A lot of this track has a 'Pink Floyd' vibe. You know, the powerful but unhurried feel...

A fab journey, many interesting passages folded into a fine piece of music, brilliant!

SUMMER SNOWFLAKES: variations on a theme. Intended to be released at the first snow fall, but it never came... So I kept recording.

INSTRUMENTS used: Electric Guitar, two steel 6-stringed guitars, 12s guitar, classical guitar, two hardware keyboards (rendering the pianos, organs, bass guitar, chimes, bells, flutes, strings), pedal effects.

The music grew like a fractal in all directions and became quite vast in scope: should I have split it into shorter tracks? Many would say yes, but I didn't fancy that and instead went for the ”LP option"; an instrumental, meditative journey, inspired by the genre invented by Mike Oldfield in the 70s.

When I first heard his work, many years ago, I didn't first get it, but I was intrigued. "What is the purpose?" was my early reaction. But I couldn't shake it off and became hooked to the complexity of his instrumental music, and how it seemed to constantly mutate into new sections. I kept listening, and gradually discovered the many hidden secrets. And it led me to become very interested in classical music.

SUMMER SNOWFLAKES is made in this tradition. Not explicitly trying to mimic Mr. Oldfield, but admittedly clearly influenced by his method. And why not? Was it wrong that Brahms wrote symphonies just because Beethoven already had done nine legendary ones? Would the world have been a better place if Shostakovich had stayed away from writing Preludes and Fugues for the piano? Should no pop songs have been allowed after Beatles? I say, let us be shamelessly inspired by the gigants and make some efforts to create something! Throw an egg if you must, but I think any sincere attempt to compose is welcome.

When I decided to go for a full length track, my vision was (somewhat childishly) the thought of the younger myself; the days when I was a die-hard Oldfield fan and had stumbled upon a new release: always a rare event, an instant buy, running home, headphones on, expectations high, launching it: the first sacred discoveries ... My track may not live up to this, but is a tribute to those days and that feel.

The recording was quite an undertaking and I didn't want to let myself down. I worked on it since December 2018, and was occasionally quite frustrated about it. I avoided midi, and tried to hand-play it all (for the fun of it) - often leaving me in big trouble. I admit there are some sun spots due to this, but I consider them as my finger prints and evidence that a human did this, not a machine. .

Art cover: by DS 2021, reflecting the heavy reliance and overlaying of pianos and organs, and the combinational nature of the music.

Special Thanks to Mark Hermse, Mike Hilton and Wojciech Langner for support and inspiring discussions!

SUMMER SNOWFLAKES

Heading in, Heading out..A journey through the many facets of the soul.

I went for a Retro feel in part with this one..drawing from many early influences..

The Souls Mason

Tiff's  Song

Mind Over Matter, the next track from the album Parallels.
A narrative creation, and slightly tongue in cheek involving two characters.. a nutty Professor of Physics, and a bent on destruction kind of Dr Evil.
A first for me with a narrative, so any comments are most welcome.
It's a bit mad, thanks for the listen ;)
Arranged and produced by, Mike Hilton © 21/01/15
Cover Art ~ Adobe stock


Instruments, in order of appearance ;

Fender Stratocaster
Takamine 6-string acoustic
Katoh classical acoustic
PRS custom 24
Midi Synth and Percussion
Narration written and performed by, Mike Hilton.
Jacobs Ladder, sfx courtesy of jameswrowles, at freesound.org

Release date  8/12/15

Mind Over Matter

Exchange

A progressive rock/electro vibe featuring, https://soundcloud.com/spawn-of-sirius, on Native American Flute.
At the core of all we know, from an atom to a single cell and as far reaching as the so called the big-bang at the beginning of time. 
What lies beyond the boundaries of what we understand about life and the mysteries of the cosmos? Time will tell.
In four parts as follows..

1/  Space ~ 0:00
2/ Time ~ 1:16
3/ Life ~ 2:56
4/ Big-Bang ~ 5:38

Thanks for listening.
Arranged and produced by Mike Hilton © 02/02/16


Instruments;

PRS custom 24
Fender Strat
Takamine 6-string acoustic
Midi synth, keyboard, percussion.
Narration - Mike Hilton.
Some samples and fx courtesy of freesound.org

Special thanks.
Setuniman - various synth, perc and keys.
Spawn of Sirius, aka Alida Santandrea - Native American Flute on part 3 "Life" G echo Flute section.
Udo Pohlmann - Igluifhon.
Cover art - Composite image using Filmora software.


Release date 2/2/16

Nucleus

A guitar cover/improvisation and collaboration by David Svensson and Mike Hilton, and a dedication to the life of Dr Oldfield, whom sadly passed away recently.
Father to Sally, Mike, and Terry Oldfield.
We dedicate this version of "Let There Be Light", one of Mike Oldfield's brilliant pieces of music to the Oldfield family, we are also greatly inspired by these gifted and very talented musicians.

David, asked me to perform some guitar on his version, and is one of his favourite pieces by, Mr Oldfield, and I gladly accepted. 
This is also one of my first at an improvised cover, and a great choice by, David, indeed.
And I must say it was an absolute pleasure working on his superb arrangement.. a very talented player devoted to music, and sincere friend. 
More of, Dave's, great music here.. https://soundcloud.com/davidjsvensson

(no copyright infringement intended)

Many thanks for listening.
Arranged and produced by David Svensson & Mike Hilton © 22/09/16

Instruments;

David Svensson ~ Acoustic (Classical & 12 string guitars)and Bass guitar.
Mike Hilton ~ Fender Stratocaster
Arrangement ~ David Svensson.
Mixed and produced ~ Mike Hilton 

Cover-art design, Dave & Mike  
Background image; reviews.blogspot.com

Let There be Light (cover)

Let There be Light (Mike Oldfield cover) collaboration with David Svensson.

Light Years, the final track from the album Parallels. 
A while in the making, and mixes together several ideas i had for single tracks for the album, and connects with a previous longer track Nucleus, creating a path or journey through space and time along with several other tracks relating to the theories and current laws of physics and the cosmos.
In six parts as follows;

1  :  Dark Matter 0:00 - 0:45
2 :  The Gods 0:45 - 2:07
3 :  Worlds Collide  2:07 - 3:24
4 :  Expansion 3:24 - 5:25
5 :  Multiverse 5:25 -6:21
6 :  Light Speed 6:21 - 9:20


Hope you enjoy this little journey as much as I have.
Thanks for the listen ;)
Arranged and produced by Mike Hilton © 17/01/17

Instruments;

PRS Custom 24
Fender Strat
Takamine 6-string
Midi Percussion, Bass, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Native frame Drums. 
Narration by Mike Hilton
Many vst's, synths, effects.
A special thanks to "Setuniman" and "Crooner", for several samples c/o Freesound .org.

Arranged and produced at PuppyWolf  Studios 17/01/17.

Parallels

Light Years

Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. We are all made up of the same stuff that made the stars, we are all stardust... We are the universe.

The Heart of a Dying Star

Hey, Can You Hear Me?

A longer piece produced in 2017 and inspired by a few of my travels.
Thanks for listening.
You-Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHdoqKjUsr4
Arranged and produced by, Mike Hilton © 07/10/17

Cover photo - Stoodley Pike, Yorkshire

(Instruments)
Takamine Acoustic
Fender Stratocaster
Bass (midi)
Percussion (midi)
Tin Whistle (D)
Keyboard & Synths (VST)
Assorted sampled Orchestral instruments (freesound)

The Valley

Progressive Ambient Rock artist.
All tracks Written, Performed and Produced by Aedificium.

Thanks for listening.

The Souls Mason

aedificium

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