and possibly from supernatural sources; the nature of the universe is what people discern it to be. According to naturalistic pantheism, the meaning of life is to care for and look after nature and the environment. I like that.

Some have suggested the existence of a cosmic consciousness, and we are here to gain knowledge and experience and to have joy. Different generations may have different experiences at similar points in their own time-lines. Origins and the ultimate fate of the universe are an ancient and universal mystery, imagine a tunnel of light and spiritual figures, often described in reports of near-death experiences.

Awareness of environmental elements through physical sensation might cause you to make meaning of what you perceive. Take a moment to think of all the things you perceive on a daily basis. The recognition stage is an essential part of perception since it allows you to make sense of the world around you. Music can remind you to always try to pay attention, and to practice mindfulness. Perception requires you to attend to the world around you.

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? Why are we here? What is life all about? What is the purpose of existence? The evaluation of meaning, whether by a single person or an entire society, are human products. Answering any of those questions leads to territory that has nothing to do with our task at hand here today, what about the music?

Electronic inner space journeys using the magic of music unlock a quest into the colorful regions of the cosmos inside, blending the far distances with the infinite interior spaces, frequently evoking the neural processing of vision as well as hearing, creating marvelous audio sensations of spatial locations relative to the listener.

It has been said that a definition of the "Berlin School" style of music stems from the early German music pioneers who specialized in electronic music using sequencers that would play repeating music patterns, originated in the early ‘70s by Asha Ra Temple, Tangerine Dream, and Klaus Schulze. I recommend, for further exploration and historical context, an essay found on the website of the BrainVoyager radio show/experience and cosmic enterprise, on the story of electronic music. There will be links to many of the resources that I mention here at the end of this aspirational rant.

The album Discovery of Meaning touches on the power of freedom and of being able to reach out and touch whatever is coming next, exploring the passions, obsessions, dreams and developments in technology, science, modern art and the chaotic universal tumult constantly surrounding us.

A continuum is a continuous extent, series, or whole; something that keeps on going, changing slowly over time. The two tracks (parts 1 and 2), together titled "Continuum” were commissioned by Chuck van Zyl for a special program on Star's End Radio. Here are a few quotes from Chuck van Zyl:

"I am moved and overwhelmed by all the music. I listened to ‘Continuum,’ which I just wanted to skim, but wound up in its spell and before I knew it I had listened to the whole thing (I did not want it to end). With ‘Continuum’ you guys have achieved something rare... a new sound, a new atmosphere, I almost do not know how to absorb this new music as it reaches to such a personal space. Paula, Harmonee & Melodee are a wonder! Captivating! The music sounds like CP (Craig Padilla), but maybe after you've spent a night in some other better reality."

CONTIUUM

1. Occasion
The point or period when something occurs

2. Duration
The measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues

3. Time
The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole

4. Time prevents everything happening at once.

5. Time stands still, yet slips through our grasp.

6. Time is our uncurable decease.

7. Our presence in time and space moves forward. Now consider the infinite vastness of the Cosmos and the Spacetime Continuum. There is no finite direction in the Universe for time to travel. There is no past, present, and future; there is only the NOW.

8. We have been here before.

9. We have been here all of the TIME.

-----------------

1. Ereignis
Der punkt oder zeitraum wenn etwas eintritt

2. Fortbestchen
Der gemessene oder messbare zeitraum während dessen eine handlung, ein vorgang oder ein zustand existiert oder andavert

3. Zeit
Der unbestimmte andauernde verlauf vom bestchen und von ereignissen der vergangenheit, der begenwart und der zukunft als ganzes betrachtet

4. Zeit verhindert dass alles auf einmal passiert.

5. Zeit steht still, jedoch gleitet sie uns durch unsere auffassung.

6. Zeit ist unsere unheilbare krankheit.

7. Unsere anwesenheit in Zeit und Raum bewegt sich vorwärts. Erwäge jetzt die unendliche weite des Universums und das Raum-Zeit Kontinuum. Es gibt keine eindeutige richtung in die Zeit im Universum geht. Es gibt keine vergangenheit, gegenwart und zukunft, es gibt nur das jetzt.

8. Wir waren hier zuvor.

9. Wir waren hier für immer.

And now you can imagine how this music found its way into a spiritual realm. Consciousness, like spacetime, might have its own intrinsic degrees of freedom, and that one's perceptions may be as real as (or even more real than) material objects, experience gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes, often encompassing a number of extra dimensions.

Mastered by Howard Givens, Discovery of Meaning is available for physical purchase in CD format and in 24-BIT AUDIOPHILE, CD QUALITY LOSSLESS, MP3 and streaming formats. The CD version of Discovery of Meaning arrives in a factory sealed 6-panel gatefold package that includes vibrant artwork, liner notes, a 4-page booklet, and artful package design by Daniel Pipitone.

Tracklist:
01 Perception Stream
02 Discovery of Meaning
03 Continuum, Part 1
04 Continuum, Part 2
05 Adrift in Memory
06 Cottonwood
07 Festive Awakening


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 165 titles and 45 artists at www.SpottedPeccary.com and www.AmbientElectronic.com.

Links:
Spotted Peccary Album Page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/discovery-of-meaning/
CD unboxing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YQDbhpjpAw
Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spottedpeccary/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/spottedpeccary

When the world brings us to our knees, and words are hard to find, the creation of music is there for those fortunate enough to know how to create it. Multi-instrumentalist composer, David Franklin, is a fully self-taught artist who embraces musical expression as a way to navigate life. He guides others in this holistic pursuit as a licensed MFT and psychotherapist practicing in and around Oakland, California. Today, he releases his newest CD, Passings, a 15-song collection of soundscapes composed and performed on acoustic guitar and piano. The album also features his son Alex Franklin (aka Owl Licks) and the renowned fretless bass master, Michael Manring.

Franklin shares, “These are 15 songs written about the many transitions and endings which have happened in my life over the past few years: the death of both my parents, my children leaving home, changes related to the pandemic, and other profound endings which I won’t mention here. These soundscapes have given me a sense of peace somehow and my hope is that they may offer something to others…”

Surprisingly light and uplifting, Passings is on point for fans of Franklin’s previous albums, and may appeal to new fans who follow pianists Nils Frahm and Olafur Arnolds or innovative guitarists like Will Ackerman and Michael Hedges. A review in Ello notes, “The sonic range of the album is evidenced by ‘A Musical Essay’ (1:32), an experimental episode in very different territory, while keeping the overall smooth mood, played on a programmable, hand-cranked music box; the track ‘Carousel’ (3:47) is a joyful dream between Manring’s ethereal bass and Franklin’s guitar strings. The song takes a moment then heads out whirling, soon followed by ‘Laughing in Whispers’ (3:05), a solo piano number, lilting dancing flickering that builds, ‘Another Perspective’ (4:39) takes us back into a high velocity duet, two guitars, with fancy picking and power chords, featuring son Alex (aka the artist Owl Licks) on guitar.”

