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Category Archives: Trance

The new ‘Dune’ is a great start but can’t outrun the book’s biggest problem – Mashable

Posted: October 21, 2021 at 10:23 pm

Call off the search: There is, finally, a definitive movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic 1965 sci-fi novel Dune. Or at least, a definitive adaptation of the first half of that 896-page paperback monster.

Denis Villeneuve has made a big, rich, moody sci-fi tone poem in the style of his previous outing, Blade Runner 2049. If you liked that and we did you'll love this, and its 150 minutes will fly by in a kind of pleasant hypnotic trance, with a few flashes of humor to relieve the ever-present tension.

Dune launched Thursday night on HBO Max. Villeneuve would prefer you risk rousing the giant sandworm named Delta-variant COVID by seeing it in theaters if you can do so (relatively) safely, as home viewing would be "a diluted experience". He's got a point: Like many desert movie classics, this is best seen in an epic setting. And best felt there, too, with Hans Zimmer's portentous, bass-heavy score rattling the seats. A good chunk of the early third is dimly lit, which makes for a nice contrast when we reach sunlit Arrakis, but also means home viewers with sub-$5,000 TVs may have another Battle of Winterfell situation on their hands.

Beyond the audio-visual artistry, however, how you feel about Dune may depend on how you feel about Herbert's book. If you've never read the sprawling original, Villeneuve's script does just enough hand-holding to keep you afloat though you may wonder why we're asked to sympathize with the aristocratic, militaristic Atreides family at its center. If you read it and loved it, Villeneuve's your guy. If you read it and were ambivalent, like me, then you may appreciate the small updates and omissions and flash-forwards that make it seem less like a story about a colonizing white male savior.

Trouble is, Dune is still a story about a colonizing white male savior, especially in its first half. To put it in 21st century terms and with only spice-sized spoilers, book protagonist Paul Atreides is a somewhat creepy rich religious mama's boy who steps into his fated role by taking a bunch of drugs during a desert outing that goes horribly wrong. (Burning Man, anyone?) He then joins a bunch of locals, his former servants, all examples of the noble savage trope. The rest of Herbert's tale is more quirky and interesting, but since Villeneuve has paused there, so shall we.

Some of this one-percenter crudeness was Herbert's intent. Paul was supposed to subtly subvert a lot of expectations about saviors but in 2021, our expectations have evolved. It's easier now to see through the beautiful language and intriguing world-building grafted on to his problematic arc. By being faithful to the story, Villeneuve who says he loved the book as a kid, and identified with Paul Atreides unintentionally reveals that the story has not aged well.

The native Fremen get more respect and screen time than in the 1984 Dune, but only by a few precious scenes. Were it not for Paul (Timothe Chalamet) and his screen dad Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) both looking so goddamn pretty and puppy-dog sad all the time, you might wonder who to root for.

Chalamet may be the most fitting big-screen Paul yet, with apologies to Kyle MacLachlan. The characters arrayed around him may help provide some much-needed warmth. But you are still, by design, going to get some serious Bran-in-Game-of-Thrones vibes here.

The long and tortured story of Dune adaptations is familiar to many movie nerds by now. First in the 1970s came Alejandro Jodorowsky, a brilliantly batty Chilean indie auteur with a very specific vision of the book one that could only be fulfilled with Salvador Dal playing the Emperor of the universe. His Yankee studio bankers pulled the funding, so we never saw the up-to-12-hours-long film he wanted to make. We did at least get the documentary Jodorosky's Dune, which is so off-the-wall entertaining, it may win the all-time award for best piece of celluloid to cover Herbert's story in some way.

Then in 1984 came David Lynch's attempt at Dune, which is best remembered these days for nearly-naked Sting's turn as an evil spike-haired assassin. Lynch lost control over the final cut and disavowed the film; like Jodorosky, he wanted it to be as long as he wanted it to be. But you can still blame Lynch for the way the characters are oddly static in scenes, for the way they talk in endless internal narration, and for his campy, gross and homophobic interpretation of Baron Harkonnen.

To be fair to Lynch, the Baron is a tough nut to crack. He is so cartoonishly villainous in the book, floating through the air like a bad guy in a cliched kid's adventure, how do you not put him on screen to laugh at rather than to fear? Even Villeneuve's Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgrd) tends a bit towards the gross-out side of things. Only the combination of lighting, score and Skarsgrd's sinister, subtle grumpiness prevents this Baron from being too two-dimensional.

