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

Composer of multi-instrumental music, with a preference for longer, progressive and complexly arranged pieces.   

Have played guitar for many years, but I am probably a slightly odd type of guitarist. Not particularily interested in the guitar genre, not too keen on listening to long solos, etc. I don't enjoy playing for people - a party-killer, in short. However, leave me alone with this wonderful tool (or the keyboard, which I play too), and I will start experimenting with it, searching for something to develop. 

Strongly interested in classical music and anything remotely related to that. I want to construct music with a similar structure and complexity, although with other instruments, and in my own way...  
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During 2010-2013, I worked on a suite of related pieces, GUITARS PLAYED BY DS, with every sound played on the electric guitar. A major undertaking, and (all-in-all) 45+ minutes long, all complexly related and released in five segments.

During 2014-2015, the main focus was on the full-format 'LONG INSTRUMENTAL', a progressive work with lots of different instruments and sounds, restless and complex. Some sections stand on their own feet: MYSTERY, and FANFARE. 

The 2014-2015 recordings also resulted in two shorter pieces: CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION and CLUSTER OF WARNINGS.

During 2015 I initiated a suite played on classical guitars - GUITAR STRUCTURES. It is a series of slowly changing ideas, a weave of melodies and harmony, the first section out in April 2015 (the 2nd came 2 years later).  

I played guitars on Tolubai's wonderful ambient piece 'MEMORIES' (August 2015).

EARTHSHINE came out in January 2016; a darker and slightly dissonant progressive piece, and one of my personal favorites. So is SILENCE, out 1st July 2016. September 2016: IGNITION  with TOLUBAI and LET THERE BE LIGHT 22th Sept 2016 with PuppyWolf. 

20/11-2016: The OORT CLOUD PROJECT I-IX. An 18+ minutes long progressive synth-based instrumental, with lots of short guitar phrases integrated. Also, the spin-off PASSAGE was released. 

GROTESQUE released too in the end of 2016. The 19th January 2017, I released the sketch OMMA CONTRAPUNCTUS PROJECT. The 4th February 2017, the track '3 WORLDS COLLIDE' was released.

'Guitar Structure No. 2' out in March 2017, took 2 years to complete.

BEST OF 2 WORLDS was released in November 2017, another personal favorite composition.

APPROACHING: an unfinished sketch released 1st April 2018. TAURUS IV released 8th April 2018.

New Years evening 2019, quickly improvising a track: DECADE. Uploaded 23:58 local time. It was a very fun way of ending the year and I used a symbolic art cover with red sweeping in, but I wouldn't have dreamed of what was to come soon.

One main project this year is the SNOWFLAKES VARIATIONS suite; the Prelude was released in January 2020.

8th April 2020: CREATURES RISING was released. CREATURES OF THE RAINFOREST also a spinoff track (released 2021).

In the Lockdown March-April 2020, I recorded 'Era', out of frustration...

5th June 2020: REPORT FROM PLANET THREE, which was initiated 31st May 2019. 

31st July 2020: FORECAST was released. April 2021: SUMMER SNOWFLAKES, a 25 minute long track and perhaps my most ambitious ever. 

OCTOBER 22, 2021: OUTPOST. Was hell of a lot work behind this, which started out as the "Conquerer" project already in 2017. 

APRIL 28, 2022: The Disclosure (Part I).
SEPTEMBER 23, 2022: PEACE GUITARS. A track very dear to me, much of it written outdoors at the shores with my lovely dog with me. 

OCTOBER 6, 2023: SHAMBOLIC GUITARS.  Intensive recordings!

DECEMBER 7, 2024: TABOOOO released. (Oldfield Tribute)

SEPTEMBER 6, 2025: WATERFALL (part 1). Another part will follow in 2026!
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Many thanks for visiting here, and for the comments, 'Likes' & reposts.

D. Svensson Sept. 2022

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© DavidSvensson.