The first track on the album, “I’ll Never Hear My Father’s Stories Again” is especially poignant, composed following the death of Franklin’s father in 2021. "In this song, I’m just noting the temporary nature of our existence, and honoring the briefness of the connections we have in our lifetimes," he says. The track was released as a single on January 28, 2022.

A lifelong musician, Franklin has spent more than 45 years exploring musical genres and experimenting in sound, evolving as a musician though rock, folk-pop, avant-garde and ultimately to contemplative and instrumental music. Franklin believes that music is one of humanity’s most powerful tools for healing.
Far from melancholy, Passings is a vibrant expression of these challenging years, a strong follow-up to Franklin’s ZMR Top 10-charting albums Songs of Potential Embrace (2017) and Dancing with Shadows (2015).
Passings is Franklin’s 10th album, mixed and mastered by Warren Kahn at Banquet Studios in Medford, Oregon. It is available February 18th for streaming worldwide and as a physical CD on Bandcamp, Amazon and at https://davidfranklin.hearnow.com/

Dante Matas is a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto with a unique brand of new wave bedroom pop, psychedelic folk, and lo-fi electronic music. His latest EP, Avoid Discipline (out Jan 21), brings hyper-melodic synth pop with a new wave twist. The title suggests letting go of perfectionism to allow things to take shape naturally.

Dante’s songs tend to have contemplative and introspective character to them, but never at the expense of a catchy melody. “Catching Up With You” is about the kind of person that gets away with mistreating and harming others just because of wealth or undeserved status. Optimistically, they will eventually have to deal with the consequences of their actions.

Watch the new video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zagu-GWbDQ

Award-winning songwriter Jessica Pearson takes you on a journey with her haunting melodies, heartwarming voice and enticing storytelling. In 2021, she won Folk Music Ontario’s Songs From The Heart award, and this year is nominated for FACES Magazine’s Album of the Year. Joined by her band, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, Jessica focuses on sharing her joy, love and life at every show.

Mixing country, celtic and folk music to create her own unique sound, she releases a freeing new album, On The Line (Willow Sound Records), about letting go of everything that no longer serves you to really embrace true happiness. “Coal” is about how the tiniest spark of light can bring hope to the darkness when we are feeling overpowered.

Listen in here: https://soundcloud.com/jessicapearsoneastwind/coal/s-6yM4KAElZnx

The Ancestry is one of the main strenghs of Afro-Brazilian’s culture, that they cross and link generations through the stories and biliefs of black people. To honor the greats Masters of afro-brazilian culture, guardians and responsible for teatching this traditional knowledge, the Congadar release on Thursday, February 10th, new single. “Grande Anganga Muquixe” will be released on all streaming’s services and it’s part of the new album, wich will be released in April.
This is a traditional’s song on celebrations of Congado (a traditional folkloric/ rhythm of the countryside of Brazil), sung in a moment of making reverence to the black people past. Anganga (Anganga Nzambi), wich names the song, is a supreme entity of the Bantu people. “They’re most of the slaved people brought to Brazil, coming from Angola, Congo and Moçambique. They’ve an important participation in the cultural formation of the our country”, explain Carlos Saúva, vocalist and responsible for search a traditional’s songs of Congado to new album.
The verses of “Grande Anganga Muquixe” make a tribute to ancestors, those responsible for the transmission of ancestral knowledge. “Here in our state, Minas Gerais, interior of Brazil, our Grande Anganga is Chico Rei, the Master responsible for bringing to us the Congado’s celebrations. In his honor we celebrated all ours Masters wich keep alive the brazilian-afro culture”, says Saúva.
This song is a first released of secound Congadar’s album and it’s result of a big research with Masters of afro-brazilian culture, like Capitains of Congado’s groups. Like curators, they showed several traditionals songs of the brazilian folkloric, wich the band turned in 10 new songs to the album. “It was a wonderful dive deep inside of our brazilian culture”, said Saúva. With him, the band is formed by Filipe Eltão (vocal and caixa, it’s like a drum of Congado), Wesley Pelé (vocal and caixa), Giuliano Fernandes (guitar e musical production), Igor Félix (guitar), Marcão Avellar (bass) and Sérgio DT (drums).
The Band – Formed in 2013, released their first EP in 2015 and an album in 2019, “Retirante”. Black resistance is a trademark in the work of the band. The repertoire of the band values the congado from Minas Gerais, a cultural manifestation that remains alive in several communities all over the state. The songs emerged from revisiting marches of Congado, in addition to their own compositions, also inspired by the state popular culture.

LA based artist, Lauren Waller, is taking the music scene by storm fusing elements of pop, 80’s retro, and electronic music all in one. Her new single “Dopamine” is the perfect blend of these genres with a dark twist that leaves the listeners wanting more. Waller compares herself to artists such as Ashe, Fletcher, Sara Bareilles and Lorde.

Waller states, “I want to write stories that people truly can connect to, my favorite part of being an artist is writing lyrics and putting my own passion into them in the hopes that my feelings and emotions can be translated into what other people can connect to/reflect and see in themselves.” This sentiment shines through in her music’s candidness and delivery.

This song, “Dopamine” is described by Waller as “the beginning to a bad love story. With sonically entrancing production and captivating vocals, the song is an ode to falling in love too fast. Evocative and haunting, Dopamine manages to simultaneously echo the rush of new love and yet warn of the impending danger we blissfully ignore”.

Listen here:
https://soundcloud.com/lwallermusic/dopamine/s-nbAHtcAENgt?si=3af2e4c725f049819a7382d0d1512ee1&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

This haunting, yet driving track encapsulates this energy effortlessly. Her music can be found on any streaming platform, and her socials are listed below.

