I’m in the depths of the final preparations for my album release (October 31st!), but I thought I would throw up a short clip from one of the new songs on the album.  This is music inspired by a beautiful poem written by a friend of mine (which will be included in the cd insert actually).  This piece has actually changed a lot over the course of its short life.  It began as a pure piano piece and has since morphed into the much dreamier, more ambient piece I’ve posted here.  Hope you like it!

As always, you can hear more of my music (including other samples from the album) on my music page.

- Mons

Wow, It’s been over a month since I’ve updated the site!  If you’re reading this, then thank you for checking back every once in a while, despite my unforgivable inattention.  Well, hopefully a little forgivable actually, since the reason I have neglected to update the site is that I’ve been extremely busy working on my debut album!  The production/mastering process continues, but if all goes well it will all be finished for the end of the month, and I hope to have the music available for digital distribution several weeks after that (assuming it takes several weeks to get it added to iTunes/Amazon etc.)

Anyways, to give you an idea of what I’ve been working on, I’ve included the (beta) album version of Dandelion at the top of the post.  It represents what I’m doing with the album, which will be a mix of re-recorded/re-mastered existing material that you may have listened to before, and some new material that you have not.  The original version of Dandelion was only about 2 minutes long, and an incomplete vision of the song.  A sketch if you will, as are many of the bits and pieces I post online.  The album versions are the complete vision, and so Dandelion is re-imagined in its full 6-minute length with a lot of new material and revision of the old material.

Other songs which will appear on the album are redone versions of Angelus, Dancing in the Light, Silhouettes, Winter Melancholy, Simple Needs and a few others, with a bunch of new material to boot (which I may preview when the madness is done in early November).  Anyways, hope you like the new material that I have included here, and I’ll keep you posted on the album’s progress!  Twitter (@monstunes) is probably the best way of keeping track of updates and so forth regarding the album.

As always, you can hear more of my musical work on the My Music page.

Wish me luck!

- Mons

Amethystium – Treasure (buy the album, “Isabliss”)

Amethystium is the solo project of Norwegian composer Øystein Ramfjord.  Besides having the most Norwegian name in all of Norway, he writes gorgeous atmospheric chilled-out/ambient electronica/worldbeat music ala Enigma, Delerium and Deep Forest.  He’s usually labeled as “New Age”, but I really have no idea what that even means (does anyone?), so I’ll avoid it.  Anyways, He’s released 4 albums so far, all of which, I was surprised to discover, have apparently debuted fairly high on the US billboard charts!  Primarily instrumental, his music is more about moods and describing environments through sound than about telling a story.  Some songs are expansively beautiful, others more claustrophobic and eerie.  It’s great music for studying, working or traveling.  You won’t be rocking out to this at the club, or playing it on the next release of Rock Band, but when you just want to relax, focus or unwind, this is great stuff.

The slightly eerie cover of the latest Amethystium album, 2008's "Isabliss".

Treasure is from the most recent (2008) Amethystium album – “Isabliss”.  The Garden of Sakuntala had long been my favourite, go-to Amethystium song, but this immediately changed after listening to the first minute of Treasure.  The beginning starts out normally enough for an Amethystium song, with a catchy beat underneath a floating/bubbling synth groove.  However, things get really special at 0:40 when, lo and behold, a gorgeous female vocalist joins in with a delicately realized vocal melody and actual lyrics!  The vocal harmony at 2:10 is one of my favourite Amethystium Moments ™, though my favourite part of the song comes at 4:20 when the violin (?) takes over the lead melody.  It’s such a soulful song, and a good representation of the sheer beauty of Amethystium’s music.  Mr. Ramfjord has tapped into some special and arcane wellspring of inspiration, and we are fortunate to share in his discovery!

(Amethystium doesn’t have any official videos, so here’s Anthemoessa from “Isabliss” along with some unrelated artwork FROM SPACE.)

