Friday, December 11, 2015

The Oengus Projekt | Red Skies

The imaginary realm of music is one of majesty and beauty. The Oengus Projekt has recently started work on a new album that will bring the fantasy world of musical imagination back to the world. The first track released from the album is "Red Skies" and it has the flare of wonder and the elegance that Enya brought to the music industry. This album has great potential to be a bright light among the mass produced music of modern society. 

From the first note, I felt tones of surrealism envelop my ears and bring me to a new state of mind. Just as my Pink Floyd albums have done so many times when I need to unwind and escape the repetition of the day to day tasks that loom. "Red Skies" has a fresh new approach to music and the organic feel of the lyrics just blends into the music and brings a new feel to the texture of the sound. A texture that lures you to close your eyes and drift away in to the depths of your own mind. Music like this is so precious and has a deep spiritual connection with our subconsciousness. It helps the hidden side of our minds bloom and reach out to the light.

Take a moment to listen to the new sounds from The Oengus Projekt. They're French Musicians that find influences from all corners of the globe.

CĂ©line Schmink : Lyrics / Music / Lead vocal
Cam: Lyrics / choirs.
Eric Miller : arrangement
Mitch Bontemps : Mix/mastering
Influences : Dream pop / Fantastic.

Red Martian | Slow Motion Samurai

Seattle has a booming music scene and one of the bands that is making headway is Red Martian. The new album, SLOW MOTION SAMURAI, is just another crowning achievement for the seasoned musicians.

The album is like a fine martini that has been shaken, not stirred. There are tones of elegance in the vintage riffs of the guitars. Yet, the album has a remarkably strong modern feel to the composition of the music. Just as bands like Weezer broke ground on establishing a new style of an already popular genre, so does Red Martian take the listener to new heights.

The avant-garde emotion of the album kept me in another frame of mind as each track pulled a new emotion from my consciousness. I like music to travel and move me from the mundane repetition of everyday life. I really like the journey that SLOW MOTION SAMURAI takes me on when I get a moment to zone-out and just sink into the music. A great album for driving, entertaining guests, or just chilling on the beach watching the waves roll in. My favorite track on the album is track #2, Emeraldas. It has a classic sound of the 1970's with the drive and power of modern rock.

SLOW MOTION SAMURAI is currently available for only $6 on Bandcamp.  Go and listen to the album for free on the Bandcamp page. Support musicians by purchasing their music. This is an album that is worthy of multiple plays on your stereo.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Abominable Electronics | Guitar & Bass Pedals from Hell

In the mass market of guitar pedals, it can be tough to find the right pedals for your tone. For those of you that want a heavy distortion sound, there is a new option that will rip your soul in pieces. Abominable Electronics has the pedals that will melt faces and summon the powers of hell right to your rig.

I am always on the prowl for new pedals to have on hand here at the studio. Many of my clients like to use distortion & fuzz on their tracks, so I went on a search for something new that would offer something more than the standard Boss, Ibanez, or the horde of pedals available.

My search lead me to the handmade pedals of Abominable Electronics. Hailing from North Carolina, these pedals are built tough and live up to their appearance. I ordered the HAIL SATAN DELUXE pedal and it has been a workhorse. The "Dirt" pot dials in subtle fuzz to bone-crushing distortion that works for all ranges of hard and heavy music. The deluxe version of this pedal offers both the standard Hail Satan option + the Russian version. The Russian toggle dials in a smoother signal response that has worked magic on bass tracks that need some fuzz, but want to retain the low end punch. This pedal is perfect for all fuzz/distortion applications and can even be a great reamp pedal for double tracking vocals. The power is unmatched and this pedal will be a cornerstone of my pedal board for a long time to come.

This pedal is extremely versatile with the ability to adjust so many parameters of the signal. Priced at a modest $200, this is a must-have pedal.