Socials:
Website - https://lwallermusic.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lwallermusic/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lwallermusic
Twitter - https://twitter.com/lwallermusic
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIcrqgAREyivYuupRgskSA
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@lwallermusic?
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/1dfsoRdxexXO4hVr8XY6Y8
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/lwallermusic

In the words of Pepe Cantó himself: "After overcoming 2020 as the worst year of my life, where the arrival of the pandemic has only been a tiny sum to these unexpected and unwanted surprises, full of pain, uncertainty and fear, this single was born. Of the happy moments. Of these arcane and subtle moments, divided into milliseconds that flooding your whole body through the senses make you perceive, like a caress, complete happiness, without cracks".

Production: Pepe Cantó
All instruments: Pepe Cantó
Recording and editing: Joseph Corner
Mix: Pepe Cantó
Mastering: Pablo G. Schuller (Schuller Sound)
Cover design: Candela Cantó

Listen or buy: https://links.altafonte.com/bogo5w9

SPOTIFY
https://spoti.fi/3oEEWBd

Malcolm Burn is a Grammy Award winning record producer, best known for having worked with Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, and The Tragically Hip among many others. In his other artistic life, he is a songwriter, singer and a recording artist.

Love, loss and the fragility of the human psyche are explored in his new solo album, the silence in your head, with the title track displaying a deep understanding of the fleeting aspects of time and human existence. Listen to the album in full here, a culmination of almost two decades worth of songwriting by Malcolm that incorporates an array of influences both new and old.

Listen in here:

https://soundcloud.com/user-505828564/the-slience-in-your-head/s-STpBotUfzrV

Ottawa-born Laurence DaNova developed a passion for singing and the arts at a young age, singing in a band throughout his teens before he released Nine Hundred, his first self-produced EP with his former band, Vista Del Mar. In 2019, Laurence began to work with producers to develop his unique sound, combining experimental pop, neo-soul, and alternative rock.

Following his series of well-received singles and videos, Laurence is back with “Marsupial,” a melancholy and downtempo track which showcases his vocals and reinterprets Leonard Corcuerea’s poem of the same name.

“When the time comes that you’ve outgrown me, will you hunt for me or will you hunt me?” For Laurence, this line sums up the central theme of “Marsupial.”

“You can be so closely bound to someone and show them the ways of life, only for them to just leave and betray you,” he states.

The song’s music video, shot in the Bucegi Mountains of central Romania, captures the loneliness of “Marsupial.” “You feel so small among the mountains and plateaus,” explains DaNova.



Watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPtb-MO03Ps

The 3 man New Jersey alternative folk band, Cold Weather Company, will host a virtual concert and Q&A this Saturday, February 12, 2022, at 3 PM EST/12 PM PST, hosted by and available on the live streaming platform Volume.com.

Live from 2Trax Studios from Deko Entertainment, this virtual concert is a free event where you can chat with the band, hear some new tunes, and have a chance to win surprise Valentine's Day-inspired giveaways.

Forming in 2013, after a serendipitous meeting on a park bench at Passion Puddle on the Cook Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the band has always been a shared commitment to the common passions of its three core members. A synthesis of songwriters, Jeff, Steve, and Brian each bring their own inspirations and styles to the project.

Their first two albums, Somewhere New and A Folded Letter, were self-produced in the basements, bedrooms, and rented cabins of the trio, who met up to write and record whenever there was time to spare. Both albums were supported by self-organized tours covering seventeen states. Traveling by microbus and Crosstrek—through tornado warnings and snowstorms—the band played small towns and major cities alike, forging lasting bonds and finding inspiration on the road.

Across their first 26 songs, Cold Weather Company explored its sonic potential, building a compositional foundation that would shape the themes and tones of the music to follow. The band’s third album, Find Light, was the first to be recorded in a dedicated studio, allowing each song to come to full instrumental fruition. Following Find Light’s sixteen tracks, and in the middle of recording demos for their upcoming fourth album, the band released an original holiday song, joined in the final chorus by a choir of friends, near and far.

All this because of a random meeting on a bench, and the seizing of an opportunity. The moment arose, and a chance was taken.


Show Details
When: Saturday Feb 12, 2022, 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST
Where: https://volume.com/coldweathercompany/
https://volume.com/t/1Fz6nw/
How Much: FREE for all Volume Members

Ancient Lithuanian instruments is a platform created to introduce unique Lithuanian musical heritage, its wide range of different lively sounding instruments.
http://www.ltinstrumentai.lt/en/
Here you will find short descriptions of Lithuanian folk musical instruments and have a chance to study antique sheet music as well as listen to the traditional songs and improvisations performed by professional musicians.
Most information found on the website is dedicated to the vast group of wind musical instruments. However, the content will be constantly growing. We hope that this website will become an open platform for sharing the tales, legends and knowledge of our musical history.
If you have any interesting stories or observations regarding ancient Lithuanian musical instruments, please do not hesitate to share them and contact us.
Descriptions of the instrument were prepared with the help of the ethnomusicologist Varsa Liutkutė Zakarienė.

Kick and the Hug has debuted their first full length release. It was recorded in Los Angles at Kingsize Soundlabs in July of 2020. As we all know, that was not an easy time to be anywhere in the world. So the time it took for them to record it to release has been much anticipated. Committed to getting a steady flow of material out into the world, this album is in the hands of those who will fall in love and want to hug Kick and the Hug. As music fans first and foremost, they thrive to write for the fans. If It Makes You Feel Good makes us feel real good! It is a catchy, rock nostalgic song taking us right into the venue and if we close our eyes we can jump around and sing along with the band. This music is more than an album, its an experience.

“When I first heard the term “dadrock”, I was a little turned off by it. It seemed to be used in a negative connotation…a way to describe guys that were too old to be making relevant music. It seemed the music was dated just by association to the word. Well, I’ve recently learned (smirk smirk), that it's a code word, for a tribe of people that dig all sorts of music, love live shows, and don’t box themselves in with genre specific playlists. They’re guys AND girls that make music a big part of their life. They hold onto the stuff they were brought up on. They support those bands from yesteryear, but they also seek out new music that qualifies to sit alongside those songs they cherish. And I have to tell you, when I heard this, there was a sigh of relief on my part. I mean the description the guy was giving was much more in depth, but it just convinced me that there are ears out there that will embrace “Ladies and Gentlemen, Kick and the Hug," and we can’t wait for them to hear it.”