But overall, Villeneuve has done what his auteur predecessors failed to do: He has translated Dune to the screen in a basically reasonable way, with clear exposition, no Emperor, and enough diversity to bring it kicking and screaming into the 21st century. He could have paid more attention to what keeps happening to his characters of color; there is going to be more discussion of that once more of us have seen it. But he made the Atreides clan likable, which these days is a feat in itself. Now let's see what Villeneuve can do with part 2, which could soar higher than any sandworm.

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The new 'Dune' is a great start but can't outrun the book's biggest problem - Mashable

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Quivver finally releases groundbreaking 10-track album Revelate – The Groove Cartel

Posted: at 10:23 pm

With the release of his third studio album, Revelate, Quivver, a prolific British DJ and producer, makes a much-anticipated return. The album is a unique blend of ten compositions that include some of Quivvers best lockdown creations. Quivvers first album on John Digweeds Bedrock Records comes after more than a decade as a label favorite. Revelate is the British producers musical autobiography, as well as an ode to some of his favorite musical influences. Revelate is out now on Bedrock Records, and its a mix of house, techno, breaks, electro, and more.

The 10-track album begins with Moonlight Pools, which ushers listeners into Revelates world. With textured synths flowing in and out, the ambient offering sets the tone with a spacious sonic atmosphere. With its cinematic sensibilities, the track draws the listener in and builds anticipation for the journey ahead. Horizons follows closely behind, continuing the propulsive, melodic sonic progression begun in Moonlight Pool. The track evokes a feeling of being in a daze, with oscillating sounds throughout its four-minute-long run-time.

The next track, Nothin New To Feel, picks up the pace and amps it up a notch. Quivvers masterful sound design is showcased throughout the album, which features hypnotizing vocals and propelling energy from start to finish. Exploding in energy, Atomised lures listeners into a trance with an enticing and expansive sonic experience.

Funkily, which marks the halfway point of Revelate, has an intoxicating rhythm that carries itself with a transmittable fire in listeners eardrums. The song is a surefire dancefloor hit that will keep fans dancing all night long. Quivvers ability to steer into uncharted territory is demonstrated in Altered, which explores a new sound unlike anything heard on his previous album. The offering, which is dominant in nature, features a rich bass and rising tensions, drawing listeners deeper into the albums entrancing sonic journey.

Following closely behind, Shine maintains the high-level atmosphere set by the previous tracks. It has a raw intensity to it, with dark synth sounds and textured oscillation, and when you listen to it, it gives you a feeling like no other. Hold follows and features a bouncy rhythm, creating an overall enticing sonic experience. Hold showcases Quivvers production prowess and progressive house sensibilities, with vocal chops flowing in and out.

5 AM, the penultimate effort, evokes the sensation of being in a trance on the dancefloor. The offering, bursting with energy, enthralls listeners with an audible enveloping atmosphere. Crystals, the albums final track, fuses the plethora of musical references throughout the album into one all-encompassing track, evoking the feeling of reaching the end of a journey. Crystals is a massive finale for the talents monumental album, carrying contagious energy throughout its almost 4-minute run-time.

Continuing his legacy as a paramount figure in dance music since the early 90s, Revelate brings forth new sensibilities to Quivvers arsenal of releases. Fans can expect an unforgettable sonic experience from start to finish, rife with versatile sounds of techno and deep house.

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Armin van Buuren drops collab-packed album A State Of …

Posted: September 29, 2021 at 6:51 am

Trance legend Armin van Buuren has just dropped his collaboration-packed album titled A State Of Trance FOREVER. Needing no further introduction, the Dutch icon has been blessing fans alike for the better part of two decades, with his name becoming a synonym to some of the biggest hits ever produced.

In addition to his extraordinary career, the trance heavyweight has impacted the electronic dance scene in more ways than none. With this said, his A State Of Trance radio show has helped connect people from all around the world, with Trance a prominent feature of how impactful music can be to this world. With the show growing steadily into a weekly audience of 40 million fans from eighty different countries, its fair to say that a legacy has been built and there is nothing that can slow it down.

With the entire A State Of Trance brand here to stay, the release of this latest album further identifies van Buurens reach within the scene, as well as the gratitude which he has for all the loyalty showcased to him over the years. In turn, the A State Of Trance FOREVER album will be featuring some of biggest names within the game, as the likes of Sander van Doorn, Rank 1, Paul Oakenfold, Aly & Fila, Push, Jorn van Deyhoven, Giuseppe Ottaviani and Susana, have all added their unique touch in ensuring that this album is out of this world.

