David Arkenstone Releases Surprise Single "The Houses of Healing"
Artist & composer David Arkenstone’s loyal Arkenfans were stunned by the announcement that he is releasing a 20th Anniversary follow up to the original Music Inspired by Middle Earth, released in 2002.
Below, we reveal the cover art for the first single, released today, featuring the legendary Faramir and Eowyn.
Read the full announcement by music blogger Robin James on Ello.
Award-winning composer David Wahler has created a minimalist body of work imbued with peace and tranquility. Having been immersed in music since the age of seven years old, Wahler’s approach to his arrangements displays a true understanding of what music should be: something evocative. He removes all the frills that are displayed in a lot of modern music and simply presents his audience with solid melodies and serene nuances.
Composer David Wahler
Nearly a decade ago, David Wahler’s debut album, Antiquus, was released and met with critical acclaim. Now with his latest release of Mosaic, he tactfully melds the two worlds of piano melodies and electronic soundscapes into an album reminiscent of the 80s and 90s. The title track of the album showcases that ability perfectly well. What seems like a simple song is so much more when put under the microscope, with every little individual sound coming together as a collective to create something much greater and larger as a whole. Following, “Afterain” comes in with a far more laid-back and relaxing vibe. Birds sing and wind chimes tinker along with some gentle vocalization. This track is less of a song and more so of a mood. It isn’t until “A Promise to Keep” that Wahler comes in with his trademark piano melodies. They aren’t the most complex melodies but they definitely serve their purpose in setting a pleasant atmosphere. Hitting the midway point of the album, “August Cloud” explores more of the same territory utilizing simple piano melodies and subdued electronic nuances to create a sound that transports the listener out of their head and into a different world, high above the clouds.
In an unexpected twist, the track “Elysian Dawn” comes in strong with mesmerizing angelic operatic vocals layered on top of a pleasant harp melody. Gentle sounds of the outdoors help to evoke the sensation of being out in a lush garden on a sunny day. “Sakura” is laden with subtle Japanese influences that evoke the memories of a spring bloom. Similar in tone, “Lone Sky Night” and “Fou D’Amour” go heavy on the 80s-influenced synthesizer, giving off a more stylized vibe than some of the other pieces. Ending the album with a question, “Why?” is one of the simplest, most pensive of the tracks. After taking you on a mystical journey, Wahler leaves you pondering.
A true example of modern new age music, Mosaic does a great job at putting the listener at peace. It takes true skill to be able to evoke emotions using a minimalistic approach and David Wahler accomplishes just that. To read more about David, go to his website at www.davidwahler.com and make sure to purchase his latest album, Mosaic, available on most music sites; you'll also want to check out his innovative design-inspired SounDecor playlists on Spotify.
Few musicians have the ability to capture both the light and dark sides of human emotion quite as elegantly as Fiona Joy. Just when you think she has hit the pinnacle of her musical expertise, she unveils a masterpiece like Into the Mist (Blue Coast Records). With only a year in between the release of Signature Synchronicityand Into the Mist, it is clear that Joy has been stricken with a fever to create. The audiophile edition is being officially released at the LA Audio Show on Saturday June 3rd at 3 p.m. in a "Listening Party" with the Sony-Sponsored Magic Bus, as announced earlier on BEING.
The opening title “A Walk in the Park” begins the album with a wave of gaiety and radiates with a warm sense of peace. It feels as though a door has been burst open and has led the listener directly into the beautiful world that Fiona paints with her songs. Segueing into “Moon Over Lotus Pond,” the mood is glazed over with a dash of pensive melancholy and evokes a sense of gratitude and wonderment.
Fiona Joy
The true heart of the album resides within the title tracks. “Into the Mist” is where Joy begins to bleed her emotion onto the ivory keys of her piano. That same air of melancholy echoes into “Mist Rising” until finally lifting once again in “Mist Before Dawn.” The symbolism in the titles is not lost within the music with the “mist” standing for emotional turmoil that eventually comes to pass.
All sense of sadness and doubt is lifted as soon as “Feeling Sunshine” rolls around. It tinkers around playfully in stark contrast to the opus that precedes it. Complimented by “Grey Sky Morning,” a song that conveys a feeling of softness of having woken up from a nostalgic dream. “Galloping” is an oeuvre doused in rising crescendos and plummeting diminuendos that leads the album to its graceful end with “The Void.” The final track has a languid air of mystery that ends the journey with an elegant touch.
There is no doubt that Fiona Joy is a being defined by her raw sense of emotion. Considering it is only her second solo release, one can only imagine the powerful works that are yet to come. Into the Mistis a beautiful continuation of Fiona Joy’s musical autobiography.
