Hopi Torvald 2011 Almanac - Volume 5 - May

Hopi Torvald Almanac Vol 5 - May by HopiTorvald


May was my birthday month. i just turned a whopping 37 years old....i remember being a kid and thinking that 35 meant "adult". now a shade beyond that and a couple of years older than my dad was when i was born back in 1974...i am reminded of birthdays past...from the sesame street themed party when i was maybe four (and i got my first projectile launching toy), to my 14th or so when i cut my toe on the side of an above-ground swimming pool and saw my first freshly drowned cadaver while getting stitches at the emergency room...to just having some friends over and going skinny dipping in the creek, going fishing with my dad and matthew and his dad...countless little parties and gatherings...birthdays can be fun, can be weird.

this month was a sprawl...played a few shows, met a bunch of new folks, fooled myself into thinking i was making more life changes, and came out of it spent..having indulged and self-destructed just a little too much. had a lot of fun. the birthday itself was a pleasant affair...my parents came to visit for the first time and that was really great and needed. then a few close homies came over and we kept good company together. got a couple of nice presents, including tickets to see the swans later this year (!) and a photo of robots!

this song is something i cooked up in early may on piano. i decided to do a more minimal synth version and post that here. there's not much to tell, really...two synthesizers, some drums, and a bit of vocals...a return to song structure as of late probably speaks to my need for more order in my life, something i'm currently working hard toward...june's entry should be more revealing to this end...

this month's randomly ordered top ten:

1. chipmunks
2. eyedrum satellite shows
3. korean spa time
4. planning a september tour
5. center for puppetry arts
6. birthday time with friends
7. these bands/artists: chancha via circuito, kwjaz, modern english, gurdjieff gi, emil richards, fastest, the sea and cake etc etc etc
8. faulkner
9. living alone
10. new kitchen table

anyway, enjoy the tune, be well, and stay in touch.

love,
nathan

p.s. i decided to simply post the soundcloud link in the blog this time instead of directing you to mediafire. the song can be downloaded there as well, if you, dear listener, are so inclined.

Hopi Torvald 2011 Almanac - Volume 4 - April

http://www.mediafire.com/?8271278z1fj2q42

April was a fairly calm month. Things have settled in my noggin a bit more and I have been trying to embrace a more insular approach to life...now living pretty much alone in my bottom sector of the holy almalgamation and tuning it in to my preferred frame of cognition...so this song pretty much sums that up...it's different in a way...tiny, short, concise...two whole minutes...minimal in some regards...this entry is comprised of guitar mostly, with the usual synthy fare and some buried throbs when it gets kinda kicky...

so...april's randomly ordered top ten:

1. playing shows - sous whisky marin, goat farm (as tree creature with robby), upcoming racket at wonderroot and planning a few short jaunts to some neighboring states to wreak hopi havoc on foreign ears.
2. new house situation - as mentioned before, i just took over the bottom floor of the house and am working to situate it to my needs...this including an upgrade to the holy amalgamation setup...new studio monitors and headphones...working to make sure all the mastering/mixing/recordings sound all nice and shiny.
3. new mixing/mastering gigs lined up...love working with other people and helping get their music out there.
4. "replicate" - volume one in the epic bryan lewis saunders 10 - cassette stream of unconsciousness series. just got a batch of these in the mail. they look and sound amazing. so happy to have been a part of it. will absolutely continue working with bryan...
5. new (to me) vintage raleigh bicycle, currently being refurbished and tuned up by mr. mike kane. excited to try it out and to hopefully have a new bike by the end of the week or so...
6. my cat timothy, who graced the house with a live chipmunk over the weekend. i think i shooed it out, but if not, there's a quivering critter hiding somewhere in the back of the amalgamation...
7. these bands/artists: merle haggard, john zorn (the big gundown in particular), sudden infant (who will be coming to atlanta soon, btw), shipping news, gnaw their tongues, whitehouse, more and more mingus, etc etc etc
8. faulkner - what's more difficult than reading one faulker novel? reading two. as i lay dying is the one i take to restaurants and coffee shops, go down moses is the one for bedside reading and long waits...i just picked up two more at book nook today for when i finish these. im shocked at myself for coming into this amazing author so late in the game, but am simply delighted by the material...dense, rich, and immensely southern...awesome.
9. korean spas.
10. sleep. been working on how to get more. new bedroom is daaaaaaark and cozy. here's hoping (hopi-ing).