When reflecting on his presence within the industry, van Buuren states that I started A State Of Trance to share the music I love with people from all over the world, and Im so proud that it turned into a full-blown community for everyone who loves Trance music. In further detail, van Buuren has also stated the following on his new album;

A State Of Trance has not only allowed me to stay in touch with my fans and share my own music, but also to spotlight the established and up-and-coming artists I admire. For ASOT1000, I wanted to do something special. So I decided to do a collaboration album with some of my favourite artists and sat down with them to create trance tracks that will last the fans at least another thousand episodes. We have put a lot of love in these records and hope you will have a blast listening to them, especially since there will be more albums to come in the A State Of Trance FOREVER series. Every track, from 123 bpm to serious uplifting, will also be a big part of my upcoming sets. So are you ready to get into A State Of Trance?!

Out now, the twelve-track album has been described as a chockfull of timeless cuts and productions destined to withstand the test of time, and we could not have put that any better. Make sure to check out this collaborative masterpiece below, and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Image Credit: Armin van Buuren Press / Bart Heemskerk

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Skream provides a hard-hitting rework of Trance Waxs El Nido – The Groove Cartel

Posted: at 6:51 am

For the past fifteen years, Oliver Jones, aka Skream, has been at the forefront of UK dance music. Skream, an early dubstep pioneer, has collaborated with artists such as La Roux, Katy B, Alan Fitzpatrick, and Dennis Ferrer. His versatility is demonstrated in his most recent releases, which range from the rave powerhouse Space Ghetto to the delicate emotion of So Sorry.

His first release on Anjunabeats is this remix, and the label is thrilled to have him on board.

Garry McCartney, also known as Ejeca, is a Belfast-born producer who goes by the moniker Trance Wax. Trance Wax began as an anonymous series of vinyl-only bootlegs in 2015, celebrating the music he fell in love with as a teenager. Bicep, Nina Kraviz, Denis Sulta, The Blessed Madonna, and Job Jobse, to name a few, have used Garrys lovingly crafted edits of classics from Yves Deyurter, BT, and Mauro Picotto as peak-time anthems. Soon after, a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix was released.

In 2019, Anjunabeats released two Trance Wax edits of Above & Beyonds beloved OceanLab project, with the debut Trance Wax album following in November 2020. In September 2021, Garry joined Above & Beyond at their Group Therapy 450 milestone show.

The Skream Remix of Trance Waxs El Nido is now available on Anjunabeats. Skream reworks Trance Waxs El Nido into a hard-hitting remix. Download.

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Philly gets the first trance mural – Pennsylvanianewstoday.com

Posted: at 6:51 am

The mural was created by artist Kayanni in collaboration with the residents of Moris Home, run by the Citys Department of Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS), as the only home restoration center in the country for transgender and gender-incompatible people. it was done.

In a city with thousands of murals, its really exciting for us to get the first mural, said Janni. I think its very cool.

The mural is on a 100-foot-long wall along Frankford Avenue on West Thompson Street, covering 2,200 square feet with bright gradations of pink, yellow, and purple. The line drawings of Moris Home residents in the shape of simple flowers, vines and butterflies resemble sketchbook graffiti. The mural features text written in a non-uniform crayon-like font.

We are transgender and survivors.

We are happy

Feel angry

We are universal.

I like to make art that looks like hand-painted. Its really warm and human, Yangni said. I think theres something that humans can actually make and feel better than really clean lines when trying to make people feel healed.

Leveraging the dedication of We Are Universal, Mural Arts Philadelphia launches the Mural Arts Month, a series of dedications and events focused on the issues of social justice at the heart of public art programs.

Mental health is one such issue that MuralArts has tackled many times through its long-standing partnership with DBHIDS.

Fifteen years ago, we partnered with mural art to create a pouch light project that combines behavioral health with art, said Laurandrum, Deputy Commissioner of DBHIDS. People who are struggling have art. There is art and overcoming. Art bridges the gap between us as individuals.

Philly gets the first trance mural

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Trance Women in the Bundestack: Tessa Cancer and Nike Slavic Chiefs – Persia Digest

Posted: at 6:51 am

Since the federal election in 2021, two trans women are entering the bandwagon for the first time. There are two new faces of green with Tessa Concer and Nike Slavic.

BERLIN Greens are writing Bundestag history: for the first time since the federal election in 2021, two will be drawn Trance women enter the Bundestack in Berlin*. For the Greens, Tessa Cancer and Nike Slavic will sit in parliament during the new legislature. Both the Conservatives and the Slavic go to their federal state via the state list. Cancer comes from Bavaria, Slavic North Rhine-Westphalia.