Garden of Sakuntala, from 2003′s “Aphelion”, was my favourite Amethystium track for many years, and probably got more play time than most of the rest of my music collection.  It’s just the perfect mix of melody, soothing ambiance and driving beat, tinged with an exotic bite which keeps it from fading completely into the background.  This song reminds me of math problems, my city at night, French train cars and dragonflies (because there is one on the cover of the album).  Apparently the first three albums (“Aphelion” is #2, between “Odonata” and “Evermind”) are the “Dragonfly Trilogy” though I’ll be damned if I can figure out what dragonflies have to do with anything other than the cover art.  Fantastic song!

The last song I’ll post is Withdrawal, a rather different song from the others above.  It’s much more chilly, without the upbeat synths and drum loops.  It starts off with a trembling note, shimmering and shivering in anticipation, like a cry in the night, foretelling what is to come.  The piano melody which follows is decidedly mournful, and it becomes even more oso when, at 1:45, the erhu joins in.  YES, AN ERHU!  This single ~40 second clip of music, along with similar stuff like the violin in the MSMOTD has influenced my own music more than I can know.  You can hear its influence whenever I write a mournful strings melody like the one in Silhouettes.  This song is also one of the pieces which drive my desire to learn to play the erhu (a 2-stringed chinese violin), so that I may include its mournful, soulful voice in my own songs.

Amethystium’s albums are quite special in that there are no weak tracks.  I’ve highlighted a few here, but if you like what you hear, then you’ll love everything on the rest of the albums.  I hope you search out the rest of his fantastic music, as its given me a lot of enjoyment over the years.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

- Mons

More music from Amethystium

Amethystium – Garden Of Sakuntala (buy the album, “Aphelion”)

Amethystium – Withdrawal (buy the album, “Aphelion”)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.amethystium.com/

Myspace Page: http://www.myspace.com/amethystium (more songs to check out here!)

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amethystium

Featured Review: Review of “Isabliss” on Buzinky Blog

Support Amethystium (and me!) by clicking these links and buying their music on Amazon.com.  Besides “Aphelion” and “Isabliss”, you can also buy “Odonata” and “Evermind”, both excellent. Unfortunately, individual mp3 tracks are not available for Amethystium on Amazon.

Celldweller – Birthright (Beta 1.0) (buy this song)

Celldweller isn’t a band so much as a one man army.  It’s the multifaceted, crazed and brilliant creative output of just one oddly-coiffed individual -> Klayton Scott (real name: Scott Albert).  Klayton has fronted various musical ventures over the last decade or two, the biggest ones being 90′s industrial/metal group Circle of Dust, as well as all of the music for magician Criss Angel’s show and albums.  In fact, if you watch Criss Angel’s show, you’ve probably seen Klayton hanging off to the side watching the proceedings from behind his cascade of fiery anime hair, crazy pants and various metal accessories.  A Hugo Boss model he is not.  Anyways, Klayton as Celldweller has released 2 albums so far, with a 3rd album – “Wish Upon A Darkstar: Chapter 1″ – arriving on the 25th of August!

Their music is described by Klayton as a “fusion of the electronics of drum & bass and techno, with rock and orchestral elements, meshing the synthetic and the organic, darkness with beauty, into a cohesive blend entirely its own.”  A fairly apt description I must say.  The self-titled debut is a masterwork, combining trance/techno/d&b with industrial and metal to create a totally unique mix that’s at times incredibly heavy and others light and beautiful.  It’s as if Nine Inch Nails, Lamb of God, Depeche Mode, Infected Mushroom and E.S.Posthumus decided to pool their efforts.  You’ve probably already heard Celldweller’s music actually, as it’s been used in many movies and trailers, including Spider-Man and other prominent films.

Klayton hard at work in his crazy studio while taking a break from styling his hair and flexing in the mirror.

