KVR Audio

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Fri Mar 23, 2018 3:19 pm

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... uld-listen

Originally composed, recorded and arranged in 2008; I've just reworked this one - a few tweaks for a new project where it fits very appropriately!

I've never posted it on here before and as it's very different from all my other KVR music posts, I thought...why not!

Combines live performances of Balkan traditional style melodies with improvised jazz piano, electronic instruments and a Bulgarian chamber choir ....amongst other things!

All the elements hopefully come together to create a haunting and intense piece of music.

Originally composed for:
'If Only the Dead Could Listen' - a play / BBC radio documentary about Albanian Asylum Seekers written by Dr Gezim Alpion, Birmingham University, UK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_Only_t ... uld_Listen

Composed, recorded, arranged and produced by Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music.
Piano, synths, acoustic bass and all drums / percussion performed by Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music.
All other instruments / vocals performed live by Balkan folk musicians. (Yes, I did know their names, but it was 10 years ago)!

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:57 pm

the dead can listen, they just cant type up any feedback.
will check when at pc rather than on phone.

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Sat Mar 24, 2018 2:46 am

solid production. i enjoyed the exotic vacation

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:31 pm

ooh nice, reminds me a little of some gong/oroonies combo with mebbe a little suns of arqa too

if the dead do listen, i imagine they'll be groovin!

nice vocal work too, shame you didn't keep in touch, a whole album of this kind of crossover type stuff could be cool.

Allomerus · Post by **Allomerus** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:52 am

Cool combinations of different styles. Enjoyed this a lot!
Well done!

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:56 am

Thanks for the feedback...

Definitely 'exotic' in many ways...a serious fusion of different genres in there as that's what the director wanted! :0)

"gong/oroonies combo with mebbe a little suns of arqa too" - had to look these up...I can hear what you mean though!

"nice vocal work too, shame you didn't keep in touch, a whole album of this kind of crossover type stuff could be cool"

Agreed, but we had just 1 day to record everything! We managed to record 12 tracks...all used in the 2008 production. Most weren't really complete songs as such, though...more background atmospherics.

NOTE: Singer also played the Balkan fiddle...very talented!

markkuja · Post by **markkuja** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 2:18 pm

Well done track with variable parts. Interesting composition and arrangement.
Pleasant to listen to nice ambiance and sounds.

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:31 pm

markkuja wrote:Well done track with variable parts. Interesting composition and arrangement.
Pleasant to listen to nice ambiance and sounds.

Thank you.

fastlanephil · Post by **fastlanephil** » Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:24 am

A good mix of instruments and vocals. East meets west music. Bulgarian choir singing, especially the women, can be quite powerful as they sing more from their upper throat. It’s almost a yell. The choir on this project blended in well for what you needed.

Very nice!

Frantz · Post by **Frantz** » Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:10 am

This is great! You successfully blended the Balkan music with your own. The choir is particularly wonderful.

With respect to the mix, I think some of the percussion is possibly a bit too upfront and edgy.

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:45 pm

fastlanephil wrote:A good mix of instruments and vocals. East meets west music. Bulgarian choir singing, especially the women, can be quite powerful as they sing more from their upper throat. It’s almost a yell. The choir on this project blended in well for what you needed.

Very nice!

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes there is a strand in eastern and southern European women's choirs that has a slightly more nasal timbre in some songs...as you say, they sometimes use the pharynx as well as the mouth cavity for resonance. This was a choir that sang in both the Western Classical and more traditional Bulgarian styles.

Frantz wrote:This is great! You successfully blended the Balkan music with your own. The choir is particularly wonderful.

With respect to the mix, I think some of the percussion is possibly a bit too upfront and edgy.

Thanks, Frantz...I love that choir sound! :0)

Percussion-wise...I agree:

'edgy' sound is down to dodgy recording by me more than anything else! It's hard to record and play at the same time!:0)

'Upfront' was a mixing decision at the time which was probably overdone.

Sadly I don't have all the basic stem tracks from the original recordings so only partial tweaks were available this time...the drums and percussion were stuck in with the bass for some reason, so I left them alone for now.