Although Tessa Cancer was severely defeated by CSU direct candidate Sebastian Bremmel in the Nuremberg North constituency, she was able to secure a place on the list through the Bavarian Greens. She was 13th there. Im still wholehearted, the 44-year-old tweeted Monday morning. But she is really waiting for her new job in Berlin. This tweet was provided with the hashtag # QueerRepresentanzMatters.

Nike went high house via Slavic national list. He shared his constituency with SPD health expert Carl Lauterback, who also won the Cologne IV-Leverkusen constituency. I now have congratulations from Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Our trance election victory is going around the world, the 27-year-old tweeted Monday morning.

Along with Nike Slavic (left) and Tessa Concer, two trans women enter the bandstand for the first time. You are MP for Greens. (Kreiszeitung.de-Montage)

Ani Daniel Kerman / dpa & Future Image / Imago

Bundestack already had a trance member, but Christian Zheng von Lincoln announced this shortly after his term ended in 2002. Along with Green Victoria Brocard and SPD politician Rhea Sybil Khair (Brandenburg), other disabled women were represented on the electoral roll in the 2021 election, but they did not include it in parliament. * Kreiszeitung.de is an offer IPPEN.MEDIA.

Rubriklistenbild: Daniel Karmann / dpa & Future Image / Imago

Incurable web evangelist. Hipster-friendly gamer. Award-winning entrepreneur. Falls down a lot.

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BT and Paul Oakenfold put blockchain at the heart of new albums – Music Ally

Posted: at 6:51 am

Since the earliest days of blockchain hype in the music industry, electronic music artists have often been the first to experiment with the technology: particularly those that are most tech-savvy and who control their rights.

There are two new examples this week. First, trance legend BT is releasing whats being described as the worlds first programmatic album designed from the ground up for the blockchain.

Its called Metaversal and is being released as an NFT. The album plays differently if you listen to it in the day, at night or during a full moon, and theres a cryptographic treasure hunt built in for fans. It follows BTs Genesis.Json project in May, which was also sold as an NFT (for the ether equivalent of $217.2k).

The Metaversal auction kicks off tomorrow (29 September). In separate news, veteran DJ Paul Oakenfolds Starship Universe project is releasing thousands of NFTs with blockchain firm Cardano, including an album.

Every aspect of the event, from the cover art and sleeve notes to the tracks and remixes will be put on the blockchain,reported Crypto News.

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Mou5ZyZZ and Lollypop Lane have come together for another enriching record ‘Only One’ – Daily Music Roll

Posted: at 6:51 am

Mou5ZyZZ and Lollypop Lane are back with a heart-pumping composition titled Only One that proves why the pair is so hyped and loved in the music fraternity.

In recent times, Mou5ZyZZ and Lollypop Lane have built quite a steady rapport as a fine pair whose productions always bring fun and joy to the scene. Their records are beyond magical and are stitched with great vibes, soulfulness, and a superb pace. The artists have yet again collaborated for their new project Only One that enthralls the fans with dramatic lyrics and feel-good essence. The enriching song is filled with upbeat musical elements and the melody line sounds super catchy and groovy to make the heart sing and dance to its compelling beat design. Lollypops delicate and intriguing vocals mix mixed with Mou5ZyZZs highly energetic rhythms allures the audience to the dance floor. Both the artists combine their musical intricacies to build a mood that seems to be much-needed after a long tiring day.

The captivating track feels like a musical ride through eccentric beats and the singers alluring vocals guides everyone along the way through loops of exotic atmospheric sounds to a trance-like state. This is a collaboration that nobody would like to sleep on! The musicians make absolute magic together and the latest record just gives a glimpse of their stunning artistry. The trance track Only One will make anyone get up and dance to its beats as the late-night vibes combine the nostalgia of the rave to loop around the listeners attention. Mou5ZyZZ is a famous DJ/ music producer whose enthralling music and infectious trap rhythms hit with impact. And, on the latest release, he has infused his unmistakable sound with Lollypops unmatched vocal intricacy to make light up the mood almost immediately. With unexpected hooks, they both have treated their fans with the absolute best on the latest one.

Mou5ZyZZ and Lollypop Lane are creative as ever and have crafted the new soundtrack with utmost passion and energy to hype up their much-loved collaboration. The single is great and makes for a perfect listen to dance the night away. Hear out the full track on Spotify now.

