Ambient Discourses // conversations with musicians and composers STOLACE

My guest on the program is Taylor Swindell of the ambient project Neighborhood Libraries. He and I had a splendid conversation, learning a bit about his background, his newly found connection to the Nettwerk Music Group label, how he’s evolved over the years, the subject of understanding flow state, his latest album “Postcards from the Backyard” and more. Grab your overdue books, let’s get to it with my conversation with Taylor Swindell of Neighborhood Libraries.

LINKS & RESOURCES //
“Jack of all trades, master of none, though often times better than master of one.” - circa 1390
Find Neighborhood Libaries on your favorite streaming service:
https://neighborhoodlibraries.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5eu335GvCPHQ1hTJiH0zJt
https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/neighborhood-libraries/1524713703
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1It3ErAA5NNgVx9Yy1ARQA

CHAPTERS //
[0:01:25] Origin story
[0:04:16] The Tourist Company, etc.
[0:08:46] "Postcards from the Backyard" by Neighborhood Libraries from "Postcards from the Backyard"
[0:13:24] Switching stylistic gears
[0:18:12] The Nettwerk connection
[0:25:30] "Spokane" (single) by The Tourist Company
[0:29:45] Noting the impact of absolute freedom
[0:31:44] Influences
[0:34:19] Our evolution
[0:36:04] Unpacking the flow state
[0:41:47] "From Here All We Can See Are Clouds" by Neighborhood Libraries from"Golden Hours, Pt. 1"
[0:46:48] “Postcards from the Backyard”
[0:53:32] "Like We Were Dreaming All This Time, Pt. 2" from Neighborhood Libraries from "Postcards from the Backyard"
[0:57:44] Upcoming projects
[0:59:06] Advice for other musicians

ABOUT AMBIENT DISCOURSES //
Ambient Discourses is the podcast companion to The STOLACE | RELAY STATION, a weekly 59-minute music program that showcases ambient, neoclassical, new age, and other instrumental music from around the world. Discover new signed and independent artists from nearly every corner of the globe, unwind with the Relay Station at work or at home, and hear from the artists themselves what inspires them, how their latest releases evolved, and other deep topics of conversation.

You can find every episode of The STOLACE | RELAY STATION at ⁠https://stolace.com/relay-station/⁠

CONNECT WITH STOLACE //
https://stolace.com⁠
⁠https://youtube.com/stolace⁠
⁠https://twitter.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://instagram.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://facebook.com/stolace⁠

My guest on the program operates under the moniker “AITIA” which is the Greek term for the word “cause”. AITIA is a brand new independent ambient musician that is off to a tremendous with their two companion albums “ENA”(éna) and “ANE” (ayn), both of which explore the concepts of the reversal of time —of which we’ll hear a few tracks later on in the program. Our conversation explored their two debut companion releases, some of AITIA’s sources of inspiration, straddling the world of art and capitalism, authenticity of intent, and more.

LINKS & RESOURCES //
Find AITIA on Bandcamp - https://aitiacollective.bandcamp.com

CHAPTERS //
[0:11:04] Origin story
[0:05:03] Getting into ambient music
[0:07:57] Motivations
[0:14:00] "DNA Ladder to the Stars" by AITIA from "ANE"
[0:18:50] Current musical exploration
[0:21:00] AITIA's latest works: "ENA" and "ANE"
[0:35:17] "Supersymmetry" by AITIA from "Ena"
[0:42:29] Sources of inspiration
[0:52:28] Can you produce music without ego?
[0:57:14] "Negentropy" by AITIA from "ANE"
[1:05:05] Straddling the worlds of art and capitalism
[1:13:11] Upcoming projects
[1:18:12] Authenticity of intent
[1:20:55] "Positrons" by AITIA from "ENA"
[1:29:02] Advice for musicians
[1:41:45] Is it still art if it isn't heard?

ABOUT AMBIENT DISCOURSES //
Ambient Discourses is the podcast companion to The STOLACE | RELAY STATION, a weekly 59-minute music program that showcases ambient, neoclassical, new age, and other instrumental music from around the world. Discover new signed and independent artists from nearly every corner of the globe, unwind with the Relay Station at work or at home, and hear from the artists themselves what inspires them, how their latest releases evolved, and other deep topics of conversation.

You can find every episode of The STOLACE | RELAY STATION at ⁠https://stolace.com/relay-station/⁠

CONNECT WITH STOLACE //
https://stolace.com⁠
⁠https://youtube.com/stolace⁠
⁠https://twitter.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://instagram.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://facebook.com/stolace⁠

My guest on the program is Brian Fechino — a prolific guitarist, ambient artist, producer and mixer from the Nashville area. He has numerous releases and collaborations on the Heart Dance label, has an extensive history in the music business, and as I’ve found over the course of our conversation, both wisdom and maturity that we all could learn and benefit from. Our conversation steered through a variety of topics, like stripping away the ego, branding for today’s artists, the power of gratitude and empathy, and a whole lot more. Plus we spent some time talking about his latest releases “Reflection Spaces” volumes one and two, some of the projects he’s presently involved in, and his connection to Heart Dance Records.

