i hear the colors

Fresh and hot off the presses comes tasty new sounds for the mental space travelers that need some colorful and harmonically charged transitions and segues for their life's soundtrack. For this mix, I found a way to put together a lot of things that have been really getting my attention lately. I also worked with getting some samples from the FREESOUND site (that I've used on various original projects). 

There are many things throughout the day that we hear and take for granted. The many sounds  that we hear provide our day with color, experiences, moments, and memory. We are influenced by what we  hear our whole lives, whether it's music, communication, sounds, or what-have-you. The music here represents to the beautiful colors that I've managed to be fortunate enough to have taken in within the last few months. I'm gifting this aural experience to you, the listener.

sight becomes sound

It's pretty obvious that one thing that attracts us to music is that it's a marker for events in our lives. How many times have we heard a song from the past and been transported the that particular time and place that brands a moment to the music? There's no better way to recreate the sense of experiences than from music that surrounds particular events, so that we can recall and relive these special periods again and again. And film makers know this. They create the anxiety, elation, pride, and so on that envelopes character's actions.
With this offering, I've chosen to create a mix of offerings from films. A lot of times, I'll really tune into the music in a film, and make it a point to search the music out. I have a lot of soundtracks, and I do listen to them quite often. I didn't put a lot of things on this that I would have liked, as I tried to stick with a particular format. Some of my favorites soundtracks that didn't make the cut are Devdas, Purple Rain (I have every Prince album!), The Truth About Charlie, Sprout, Oceans Eleven or Twelve, A.I., A Beautiful Mind, Amelie, Hair, etc., and so on. I purposely tried to steer clear (as well as I could) from the very dark and orchestral heavy soundtrack music that exists more prominently, and chose pieces that ebbed and flowed with organic transitions.

(slowly drifting) light years away

After reviewing some new music, I came across STILL POINT by HAMMOCK. I was so overwhelmed with its deep, hypnotic swirl and realized that there was no way I couldn't put it in this mix. I was supposed to be doing a final project for an Organizational Communications class, but now I'm sidetracked with putting this out there. How unfortunate. No, not really (actually finished the class, did quite well in it BTW).

After hearing Still Point, I came up with title immediately. I'm truly inspired right now. And I've created a mix that will take your mind on a peaceful, uplifting, and enlightening journey to the ether of your mind. This mix is multi-purpose: you can sleep to it, you can definitely stay awake to it and have your mind blown, or you can choose a state in between the two. I've carefully mixed and mashed up some very tasty ingredients for your mental departure to the deep corners of solitude and escape.

daydreams at nightfall

For me, the saddest time is not winter, but the approach of fall. I don't hate the fall season. I love it! But knowing that summer and the vibe it has brought is withering into a memory is a hard pill to swallow. In summer, I'm invincible; I am reborn with every hot burst of sun, thriving to gather the energy of every new day, leaving little or no wasted moments in my wake. Every summer day is a new awakening, brought about by the renewed anticipation of Mother Earth's sun-song upon us. Get the point? I freakin' LOVE summer so much that it pains me to see it dissolve.

The first thing that I notice is a shortened day. Just a few days ago (and it's been a while since I've actually realized this and posted this narrative), I was fully aware that it was dark at 8 o'clock in the evening (edit: at this time, even sooner). Already. Sadness is upon me. Next, the leaves shed new colors and die, and the sky will be overcast with impending change. But all good things must end.

lose yourself, find yourself

(from Webster's Dictionary)

imag·i·na·tion noun \i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən\

1: the act, process, or power of forming a mental picture of something not present especially of something one has not known or experienced
2: creative ability
3: a creation of the mind

Creative thought is a basic sense that we are born with, but grows dull as we suppress its misalignment within modern society. Stop saying silly things, stay within the lines, act like a grown up. We are molded to learn how to act based on 'more mature' peers within our age group, sacrificing our creative soul. I have say, when you have kids, you go one way or the other. On one hand, you can act like a 'normal' parent, with strict rules and norms that society expects, monitoring the 'fun meter'. On the other hand, one could revert to being  a child, in order to gain a greater understanding. The alleged 'adult child' will begin adopting the mannerisms of their offspring, gaining a second wind of their childhood and doing such juvenile things such as making faces at the dinner table for a laugh, reading comic books and watching cartoons together, and so on.

the black keys (and the white ones, too)

Being a guitarist, I give my piano playing musician friends a hard time. I accuse them of having no soul since they can't get vibrato, sustain notes without the aid of machinery, and can't bend notes. In other words, they can't do all the cool stuff that guitarists do (keyboards are another story). But to say that they don't emote is a bold statement. Piano covers a lot of ground, even if you can't take it to a campfire (still got them beat!). Just put on most amazing soundtracks and you can feel piano wire delicately gluing the mood to the scene. 
I remember being a young guitarist and sitting in a piano practice room with a big hollowbody guitar. I'd rest the end of the neck somewhere up on the piano, hold down the sustain key, and play really nice add 9 sus 11 chords and listen to the overtones that formed like a cloud, barely dissipating. That could be my first dive into real, live ambient, and those moments have defined a valuable moments in my life.

as the night pulls you in

[DOWNLOAD] [ITUNES]

TRACK LISTING

“Past The Noise” by Ben Lovett from The Signal Soundtrack (Lakeshore Records), Released February 19, 2009 (Start Time: 00:00)

“A Smaller World” by Isol from Unkown (Unknown), Released Unknown (Start Time: 03:58)

“Not A Soul, Not A Sound” by David Helpling and Jon Jenkins from Treasure (Spotted Pecarry), Released June 12, 2007 (Start Time: 08:22)

“Craft (Dimensional Release)” by Michael Stearns from Encounter: A Journey In The Key Of Space (Hearts of Space), Released July 1, 1991 (Start Time: 18:35)

“Glacial” by Les Landes from Spatial Correlation (Netlabel), Released 2008 (Start Time: 24:50)

“The Evil That Never Arrived” by Stars Of The Lid from And Their Refinement Of The Decline (Kranky), Released April 3, 2007 (Start Time: 29:18)

“Isolation” by Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana from Innerzone (Projekt Records), Released May 14, 2002 (Start Time: 34:10)

“Envelopes” by Macabro from Envelopes (Magnatune), Released June 11, 2011 (Start Time: 39:35)

“Corsair” by Boards Of Canada from Geogaddi (Warp Records), Released February 18, 2007 (Start Time: 41:45)

“Gate” by Ken Ikeda from Merge (Touch), Released July 31, 2003 (Start Time: 44:13)

“Pleroma” by Zero Ohms from The Glass Bead Game (Zop Opus), Released 1999 (Start Time: 48:20)

“Chi Filter/Coming Down” by Masters Of Psychedelic Ambiance from Mu (Rather Interesting), Released April 1995 (Start Time: 52:47)