Release, release, release

I have three music releases. I’d call them “new”, but that would only be 33% true.

My B3 Release on Bandcamp

Coming to Bandcamp for the first time is my 2021 release “Be (5) Yourself”. Though it ended with three tracks centered on the sounds of the Hammond B3 organ, this was a fun and campy way to create. Read the rest of the story by clicking on this sentence.

Music Videos

I’m also having fun with PeerTube. It feels so much more honest than YouTube. Thankfully, all of the tracks on “Be (5) Yourself” were created with music videos in mind. So you can view them as a playlist.

The Actual New Release

So here’s the suite (a.k.a. EP) that’s actually a fresh release. “Ritual & Mayhem” is one of those creations that came out in a burst of inspiration.

First, there was the fantasy: a group of friends gather, create a bonfire, and then organically start to create a ritual. Their world and worldview is under severe attack, so they are looking for ways to bring hope and courage to their lives.

Because they are so out of sorts, the ritual becomes a disjointed experience that — for many of them — feels like mayhem. Still, they hang with it, riding through the chaos.

A pair of revelers begins to invite others into a spiral around the bonfire. Soon, everyone has joined in. They begin to drum and dance. No one stops until dawn arrives.

Behind the Scenes

My creative process was to embody this story in the music. I chose a group of instruments: Komanche, woodwind ensemble, drums, a Middle Eastern harp, and two bass drones. If anything, this small set of sounds still offered too many choices.

Finally, my goal was to complete the composition, recording, and mastering in two days. I did not achieve my goal, but after 3 days, I was ready for this initial release. So far, it’s on Mirlo, but coming to other platforms in due time.