About the album:

Piercing the Veil invites you on a sonic journey through the labyrinth of spiritual transformation, guiding you toward the core of your identity and essence. This album follows the path of a seeker embarking on an inner quest, relying on intuition and wisdom to navigate their way. From the initial steps of The Further Shore to the culminating insights of The Outer Reaches of Inner Space, you are invited to experience each stage of this transformation. Through ethereal compositions and evocative soundscapes, my hope is that you emerge with a renewed perspective on your inner landscape, inspired to enact profound change within yourself and, by extension, the world.

Drawing upon the rich tapestry of Eastern and Western thought and philosophy, Piercing the Veil also reflects my own subconscious and emotional states. The album serves as a microcosm of my odyssey over the past three years - a period marked by the death of loved ones, grief, and newfound growth. Purposefully paced and sonically immersive, this album is designed for quiet, contemplative settings that foster deep listening and imaginative engagement.

Track listing:

The Further Shore: In the Buddhist tradition, being carried to "the further shore" by the dharma signifies a departure from conventional reality and a reorientation toward a new spiritual path and perspective. The prominence of ocean waves propels the seeker and listener into this new beginning, enveloping them in a mysterious and slightly unsettling atmosphere, as accentuated by the main synth line. It's a sonic representation of the seeker’s first steps toward transformation.

Piercing the Veil, Threshold: This track marks the significant threshold crossed when embracing a spiritual path. Having reached the further shore, the seeker steps into a more profound and mystical reality ripe with potential. Featuring evolving sequences, textures, and layered synths, a mesmerizing soundscape is created, evoking a sense of reverence and wonder.

The Words of My Perfect Teacher: The title of this track is named after a seminal Tibetan Buddhist text and symbolizes the inherent intuition and wisdom residing within us. The soft rustlings of wind mimic an internal whisper, while layered and modulated synths add to the mysterious nature of the voice emanating from within, inviting the seeker into the depths of its embrace. The seeker draws inspiration from this internal guidance, as they are propelled further along the path.

Piercing the Veil, Entrainment: Entrainment, the synchronization of two bodies or energies, is the key theme of this track. It signifies the seeker’s synchronization with the deeper rhythms of the transformational process. This piece utilizes multilayered and evolving textures to invite the listener to experience this alluring process of attunement within themselves.

Ouroboros Rising: Embracing the symbolism of the ouroboros, and the transformative power of kundalini energy, this track is a dark, mysterious dive into the depths of the subconscious where the sacred serpent resides. The slow, deliberate pace and moody synth voicings of the composition reflect the seeker’s engagement and integration with the sacred energy within.

Piercing the Veil, Holos: The Greek word for wholeness, holos, signifies the seeker’s overcoming of limited perspectives and healing of their sense of separateness and isolation. The seeker, now whole, is ready for the final phase of the journey. Cascading sequences of layered synths weave a hypnotic and immersive soundscape that is both hopeful and celebratory.

The Outer Reaches of Inner Space: The title of this track is inspired by Joseph Campbell and represents the seeker’s initiation into full cosmic consciousness and integration of their being. Spacey ambiance, low drones, and surreal effects echo the resonance of the Buddha’s first teachings, described as a lion’s roar reverberating throughout the universe. This final achievement is a cosmic call, inviting all to witness the potential of deep inner exploration and transformation.

Production Notes:

Piercing the Veil is a testament to the beauty of spontaneity. Every track was improvised and recorded in a single take, capturing the pure, unfiltered flow of music as it emerged in the moment. Post-production involved minimal editing - standard processing, mixing, and mastering - ensuring the authenticity of the original recordings.

The album was crafted using a hardware-based setup and recorded directly onto a USB thumb drive via my audio mixer/interface. No software or digital audio workstations (DAWs) were used during the recording process. The instruments utilized on this album included an OP-1 Field synthesizer by Teenage Engineering, two Norns Shields by
Monome, a 128-node grid by Monome, an Organelle M synthesizer by Critter and Guitari, a Microcosm effects pedal by Hologram Electronics, and a TX-6 mixer/audio interface by Teenage Engineering.

Acknowledgments:

I dedicate this album to my mother and father-in-law, two seminal figures in my life, who unexpectedly passed away in 2021. I wish you were both still here to enjoy this album.

I extend the deepest thanks to my partner and wife, Roxy, for her constant love and support. I could not have accomplished this without your critical ear, enduring encouragement, and positive energy.

I extend deep gratitude to my sonic partner and side-kick, Jermaine, for his diligence in mixing and mastering this album. You are a talented engineer with a bright future ahead of you.

I extend my deep appreciation to Ambient Cat Records and my label managers, Derek and Dionis, for continuing to believe in me as an artist and for releasing this album. Here’s to our mutual success and many more releases!

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge @_ambalek for creating the fantastic Norns script, Fall, that features prominently on the three Piercing the Veil tracks. For those in-the-know, the Fall script is magical…