anyway, hope you enjoy the little ditty. have a great month and do keep in touch.
love,
nathan

download the track here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?8271278z1fj2q42

Hopi Torvald 2011 Almanac - Volume 3 - March

http://www.mediafire.com/?mlgmwlhndj27vcg

Well, i had a crazy month and although this song was finished a couple of weeks ago, i simply forgot to post it within the actual month of march...grr...anyway, so march was a nutso month...had a lot going on in the ol noggin chassis...evaluations, realizations, compensations...i think i'm learning some things about myself that maybe i wasn't allowing into the forefront of my consciousness previously...if i'm going to be perfectly candid here, i guess i should say that there are some things in there that i really wasn't happy to see. april has already brought a mild rebirth and i am determined to shed some of this outward negativity and replace it with acceptance and optimism.

this song is a little on the gnarly side...definitely a result of the tempest grey matter tsunami i have going on (take note of the astute topical analogy please..this IS an almanac after all). the sounds are comprised of a few things...most recorded at a trapeze workshop for doubles at aerial jam that i attended in early march..the lumbering washing machine that was on before class, the rhythmic panting of mel's dogs, chatting between participants...these things overlain with a pulsing manipulation of crowd banter, some tweaked synth sounds, and a loop i made of myself playing drums...it's not the prettiest song in the almanac series by a sight...the metaphoric value of this short (~3 minutes) piece residing in the prominent distorted churn and the buried wandering melodies which i see as a glimmer of optimism...

anyway, that's the nickel tour. this month's randomly ordered top 10:

1.playing a number of shows coming up...wade matthews at goat farm, the fader vixen album release show (happening online april 10th at www.fadervixen.com at 7pm), an upcoming art gallery in castleberry hills, as part of tree creature with magicicada and nomen novem at the goat farm again, and who knows what else...glad to be out and about again.
2. fader vixen - transmitting pulses...finished mastering this album last week...shimmery poppy synth driven songs with catchy melodies and really really nice composition. check it. really happy to work with these very nice people.
3. learning to work with fire in a performance atmosphere...been watching sadie do it for so long and it looked so fun, i just couldn't help it. today i have red burns on my arms from last night's efforts..
4. these bands/artists: bill fay, xtc, nath family, pan american, harrapian night recordings, coil, george harrison etc etc etc
5. roommates leaving. jennie and i have lived together for something like 12 years...it's going to be a strange transition. i know why she's moving and it's going to be very good for her for a lot of reasons, but i'll surely miss her.
6. bicycle. im going to buy one soon.
7. actually have a modeling gig coming up...crazy...but true...for dr. sketchy's...yes, people are going to draw me hanging from a suspended hoop.
8. pollen. i have come to the conclusion that i am willing to quietly suffer from this recent bout for the sake of the trees and flowers that are starting to smell so nice out there. saw a pink dogwood yesterday in avondale, smellin lovely and flourishing in the sunshine...not gonna complain.
9. couple of music projects...finished the first song (piano) for a new suite intended for aerial collaboration. working on a show to showcase duets of musicians and performers...also, working on a new album, next month's almanac, and a couple of long overdue collaborations...
10. caldo de pollo. gonna wrap this thing up so i can go eat.

paz. hope you dig the track.
love,
nathan

download here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?mlgmwlhndj27vcg

Hopi Torvald 2011 Almanac - Volume 2 - February

http://www.mediafire.com/?t495vea6b5brd60

here is volume II of the hopi torvald 2011 almanac...just did beat march to the end of february. This month has been kind of a mess...suffered a concussion with some minor brain hemorrhaging just at the end of january in what i'm just going to call a trapeze accident. this resulted in a bout of cranial discomfort, a couple of doctor visits, and worse of all, a cloudy shade of fuzziness that has tinted my grey matter an unreasonable azure. mix in some stressish work stuffs, many restless nights and lamenting my unrealized career as a saboteur and you got yerself a mudfangled 20 some-odd days. not all complaints, however, as i've been privy to many a happy rendezvous with people i care about, made some new homies, been involved in some new mastering projects, and have really been working on relaxing into my fate...plus, the head's getting better...


