The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a rad channel...
(With apologies to William Gibson.)
Honored samurai, ruthless ronin, wayward vagabonds, shadowy ninja and helpless villagers... welcome.
Opening Volley
Hearts of Space — music of a "contemplative nature ... from the ambient, new-age and electronic genres [to] classical, world, Celtic, experimental, and other music selections". Nothing puts me in a more chill frame of mind that dreamy space vibes. Kitaro, Vangelis and Tangerine Dream were among the iconic musicians with their Japanese drums, zithers, harpsichords, Moog synthesizers, electronic oscillators, theremin and computer algorithms that painted my teenage years. It’s had a profound effect on me that lasts to this day. It was like no other kind of music I’d ever heard, and as a “daydreamer”, Hearts of Space inspired and calmed me. Upon discovering bandcamp, I began an earnest search for music/artists of the same caliber.
Inspiration
That’s where I found Siddhartha Barnhoorn and after striking up a friendly Twitter “friendship” (at least I like to think so) years ago, I decided to ask what inspired his work on Structures of Light (his first, but not last album, I purchased). Not surprisingly at all, he too, found solace and comfort from a “busy” mind in his work.
What inspires me to compose works like Structures of Light or Celestial Spaces is to have the music take you onto a journey but also into a peaceful place, kind of like a meditation.
One of the starting points for creating this music is that it helped me work through and get out of dark periods in my life where my mind was cluttered. These sessions, along with long walks in the dunes here, were a great way for me to get out of my head, into the present moment.
Now, I just really enjoy doing these jam sessions and if something good comes out of it, great! And if I can share that with others and they enjoy it or helps them, even better!
My mother and I connected through through music, Mr. Barnhoorn and I connected through music, and in fact, Mr. Barnhoorn started his career through his uncle’s connection to music...
Since I was a kid I remember loving film, tv and game music though I did not aspire to do it myself and can recall me thinking I wouldn't be able to do that. Years later in my mid-late teens I got an old electric guitar from my uncle and gradually started learning myself how to play it by figuring out the melodies from music I liked listening to at the time. Got a small amp, a distortion pedal and a microphone and started recording my own tracks, mainly metal / prog-rock. Later I discovered samples of various instruments like synths, orchestral instruments etc., in the form of soundfonts and figured out how to use them and then started composing orchestral works.
It wasn't until a friend of mine came by to listen to some of my work and told me that it sounds a lot like film/game music, that I started taking the idea seriously about at least giving composing for film or games a try. He got me in touch with a film maker who was working on an animation film and in 2004 I scored my first short film and after that I was hooked and it light the flame to where I am today.
Connecting through music is a human experience. bandcamp and social media have both been positive instruments in my life in helping to fulfill that part of my life and I wanted to share that with others who may appreciate it.
Mr. Barnhoorn is an award-winning film & video game composer who has composed music for Planet Alpha, Antichamber, Out There series, Tears in the Rain and more.
Click the link above to support him. As an indie, he deserves all the love you can heap upon his talent. With more than 45 albums on bandcamp, you’ll definitely find something to soothe your music soul.
We Never Meet Without Parting
Next issue... A return to the World Wide Weird of the Moped Ronin... (and free fiction!)
Until then!
Made in DNA
Free fiction and a little bit of craziness: http://vocal.media/authors/made-in