Birthright is the main single from his most recent album – “Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 1″, released in 2008.  The rest of the album is almost entirely instrumental, geared towards Celldweller’s burgeoning contribution to the film score/soundtrack industry.  Anyways, apparently Birthright isn’t quite done, hence the “Beta 1.0″ tag.  I presume the final version will be on “Wish Upon A Darkstar”, due later this month.  Birthright is a good showcase of Klayton’s passion for mixing genres, with metal guitars layed over a mid-tempo electronic backbeat, his multi-layered vocals sandwiched between pulsating synths and orchestral crescendos.  Klayton’s knack for memorable melodies and interesting hooks and twists is also evident here, along with several changes in feel/speed through the song.  Good stuff.

Also, as a special treat for those of you who like their electronica dancy, dark and glitchy ala Sebastian, Justice and Deadmau5, there’s a “Birthwrong remix” of Birthright on the album by Blue Stahli.  Check it out on youtube!  I have no idea why the youtube version of this song is “brought to you by Tombraider Underworld”???

I am really really pumped for the new album.  Check out this sample for So Long Sentiment from the upcoming album.  So good.

(A preview of So Long Sentiment from “Wish Upon A Darkstar”, due on August 25th)

My favourite song of his so far (because I haven’t heard the new album yet!) is probably Afraid This Time (from the 2003 “Celldweller” album – listen below).  It’s a gorgeous electronic ballad featuring amazing vocal editing/effects and a supremely memorable melody.  I’ve been listening to this song regularly since before the 2003 release of the first album (he has a tendency to release unfinished tracks on the net way before they are included on an album, much like me!)  It starts off soft, but slowly builds through really great harmonies, breakdowns and a powerful chorus to an energetic conclusion.  Some of the softer parts actually remind me of Utada Hikaru, haha.  The whole thing goes down like a smooth cider: sweet and warm, but with a kick.  I really love this tune.

I’ve also posted one of his purely instrumental tracks below.  The Angle of IO is from 2008′s “Soundtracks for the Voices in My Head” and like 90% of the album is completely devoid of lyrics, beyond a few wordless choral hits and sweeps.  Each of the songs on the album evoke different imagery, from being trapped deep underground to being chased, or wandering an abandoned city or whatever.  This one is more foreboding and spacey, with deep pulsating beats underlying mysterious piano flourishes and eventually frantic guitar/synths as the song works to a fever pitch then settles again into its groove.  Klayton loves his builds.  I had a hell of a time choosing which track to post from this album, as they’re all equally excellent.  Most are short, and he even has 4 different versions of the same song (URSA Minor), each focusing on a different aspect of the build/song/melody. Really neat!

You’ll also notice that below you can download Switchback, which is probably the most popular song from “Celldweller”.  It’s a crunchy/dancy tune that switches between metal and dance music throughout with reggae dubs midway through, haha.  Fun stuff.  Anyways, it’s been remixed literally HUNDREDS of times and is available for free download below.  It’s also been used in a ton of different trailers.

Hope you dig Celldweller as much as I!  He’s definitely influenced aspects of my own music (the darker, heavier aspects).  He’s a genius producer and everything he touches turns out great.  Also, the hair.  Leave a comment to let me know what you think!

- Mons

More music from Celldweller

Download Celldweller – Switchback for free!

Celldweller – Afraid This Time (buy this song)

Celldweller – The Angel of iO (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.celldweller.com/ (He has a blog here with lots of updates and videos of him mixing etc)

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celldweller

Myspace Page (with more music): http://www.myspace.com/celldweller

Featured Review: Ilker Yücel’s review of “Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 1″ for Regen Magazine

Support Klayton (and me!) by clicking these links to buy “Celldweller” and “Soundtrack…” from Amazon.com!  You can get either the MP3 albums or physical cds from those links (as well as just individual tracks, like that Birthwrong Remix By Blue Stahli).

