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The Album:
“Getting Closer” is my first full album as Njordlyd. It is an industrial and dark ambient-styled concept album featuring 10 tracks with an extensive selection of samples, stretched sounds and field recordings. Track 1 is an introduction to the album, and contains elements and samples from Circles (the first single from phase 1), as well as it is an introduction to “reshaping”. Track 2-6 are all alternative versions of each of the 5 singles from Phase One (April 2021 to March 2022), in chronological order, starting with “Dark Ride” (which is the alternative version of Circles). Track 7 is a bridge between track 1-6 and the remainder of the album, taking the concept of “reshaping” further, with track 10 closing off the album. I have deliberately chosen not to make the album a continuous piece of music, where all tracks are interwoven. Instead I have used short fades (in and out), to give it some sort of transition between the tracks and many distinctive sections. When creating “Getting Closer” I was inspired by KLFs “Chill Out” album and Burials latest release “Antidawn”. Both albums also contains an extensive selection of samples. I have always been fascinated by the endless possibilities that sampled, stretched and pitched sounds provides (especially in combination with field recordings). The field recordings plays an important role on this album. It gives all the tracks a sort of lively feeling and provides many distinctive soundscapes. Moving vehicles such as trains, trams, metros and cars (amongst others). Water dripping, rain falling, braking waves and birds pitched beyond recognition. I am fully aware that there is not a lot new to this, that it has been used many times before. I just find it amazing how these type of samples and sounds can be used to blend into “something” like this, how a sample of e.g. a train approaching or leaving, can sound like a filtered synth sound. The album title “Getting Closer” is simply a reference to getting closer to how I want to create music (way of working) and what kind of music (style). I hope this “collection” of tracks and soundscapes will bring you as much pleasure as it was for me to make it. I cannot remember having enjoyed making music as much as with this album and the forthcoming EP “Correlations” (March 2023). The Tracks: “Reshaping” (Track one) “to give a new form or orientation to” ….. something, to shape something again and / or differently. The 5 singles from Phase One were all completed based on tracks from somewhere between 2014-18. All tracks that I gave new form and directions and shaped into something very different. For this album I have given the 5 singles a new form again, reshaped them into something new, something different. The whole album is based on reshaping, which has become a sort of guidance for me in my creative process and way of working. Something I think about when start working on track(s) / concept(s), and something I intend to continue with for the coming years ahead. “Dark Ride” (track two on the album and track one on the single) is an alternative and slightly darker version of "Circles” from April 2021. It is much shorter, more minimal and has a sort of "dusty" and organic feel to it. It is “reshaped” based on sampled and stretched pieces from the original track and further combined with additional samples, effects, etc. One of the additional samples is a field recording of breaking waves (breakers). The original track has a quite long and complex story to it, one of them being a combination of a few sounds, which gives a sort of “circling” effect. I did not include this in the original story, as it would make it too complex. However, these sounds also gives me the sensation of water. It makes me think about breaking waves, harbours and the sound (noise) of wire on masts. A quite distinct memory from my childhood and my parents, which is also why I decided to incorporate this field recording into the soundscape. This alternative version and little extra story makes everything around “Circles” complete (for me personally). For more information about the story for “Circles”, please click this link http://njordlyd.com/circles.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website. “Repressed” (track three) is an alternative version of “Subconsciously” from July 2021 and the main track used for promoting the album. It starts with a set of sampled train sounds, resembling the start of a journey. A trip down memory lane, searching for the “why”. Why do I have this strong emotional feeling for the original track. A journey searching for “something”, is there something repressed, am I holding back something? Is there something holding me back from revealing, what it is? Is it emotions at all, or does the music, that specific part of the music, just touch something in me a certain way? As mentioned in the story for the original track, it’s weird, or at least, to me it feels weird, however that is just how I feel about it. Extremely emotional. However, I have come to the conclusion, that it’s okay not to know or understand why. This alternative version is slightly shorter and softer, more minimal and has a more gritty and mechanical side to it. As always, I let you, the listeners, “take the journey same journey” and perceive it they way you hear and / or see it. For more information about the story for the original track “Subconsciously”, please click this link http://njordlyd.com/subconsciously.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website. “Defined Sensibility” (track four) is an alternative version of “Perception” from October 2021. Sensibility is the ability to receive sensation and in this case a “defined sensibility” in the shape of music. It continues to surprise and amaze me what music can do to trigger emotions, feelings, ….. sensations. In the promotion for “Clouds” I am referring to Nietzsche quote / statement: “a life without music would be a mistake”. To me a very true and appropriate statement. Music is like a key that opens the door to emotions, but also to receive sensation, a possibility to tell stories and define sensations in a very unique way. For more information about the story for “Perception”, please click here http://njordlyd.com/perception.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website. “Endlessly” (track five) is an alternative version of “Voices” from December 2021. In short, this track is merely a confirmation of all the “voices” and triggers in my head, which goes on endlessly. There is hardly a day without ideas and inspirations being triggered. For more information about the story for “Voices”, please click here http://njordlyd.com/voices.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website. “Fog, Mist and Haze” (track six) is an alternative version of “Clouds” from March 2022. For more information about the story for “Clouds”, please click here http://njordlyd.com/clouds.html. This link will take you to the full story on the Njordlyd website. “Interlaced” (track seven on the album and track two on the single). This track contains sampled and stretched sounds from some of the 5 singles, combined with a live recording from an improvised session in 2019. The track is less “dusty” than some of the others and has a sort of sweeping repetition to it. The track is also to be seen as a bridge between the 5 alternative versions and the remainder of the album. “Correlations Part One and Two” (track eight and nine). Correlation is a broader concept that goes beyond the album, but is interlinked. That is also why I will be releasing an EP in March next year. In 2018 I was stuck, having created lots of music for years, but not completed anything to release. In September that year, I needed a change and started working with iPads and apps, to see where that would take me in terms of creating and completing music. I started with setting up a small minimal setup, practiced and learned how to use it well. It was a totally different way of working and experimenting, and it ended up being more like a live setup. Over the course of a year I recorded over 100 sessions. I did not complete anything for release and went back to the more classic DAW approach, where I somehow naturally started reshaping tracks from before 2018, which led to the release of the 5 singles in 2021-22 (Phase One). As mentioned earlier, the original idea for the album was an alternative version of the 5 singles, plus a start and end track. However, that didn’t feel right. I started to figure out what to do and accidentally came across some of the recordings from 19. Accordingly I started sampling pieces from these sessions, “process” them and combined them with other samples and sounds from the 5 singles and the alternative versions. Suddenly there were 5-6 additional tracks ready for the album. After a long listening session, 2 tracks felt fit for purpose (album), taking the whole concept of “reshaping” further, correlating with the last many years of creating music. Stay tuned for more about “correlations” and how it has become a sort of guidance for me to be and stay creative. “Eventual” (track ten). An album eventually has to end (I believe). The track is short and concise, taking the listener on a last reshaped journey through samples and musical parts from Phase One and the recorded live sessions, all streched, manipulated and processed in the same spirit as for all the other 9 tracks on the album. |
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