I spend last night on this - no relation to any projects I'm working on at the moment. Sometimes, I wish I played guitar in a metal band.

Japanese Chess Boxing

I can't really deny the Porcupine Tree influence on the album, and least of all on this track. This was the first song to be written for the album. At the time I'm writing this, the idea for this song emerged about a year and a half ago. It was the first song that I ever wrote with the intention of having my own vocals on it, so finding the right sound was one of the main challenges.

I knew from the get-go that I wasn't going to be doing any harsh or "growly" vocals on the album, simply because I'm not capable (It would be a fun thing to try on the next album, though). This is where Porcupine Tree came into the picture. I was revisiting them around the time this song was coming into existence, and tracks like "The Blind House" and "Blackest Eyes" ended up presenting the kind of style I was going for - mellow, catchy verses and choruses, yet with heavy parts for contrast. 

With that being said, I think you can definitely still hear the influence of other artists. The part after the second chorus where the song shifts gear completely, is something you'll hear bands like Haken and Dream Theater do once in a while. They'll suddenly go into a part that sounds nothing like the rest of the song and then slowly bring it back to something a bit more familiar. I always enjoyed moments like those, so here's my little tribute to Haken and Dream Theater, I guess.


"Castaway"

One mind with the density 
of a dying sun (of a dying sun)
Too kind for her own good, 
She is on the run (from herself)

A castaway, a lonely soul
I turned her diamonds into coal

One love in a lifetime
She was all I had
Too blind, too self-righteous
Oh, I drove her mad

A castaway, a lonely soul
I turned her diamonds into coal

A castaway, a lonely soul
She turned my diamonds into coal


Thank you very much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

Sonny

Castaway

Here's a song that spend quite a while in the works. This whole thing started with the verse around three years ago. It was actually written as part of a song that I was doing with a friend (Working title: "Golden Elephant" - I'm such an artist...), but as it turned out, it ended up going nowhere, and after that I just left the idea alone for a while. However, I figured the reason that I remembered it for so long was that I thought it had potential on some level, so I went back to it around the time "Castaway" was taking shape. 

One thing that I particularly enjoy about writing music is experimenting with song-structures - figuring out how different structures affect the feel of the song and finding the one that I think suits the song the best. In this case, I ended up with a somewhat unorthodox one where the song starts off one way and ends in a completely different way. I think it makes for a very interesting piece, though, and in the context of the record, I find that it flows rather nicely.


"One Last Time"

Bursting with thoughts and intentions,
I’m tired of mental inventions
Corroding, wasting away
I am dying to release my thoughts

Though I’m doomed to fall again
Here I stand one last time
My dear, what’s happening to me?

Now that we’re broken in pieces
I’m feeling the weight of my regrets
Don’t leave me, I’m falling apart
I am guilty, mend my wounded heart

Though I’m doomed to fall again
Here I stand one last time
My flower, you’re all that I can see


Thank you very much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

One Last Time

This is the point on the album where I get all jazzy and sophistimicated - not really, though. I think the influence of Porcupine Tree kind of gave way to a bit of influence from Steven Wilson's solo project on this track - particularly the song "The Holy Drinker" of off the very concisely titled "The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)". 

I wanted the overall sound and mood of the song to be very mysterious and melancholic, and so, I went for some more jazzy, complex, and sometimes atonal chord progressions and melodies. It's definitely one if the more experimental songs on the album in that regard, but it's also among the ones I'm the most proud of. 


"Deceiver"

I’m worn out by depression
Take these chains off me now
I can’t stand my obsession
Can I shed it somehow?

I have never been lower
But I’ve always been guilty
Shed no tears for me, flower
You seem happy without me 

Lie to me
Please, lie to me
Pretend for me
Won’t you lie to me?


Thank you so much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

Deceiver

Here we have the most substantial of the three instrumental tracks on the album. Among other things, I was listening to a lot of Anathema around this time. The album "Weather Systems" means a lot to me, and one of my favourite moments on that album is the piece "Lightning Song" which was a big influence on this track.

Originally, I intended for the song to have vocals on it, but as I progressed with the writing and discovered that this was going to be a full-fledged album (This wasn't the goal to begin with - at first, I just wanted to do an EP), I found that the sound of the song and it's placement on the album made it more fitting for it to be an instrumental piece. 

At this point, it's still on of my favourite pieces that I've ever done. I think the fact that it's kind of a slow burner really makes the end of the track feel like a treat. Also, in the context of the album, it's nice to be rewarded with a bit of positivity after the first three songs.

In terms of the title; well, I studied Spanish for three years in high school. I figured it would be a shame to let all that work go to waste...