The members of Kick and the Hug lived through a different time in Boulder, CO, when the vibrant live music scene, and plentiful basement apartments, was a great place for a musician to make a living. The band is scattered across the country now, stretching all the way from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, and Denver. Such is the case these days; they collaborate via file sharing...but when it's time to get in a room and create the real thing, Boulder seems as good a place as any to congregate and create, with its proximity to nature and the creativity that flows through the city. Lead singer /guitar player Doug Murray and Sam Young (drummer, keys) played together in the early 90's Boulder stalwart the Winebottles, before Young went on to serve stints with the Samples and Devotchka. The band is also joined by multi-instrumentalist Mike Ferguson on bass, strings, and vocals. The band's sound is glued together by lead guitarist and in-house producer Tyler Skye.

KNTH knows how to take a song from the rehearsal room to the world, which they did with their debut self-release, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Kick and the Hug." The title of the album suggests an introduction, not just to the band and the music, but to what they hope becomes the LIVE experience. "Before we decided to self-release, we shopped the record to some contacts in the music industry. They were all encouraging about the songs but passed for lack of social numbers. We thought it was ironic that they would look to the social-media analytics of a new band, that has never played a single show, in the middle of a pandemic. This is going to be a long, slow process of building up a fan base, one by one until the rooms are full of people who want to hear our songs. We're not in a hurry. By the time the rooms are full I assume the social numbers will be in line, but by then, I don't know, by then will we really care about the music industry? We're really into this whole ‘direct relationship with the audience’ thing. What a cool time to be in a band. We used to lick stamps... now you just push a button and send everyone a little love letter announcing your show, and the world gets it in one second.”

Listen to their album, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Kick and the Hug' here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/0VYAZB6Cqmj0tG4WeibSBr?si=pvA8AdiTQkOxtAoROTXMaw

Kick and the Hug is unapologetically passionate about the creative and connective parts of music—the ‘your music changed my life’ exchanges with real people, not the ‘I love your post!’ comment from a username account. We are here for the Kick and the Hugs experience!

Ferera Swan is a recording artist, songwriter, composer, pianist, violinist, and Grammy voting member of The Recording Academy. Swan is an established artist, singer-songwriter, engineer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. To date, she has written, arranged, and engineered music for other artists in varying genres, and she has worked as a session musician in a variety of contexts.

Select career highlights include composing, “Lighthouse,” for the film documentary Swim For The Reef that was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France, and recording vocals for various commercial jingles, including a national advertisement for Old Navy. Ferera has also been a featured guest performing live on radio and on television in the Austin, Texas region. To date, Ferera has released two albums under previous artist names, and two recent Ferera Swan singles, including “Second Time” (2019) written for her biological mother and produced by Ramy Antoun (former drummer for Seal & founder of A&F Drum Co.).

Ferera wrote her first song at age 10, after learning that she was adopted—she poured her unanswered questions into music. At that tender age, she had already been playing piano for 7 years, and violin for 4 years. She was a young virtuoso, and, by age 14, she composed her first cinematic score titled, “Serenity.” “Serenity” was premiered by four orchestras with a turnout of over 2,000 people.

Ferera is an adult child of closed adoption and an outspoken advocate for others, shining a light on the shadowy issues surrounding the industry involving family separation, grief, shame, secrecy, and trauma. In recent years, Ferera has changed her name to reflect a combination of her biological parents' last names. This empowering decision opened new doors to artistic and vocal freedom and celebrates her cultural identity while acknowledging her painfully complex birth story. Ferera is a beacon of hope and healing for other adult adoptees processing an often misunderstood legacy of grief. It’s a broadly resonant journey, and it will inspire anyone who has ever fought to take back their lives and embrace their authentic selves.

Those feelings of freedom and energy course through Ferera’s new music. Her new single is co-produced with Jacob Hildebrand call, “To Say Goodbye” It delicately unfolds a sparkly ambience, chiming guitars, and sublime melodies. Here, she addresses the reality for many adoptees: no matter how fulfilling their home lives may be, there is a constant sense of loss and being unwanted by the one who brought you into the world. Adoptee grief is largely misunderstood by those outside of this life experience. “We grieve our mothers, families, our roots. I believe it’s in allowing ourselves to hold grief and gratitude simultaneously—the integration of both—where we can truly discover healing,” Ferera shares. On this song, her lyrics come from a place of strength and self-awareness hard fought from years of pain and confusion. In the outro, she sings: I don’t need someone to save me/to show me how to see the bright side/Tell me how to say goodbye to/the one you’ll always hope will love you.

Over recent years, she has been raising awareness around grief, maternal separation & adoption trauma and advocating for family preservation and more ethical practices. Leading up to this new release, several adoptees with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences have shared their own hearts using the words “to say goodbye” in support of this cause and adoptee movement.
With all the changes in our world lately, she is so thankful for the healing music brings and for the ability to work on music remotely. It’s easy to dismiss people’s pain, but it takes a kind of bravery to be curious. “To Say Goodbye” is an invitation of empathy: May we have the courage to empathize with another’s grief that we may never understand; that in doing so, we may discover deep empathy for our own.

She shares that, “The lyrics in the chorus of ‘To Say Goodbye’ is intended to be more of a rhetorical question and more of an invitation to explore this kind of ambiguous loss. After struggling for most of my life asking myself, how do I let go of my mother? I've realized: I don't. With certain kinds of loss, perhaps it's not about letting go, but about looking in, finding the courage to sit with our pain, being changed by what it tells us, and experiencing the healing that will come as a result of that act of self-love and bravery.”

Listen to "To Say Goodbye" here:
https://soundcloud.com/fereraswan/to-say-goodbye-rough-instrumental/s-SqUPHmUwfD3?si=b4b773df87ce49f6a273b82a6aea088e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

There is a saying that pain is the price of admission to a new life. This applies to Ferera in that she has channeled her trauma into a creative and personal rebirth. “Some of our greatest gifts can be found in our deepest pain. Through allowing myself to explore what hurts, I’ve found purpose, self-compassion, and the meaning of courage.” Her message is brave and though she is saying goodbye, we are saying hello to more songs from this prolific artist.

LISTEN TO “PITY PARTY” HERE: https://wmk.lnk.to/y6MKEjGv
WATCH “PITY PARTY” HERE : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqvWpHyc3ps&feature=youtu.be

South Korean singer and songwriter JAMIE releases her latest single Pity Party today on all digital platforms via Warner Music Korea. For her all-English single, the globally recognized artist delivers her most personal and expressive work to date.