LINKS & RESOURCES //
Brian Fechino - https://brianfechino.bandcamp.com
Heart Dance Records - https://heartdancerecords.com
Cass Anawaty & Sonoran Mastering - https://www.sonoranmastering.com
Find Brian’s “Music 4…” series - https://www.instagram.com/brianfechino and https://www.facebook.com/BrianFechinoMusic/

CHAPTERS //
[0:01:28] Let’s just jump right in there
[0:10:12] Stripping away the ego
[0:14:23] “Guided Paths” by Brian Fechino from “Reflection Spaces, Volume 2”
[0:22:10] Reflection Spaces
[0:31:39] Influences and our originality
[0:37:42] Is music something you do, who you are, or something entirely different?
[0:43:52] "Sidra" by Brian Fechino from "Reflection Spaces, Volume One"
[0:49:31] Escorting music into being
[0:52:19] Heart Dance: connections with Sherry Finzer & Cass Anawaty
[0:58:32] Upcoming music projects
[1:01:34] Stay in yer brand, bruh
[1:06:21] Age and presentation
[1:08:49] "That's Right" by Brian Fechino from "Forward Moves"
[1:13:35] Artist development & music saturation
[1:18:13] Knowing what you can and cannot control
[1:27:38] The power of gratitude and empathy
[1:31:08] Balancing ego with your true identity
[1:32:27] "Beyond the Peak" by Cass Anawaty and Brian Fechino from the "Deep Focus" album from Heart Dance Records
[1:37:28] Curiosity: the antidote for fear
[1:47:23] Nurturing inspiration vs experimentation
[1:56:45] Parting thoughts: your guitar of choice

ABOUT AMBIENT DISCOURSES //
Ambient Discourses is the podcast companion to The STOLACE | RELAY STATION, a weekly 59-minute music program that showcases ambient, neoclassical, new age, and other instrumental music from around the world. Discover new signed and independent artists from nearly every corner of the globe, unwind with the Relay Station at work or at home, and hear from the artists themselves what inspires them, how their latest releases evolved, and other deep topics of conversation.

You can find every episode of The STOLACE | RELAY STATION at ⁠https://stolace.com/relay-station/⁠

CONNECT WITH STOLACE //
https://stolace.com⁠
⁠https://youtube.com/stolace⁠
⁠https://twitter.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://instagram.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://facebook.com/stolace⁠

My guest on the program is Jorn Swart of the neoclassical project Doeke — spelt D O E K E — Doeke creates remarkably beautiful neoclassical piano compositions, has a delicate touch and sensibilities steeped in nostalgia and memory. Our conversation took us through splendid places, like the beauty found in small details, working within the flow state, learning to let go and balance the ego, and so many other fascinating topics.

RESOURCES //
Find Doeke on Bandcamp:
https://jornswart.bandcamp.com

Find more from Malnoia on Spotify and Apple Music:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PKnnviqV4J6kvg2XJ5lPN https://music.apple.com/us/artist/malnoia/1555114459

Piano String Theory:
https://pianostringtheory.com

Chord Progression Creator:
https://pianostringtheory.com/chord-progression-creator/

Free Harmonization Quick Guide
https://pianostringtheory.com/start-here/

CHAPTERS //
[0:03:44] Origin story
[0:06:05] Malnoia (jazz trio)
[0:09:57] Moving towards neoclassical music
[0:13:53] Piano String Theory
[0:18:49] “First Ocean (feat. Benni von Gutzeit and Lucas Pino)” by Malnoia from the album “Hello Future”
[0:24:07] Doeke & Bewondering EP
[0:28:07] The beauty is in the details
[0:33:19] The influence of nostalgia
[0:38:31] The flow state
[0:43:30] “Bergen (Mountains)” by Doeke from “Bewondering (EP)”
[0:46:14] Learning to let go
[0:51:32] The balancing act with the ego
[0:56:13] “Arctic” by Doeke from “Bewondering (EP)”
[0:59:04] The branding predicament for creators
[1:06:09] Present day challenges
[1:10:54] The human connection
[1:21:30] “Kosmos (Cosmos)” by Doeke from “Kosmos (Cosmos)”
[1:24:37] Advice for artists

// ABOUT AMBIENT DISCOURSES //

Ambient Discourses is the podcast companion to The STOLACE | RELAY STATION, a weekly 59-minute music program that showcases ambient, neoclassical, new age, and other instrumental music from around the world. Discover new signed and independent artists from nearly every corner of the globe, unwind with the Relay Station at work or at home, and hear from the artists themselves what inspires them, how their latest releases evolved, and other deep topics of conversation.