Check out the song on Spotify:

Alicia Parker is a fashion enthusiast studying at the University of California. She contributes to Daily Music Roll as a music blogger and writes a review of various music on a daily basis

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Big names in the race for this years Kerala state film awards – Onmanorama

Posted: at 6:51 am

The Kerala state film awards are around the corner and leading actors like Biju Menon, Fahadh Faasil, Jayasurya, Indrans, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Tovino Thomas are in the race for the prestigious best actor award.

Meanwhile, veteran actress Shobana, Anna Ben, Nimisha Sajayan, Parvathy Thiruvoth and Samyukta Menon are vying for the best actress award.

About 80 films that were released last year are in the run for the state awards. Two initial juries would watch these movies and asses them. The final jury would watch the movies that are recommended to the next round. The heads of the initial juries would be members in the final jury too.

Even though the theaters were shut down due to the pandemic situation, there was no dearth of films. Interestingly, six directors have submitted two movies each for the awards in various categories. Mahesh Narayanan, Sidhartha Siva, Jeo Baby, Ashok R Nath, Sidhique Paravur and Don Palathara have submitted two of their movies for the awards.

Biju Menon had impressed everyone with his spectacular performance in Ayyappanum Koshiyum. Meanwhile, Fahadh dazzled in Malik and Trance. Jayasurya is in the race with his amazing performances in Vellam and Sunny. With Velukakka Oppu Ka, veteran actor Indrans poses a challenge to the other nominees. Tovino has been nominated for his convincing performances in Kilometers and Kilometers and the thriller movie Forensic. Meanwhile, Suraj is nominated for The Great Indian Kitchen.

The jury cannot ignore the brilliant performances of Shobana (Varane Avashyamundu), Anna Ben (Kappela), Nimisha Sajayan (The Great Indian Kitchen), Parvathy Thiruvoth (Varthamanam) and Samyukta Menon (Vellam, Wolf) while deciding the award in the best actress category.

Late film maker Sachy might be considered for the best director award for Ayyappanum Koshiyum. He might be considered in the best screenplay category too. If he wins, it would be a posthumous honor for the director. The movie is noted for the splendid performance by its cast including actor Anil Nedumangad, who too had bid adieu to this world. Meanwhile, Mahesh Narayanan is a front runner in this category with Malik and CU Soon. The latter movie, which was filmed during the lockdown period, could be considered for best editing too.

Three senior film makers who had impressed the juries earlier with their movies and had won multiple awards are competing this year as well. Syamaprasad (Kasiminte Kadal), Dr. Biju (Orange Marangalude Veedu) and Harikumar (Jwalamukhi) are these directors. Everyone is curious to see whether Dr. Biju, who hasnt won a state award until now but had registered big wins at the national awards, would win this year. Harikumars Jwalamukhi was appreciated for actress Surabi Lakshmis incredible performance.

The songs from Sufiyum Sujatahyum (M Jayachandran) and Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Jakes Bejoy) had topped the chartbuster list. Music lovers are waiting to see whether it would be reflected in the state awards too. Young filmmakers like Kahild Rahman (Love), Rahul Riji Nair (Kho Kho) and Sidhartha Siva (Varthamanam) who had won unexpectedly in the previous years are all set to give a tough competition this year too. Meanwhile, Muhammad Mustafa (Kappela), Anoop Sathyan (Varane Avashyamundu), Shanavas Nalakathu (Sufiyum Sujathayum) are competing for the best debutant director award.

Here is the list of films that are competing in various categories in this years state awards and their directors:

Vellam (Prajesh Sen), Krithi (Suresh), Mathilukal: Love in the Time of Corona (Anwar Abdullah), Thahira (Sidhique Paravur), Bharatapuzha (Manilal), Chayam Poosunnavar (Sidhique Paravur), Insa (KV Sijumon), Sajan Bakery Since 1962 (Arun Appukuttan), Aquarium (T Deepesh), Pyali (Babitha Mathew, AX Rinmon), Far (Praveen Peter), Ek Din (Vishnu), Kasiminte Kadal (Syamaprasad), Munna (Surendran Kaloor), Thinkalazhcha Nischayam (Senna Hegde), Kakkathuruth (Shaji Pandavathu), Bonamy (Tony Sukumar), Eighteen Plus (Mithun Jyoti), Anjam Pathira (Mithun Manuel), Ayyppanum Koshiyum (Sachidanandan), Vanku (Kavya Prakash), Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam (Don Palathara), Paka (Nithin Lukose), Ice Orathu (Akhil Kavunkal).