The single starts off with a catchy and disco-like beat before a dynamic chorus gets listeners up on their feet and dancing. As the song starts, JAMIE sings about being in a situation that’s made her emotionally vulnerable. She ignores the negative influences around her and builds her confidence towards what lies ahead by having fun and throwing herself a pity party. Lyrics like “I’m feeling sad, I’m spiral falling all the way down, the only way is up UP!” encourages the message of bouncing back stronger from any setbacks or obstacles. Her listeners will relate to this song on many levels, but especially the ones who are going through tough times and hope to motivate and bring them inspiration this coming year.

Accompanying the new single is a bewitching music video. After a brief introduction to the song, the camera pans to JAMIE as she lounges on a chair in an eye-catching, black ensemble– a perfect outfit for a pity party. The story of the music video then thickens as the camera pans onto a man dressed in a white suit as he walks down the hall filled with ghosts and sits at the head of an extravagant table. Dancing in front of the man, JAMIE proudly sings and passionately dances to the chorus alongside masked female dancers. After giving the observing man an elixir, the pity party takes a frenzied turn towards a celebration, ending the tantalizing music video with a heightened sense of self-confidence and pride.

While she’s only released a handful of songs over the last two years, she’s grown into one of the most featured artists in Korea, keeping herself quite busy as she navigates the music industry. In early 2021, JAMIE was included in the remix of American hip-hop artists Saweetie and Doja Cat’s Best Friend alongside South Korean-Japanese rapper CHANMINA, garnering over 13 million plays on Spotify. Her recent collaboration was for the single Family by David Guetta, Ty Dolla $ign and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie; dominating the charts on it’s release. K-pop star JAMIE has built an unparalleled repertoire, showcasing her chameleonic musical abilities and maturity in EPs like the coming-of-age 19 to 20 and genre-hopping jiminxjamie. With buoyant, charismatic, mischievous charms, and inimitable vocal talent. The critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter continues to enchant her growing international fanbase (under Warner Music Korea), as she currently boasts 1.6 million followers on Instagram and millions of streams on multiple platforms.

Christian Parker is a seasoned singer songwriter, recording artist and guitarist from Canton, New York, United States. His new single, taken from the album of the same title, “Every Passing Mile” is a beautiful, emotional song with wistful lyrics and a haunting electric guitar hook.

Parker has been recording music for the last thirty years. Notably, his songs center around themes of the stories of others he knows, as well as the things that we all deal with. Worries, trials, successes, tribulations. The ever-changing ups and downs of life.

Parker says about his album,

"these songs encapsulate the essence of how I have grown as a songwriter and a musician"

“Every Passing Mile” is the story of a relationship now gone. With the passing of time, the feelings for a love gone become more haunting, more memorable in some ways. There is a lovely bridge with the electric guitar, and a lilting chorus that complements Parker’s vocals.

Although melancholic and written with minor chords, this song has an uplifting chorus. There is rhythm, a unique sound to the electric guitar, and an overall musical sound that is profoundly memorable.

You will want to listen to this song again, and explore more of Parker’s music as you go.

Stay current with Christian Parker on his website www.christianparker.com
Stream “Every Passing Mile” on:
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/HqrmYaTeS9A1Wx7h8
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/31mv8NecA7o6oAiKHZ3MB4?si=rxTw_qTJS1ivCiA8O_aemQ
YouTube music - https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mShLj40uQy3vKiY4UaLz_p27b6f5C_Hmo&feature=share

Resistance has always been the struggle of the black people, the oppressed people. The human being with power and money has always weighed on the body of the oppressed with humiliation, hunger, misery, lack of opportunities. The first song on my album is called Resistance. Resistance is a cry for freedom against all oppression, cowardice, injustice, lack of peace, hope and love. May the human being be more attentive to the other and that we can all have the dignity we deserve as human beings that we are and not just because of the color of our skin.

PRESS RELEASE:
Artist: Mitsune
Album Title: Hazama
Release Date: 18/02/22

Through the art of folklore, emotional storytelling and genre-bending, 5-piece power group Mitsune transports you to a world of vivid global fusion. Fronted by an all-female trio of shamisen players, accompanied by percussion and double bass, Mitsune take their love of Japanese folk music and infuse it with eastern blues, jazz, rock and cinematic influences, creating a uniquely addictive sound.

Based in Berlin, with members of the band hailing from Japan, Germany, Australia, and Greece, Mitsune traverses borders as they blend their diverse, culturally-driven compositions with rhythmic explorations of Japanese folk music. Having supported Nai Palm (Hiatus Kaiyote) in Berlin, to performing extensively at festivals, concerts and events all across Europe, Mitsune’s trajectory continues toward their new album Hazama, set for release on February 18th, 2022.

Hazama (translating to ‘in between’ in Japanese) is an album that explores the feeling of being in limbo, caught between worlds. Filled with uplifting group vocals, strong driving rhythmic beats and an exciting range of instruments including shinobue, ney, qanun, koto and the Tsugaru shamisen (a 3-stringed Japanese folk instrument), the group immerses you not only with sounds you haven’t heard before, but with beautiful melodies and harmonies to match.
Set to release one single a week in the lead-up to the album launch, we are met with a feast of excitingly disparate compositions, all leading back to that common feeling of unity, a theme that Mitsune strongly communicates in every musical endeavour.

Website: http://mitsune.de/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Mitsune
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitsune.music
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitsunemusic/
Bandcamp: https://mitsune.bandcamp.com/releases
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mitsunemusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3lSFQIxf3wrUpUIUYrku49

You may know Real Stormin' Norman's lead man, Norman Zamcheck, from his decades of writing and performing. Starting in the 1970's in New York City's music scene as Stormin' Norman and Suzy, which was named by the New York Times "hottest act in town" at the time, Norman has performed with the likes of Tom Waits, Taj Mahal, Tracy Nelson, The Allman Brothers, and Coco Taylor, just to name a handful. He's performed at Carnegie Hall as well as written scores for several movies and off-Broadway shows. Needless to say, Norman has had a successful musical career.

His newest album, 'Euphoria,' is culmination of all his years of music, in style and lyrics. He says his whole life trajectory has led to the creation and release of this album. The 6 song album features the sounds of New Orleans, blues, and some Latin influences, all of which has been Norm's unique sound for decades, only this time, it's all in one place, and in each song.

His songs are more like narratives, or short stories, rather than the traditional verse and chorus. He uses the music of his jazz and big band sound to guide the listener through the story. He keeps you interested with the lyrics, though the music itself is what keeps us coming back for more. The way each instrument harmonizes with each other is incredibly difficult to do, yet Real Stormin' Norman makes it sound easy. He is a masterful composer and writer who knows what he's doing.