When I announced that I would write a theme song for the winner of my Unnamed Melody Contest, I was intending to do a short, simple and memorable fanfare like the opening of the Superman Theme.  Sometimes I get carried away with my music though, and so instead I have produced was is probably my most elaborate song thus far in terms of orchestration.  Dancing in the Light (Doreen’s reward for naming the Unnamed Melody -> “Silhouettes”) is a 3.5 minute piece for Piano, Cello, Viola, Violin, Oboe, Clarinet and French Horn.

This is one of my rare happy pieces.  I figured it wouldn’t be nice to create a sad, melancholy theme song for someone, so this is the result, a lighter, more whimsical piece.  Someone compared it to music from a Disney movie, which is both high praise and appropriate I think (at least in terms of the feel, not necessarily the quality).  It’s meant to evoke dancing, twirling, freedom, romance, smiles, peace and joy.  As always, I’m interested to hear what imagery it creates for you!  It’s always different from my own, which is wonderful.

Beams of light illuminating the sanctuary of St. Peter's Basilica, taken on my trip through Rome.

I’ve actually learned a lot about my music production software while writing this piece.  I use Sonar Producer 8, which is a fantastic piece of software.  However, I realize that I’ve only scratched the surface of its capabilities.  For example, what have I been thinking not using the piano roll view?  It’s the easiest and most powerful way to edit MIDI data.  Previously, I had been using the staff view, hahaha.  I still have a long way to go in terms of learning proper orchestration and production/engineering, but I think this is an improvement.  I’ve been getting a lot of feedback from you guys via various methods and I can say that I really appreciate it all, praise and criticism alike.  They both help me grow as a writer/musician/producer.  If you have suggestions, please leave me a comment!

You can download the song here: Mons – Dancing in the Light (Doreen’s Theme).

As always, you can find more of my music on the My Music Page.

Hope you like it, and thanks Doreen for naming Silhouettes!

- Mons

Edvard Grieg – Aase’s Death (from “Peer Gynt” – buy this song)

I haven’t done any Classical music yet, so this seems like a good place to start.  Grieg was a Norwegian “Romantic” composer who lived from 1843 until 1907.  He trained in Germany and became very famous, with Tchaikovsky praising his music’s beauty, originality and warmth.   He was good friends with Liszt and is often compared to Chopin, being not only a fantastic composer, but a great pianist as well.  Some of his more famous works include In The Hall Of The Mountain King (which he rather disliked) and Morning Mood, both of which are instantly recognizable pretty much everyone in the Western World.  He’s also influenced a lot of subsequent work, including Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and Clint Mansell’s “Lux Aeterna”, both of which are intensely popular.  Grieg’s music is at times bright and lively, sad and mournful or light and peaceful, but always gorgeous.  He’s considered one of Norway’s national treasures and is buried in an honest-to-god Mountain Crypt.

Edvard Grieg himself, in a portrait done by Eilif Peterssen. He had a bit of an Einstein vibe going on.

I’ve chosen Aase’s Death as the MSMOTD because it is so incredibly beautiful and is an early example of minimalist classical music (which I love).  It’s intensely emotional, but at the same time lyrical and melodically simple.  Sorrowful strings droop and swell with great passion, evoking images of love, grief and loss.  This is a good example of how the space between notes is almost as important as the notes themselves in creating melody, mood and music.  In that sense it’s similar to Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings”, another incredibly gorgeous minimalist piece for strings or choir.  This song (which is also spelt “Ase” and “Aese”) is about the death of the mother of the main character from Peer Gynt, but it’s much broader than that, conveying an intense sorrow.  Really incredible piece of music.  I don’t really want to write more about it as I want it to speak for itself (as all good music does).  Listen and enjoy.