Orilathanalil (Ashok R Nath), Love (Khalid Rahman), Kunjeldho (Arun Mathew), Randam Naal (Seenath), Udambadi (Suresh P Thomas), Swapnangal Pookkunna Kaadu (Sohan Lal), Velukakka Oppu Ka (Ashok Kumar), Ennivar (Sidhartha Siva), Toll Free 1600 600 60 (KB Sajeev), Disha (VC Jose), Orange Marangalude Veedu (Dr. Biju), Kanthi (Ashok R Nath), Sunny (Ranjith Shankar), Trance (Anwar Rasheed), Kappela (Muhammad Mustafa), Musical Chair (Vipin Atlee), Paay the Great (Sreelaja Mukundakumaran), Andal (Shereef Isa), Laika (Asad Sivaraman), Varthamanam (Sidhartha Siva), Kho Kho (Rahul Riji Nair), Love FM (Sreedev Kappur), Bhoomiyile Manohara Sokaryam (Shaiju Anthikad), Oruthi (VK Prakash).

Paapam Cheyyathvar Kalleriyatte (LP Shambu), Velutha Madhuram (Jiju Orapadi), Veyil (Sharath Menon), Chora Veena Mannil (Muriyad Surendran), 1956 Madyathiruvathamkoor (Don Palathara), Moppala (Santhosh Puthukunnu), Inland (SK Sreejith Lal), Fourth River (RK Dream West), Halal Love Story (Zackariya Muhammad), Lal Bagh (Prasanth Murali), Varane Avashyamundu (Anoop Sathyan), Forensic (Akhil Paul, Anas Khan), Perfume Her Fragrance (P Haridasan), Eelam (Vinod Krishna), Article 21 (LU Lenin), The Great Indian Kitchen (Jeo Baby), Sufiyum Sujathayum (Shanavas Nalakathu), My Dear Machans (Dileep Narayanan), Divorce (IG Mini), Aanum pennum (Venu, Jai K, Aashiq Abu).

The 137 Auditions of Avrahaam Yakoob (Anup Narayanan), Pachathappu (S Anukumar), CU Soon (Mahesh Narayanan), Malik (Mahesh Narayanan), Uriyattu (K Bhuvanachandran Nair), Irul (Naseef Isudeen), Kilometers and Kilometers (Jeo Baby), Elmer (Gopi Kuttikol), The Kung Fu Master (Abrid Shine), Wolf (Shaji Aziz), Jwalamukhi (Harikumar), Kayattam (Sanalkumar).

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Jos Gonzlez: "For this album, I didn’t buy any new gear. I decided if I’m going to put time into something, it would be on rehearsing guitars and…

Posted: at 6:51 am

Jos Gonzlez has never put much faith in borders or national identity, and that principle lies at the heart of his fourth studio album, Local Valley.

Born in Sweden and raised on the Brazilian bossa nova, latin folk and Cuban Nueva Trova of Silvio Rodrguez played at home by his Argentine parents, Gonzlez's teenage years were soundtracked by US hardcore bands and post-rock experiments like Tortoise, before he began to put his classical guitar training to use in his own songwriting.

Since that point Gonzlez has seemingly never stopped expanding his musical horizons, pulling in Asian scales, sub-Saharan guitar styles and, in his listening, Ghanaian highlife, Nigerian afrobeat and more.

However, it feels as if Local Valley is perhaps the most varied, playful and successful attempt he has made at knitting it together, powered, as ever, by his unique and ever-evolving magpie-classical guitar style.

Gonzlezs masterstroke on Local Valley is using this rich, tapestry of global influences to highlight humanitys preoccupation with tiny rivalries in the face of universal challenges. Fortunately, he makes it sound good, too...

You've said that on this record you set out to write songs in the same vein as your old records, which is the opposite of what most artists say. Why did you take that approach?

Because I enjoy playing guitar and enjoy the simplicity of many of my old songs. I feel like all my songs have that ambition of simplicity. But I think this time I did look back on my first album and [spent time] remembering how I was thinking back then in terms of song length, and aiming for guitar playing that was right on the edge of my skill level.

So that was the first aim, but once I had like five or six songs, I switched to do all these other songs that are looped guitars and vocals and drum machines. So I did start with that ambition, but I didn't end up with another Veneer!

Rules are made to be broken! You mentioned aiming for guitar playing on the edge of your ability. What does that process look like for you?