"For me It’s all about the magic of the piano keyboard & its infinite possibilities; all about the amazing melodies that can spin up from chords and rhythms, all about the countless stories that need to be sung, all about the pure magic, the colors and shading great musicians add to a song, and most important, the soul and spirit of a great singer," says Norm. "I am thrilled to be able to offer 'Euphoria,' and am already planning our next release."

Listen to 'Euphoria' here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/7zrCRcyXSQa39awXMudrG7

Agent Starling release their second album ‘Constellation of Birds’ on February 25th 2022. It follows debut album European Howl and winter EP The Northern Lights Trilogy, both released in 2021. Agent Starling are Quentin Budworth hurdy-gurdy and Louise Duffy-Howard aka Lou Loudhailer voices & other instruments, also featuring special guest Dexter Duffy-Howard on violin and cello. Recorded in Yorkshire UK by Agent Starling, the album was mastered in Oregon by Kevin Carafa.

In 'Constellation of Birds' real instruments, hurdy-gurdy, bass, violin, cello, hypnotic drones, vocal harmonies & spoken words are interwoven with found sounds and manipulated electronic synthesized tones. The melodies are inspired by traditional tunes, playing techniques, chants and refrains. The rhythm tracks are constructed from samples recorded around the home and field recordings to make rolling patterns and trap beats. The resulting mix is a very modern sound, a complex, compelling musical counterpoint full of catchy tunes with Pop, Indie, Folk and Dance sensibilities, all with an experimental edge.

The album features seven new original songs telling stories inspired by the environment in the contemporary world and influenced by musical traditions from nations across Europe, together with Agent Starling’s arrangements of two traditional tunes, O’Carolan’s Irish waltz Bridget Cruise and Swedish polska Hälleforsnäsar.

Agent Starling’s original songs span a joyful celebration of the summer solstice, Midsommer, to the song of an alien stranded on Earth during the pandemic - Leave No Trace. Paqaratz is an observation of the band’s dissent with the British government. Shadowland depicts a mysterious chance meeting by the dark sea, while dance track Princess Julia tells a fairy tale of a royal pretender and her secret. Valley to Mountainside, with its compound time signature changes and layered overlapping harmonies extols the beauty of nature, and in the album’s closing spoken word track - The Stonemason’s Dream - Agent Starling call for cathedral-thinking in the modern world to preserve it.

Quentin and Lou both have strong musical provenance. Lou was originally in recently reformed prophetic UK Indie band Red Guitars and has gigged and recorded ever since, currently heading up psychedelic rock band Loudhailer Electric Company. Originally part of Suns of Arqa, hurdy-gurdy specialist Quentin is the force behind world fusion medieval rave band Celtarabia. Agent Starling are preparing to tour in 2023.

Info and links
‘Constellation of Birds’ by Agent Starling is released on Friday 25th February 2022 on the DHM record label, catalogue number DHM032. Digital distribution by Label Worx and limited edition CD from selected stores.

Available from Bandcamp: https://loudhaileruk.bandcamp.com/album/constellation-of-birds
Tracks:
1. Valley to Mountainside
2. Leave No Trace
3. Scandiland (Hälleforsnäsar)
4. Paqaratz
5. Midsommer
6. Princess Julia
7. Shadowland
8. Bridget Cruise
9. The Stonemason’s Dream

Visit the Agent Starling website: agentstarlinguk.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgentStarlingUK/
Twitter: @AgentStarlingUK
Agent Starling Video Playlist: https://tinyurl.com/yvmr2r3v

Editors Notes

Agent Starling was originally a lockdown project when Quentin and Lou were both unable to play their usual summer of festival gigs. Isolating in their respective homes in Bridlington and Hull they decided to record one track together and didn’t stop until they had recorded over two album’s worth of new works – despite having not met up in person since before the pandemic.
Lou explained: “Typically for each song we started with a conversation about the framework of the song – the general feel, tempo, key, time signature. Then Quentin would record a hurdy-gurdy part in his home studio and send it to me. I would use it as inspiration to shape up the song in my home studio, adding rhythm tracks, playing bass – my main instrument so the bass grooves are central to the tracks. I’d write lyrics and add vocals, vocal harmonies and build up the textures using found sounds I record around the house and manipulated samples. My teenage son Dexter is a violinist. He was at home, so he became Agent Starling’s special guest, and I recorded his violin and cello parts for many of the tracks. I’d do a rough mix, Quentin and I would discuss it and after two or three mixes we’d agree it was finished. We then had the tracks professionally mastered by an engineer in Oregon who is known for his work on Hip Hop and EDM music. It makes for an interesting mix of traditional instruments with a modern sound.”
The band wanted to showcase the hurdy-gurdy in a new setting.
Quentin explained: "I've played the hurdy-gurdy professionally for most of my adult life and am very aware of being part of a unique musical culture that spans a millennia and the continent of Europe from Spain to Sweden from England to Italy. The hurdy-gurdy with its drone, chanters and buzzing trompette creates a unique musical world encompassing the ancient, modern and modal. When played as a solo instrument the hurdy-gurdy creates a delightful universe of sound in its own right needing no accompaniment. I spend most of my time, energy and focus exploring and developing my playing of the instrument, just prior to lockdown travelling widely throughout Europe to study style, technique and repertory with leading players from many different folk traditions. I bring this knowledge to my playing when recording for Agent Starling whether writing new compositions or interpreting traditional ones. I often spend several days researching, rehearsing and recording my parts to ensure that I am happy with my playing on the record before I send them to Lou, sometimes with an accompanying midi copy of the tune.”

Debut album European Howl was internationally critically acclaimed, making number one in the EthnoCloud Mediterranean music chart 2021.

"Experimental hurdy-gurdy on duo’s impressive debut. European Howl is a complex, immersive and at times disorienting listening experience." (SONGLINES July 2021)

Credits
Agent Starling are Quentin Budworth hurdy-gurdy and Louise Duffy-Howard aka Lou Loudhailer voices & other instruments, also featuring special guest Dexter Duffy-Howard on violin and cello. Recorded in Yorkshire UK by Agent Starling, the album was mastered in Oregon by Kevin Carafa. All songs written and composed by Lou Duffy-Howard and Quentin Budworth with lyrics by Lou Duffy-Howard, except Hälleforsnäsar and O’Carolan’s Bridget Cruise trad arr. Agent Starling.
Album cover by Agent Starling based on the original artwork by Karl Wilhelm de Hamilton (1668–1754) The Parliament of Birds.

