Happy December 1st! I have ambient (or post-rock without the drums, new age with guitars, one note with delay pedals, etc.) Christmas music for you.
Each December, I release ‘The World in Green & Red‘, an ambient EP that has new songs on it each Christmas. So it’s out! It will be available until New Year’s Day.
Also, to say merry Christmas, both albums of ambient pads are free this month to support all churches and non-profits this holiday season.
And lastly, out of all sales for the month of December, half goes to families in need.
Christmas is so near to my heart, and in the spirit of love this year, half the proceeds from not only this EP, but from all my music during the month of December, is going to families in need this Christmas. Ambient pads album included, as well as the two free projects, for those of you who are super kind and actually pay for them even though they are free. You know who you are, and I love you. In fact, when you feel strangely warm embraces in the middle of the night, that’s me hugging you with my mind. But I think this is going to become a tradition, to release this EP with maybe a couple new songs added each year, and to half half the proceeds from all music I have out go to folks who need it. Here’s the link to the album on Bandcamp:
So here’s a couple of the new songs. There are three original pieces, and three traditional songs (public domain) with new arrangements. And fair warning…I just kind of wrote what was in my heart without paying too much mind to style. So apologies to those of you looking strictly for the ambient genre; it’s a little different than that. But it was a joy to record it.
That one is very textural, and I actually like the sporadicness of it and how nothing seems to quite fit until about halfway through the piece. Kind of feels like a kid on Christmas, or maybe the first Christmas.
That one is actually just the camera mic for the audio, but it is the actual recorded take of ‘First Snow.’ What happened is that right at about the 3 minute mark, the camera fell off it’s secure perch leaning over the cabinet propped downward by The Joshua Tree book. But I was doing kinda good on the take (very few clunkers 😉 ), so I just kept going, and then turned the video into a quick promo for the EP a couple weeks ago. But that’s all the video of ‘First Snow’ that there is. lol
Okay, this next one is very much not ambient. Sorry. It’s like Ireland with a faux choir and about 37 layered guitar tracks. I kind of like it though. 🙂
There is also a version of ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’ on this project, and that song is really the heart of Christmas for me. The lyrics are a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written on Christmas Day, after his wife had passed, and he had just received a letter that his son had died in the war. It’s a very emotional piece, and when looked at the lyrics in the light they were written, with the conclusion Longfellow comes to, it’s a very emotional song for me.
The new album is up and ready for download. It’s called ‘The Morning We Wake’, and I hope it brings you all the joy an ambient chorus of guitars can. Available at:
This is a dual album, with 14 tracks spanning 80 minutes, with all tracks available individually. With the purchase of the full album, you also get a second album; it’s the entire first album on one track, with extra compositions that modulate each song into the next for 80 minutes of non-stop music. It should be on iTunes shortly, but there are some timing issues (like, 80 minute songs, I think). Thus far, I am liking Bandcamp’s independent vibe.
Recorded simply, using vintage techniques. Meaning, no post-effects; everything you hear was exactly what came out of the amp. I’m experimenting with doing things this way. Gives it more of a ‘live’ or ‘in the room with you’ feel.
Thank you so much for your support. I understand that this isn’t the greatest thing ever, but it was recorded using delay, which just so happens to actually be the greatest thing ever. I don’t know what’s going to happen with this music, if anything. But if nothing else, it’s really kept me alive this past year.
Splendid.
Karl.
Okay, okay…here’s the actual promo’s. Gotta keep a sense of humour about yourself. 😉
Karl Verkade 