Hello to you all drifting among the ether of cyberspace. I am very happy to present to you my latest release entitled N/E/W/S. I've compiled sessions over the past 2 years as well as compositions that have sat in a vault, awaiting the opportunity to be developed from seedlings into living entities. My art is now ready to see daylight. With the afforded time, I was allowed to put a bit of effort into what I believe would be compositions worthy of stamp of approval. That said, I'm extremely ecstatic to be given the chance to share N/E/W/S with you all! It has surpassed my expectations in its development. I planned for a 4 song EP, but didn't want to churn something that didn't move me. I still wanted strong compositions and honest melodies, and hopefully, I believe that I have achieved that mission. What was supposed to be two distinctly different releases have been combined into this one effort to allow me the opportunity to share everything that I have in one fell swoop.
Hello, fellow cosmic dwellers, and welcome to the latest edition of Spaceman's Transmissions. This journey will require us to transcend a bit higher than our earthly floor to get a bird's eye glimpse of the celestial body that we call Mother Earth. During our travels, we'll seek to exist just above the surface of whatever turmoil and disruptions lie below our comfortable ceiling, and put into perspective all of the situations that need our attention and consideration. With this calibration of mental facilities, our goal is to then seek the answers to the many puzzles that life throws us, with a renewed creative focus that will effortlessly untangle the mysterious responsibilities that cause friction and turbulence. All that we here at Spaceman's Transmissions ask is to allow yourself the single hour within your day to let go and find solace, peace, and comfort in the tapestry of color and sound. Allow this collage entry into your unsettled mind in effort that it will untangle the situations that bind you to what ails you. Your mission, should you accept, is to seek and implement the peacefully subliminal flow so that you may assist others with turbulent situations in an effort to pay it forward.
With this posting, I was really far too fortunate to be granted an exclusive interview with OLIVIER ALARY. His newly released album, FICTION/NON-FICTION from 130701, is above and beyond a truly flawless work of musical art. The facets of musical depth go beyond any sort of cliched genres of post-classical or ambient, and instead delve into a realm of pure musical art with the highest regard to emotional impact, all the while staying true to this artist's intentions and integrity. You can read the review of the album HERE. When I come across musical masterpieces such as this (with an absolutely astounding roster of support musicians), I can't help but wonder the who, why, and how. Being a musician myself, getting inside the minds of musician/composers such as Olivier is the kind of insight that is as inspiring as the music that he's presented with this release. That said, take in a really great read from the mind of Olivier Alary.
TONEPOET: Hello, Olivier. Congratulations on such a powerful release. Fiction/Non-Fiction is a deep journey and a beautifully conceived release. The compositions are minimal yet intense, and each song presents such a diversity in instrumental color that is effectively drawn from each individual musician. Did you play a big role with meticulous guidance of the musicians to your final compositions, or did you allow them to explore their parts with the intention of a pleasant surprise as an outcome?
OLIVIER: Thanks for your kind words! Regarding this process, it’s really a lot of back and forth.
I’ve developed personal techniques with many musicians for the past ten years.
I can tell that my aural experience is going to be an amazing one when I find myself peering about the room searching for that sound that I just heard, without a conscious awareness that it's the music that is creating this backdrop within my mind. This extremely artistically imagined release from SELFFISH (Andrejs Eigus) creates that space. By introducing colorful images of sound through, Selffish meticulously constructs some of the best and most ambitious music to ever grace my ears in a long time. It might sound juvenile to even say it, but trying to explain the beauty, intensity, and perfectly executed intention of this music is cheapening the actual experience of taking in HE SHE THEM US. This is a rare case of the book (that you are now reading) being a fraction as good as the movie.
Hello, ambient space travelers. Today, we will embark on a journey through a cerebral dreamlike state of semi-conscious travel, with a duration lasting from the cosmic sunrise to the cosmic sunset. For a single hour out of your busy and turbulent life, we will assemble ourselves comfortably within our space pods for a colorful excursion that brings us many peaks and valleys. Each interpretation of this experience will be unique. Knowing this, you are equipped with the knowledge that your journey belongs to you alone. Right now, no one's experience is more important than your own.