(Arthur Rubinstein performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor)

The above video is of Arthur Rubinstein‘s 1975 performance of Edvard’s most enthusiastically received work.  The Piano Concerto in A Minor is probably his most famous piece among classical enthusiasts (Rubinstein called it the perfect concerto), and it’s clearly evident why.  The opening piano flourish is really memorable, as is the melody which follows on strings/woodwinds and is then taken up and embellished by the piano.  This has a lot of elements which are missing from much modern music – dynamics being the big one.  The dramatic shifts between quiet and loud serve to emphasize the emotional impact of the music and give it life.  The performance in the video is similarly brilliant.  I only wish I could play the piano like Rubinstein, who is considered one of the greatest concert pianists of the 20th century.  Can you believe he was 88 years old in this video?  He was born in 1887, only 19 years after the piece was written.

The other two pieces I’ve included below are his most well known songs in popular culture.  Both In The Hall of the Mountain King and Morning Mood have been used in innumerable movies, tv shows and saturday morning cartoons.  Morning Mood, with it’s inverted arch of a melody and pastoral hum evokes the Norwegian dawn, the sun peeking over the mountains, shedding the first beams of light across the majestic fjords and illuminating the brilliant swaths of greenery that cascade down the mountains to meet the brilliant blue of the waters far below.  For me it also evokes scenes from loony tunes and so forth, in which the opening melody is used to introduce scenes of peaceful stillness which will inevitably be disrupted by unruly talking animals and their manic escapades. 

In The Hall of the Mountain King is a whirlwind of sound written to represent a grand chase scene involving gnomes.  Grieg actually didn’t like this piece at all, saying “I have also written something for the scene in the hall of the mountain King – something that I literally can’t bear listening to because it absolutely reeks of cow-pies, exaggerated Norwegian nationalism, and trollish self-satisfaction! But I have a hunch that the irony will be discernible.” I’m not sure that anyone these days is able to discern Grieg’s irony in the song.  It’s endlessly fascinating how one piece of music can be interpreted and viewed in so many different ways by different people.  Magic, though Grieg would no doubt be frustrated by our lack of irony.  Beklager, Grieg, vi er ikke verdig.

I still can't believe that Edvard Grieg has his own honest-to-god mountain crypt (pictured here). When I am buried, I want a crypt.

I wish I knew what performance of Peer Gynt this was.  Ah well.  Hope you enjoyed this introduction to Norwegian Classical music!  Any future music I post from Norway will probably be somewhat less erudite, haha (though no less fantastic).  Leave a comment and tell me what you thought of today’s MSMOTD!

- Mons

More music by Edvard Grieg

Edvard Grieg – Morning Mood (from “Peer Gynt” – buy this song)

Edvard Grieg – In The Hall Of The Mountain King (from “Peer Gynt” – buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official website: This homepage for Grieg or the Edvard Grieg Society page is probably the closest to anything “official”.

Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edvard_Grieg

Featured review: Allmusic’s detailed site with reviews of his various works.

Support the maintenance of Grieg’s crypt (and the various booby-traps and undead guardians situated within) by purchasing the excellent Peer Gynt suite (recorded by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra) from Amazon.com!  You can also download the Piano Concerto Opus 16 in A Minor as recorded by Rubinstein.

Loreena McKennitt – Dante’s Prayer

Ok, this MSMOTD is something special.  Loreena McKennitt has probably had the most significant musical influence on my life of any artist.  It’s doubly special because she’s actually from my area.. One of the few Winnipeg artists who’ve made it internationally (A few others being Chantal Kreviazuk, The Crash Test Dummies, Neil Young and The Guess Who).  She’s actually from a small town outside of Winnipeg, but close enough.  Loreena McKennitt is world-renowned for her lush fusion of celtic/folk and world music.  She accompanies her beautiful voice with piano, harp, accordion and good sized band full of world-class musicians playing esoteric instruments such as the hurdy-gurdy, bowed psaltery, hammered dulcimer and tamboura.  The result is the most beautiful music I know coupled with thoughtful, literate lyrics and poetry.

Loreena McKennitt's 1997 album "The Book of Secrets". In my mind, one of the most perfect albums ever recorded.

