Author: Leonardo Soundweaver

Chants according to…

Chants according to… by Rao & Leonardo (2012, released 2020)

— This is a free download. —

Chants according to…

For many years we chanted Mantras during Yoga classes that were conducted by Rao; the easy short ones that we, western people,were able to learn. Once we tried to do a long Vedic Peace Mantra, but we abandened the project and returned to our familiar chants.

Some years ago I got the idea to make recordings of the Mantras and Slokas, just to keep the memory of their melody and rythm, as well as their pronounciation. Along with that I had the wish to ‘do something with them musically’.

….Read more, listen and download here….

New album coming up

The new album ‘Deeper Ground’ is almost ready. It is something different. All eight songs were composed on polysynths, messing around with chord progressions. It was a very interesting process seeing the songs develop. The main idea was to create lush synthesizer-pop kind of songs, with only synths, Linn drum samples and some vocals. No guitars and organs. This principle I kept. Ofcourse the songs themselves pushed me into a different direction.

After the first three songs were made I had to take a break. The new songs that I made after some time had a different character. I liked it. They actually had a very nice sound and feel. So I returned to the first three songs and gave them the same vibe. Some songs I had to break down and remake.

So what we have now is five tracks with vocals and three instrumental tracks. I used to avoid a lot of chord changes because I like modal scale, so that’s new. The drum sound also makes it different. Apart from Astral Son I haven’t done much singing in productions. I used my voice as an additional melodic sound, with meaning ofcourse. Since I love analogue sound the album is packed with it. I’d say it is very warm and melodic as well.

At the moment I am happy with the album. I think it is one of the best things I’ve done. I’ve dedicated my composing and production skills to the making of an album that has the potential to attract a wider audience that normally would’t listen to electronic music. Only thing is that I’m confused and don’t know yet how to release because it isn’t instrumental electronic or psychedelic. So it will probably be next year!


What’s happening??

A lot is happening at the moment. Zeitgeist, The Lo-Fi Backspace Camembert Files and last week I made a new electronic album. The latter is pretty barebone, impressionistic I’d say. Again based around spontaneous electronic jamsessions, recorded on two track. Three songs, one only has guitar overdub, another has effects and coloration overdubs and the last song is like it was recorded in one go. I think I will leave it like that.

And now the news. I restored my midi setup and my polphonic synths are ready to go. I found really good Linn Drum samples. So you can guess where I’m going. This is not a new thing, I’ve been doing this many years ago and it was always in the back of my mind. This is really exciting. And it is neither Son of Ohm or Astral Son. A new chapter.

The Lo-Fi Backspace Camembert Files

New album by Son of Ohm.

In 2014/15 I made a couple of spontaneous tracks without thinking too much. They are a bit dark & mysterious, cosmic/psychedelic/electronic with arpeggio’s swirling, random synth patterns, distant space guitar solo’s, gliss and ofcourse hiss, hum, background noises and other things that make it lo-fi. I have remastered the songs for this special release keeping the atmosphere as it was.
Looking back on these songs I can tell I was very much influenced by Edgar Froese, Manuel Göttsching and Daevid Allen.

Available on Bandcamp only.
Listen here.

New album Zeitgeist

This album has a whole different approach. It was made from studio jam sessions with synths, sequencers, space guitar and looper. I was searching for a way of free expression, direct and spontaneous. On the previous album Paradigma I was heading in this direction and I just followed the trail.

Listen here

The core of this album are live studio sessions with synths, sequencers, space guitar & looper.

Some notes: Telefunken Baby! was recorded mono on reel to reel tape, then mixed live through a space-echo device; only bass was added later. The Endlos session was recorded on two track; drums, tabla, lead guitar & additional synth were overdubbed. Third Rock is a long two track jam; drums & some synth/tape effects and a touch of gliss were added later.

Instruments :
Four analog synthesizers, two sequencers, looper, floor tom, low tom, snare, tabla, cymbals, egg, tambourine, tingsha, electric guitar, bass guitar, effects.

High resolution 24 bit/ 88,2 kHz download provided on Bandcamp.

Live at ESE and new album coming up.

I’m going to do a solo live performance and a Phrozen Weaver session with Phrozenlight at ESE. I will bring a bunch of synths, sequencers, looper and space guitar.

In preparation to the event did I a lot of live studio sessions with sequencer, looper, synths and space guitar. From some of the recordings I made a new Son of Ohm album. So the album is centered round spontaneous two track recordings with overdubs and several treatments. It has a very strong early krautrock feel and at times it is even lo-fi.

Currently I’m finishing the album, artwork etc. Image

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Paradigma review

“Filled with perfumes of analog tones and with psychedelic vibes, Paradigma is another fine album from Son of Ohm who never stops to amaze with its sweet motorik beats”

A very beautiful album from Son of Ohm, PARADIGMA is got to be added to a discography full of very good albums from the Netherlands musician. For a little that we love these charms of an EM drenched in psybient and animated with motorik rhythms for Zombies marinated in THC, this album is a necessity. Like all the albums of Son Of Ohm by the way! Simply very good!
Sylvain Lupari (April 19th, 2019) ****

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