I always start with guitar riffs. And at that time, it's usually stuff that's pretty easy to play. But then I always push up the ambition in terms of trying to embellish these riffs with a top line melody, or a bass line that's a bit more complicated to play. And then, usually, I reach a level where it's too hard to play, but I know I could do it, if I only practice. And that's when I start using the metronome. Sometimes it's a lot of practice before I get it and Im done with a particular song.

I want to have songs where I can focus more on the groove and trance-like states

On this album, maybe one of the clearer examples is Valle Locale, the Spanish song. It was really hard to play it and sing at the same time. Once I had a recording, I was so pleased that I actually made it, I kept it. But then, with the pandemic, I got more time to think about it.

I was listening to the song while while running, as I usually do, and it felt way too slow, so I started training guitar! Playing it faster and faster and seeing where it sounded too fast. So that's one way that I pushed myself. I find that's always been one way to bring musicality to a piece by being able to play faster than you need to, you're able to play each note with with the tone you want.

Much has been made of the Latin influences in your music, but there's not much discussion of the African influences that have come to the fore in your playing. Tell me about the impact of those musicians on you. I really hear it on this record in songs like Tjomme.

Yeah! Of course. Around my second album [2007s In Our Nature], I started listening to Ali Farka Tour, and Tinariwen. And later, I had the chance to tour with Sidi Tour and also do a guest appearance with Tinariwen in London and Stockholm. And then I had a jam session with Bombino from Nigeria. So, yeah, it started around the second half of 2007 when I made the Killing For Love and Ive just kept on introducing that influence.

That bluesy, bubbling sound, to me, it hits this nerve. It's very rhythmical and very groovy, but it has this earthiness that I enjoy so much, this certain rawness. I guess it also speaks to what I enjoyed so much with hardcore music, or instrumental post-rock, or bands like Tortoise, where there is this linearity.

So many of the songs, they're just one or two note song structures and its that sense of trance that I that I enjoy When I play live, I get a bit bored if I only have songs like Crosses and Heartbeats. I feel like I want to have songs where I can focus more on the groove and trance-like states.

Theres something universal and borderless about this record. Youve never placed much importance on national identity, but here theres a really noticeable array of influences from around the world. You have songs in Spanish and Swedish, and songs like Swing and Lilla G, which are universal in that theyre based around dance or repetitive, chanted melodies. Why did now seem the right time to do that?

Well, in a way, I felt like I've done that before. Maybe not the languages, but the styles. So a song like The Forest [from 2015s Vestiges & Claws] was inspired by Indian raga and pentatonic major scale that's so typical for Asian music. But whats new? The languages and the range of styles is even more diverse, I guess.

But yeah, the time is right for many reasons. I feel more comfortable showing more of myself and I feel more comfortable singing in these languages. I was ready to do that on the previous album, but I got stuck and and in a way lazier and when I switched to English, it just flowed easier! On this album, once I tried it, it just clicked, and I didn't feel like I got stuck anytime.

Becoming a dad changed my mindset a bit, too. Youre forced to be creative when you're around a kid, there's lots of playing and lots of singing, too. There's been so much melody going around in my mind and I guess that helps once it's time to write a song you're already being creative everyday, so it's not a big switch.

As someone who's felt like I've had constant writer's block that was the typical way of feeling when I was supposed to write a new song, back in the day becoming a dad helped me a lot.

I see the world, this earth, this planet as our local valley. I see the smallness of our Pale Blue Dot, as Carl Sagan has put it. When you zoom out into the universe, this is a very small place that we live on

And with languages, too just speaking Spanish with my daughter has sort of relaxed my sense for words in different languages. Also, your time is limited, and you have to catch sleep so it's like, it's now or never!

You recorded this album at your familys summer house in Sweden. Can you describe your space there?

Yeah. I call it the studio, but it's it's just a house with a wooden floor, a wooden ceiling, so it has nice acoustics. I was looking for a new studio in the city, but we got tired of looking and bought this summer house, where we hang out as family.

So when I was writing and recording, I went there on my own and set up my mic preamp and a laptop in the middle of the living room, with the view: the rocks and pines and birches and the birds!

So that was perfect for me as a place where I can I could write and record and then take breaks going out in nature. It's become to me a very big part of this album. When you see sunsets, you get romantic! And when I'm on my own there I also enjoy thinking about the bigger topics: about humanity and the future.

Were you doing the engineering yourself for much of this record?

Yeah, for almost all of my solo albums I have been engineering it myself. This time, I decided not to buy any new gear, not to buy any new plugins! I decided if I'm going to put time on something, it's going to be on rehearsing guitars and refining the song. So as I'm using my Neumann U67 and using Universal Audio gear and plugins, which I'm very comfortable with, to bring out this analogue sound.