Dante’s Prayer is right up there with REM’s Nightswimming as a song which moves me like no other.  Though I love music with my whole being, few songs bring me to tears.  Both Dante’s Prayer and Full Circle (see below) do this every time.  Loreena takes inspiration for her music from her travels across the world, incorporating ethnic influences from around the globe  (though showing an affinity especially for traditional European and Arabic music).  She also often will use great literary works and poetry for lyrical inspiration.  Dante’s Prayer was inspired by the Divine Comedy and her travels on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

There are many emotional currents running through this song.  It’s a dark song – the pleading words of a soul drowning in sorrow.  But at the same time it’s hopeful and intimate, like a comforting cloak that settles around your shoulders as the melody lulls you into a sense of peace.  I don’t usually pay attention to lyrics in music, but Loreena’s music is an exception.  Her lyrics are always beautiful and poetic, especially as they are sung by her gorgeous, emotional voice.

Though we share this humble path, alone  /  How fragile is the heart  /  Oh give these clay feet wings to fly  /  To touch the face of the stars.

Breathe life into this feeble heart  /  Lift this mortal veil of fear  /  Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears  /  We’ll rise above these earthly cares.

These words lead into the heart-wrenchingly sorrowful refrain – “Please remember me…” – repeated as the song lifts the listener up from the depths of the melody into the last ethereal, heavenly, mournful choral dirge.  My own song, Angelus, is inspired by, but cannot approach, the brilliance of this masterwork.

(A bit from a documentary about her travels and performance at the mysterious and beautiful Alhambra in Grenada, Spain.  I love her voice)

I wish I could include SO MUCH of her music here, but if you like what I’ve posted, you’ll just have to go and explore her other music yourself.  She has never recorded a bad song.  Each and every one of her 6 studio albums is fantastic from beginning to end.  The Mummer’s Dance, from 1997′s “The Book of Secrets” (same album as Dante’s Prayer) was probably her closest brush with mainstream success.  It actually did well on various charts including #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #17 on Billboard Modern Rock.  So well, in fact, that it spawned a slightly bizarre dance remix that was probably most people’s first exposure to Loreena’s music.  Ah well.  You can go check out the video on Youtube.  Anyways, it’s a great song (the version I’ve included below) and is a good example of her slightly more upbeat story-telling songs.  That’s one reason I love her music… She tells wonderful stories.  Sad stories (The Bonny Swans), exciting stories (The Highwayman) and various others.

The third song I’ve included is one that I consider just as beautiful as Dante’s Prayer, though in a different way.  Full Circle is from her 1994 album “The Mask and the Mirror” (another of my all-time favourite albums), and it has one of the most emotional and beautiful instrumental performances I’ve heard.  Reviews of the album never single this song out, but that’s because they don’t know wtf.  The haunting, yearning, sublime sound of an esraj fills this song with a sense of wonder and sends shivers down my spine every time. Her liner notes put the tender, wistful lyrics into perspective:

March 23, 1993 – Morocco … Ramadan; I wake up early to catch my flight home, and at 5:30 a.m. hear men chanting in the mosque, one of the most moving and primitive sounds I have ever heard. They are calling their God. I think, when have I heard this before?

November 21, 1988 – St.-Benoit-du-Lac, Québec … have just arrived at this Benedictine monastery in the Eastern Township of Québec. It was the first snowfall today, and the brothers were out walking along the long lane as I approached … hooded figures slowly making their way to Mass as the snow fell like blessings. I followed the sound of the bells to vespers.

I have been listening to Loreena McKennitt for as long as I have memory, and it is she who has, in a large part, inspired both my music and my travels.  I hope that you find her work as inspirational and pleasurable as I do.  Leave a message in the comments to let me know what you think!

- Mons

More music from Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennitt – The Mummer’s Dance

Loreena McKennitt – Full Circle

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.quinlanroad.com/

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loreena_McKennitt

Featured Review: Dave Franklin’s review of “The Book of Secrets” for Helium.