During lockdown 2020 I had to stop playing and teaching percussion and running interactive events, somethings I had been doing worldwide for over 15 yrs. My usual percussion practice between events was to play along to some loops I had especially made but obviously, no can do in a 3rd floor flat, no events and no studios open during a pandemic.

So out comes the guitar again and like that, I’m living for playing along with these loops and the creative ideas that flow from it. Guitar was my first love as a teenager and, whilst I’ve been happy to put it down for periods in light my other joyful work, it remains something special to me. Now, I can’t get enough, I start posting daily practice videos on Insta and eventually I’m wondering if I can make a set of recordings with the ideas.. I’m still wondering!

Out of the mindset of drum kit, bass and guitar and wanting to take a themed improvisational approach to the music the journey so far has been - how do the sounds fit together? what tones can I achieve with my set up and situation? And, given that loops are not dynamic like a real band, how do I approach the music differently?

Join me on the journey! I love these rhythms and get a sense of calm and ease from playing with them, my imagination is fired and I am full of love, wonder and respect for where they come from and everything I’ll never know about how they came to be.

22.01.2022

Danish label and music publisher is signing Los Angeles, California, US artist Sam Ortolano and his project PEACEARTHOPE (pronounced peace, earth, hope) to Sublime Exile Recordings & Little Devil Island Music.

Fans of great guitar virtuosos like Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia should really listen to this fantastic musician.

PEACEARTHOPE is Sam Ortolano. Highlighting his deep passion for all things guitar, the group, allows Sam to write, record, produce and perform original music that is all his own. His love of World music along with his vast background in playing many different musical styles is the foundation by which a unique hybrid was created.

A Los Angeles-based guitarist, Sam started playing at the age of 5 and has never stopped. In his early teens, when his friends were all listening to pop music, Sam discovered the world of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, Chick Corea, Return to Forever, Allan Holdsworth, Paco, John and Al, and Pat Metheny. He was immediately moved by the creativity and inspired by the virtuosity. From that point on the guitar became the centre of his universe, practising up to 8 hours a day, with a thirst for knowledge and a drive to be the best guitarist/musician he could be.

Sam has spent his professional life performing with various groups as well as leading his own bands. Covering a wide spectrum of musical styles, he has enjoyed playing rock, jazz, fusion, pop, and progressive metal with multiple studio recordings being released in each genre. Sam has performed hundreds of shows up and down the west coast as well as having extended residencies as a solo guitarist at a number of bars and restaurants in So Cal. During the pandemic, he used the isolation to his benefit and transitioned to being a solo artist full time. With that transition came the advent of PEACEARTHOPE, a showcase of Sam's acoustic guitar music, featuring Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Latin beats and melodies. An initial release entitled "Speed of Sound" is a collection of 10 intensely passionate compositions with beautiful melodies and intricate rhythmic arrangements to be released in 2022.

The goal of PEACEARTHOPE is to create music that inspires listeners to think outside the box, never settle for the norm, and take an active role in the community that is the world. At the same time, free your mind and spirit, laugh a little bit, love a lot, and dance, dance, dance!


Sincerely
Lasse de Flon

Sublime Exile Recordings & Little Devil Island Music
Copenhagen, Denmark, EU

Nilza Costa Quartet is a band composed of Brazilian singer-songwriter Nilza Costa, Red Rossi, drummer / percussion and vocals, Daniele Santimone, electric guitar and seven strings and vocals and Maurizio Piancastelli, trumpet / effects / keyboards and vocals. His music is sacred, history and contemporary language where the soul is improvisation.

They live in Italy with several tours in a European country. The latest album is called The Nights of San Patricio published by the Bruttura Moderne label (Italy) and distributed by Xango Music (Paese Bass) and Tratore (Brazil). We live in Italy. The artist has been in the top 50 on the world album chart since her album was released in September 202.

In October 2021 we went to Germany, Luxembourg, Holland and Belgium for a six-date tour but in the past few years we have also done several tours. Music cannot stop, it must go everywhere carrying the message of peace, equality, social, political and human. Music is the only language of union and resistance.

New album ONA will be released right after the winter solstice 2021

Multiple Anděl Award winners Tomáš Kočko & ORCHESTR release their new album on December 31st, 2021. The title of the album “ONA,” which means “SHE” in Czech.
You can not only enjoy their music, but watch a cheerful video for song “Hopaj Hop,” as well as their long awaited song book.

“During the hard lockdowns, we have been in desperate need to feel our music matters, that anyone cares about us and our work. We are deeply grateful to our fans who supported us financially, emotionally and morally, too! Thanks to THEM, we have released our new album. They even motivated us to shoot a video and song book,” says Tomáš Kočko on his feelings for the fans.

Tomáš Kočko & ORCHESTR have added to their discography a new collection of original traditional folk songs connected with the topic – WOMEN. Women of all shapes, ages and situations. Women´s power, self-consciousness, sadness and joy in the context of the band’s Moravian folklore tradition. The only exception is the musical note addressed to their Polish neighbours and their current discussion on women’s personal rights in a song called “Matulu Moja”.

“ONA” was recorded and created in Moravia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, partly in home studios and mostly with our sound engineer, Broněk Šmid, who is the godfather of all our albums.

“I moved myself into the moment, where I can see how many tasks and troubles women have to deal with, and how much harder their destinies always have been in comparison to men. We cannot bring a complex overview of a woman’s world, but we painted a very colourful spectrum of women´s stories in our album ONA,” Kočko explains.

The band have invited plenty special guests, not only locals, but from Slovakia (Alena Antalová, Lucie Šoralová), Poland (Gosza Tutko) and thanks to SoundCzech, even Hungarian band Cimbaliband.hu.

The brand-new song book contains 24 of their most popular songs with their melodies, harmonies for guitar and solo melody lines.

The new video for “Hopaj Hop” (© Blue Lune Productions, directed by David J. V. Schöbl, with cameraman Daniel Bielčík) was released the very last day of 2021 at YT channel of the band http://tiny.cc/Kocko_YT.

Physical distribution of the album is handled through Indies.eu, and you can stream it online via http://tiny.cc/Kocko_SPTF.

PUBLICISTS:
To listen to the album prior to its release, you can use this link: http://tiny.cc/Kocko_ONA

Do not hesitate to contact me for any other material, interviews or information.