Thank you very much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)


Sonny

Loto Del Sol

Apart from being the most straightforward, simple song on the album, "Atonement" also serves as a transition and an introduction to "The Monstrous Cloud"-trilogy. The way I view the album, there's a clear point at "Atonement" where the album shifts in sound and soul, and so, I found that it would be neat to have a break, for lack of a better word, dividing the two halves. 

I really enjoy the chorus of the song. However, I sometimes feel like it didn't quite reach it's full potential, so I might revisit it at some point. Nonetheless, in the context of the album, it does what it's meant to do. It's short and sweet, and most importantly, it sets the mood for the remainder of the album.


"Atonement"

Bursting with thoughts and intensions
(Release me from your chains)
I’m losing my sense of direction
(Save me now, won’t you, my love?)

I won’t let go of you this time around
Please do not desert the love we have found

I can’t make sense of this turbulence anymore
(I’ve never been so low)
I feel the castaway stranded upon my shore
(Lie to me, won’t you, my flower?)

I won’t let go of you this time around
Please do not desert the love we have found


Thank you so much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

Sonny

Atonement

The album contains a handful of reoccurring themes and melodies, one of which is the motif that is repeated by the keyboard throughout the intro and verses of the track. From this track out, the album takes on quite a different sound and feel, at least to me as the writer. It's definitely more playful and experimental for me.

This particular track has one of my favourite moments on the album - namely the choir-part between the verse and the theme. Tracking parts like those is what I've found to be the most rewarding and fun as a vocalist. It's difficult for me to do, and it takes a long time, but the end result is worth it, absolutely. 


"The Monstrous Cloud I"

That night, I thought I’d found a way
To redeem myself to you
This time there was nothing left
You have cut me right in two

Pictures of us 
plaguing my mind
Along and across, 
through space and through time, my friend

That day was so clear and bright
A deceiving memory
My dreams, they were out of sight
But you shined your light on me

Living a lie, 
it’s pointless to try
You words ring so true, 
but I’m deaf and blind to them


Thank you very much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

Sonny

The Monstrous Cloud I

This is where it gets playful for me. The track starts off with a long, menacing build-up - somewhat inspired by Karnivool, I suppose - and breaks into some br00tal djent-riffage. It's not very audible on the album in general, but the last year or so, I've really been enjoying Periphery, and this is just about the only track on the album where I showcase that influence a bit.

In that regard, I really think the song sticks out in the context of the record. It was one of the most difficult ones to get right in terms of structure. I had all the parts down, but putting them together in a way that flowed well took a long time, and I think this song was actually the last one to fall into place. I managed to do it in a way that sounds somewhat descent, but the real treat for me is the end bit of the track - the choir coupled with the "dualism" of the acoustic guitars and the distorted guitars just does it for me in a big way. This sound and the heavier, "djenty" (God, I hate that word) sound are both ones that I really hope to explore further in future endeavours. 


"The Monstrous Cloud II"

Now that you have found
A different way to live your life
You seem to forget
That I’m the one who held you
 
Now that I have found
A different way to waste my time
I realize that I
Have been a disappointment  

It seems like you won’t be coming back, 
but I can dream - Yes, I can dream

It seems like you won’t be coming back,
But I will dream – Yes, I will dream

Do you love me now? Are you proud of me?


Thank you very much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

Sonny

The Monstrous Cloud II

So, this is the grand, epic ending. I'll be completely honest; I love this song. I love it more than I thought I could love one of my own songs - possibly because it doesn't primarily feature my own boyish murmuring. Right, I got one of my close friends to do the vocals on this track, and damn, did she knock it out of the park...

I wanted the last song to have a little extra treat, and what could be a better treat than hearing an actual singer after listening to me for 40 minutes? In all seriousness, though, I'm really happy with what she did with the song, and additionally, the solo is one of my proudest moments as a guitarist on the album.

You get to hear a bit more Anathema influence on this track - especially towards the end of the track. I must admit, I love doing these dramatic, grandiose endings, and I really think this is the best possible way to end the album. However, it's not entirely over yet, is it?


"The Monstrous Cloud III"

Now that my eyes are turning red
And there’s an endless road ahead
I, I feel eternity inside of me

There’s a monstrous cloud above
But it can’t obscure my love
I, I will wait for you forever; forever

Castaway, won’t you stay?
And fall asleep in my arms

Now that the sky is turning grey
And there is nothing, nothing left to say
I, I feel anxiety leaving me


Thank you very much for listening! I hope you enjoy "The Monstrous Cloud" :-)

Sonny

The Monstrous Cloud III

So, I'm just going to state the obvious; this album is an album of love songs. Steven Wilson is my biggest musical idol, and, like him, I don't write songs about space and goblins. I write songs about girls that destroyed me, so I figured, why not just rid myself of all mystery and cross "Name a song after a girl" off of my bucket list?