Support the artist (and me!) by purchasing The Book of Secrets or The Mask and Mirror on Amazon.com.  These are two of my most treasured albums.  You’ll love them.  Unfortunately, only her most recent album, An Ancient Muse, is available as an mp3 download, so look for the individual tracks embedded above on iTunes perhaps.

Gustavo Santaolalla – Iguazu (from the “Babel” film score)

Santaolalla isn’t a household name, but there’s a good chance that you’ve heard his music.  While he’s had a lengthy career, fronting several bands, his greatest success has come in film scoring.  He has written award winning scores for movies such as “21 Grams”, “The Motorcycle Diaries”, “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel”, with the latter two winning the Oscar for best original score.  His film music largely features atmospheric acoustic guitar work along with airy vocals/instrumentation.  If any music can be described as both “light” and “foreboding”, it is his.  He’s also a master of simple but hauntingly compelling melodies.  I actually just realized, as I was researching for this post, that I’ve been playing a variation of a theme of his on the piano without even realizing it.  I heard it once and it stuck in my head for years.

He reminds me of the Chief from Battlestar Galactica, but less *resolved*.

Iguazu, the MSMOTD, must be his absolute favourite song, as he’s featured it on at least 3 separate soundtracks, including Babel (this version) and earlier iterations on “21 Grams”, “Collateral” and “The Insider”.  I have loved this song for years for its gorgeous but foreboding melody and intricate finger picking.  I wish I could play like this, haha.  I love the atmosphere of this piece.  Great for studying, or a night time drive through the countryside.  Apparently it’s named after Iguazu Falls, which is located on the Argentinian/Brazilian border and looks amazing!

(A live performance of De Usuahia a la Quiaca from “The Motorcycle Diaries”)

I’ve featured another two songs below, the first being The Wings, from “Brokeback Mountain”.  This is the song that I was unintentionally playing (or at least, the first 5 notes) and is short but beautiful, anthemic and immediately memorable.  I dare you to not have it stuck in your head.  The whole score won the Academy Award, but this song is my favourite of the lot.  Can Light Be Found In The Darkness is a very different sort of track from “21 Grams”.  It’s foreboding, like Iguazu, but much more ambient, with reversed samples and a very unsettling metal jingling which puts my hair on end.  A very effective track in context, from what I remember of the movie.

I’ve only really featured his film score music here, but he’s done a ton of other more rock/folk/latin oriented work with which I am unfamiliar.  If you know his other stuff and can recommend some, be sure to share your insight in the comments!

- Mons

More music from Gustavo Santaolalla

Gustavo Santaolalla – The Wings (from “Brokeback Mountain”)

Gustavo Santaolalla – Can Light Be Found In The Darkness? (from “21 Grams”)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gustavosantaolalla

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Santaolalla

Buy the soundtracks for Brokeback Mountain and Babel from Amazon.com or download Iguazu from their MP3 service.

This is a Piano piece I recorded several years ago.  It, like the other “rambles” is an unplanned, unedited live performance (as is the bulk of my piano work).  This is a quieter, slower song than the previous songs that I’ve posted – the upbeat piano piece Good Morning and synth/drum-based Ramble (which really has yet to be properly named).  I think the original title of this song was “So Emo”, hahaha.  Anyways, I don’t like to go back and alter these pieces.  To me, they are more than merely songs and melodies to be perfected.  They are snapshots of my thoughts and emotions at the time of recording.  Changing them almost seems to me like drawing mustaches on high school photos.  I sit and play, and whatever is in my mind or heart flows out.  In that way, playing the piano is meditative and cathartic to me.  The fact that people seem to enjoy listening to my musical releases (pardon the pun) is icing on the cake.  I’ve always played primarily for myself, and likely always will.

The sleepy town of Biassa, Italy. I stayed here while exploring the Cinque Terre.