Helena Vyvozilová
www.kocko.cz/en
helena.vyvozilova@gmail.com
tel.: +420 776 684 553

The Ali Hugo Fanclub hopes that its members have started 2022 thriving towards achieving their high-fly ambitions. That's how the new year began for Hugo. Hugo was determined to increase radio airplay of his music and fans subscribing to his music in the French Canadian city of Montreal. However, the fact that the Montreal music market is highly competitive and Hugo's non-instrumental music is anglophone has made it difficult for Hugo to achieve those two goals. But in 2022, things look positive. Hugo's song "Land of Confusion" has started receiving airplay & Hugo was recently interviewed by Jaqueline St. Clair, host of the art-centric French podcast "Bouquet de talents" blow is the English transcript of the Interview.

[Dear listeners Welcome to another episode of the “Montreal Talent Bouquet" morning show with your host Jacqueline Saint Clair. In previous years we have featured musicians of different music genres and from all over Canada. We start our first episode of 2022 with our interview with Canadian singer-songwriter Ali Hugo. Many people in Quebec and perhaps even Canada may not be very familiar with the success Ali Hugo has achieved for himself. That is because Hugo is one of those rare artists who have achieved international success outside of Canada and although his music rights are protected by SOCAN, Ali Hugo fans still need to order vinyl copies of his music as imports.

Q-Welcome to the show Hugo
A- Thank you for inviting me, Jacqueline

Q-You've mentioned that the last time you were in Montreal was in 2005, what has kept you away for so long?
A- I love Montreal and it's one of my favourite cities in the world, but as you mentioned in your introduction, I have a large following outside of Canada, which means that I’m always travelling abroad trying to increase the numbers of subscribers to my music, recently I have been based in the Middle East doing promotional work and building a loyal following one fan at a time through the Anghami streaming platform.

Q- I read an article where you compare yourself to artists like the Backstreet Boys, Tina Turner and Randy Crawford, there’s a generation gap between these artists, what do they have in common and how do they fit into that comparison?
A- Well Tina and Randy started their careers in the United States but no one could have foreseen the kind of success both these artists would achieve in Europe where the Uk and Germany have been the recording hub for Randy Crawford, for example. I personally refer to Randy as a silent gainer because, throughout her career, she has built a loyal following that will consume anything she puts out, and although she hasn’t released any new music or done any tours, in 2018 her Spotify streams were at 18 Million streams and, according to online celebrity net worth sources, her net worth for 2021 without releasing any new music or touring was 2 Million Dollars, and that's not bad for a lady who topped the Billboard charts in the late seventies with "street life" by the Crusaders.

Q- No that's not bad at all
A-On the other hand, Tina’s European success propelled her Global stardom and packed stadium tours, like her world record concert in Brazil.

Q- Okay and how do the Backstreet Boys fit into this explanation?
A- Well, by launching their music career in Europe before the US, the backstreet boy redefined the term “ British Invasion” reserved for British artists invading the American music market, for example, the Beatles. What the Backstreet boys did was make a European-sponsored invasion of Americans invading the American music market similar to the French, coming to the Aid of the Americans during the American Revolution.

Q- And is that what you see yourself doing in the long run, creating an invasion of the Canadian music market?
A- Well It's no secret that I want to be big in Canada. Winning a "Juno" would be great, but I have always had this vision of going back to my high school reunion and sharing my success with people I grew up with. It would be great to say to my friends in Toronto" hey guys, I'm playing skydome or the Rogers Center and you all have front row complimentary tickets."

Q- So then impressing your Canadian family and friends is still important to you even though you have a big following in Europe the Middle East and Latin America?
A- Canada is always at the back of my mind no matter where I am in the world

Q- Hugo, in an interview with the Global podcasting network from the UK in 2015, you mentioned something about doing a French album. Is that still in the works?
A- I think I was a little naive about the realities of what such a project would require, I think I'm still naive about a lot of the demands of the music business.

Q- Do you mean that making a French album is naive?
A- Oh not at all, it’s just that; when I did the interview with the podcasting network, I was excited about the possibility of adopting the DIY approach to music because the tools available to indie artists were on the rise. Now I know that I have reached as far as possible as an indie artist and that I can’t go any further without the support of a records label, A Manager and investors, and all those entities will not support, a full French album which may be expensive to record and produce, without me having a large global francophone following. But maybe producing a french single if I can find the right team and studio in Montreal to back me, is more realistic.

Q- What other parts of the Music business were you naive about?
A- well, when I released my instrumental NGF album in 2015, I had maybe 2 listeners in every continent of the globe and if I wanted to stop making music, it would not be a big problem, but today; the Ali Hugo Fanclub membership has grown and I can’t just disappear. My fans are loyal and they are always waiting for the next release. It's great that we are in the electronic age because I would not have space in my house for all the fan mail. Direct messaging is the best invention for successful artists.

Q- let's turn to a question from one of our listeners, Jean-Marc Champonte from Sudbury asks on Meta: “Ali, I love the Afrodisiac EP concept and the first single “Pita”. Did you record that in Italy? The Mandolin was beautiful and when can we expect to hear some more music from Afrodisiac?
A- Thanks for your question Jean-Marc and thanks for supporting my music, the concept behind “Pita’s” music production and especially the Mandolin was inspired by the nights I spent feasting on great Italian food at La Taverna, a small Italian restaurant on the Island of Zanzibar, So no, I did not record the song in Italy but, I did have an Italian music consulting agent who was pushing the song and video promo in Italy and I'm certain that Fernando’s support helped me reach the number one spot on the Western European charts with that song.

Q- So Hugo When Can Jean-Marc Expect More music from Afrodisiac?
A- Jacquiline, the truth is that After the release of “Pita”, I was exhausted, I couldn't go on with the “Do it yourself” approach any longer, I mean, I wasn't getting enough sleep because Entertainment lawyers are expensive and I have a gift of dissecting contracts, so I was spending long nights dissecting and crafting up contracts and looking at the legal side of the business, so a vacation was necessary for me to continue to work effectively in the music business. So now before I can make any new music, I need to build a bigger team that can independently take care of the business side of things. That team will be making sure that I prosper financially, while I just focus on making and producing music. So to answer Jean-Marc’s question, hopefully soon and thanks for your patience, Jean-Marc.

Q Ali thank you so much for coming to our show, dear listeners. Join me next week when we look at how the French in France are trying to bring global attention to Marie Antoinette's garden in her private palace.

Interview fades out
Q- So Hugo, your next interview is in the states?
A- yes I’m going to be a guest on a show called “Rock never dies" ]