Anyway, this title probably doesn't mean a lot to you, but it means a whole damn lot to me. Thank you for listening :-)

Sonny

Emma :v

This is just a short instrumental demo I finished today. I'll probably use the idea on my next album somewhere down the line. This past year, I've been listening to a lot of Periphery, and they've definitely been a big influence on the material I've been writing lately, as heard in this demo.

Guitar and bass tones: Line 6 Pod Farm 2
Drum samples: Drumsite
DAW: Studio One 2 Artist

Enjoy! And thank you very much for listening. Please stay tuned for more :-)

Planet Noise (Demo)

A re-imagination of a piece from a few years back. I made this as a soundtrack for one of my friends. You can listen to the original track here: https://soundcloud.com/sonnykaiser/a-bluu-dot

Enjoy! And thank you for listening :-)

Bluu Dot

This is a track I've been working on on/off for a few weeks. The beat is actually made from samples of myself - first time I've done anything like that. I also bought my first acoustic guitar not so long ago, so I had to try it out on a recording, and I'm more than satisfied with how it turned out. I've really enjoyed doing the more "soundtrack-y" pieces lately, so there'll probably be a few more of those coming. 

Also, I'm slowly but surely starting to flesh out some ideas for my next album. It's still a long ways away, though.

Enjoy! And thank you for listening :-)

Lenseflare

This was among the first couple of songs I wrote for my double album project before abandoning it. It was supposed to be one of the openers, and it's kind of a slow burner in the sense that the first three fourths of the song are really just a long build-up towards the finale. I'm a sucker for these sorts of dynamic climbs. It's a structure that bands like Anathema and Sigur Rós are masters of, and I just find so much emotion in those peaks and valleys of intensity - especially in the final "release". It feels like a journey, and the time it takes to get from point A to point B is an important element of the song.

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Gear used:

Vocals - Presonus M7 into a Presonus Audiobox USB interface

Guitars - Mannedesign Ventura T and Chapman ML7 through a Fractal Audio AX8 into a Line 6 GX interface

Bass - Supreme bass into a Line 6 GX interface

Drums - The shells are samples recorded by Matt Halpern and Adam Getgood during their Creative Live Masterclass, the hi-hat and cymbals are standard samples from Drumsite

Pianos. strings and synths were programmed using build in MIDI-instruments from Studio One 3 Professional.

Everything was recorded, mixed, and mastered using Studio One 3 Professional.

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Lyrics:

This is were the illusion starts
An empty word, a fever dream
Deceiving me like it has done before
It pulls me down into the stream

Drifting away from you (carry me)
Taken by the royal blue (out to sea)

This is were my apprehension stops
I wave goodbye to the dots on the shore
As I float into the endless ocean
I realize I shouldn't fight it anymore

Drifting away from you (carry me)
Taken by the royal blue (out to sea)

Going on another ride (It drags me down)
Driven by the evertide (Into the stream)

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All music and lyrics were written, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Sonny Kaiser.

Royal Blue - Single

Royal Blue

This general style, nerdy and uncool as it is, is one that I've always enjoyed writing in. While I do love vocals and singing, lyrics never come to me easily, so it's very freeing to just forget about them and focus on being a guitarist, which is what I really am as far as playing and performing goes.

I've always been bad at simply "practising" playing guitar, so I purposely write these songs to be above my ability and force myself to improve so I can record them properly (which also means that I have to do hundreds upon hundreds of takes to get it the way I want it, sadly...). 

It sort of sounds like a backwards and unmusical way of doing things, but I find that it yields some cool results most of the time, and it's an exercise in imperfection. I'm trying to teach myself to be okay with the fact that not everything I write is going to be a masterpiece.
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Gear used:

Guitars - Chapman ML7 and Mannedesign Ventura T through a Fractal Audio AX8 into a Line 6 GX interface

Bass - Supreme bass into a Line 6 GX interface

Drums - The shells are samples recorded by Matt Halpern and Adam Getgood during their Creative Live Masterclass, the hi-hat and cymbals are standard samples from Drumsite

Pianos. strings and synths were programmed using build in MIDI-instruments from Studio One 3 Professional.

Everything was recorded, mixed, and mastered using Studio One 3 Professional.
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All music was written, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Sonny Kaiser.

Flare

Hey!

My name is Sonny and I'm a producer, composer, guitarist, and connoisseur of dorky music. I live in a country that barely exists. 

Thank you very much for checking me out!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonnykaisermusic/
Bandcamp: https://sonnykaiser.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiNXnB0LZw7Pc37s-QDEBDQ

Sonny Kaiser

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