I am thinking of doing a summary post at the end of each month.  Sort of a roundup of the various things I’ve posted that month to make it easy for people to catch up on things that I missed.  I am also working on organizing and presenting my own music a bit better on the site.  Perhaps with links to all of my releases on the “About Me” page, or a distinct page for my music beyond just the search results for the “Mons’ Music” category.  If you have any ideas for the site, or things you would like to see improved, let me know in the comments!

Download Mons – Last Night.mp3

Thanks for listening!

- Mons

E.S. Posthumus – Isunova (from 2008′s “Cartographer”)

Ok, now you’ve definitely heard these guys before.  E.S. Posthumus are actually two brothers out of California who began releasing music around 2000, getting a lot of exposure due to a local radio station.  Their music is a truly epic blend of grandiose orchestration, energetic percussion, pop melodies, mass choirs and synths.  Both of their albums sound like scores to the ultimate movie epic, complete with heart-rending drama, edge-of-your-seat action sequences, lengthy panoramic shots, love scenes and a cast of thousands…  I guess that’s why every single song from E.S. Posthumus’ 2001 debut album of epic electro-symphonies (“Unearthed”) has been licensed and used in movies (especially trailers), television shows and commercials.  Individual songs will start as sweet pastoral themes with oboe and guitar then build all the way up to a percussive fever pitch, horns a-blare and violinists bowing furiously as the melody crashes explosively like North Atlantic surf into a goose-bump inducing conclusion.

"Excuse me sir, but I must ask. My query thou must sate. Dost thou know that upon thy head lies an ebony dinner plate?" "Why yes, my son, I do so know. Yon plate perforce lies so. Should any soul remove it hence, it would my bald spot show!"

Isunova is from their second album, 2008′s “Cartographer”.  Cartographer is actually a double disc album, with the first cd featuring the vocal talents of Luna Sans.  Her soothing voice adds a mellow element to ES Posthumus’ work, and is a welcome addition.  The second cd is actually all of the same songs from the first (with a few extra), but in orchestral form, with Luna’s vocal parts replaced by various instruments and choirs.  Isunova is from the first disc and has a dark, mysterious and exotic feel, with some ethnic instrumentation and percussion. Oraanu Pi (below) is from the second disc and is appropriately much more bombastic, with a huge choir erupting right out of the gate, fading back to allow the melody to unwind and relax, then returning for the incredible ending.

I’ve also included Nara, from the first album (“Unearthed”).  It has been featured on numerous shows and trailers, and is the theme song for Cold Case on CBS.  Nara and other songs from “Unearthed” have been used in the trailers for movies from Lord of the Rings, Last King of Scotland and Minority Report, to xXx, Lara Croft and Boondock Saints.  It’s a more deliberate, mood-setting piece, featuring ominous melodic builds, weeping flute/whistle solos and a relentless percussive foundation.  Also check out the incredible video for their single Unstoppable.

E.S. Posthumus – Unstoppable

One other thing that I like about these guys is the whimsical historical themes and inspirations they use.  The name of the group refers to “all things past”, and they take inspiration from Pythagorean Philosophy which states that “music is the harmonization of opposites; the conciliation of warring elements”.  The songs from “Unearthed” are all named after dead/lost cities, and “Cartographer” was inspired by the discovery of the early 16th century Piri Reis Map, which some believe shows the coast of Antarctica free of ice.  The album is thus ostensibly about an imaginary lost civilization of navigators who might have originally created the map.

I already know that you’ll like these guys, but don’t let that stop you from leaving a comment!

- Mons

More Music from E.S. Posthumus

E.S. Posthumus – Oraanu Pi (from “Cartographer”)

E.S. Posthumus – Nara (from 2001′s “Unearthed”)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.esposthumus.com/

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.S._Posthumus

You can purchase Unearthed and Cartographer from Amazon.com. The songs from Cartographer don’t appear to be available individually on their MP3 service, but those from Unearthed are, so you can download Nara.