What do I play?  I specialize in Indigenous intruments from all over the World.  Most notably Flutes.  I really Love Native American Flutes for their pithy, hollow, almost Human quality.  I also play Peruvian Quenas or Quenachos.  It is a bamboo reed Flute that seems to be South America's answer to the Japanese Shakuhachi which I also play.  Although I find the Soulfulness of the Shakuhachi, when in the hands of a Master, has no equal.  I have also been caught performing with a Feadog (Irish Pennywhistle) and Ocarinas (South America, Africa).  I am also quite fond of playing My Didgeridoos as well as a variety of Hand Drums.  Occasionally I do Throat Singing ala Tibetan Monk style.  You back all this up with ambient Keyboard textures, some Acoustic Guitar and the occasional digital big beats,  and You have a veritable audio tour de force.  All of the music is Composed, Recorded, Mixed and Performed by Me.  For any of You home recordists out there, some of these songs are over a hundred tracks deep!  I use Sonic Foundry Sequencers and Editing tools.  I have plug-ins beyond count, and for digital beat sampling, I like to use Rebirth and Reason.  As far as any additional percussive sounds You might hear, I have a loose guideline that anything lying around the house can be an impromptu instrument. 

     The ?Style? of My music, if One must stuff it in a box, is Worldbeat/New Age:  Electronic Tribal beats laced with a variety of organic drumming techniques.  Blend Enigma with Ganga Giri with Waterbone with R. Carlos Nakai and pepper lightly with Peter Gabriel and Enya and I think You get the Soundscape I am painting!

     The inspiration for the bulk of My composition is My dearly missed previous Home in the Desert Southwest.  However, were I still living there, I might not have composed this body of work, for it seems that It's percieved very absence is indeed My catalyst for creativity.  I try to bring My heart-embedded Home back to Me with alluring melody. 

07DEC09

The first track is done and should be posted in a couple of days.  It's called "Stepping Into The Void" and it is a good example of what you can expect from The Icarus Project. 

On the news front, my other nephew Tyler has joined the band and he will be playing rhythm guitar while his brother wails on lead.  These kids ROCK!!  I am so excited to work with them.  They are truly talented and amazing!

Cheers,

Erik

30NOV09

Big NEWS!!

My nephew Josh, a brilliant young guitar player, and myself have officially teamed up and formed a band.  His delicious riffs and licks sound great with my stuff and add a wonderful crunchy, hard and human element to my big beat driven electronica. The name of our collaboration?

We are The Icarus Project.  Kewl!  It's a reminder to us to not get too big headed or fly too close to the sun or we'll crash and burn.  It's all fun!

The first track to our upcoming album will be done this coming friday as he comes over to lay down his sweet shreds.  He's awesome!!  And only nineteen!

The working album title is The FALLacy of Man.  Lots of meaning in it but I will let everyone discern for themselves what it means to them.  No wrong answers here.

The first track is entitled Stepping Into The Void and should be posted here sometime this coming weekend.  I will post at least three free tracks for everybody to stream, download and enjoy.  The first as I said is about done and then I will post two more as they are completed. 

The album will be a thematic look at man's aspirations and their ultimate seeming corruption and then the final tracks will offer an alternative view of wisdom and hope and what could be.  We hope you will like it.  Hell!! We hope you'll love it.  Hard driving dancable break beats, teeth shattering basslines, layered synths and awesome shredding guitar licks!  What's not to like?!

Cheers, Love and Grace,

Erik and Josh

P.S. Look for a new "look" to this page in the near future as appropriate graphics and photos promoting our project and music come to the fore.

12DEC09

Here it is!!  The first track on the new album The FALLacy Of Man.  It's called

Stepping Into The Void

My nephew Josh is on lead guitar and I am playing rhythm guitar and did the programming.  Use the link below until Elden gets the Mp3 loaded up.  Enjoy!

Cheers,

Josh and Erik