this song, february, is a microcosmic representation of my month. it is comprised of a batch of field recordings i made at the doctor's office after my accident (the loomingly loud clock ticking in the office, the sound of rubber being stretched around my arm in preparation for the drawing of blood, the sound of distant office doors slamming, various bumps, scrapes, and ambient small room claustrophobia), sounds from the water fountain at the plaza theater, some manipulated synthesizer sounds, live percussion, and some vocals on top not unlike a little pat of butter on a thick slice of warm egyptian rye. all of this was assembled, mixed and mastered at the holy amalgamation of his majesty's kingdom on earth (hit us up on foursquare..haha) it's a little more tense and insular than january's entry, but again, i think it's appropriate for the way this month has been goin. btw, the faintly heard mantra is "loading (sweetly) physical geometry"...


so, on my mind right now, this 27th day of february...this month's randomly ordered top ten list:

1. throwing knives...got them as a late christmas present. (the artwork that accompanies this song is the result of today's practice)
2. mastering new tracks for several different friends. not sure if i can really divulge everything at this point...i'll just say that im lucky to be working on some really cool music projects.
3. these bands/musicians: tim hecker, dolphins into the future, alog, america, the church, can, old depeche mode, gino bordin, english beat, magic apron, dead fader etc etc etc
4. al jazeera news. although this has been a big part of my work stress this month, i've become happily familiar with this network and am kinda glad to be part of a team that's bringing it to a wider american audience.
5. mochi
6. aerial jam - an open format gathering where a messa folks get together and mess around on aerial equipment. been learning stuff on the aerial silks and making some new homies along the way.
7. bbc's documentaries the planets and the human body. stuck on brit docs lately.
8. hints of warm weather. means short pants, short sleeves, maybe getting a bicycle, and that timothy's little cat girlfriends are starting to show up outside...producing the gnarliest little caterwauls for his benefit. i let him out to flirt since he's all fixed and stuff.
9. more piano dialy
10. slew of upcoming performances, collaborations and releases, including the first proper hopi torvald full length...due in may!

anyway, enjoy yourselves. hope your february was a riot.
love,
nathan

download the song here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?t495vea6b5brd60

Hopi Torvald 2011 Almanac - Volume I - January

http://www.mediafire.com/?s7y7a2aroad437o

2010 was a good year. Lots of changes, lots of developments....i definitely learned a lot, did a lot, and loved as much as i could. I wish all of you a happy new year and hope that the time ahead of us brings you joy, love, and inspiration.

This post represents the first of 12 installations which i am calling my monthly almanac. Each month, there will be a different song for your gentle ears to download and hopefully enjoy.

This song, "january", is comprised of the sound of large snowflakes falling on beech leaves in the woods behind my parent's house...this mixed with more recordings from the aquarium/lyra class and the usual synths and such. Christmas can be a lonely time...especially as you get older. i enjoyed my trip home overall and the magic of being able to peruse those old familiar woods (once called "russian fields" to the old-timers) as they collected the white snowfall was simply lovely...and inspirational. i came home full of energy and faith in the productivity of the upcoming year.

so...on my mind right now, this 5th day of january...a randomly ordered top ten, if you will:

1. eyedrum - we are currently moving into our new location and concocting all manner of good things to fill it. im confident that sonic and visual wonderment will ensue.
2. blast off burlesque - helping these uber-creative and terrific people with a show next week...titled "holidazed and confused". i've been privy to the prelude, and it's gonna be two halves of a hoot.
3. these bands: salah ragab and the cairo jazz band, gnaw their tongues, charles mingus, herbie nichols, celso murilo, jacques loussier, milton nascimento, king crimson, omar korshid, etc etc etc...
4. bbc's wonders of the solar system - watched every bit of this when i was sick a couple of weeks ago. too cool.
5. tree identification - got one of those handy dandy audubon society guides and it's been great..next up, birds and insects..
6. the hound of the baskervilles...my first sherlock holmes book...diggin it
7. sun ra's space is the place...awesomely bad yet incredible movie. the music ranks among my fave from this jupiter-born genius..
8. playing piano daily...playing more drums...
9. local faves magicicada and nomen novum...tree creature (my other musical project) is doing a 3-way split release with them to be unveiled at our show at the music room at the end of february. stellar.
10. lyra (the aerial hoop) - best and most fun exercise i've had. dig it.

anyway, enjoy yourselves and hope to see you soon.
download the song here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?s7y7a2aroad437o

Music for an Aerial Performance

http://www.mediafire.com/?bu4s2agzy2r1dij

These are a set of songs i put together meant to accompany an aerial silks performance.  We performed this at eyedrum at the 1st annual earball!

download the album here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?bu4s2agzy2r1dij

about the record:

all songs were composed and recorded by nathan brown at the holy amalgamation of his majesty's kingdom on earth using synthesizers, live percussion, violin, vocals, and a slew of field recordings taken from lyra class and the georgia aquarium. final mastering was done by the talented and industrious mr. christopher white (aka magicicada). keeping fairly true to the enead, the songs alone add up to 18 minutes. The intermissions put the whole thing at a whopping 20 minutes, however, so we're straying here just a bit :)

1. 01 (5:06)
2. intermission 1 (0:45)
3. 02 (4:21)
4. intermission 2 (0:47)
5. 03 (4:05)
6. intermission 3 (0:41)
7. 04 (4:37)

trt: 20:20

below are some pics from our live collaboration at eyedrum last month. i am playing synths, piano, violin, and drums. sadie is utilizing the double hammock. click on the images to enlarge.

Hopi Torvald/ Bryan Lewis Saunders Split

http://www.mediafire.com/?e4tf9zv443x24fl

I'm happy to present to you collaboration #3, this time a joint effort between myself and Mr. Bryan Lewis Saunders from sunny Johnson City, Tennessee. Bryan's portion is a result of what he calls "stream of unconsciousness", rambling rivers of verbiage penned under the spell of hypnogogic haziness...sleep talking, friends....My portion on track one is a blend of field recordings and manipulated portions of sonic goodness already existing in Bryan's tracks..with a smidge of violin. On track two, i also threw in some recorder and synth for good measure.

Here is the transcribed text from what Bryan calls "Replicate":

01.
You can bark
And replicate yourself
Or replicate what you
(fart)
Whatever you want
Anywhere
Just not
Here
In one oil park
For 50 cent
For everyone to see it

I eagerly want to be involved with me
But I just end up
Getting in the way

They probably just put zero in the computer
In the machine
Loaded everything up that they need
To start


02.
He's fighting his cue
In about a month or two
Start shopping for opponents

It's a self-loading mechanism
Doesn't need humans anymore
Except to put in input and drive it around
Made Twitter
Has all the stuff for shooting electronic gods
And made Twitter's revenge
As a way
To queet sending
Copies
Of your great th
Things
People are being too modest
Too revealed
Too kind
Too
Spaced out
Too obnoxious with the mouth
Too uh

Right
Woo
Right the Captain did it
yeah
Eh
So funny

Madness
Is a safety tool
A way of protecting the self
From things it can't explain
Things in the outside world
That's why I'm not protected anymore
Not really
Because in the fashion model book
I did everything
Makes sense and comes together
With who I am
And I don't need
Teen
Gun
Violence
To help fill in that picture

Get it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?e4tf9zv443x24fl

Hope you dig. And if you do, be sure to check out Bryan's live performances and recorded material, all of which is absolutely phenomenal.

The cover art is a picture taken at the edge of the cemetery at Tubb's Church of Christ, on King's Mill Road in Oakman, Alabama...it's one of those civil war landmark cemeteries and my grandparents Erskine and Flora are buried there. Matthew and i once pushed this bully kid into one of the freshly dug graves.

Love,
Nathan