You can find every episode of The STOLACE | RELAY STATION at ⁠https://stolace.com/relay-station/⁠

// CONNECT WITH STOLACE //https://stolace.comhttps://youtube.com/stolace⁠⁠https://twitter.com/stolacemusic⁠⁠https://instagram.com/stolacemusic⁠⁠https://facebook.com/stolace⁠

Ambient Discourses, episode 2.1
Interview with Greg Webster of Sonaura

My guest on the program is Greg from the ambient project Sonaura, and it was a memorable one that wove through fascinating topics. We explored the nostalgia of tape loops, talked about his latest album Noumena, waded in the pools of existentialism and other golden conversational nuggets for the contemplative artist.

Sonaura on Bandcamp: https://sonaura.bandcamp.com

[0:03:15] Origin story
[0:11:34] The nostalgia of tape loops
[0:17:22] “Flaking Data” by Sonaura from “Noumena”
[0:19:28] The tactile art of music
[0:27:10] Noumena: the latest album from Sonaura
[0:31:00] “Perceptual Daylight” by Sonaura from “Noumena”
[0:36:48] Perception & objective reality
[0:41:21] The importance of context
[0:44:19] Upcoming projects
[0:52:43] “Building a Lake” by Sonaura from “Strays (B)”
[0:57:12] Ambient music is the rebellion
[1:03:01] Slowing down
[1:12:11] “Forgotten Light / Data Haven” by Sonaura from “Strays (C)”
[1:17:55] Advice for musicians



// ABOUT AMBIENT DISCOURSES //

Ambient Discourses is the podcast companion to The STOLACE | RELAY STATION, a weekly 59-minute music program that showcases ambient, neoclassical, new age, and other instrumental music from around the world. Discover new signed and independent artists from nearly every corner of the globe, unwind with the Relay Station at work or at home, and hear from the artists themselves what inspires them, how their latest releases evolved, and other deep topics of conversation.

You can find every episode of The STOLACE | RELAY STATION at ⁠https://stolace.com/relay-station/⁠

// CONNECT WITH STOLACE //https://stolace.comhttps://youtube.com/stolace⁠⁠https://twitter.com/stolacemusic⁠⁠https://instagram.com/stolacemusic⁠⁠https://facebook.com/stolace⁠

Episode 022 / September 24, 2023
My guest on the program is Sherry Finzer — a flutist from Phoenix, Arizona in the United States and the driving force behind Heart Dance Records and Higher Level Media. Our conversation was simply sublime — we talked about creating space for the listener, her work with the Insight Timer meditation app, her new album The Gratitude Project, and much more.

Sherry was also our feature artist on The STOLACE RELAY STATION, episode 3.47. Find the episode on YouTube and at https://stolace.com/relay-station/episodes/03/47/

Resources & Links
Sherry Finzer’s website - https://sherryfinzer.com
Sherry’s music - https://sherryfinzer.bandcamp.com
Heart Dance Records - https://heartdancerecords.com
Insight Timer - https://insighttimer.com

[0:02:22] Origin story
[0:11:37] From Classical to New Age originals
[0:12:10] “Obsidian Shadows” by Sherry Finzer from “Synesthesia”
[0:15:59] Collaborations
[0:23:53] Creating space for the listener
[0:28:34] Insight Timer and healing resonance
[0:36:52] “Airglow” by Sherry Finzer & Elise from “Phenomena”
[0:41:16] The emotional and analytical spaces
[0:45:57] Overcoming mental blocks
[0:49:06] Meditiation for improved listening
[0:55:49] “Undercurrent” by Sherry Finzer from “The Gratitude Project”
[1:02:08] Using your own music for healing
[1:06:28] The Gratitude Project
[1:16:20] “Finding Purpose” by Sherry Finzer from “The Gratitude Project”
[1:20:55] Involving the audience in your performance
[1:25:43] Advice for artists

// ABOUT AMBIENT DISCOURSES //
Ambient Discourses is the podcast companion to The STOLACE | RELAY STATION, a weekly 59-minute music program that showcases ambient, neoclassical, new age, and other instrumental music from around the world. Discover new signed and independent artists from nearly every corner of the globe, unwind with the Relay Station at work or at home, and hear from the artists themselves what inspires them, how their latest releases evolved, and other deep topics of conversation.

You can find every episode of The STOLACE | RELAY STATION at ⁠https://stolace.com/relay-station/⁠

The STOLACE | RELAY STATION is available on YouTube and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX) platform.

// CONNECT WITH STOLACE //
https://stolace.com⁠
⁠https://youtube.com/stolace⁠
⁠https://twitter.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://instagram.com/stolacemusic⁠
⁠https://facebook.com/stolace⁠