Greetings, fellow travelers. Today, we here at Spaceman's Transmissions wish to be blessed with your attendance on our latest journey to the celestial horizon in effort to witness the event of an aural rain-shower. Our journey will reward us with the beautiful visions of a world within our minds. There is still a realm of your mind that is untapped and undiscovered, full of creativity, beauty, and child-like wonder. Let go of the chaotic physical realm and delve into the sonic realm to reap mental benefits. Within our tired minds, we will map out our path to solace and mental clarity. We will attempt to reemerge with a renewed sense of purpose, enlightenment, and comfort. Take in the beauty of this session, and realize that its sole purpose is to put you, the aural attendee, in a new headspace. With your accommodations upgraded to first class, we are quite confident that this undertaking will be a successful one.
Greetings, voyagers. Today we'll undertake an eventful journey that is geared towards getting our minds properly adjusted for creativity and peace. All I ask you for, dear listener, is just roughly an hour of your time. If possible, the use of headphones or ear buds is recommended to separate the existing physical world (which can at times deliver too much chaos and disruption) from the cerebral world. It is within this cerebral world that you will realize your potential and emerge from your cocoon with reestablished purpose and clarity. You might not realize it, but this small space between your ears holds a galaxy that is unique and vibrant. Feed it with food of color and sound.
I was extremely fortunate to be rewarded the opportunity to interview Roger Goula who has just released a colorful journey of space meets post-classical music entitled OVERVIEW EFFECT. It has become one of my favorite releases in 2016 (which is reserved for very, very few releases). You can read the review of Overview Effect HERE. Special thanks goes to Katie (!) for giving me the unique experience to pick Roger's mind for such insightful and thorough ponderings.
TONEPOET: Greetings, Roger. First off, I want to sincerely congratulate you on the momentous occasion of releasing Overview Effect. As an advocate and connoisseur of this particular genre, I have to say that you've really dialed in a heartfelt tip of the hat to this style of music. How did this vision come to fruition, and who or what was instrumental or influential in providing you the means to bring this project to life with such integrity in regards to this genre?
It might come to no surprise that of all of the sub-genres of ambient, I'm very fond of space music in particular, and by far my favorite mixes tend to be the ones that are space themed (ODE TO THE COSMIC VOYAGER and GAZING INTO THE INFINITE COSMIC ABYSS). I've followed the musical careers of such pioneers as Jonn Serrie and Michael Stearns, and I've witnessed the birth of stars (pun intended) within this genre such as Luca Gherardi and Vortex Mechanic. Even when I have free time, I'll manage to take in Vangelis' unbelievable footage of Mythodea Live in Greece. For me, space is the place. It's a music form that consistently seems to access a bit more thematic elements than the typical drone-based ambient, and it definitely creates a deeper field in which to be aurally lost within. When I discover a new artist in the space genre that is par with the seasoned veterans, I become that child in the candy store. Such is the case with the ROGER GOULA release of OVERVIEW EFFECT.
It might come to no surprise that of all of the sub-genres of ambient, I'm very fond of space music in particular, and by far my favorite mixes tend to be the ones that are space themed (ODE TO THE COSMIC VOYAGER and GAZING INTO THE INFINITE COSMIC ABYSS). I've followed the musical careers of such pioneers as Jonn Serrie and Michael Stearns, and I've witnessed the birth of stars (pun intended) within this genre such as Luca Gherardi and Vortex Mechanic. Even when I have free time, I'll manage to take in Vangelis' unbelievable footage of Mythodea Live in Greece. For me, space is the place. It's a music form that consistently seems to access a bit more thematic elements than the typical drone-based ambient, and it definitely creates a deeper field in which to be aurally lost within. When I discover a new artist in the space genre that is par with the seasoned veterans, I become that child in the candy store. Such is the case with the ROGER GOULA release of OVERVIEW EFFECT.