Were there any guitars that you favored more heavily on this album?

Most of the time I was using one of my live guitars, an Esteve. It's a 9CB, with old strings. But I also have a smaller guitar by Cordoba. I was thinking of using more guitars, but I ended up using the same ones for almost all the songs and making it slightly different from song to song [with mics/positioning].

So most of the songs I'm [recording guitars and vocals separately] with the Neumann U67, but then on some some recordings I was doing a stereo mic on the guitar and a vocal Neumann, like a live recording setup. I guess one that stands out as fun is Swing, where I recorded the vocals with an SM57, one of the cheapest mics you can get.

I was rehearsing the loops through a Schertler acoustic amp and I ended up using a line guitar through my live setup, which is just an EQ pedal and a tube DI. A [Radial Engineering] Firefly, and putting the vocal through the 57 and then through the tape delay a [Roland] Re-201 Space Echo. And that sounded great.

What is it about the Esteve and Cordoba in particular, that you that you love?

Well, live, I'm using an Alhambra, which I've had throughout the years with a Fishman Prefix Pro Blend pickup. It's not particularly good in intonation, it has some flaws, but over the years it's been the guitar that I'm used to, so I was trying to find similar guitars and Esteve's 9CB was similar enough to it, so I bought two of those. One one with the pine [spruce] wood [top] and one with the cedar top.

I like old strings, but once in a while I really enjoy new ones not brand new but new. But it's not fun to play them in!

Theres nothing special about it. It's a very typical classical guitar, but its what I know best. Playing live, I've gotten used to the frequencies it has. So there's a resonance around the tone A, which, sometimes it's cool for boosting the sound. And, since we know the frequencies we need to notch, it's practical to use similar guitars.

Then the Cordoba guitars are slightly smaller and they have a resonance around G. And I have very old strings on that particular Cordoba guitar that I was using. So if I switched to the Cordoba, it was mainly to aim for a bit more of a lo-fi sound. So I used that for Valle Locale and for Honey Honey. It was mainly for the strings and not so much the guitar itself actually.

When you say old strings, how old?

Let's see, I think the Cordoba, I haven't changed once. And I got it about four or five years ago. But I have to add that it's one of the guitars that I don't use as much because I'm using the live guitars more. But even the live guitars, I would say I change the strings about once a year, or something.

This is reassuring for those of us who own nylon-string guitars and hate changing the strings on them

Yeah. It's horrible. Now I actually need to change them before the US tour and I hate it. Because I have to change them and play them in. And it's not fun to play them in! It sounds so metallic and, yeah, it's horrible.

But I have to say, I like old strings, but once in a while I really enjoy new ones not brand new but new. So you get that fresh tonality and sustain. Ive used that on a couple of recordings, but on this album I'm working more with the reverbs and delays to get that freshness.

It's good to know that we have your permission to leave them on for forever.

Yeah, I'm not sponsored by any string makers yet! Probably because I'm not the best promoter

I dont change strings often but once every five years, I use

[Laughs] Yeah, or I go to my guitar shop and ask if they're throwing away any old strings.

Alternate tunings have proven quite fertile ground for you before. What are your preferred tunings at the moment?

Yeah, I use the regular tuning and then I have ADA [on the bottom strings], which is one from my second album. And then for the songs that are in the Sahel Desert style, my favorite is EADA so its just the G that goes up to A.

[Two that are done] in a similar tuning [are] Fold and Far Away, where the E goes down all the way to B. So it's BADG, and with the capo on the second fret, but only five out of six strings so you get that very, very low bass and then more regular highs. Then Honey Honey is also similar with BABG.

Weve talked about the sort of borderless, universal nature of the music on this record the languages, the influences from across the globe, the universal nature of these songs about rhythms and trance states, or dance. So why is the record called Local Valley?

Because I see the world, this earth, this planet as our local valley. I see the smallness of our Pale Blue Dot, as Carl Sagan has put it. When you zoom out into the universe, this is a very small place that we live on. So that's one of the ways I think about the title, especially in a song like Visions.

Then in the song Valle Locale, I'm thinking more in terms of a local valley where you have tribes that talk past each other, they can't collaborate, they don't want to communicate and they're sort of stuck. And if you're smart, you see all these other beautiful valleys, that could be so much more comfortable if we only collaborated to go to these better, nicer places.

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Jos Gonzlez: "For this album, I didn't buy any new gear. I decided if I'm going to put time into something, it would be on rehearsing guitars and...

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