Ceven’s Blog

nevec red | spots

Searching for a nexus | Sonifications of Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Earth and several moons taken from electro readings by the NASA Voyager 2 spacecraft mixed along with an FM Synth and vocalizations. Consciousness transcends to electronic pulses. Electronic pulses represent concepts representing many words, tiny mathematical fragments that initialize specific aural behaviours when chained together. Multiple broadband concepts vibrate within the negative spaces of chords.

In 1999 everything I made was about syncopation, robotic, mechanical and digital. In 2009  it was time to challenge my rudimentary knowledge of music theory and get away from “four-on-the-floor” abuse. For the next year I did not write a single piece in 4/4 time signature. This decision opened up many adventures and after a few months I gave up all time signatures. In the meantime I’d been studying orchestration and arrangement, counterpoint and chord progressions and have come to realize that this too can be a cage like adhering to “four-on-the-floor”. I’m at a different point now. Western music has come full circle and for the next year I will play by ear – only. Here is the staring point:

nevec red | Tomorrow May Never Had To Be There

protection sanctuary • a golden light consuming misery • give passage to your refuge • luminously ascending • awaken

sardonic • neurotic • thoughtless • disrespectful • acerbic • embittered • nasty and sarcastic

it’s shameful and wasteful • selfish • insecure • perplexing • erratic • namely inferior

virulent • complacent • spiteful • irascible • conceited • vindictive • snotty • condescending

disgraceful • destructive • narrow and backwards • indulgent • unwanted • dull • expendable

I heard music today that moved me. Three people played with each other coming from a special place and then I started on the microphone. When they played I had no fear, when they didn’t play I bridged to the next place. It was the first time that I’ve ever been in such an environment and it was life-changing. I like it – so much actually, that I think about having a real band. The chemistry between a few people sitting in a room going over small details jamming out having a really nice time at it – it’s the next evolution of the Geräuschkulisse sessions.

I’m thankful that Miriam is there too. We’ve worked out our dynamic to the point that it makes it easier for me to perform when she is present. The addition of Troy is genius. He’s a real composer and then there’s Sandro the drummer who makes truly inspired choices and rhythms. An Italian, an East German, a Hollander and an ex-American all together making something that’s not experimental, but instead a sound that’s not easily definable. I love this project more and more. Our show premiers in about a week and a half. When they play together I’m not the least bit scared.

I am the weakest link in the bunch and pushed forward to the front of the stage. For right now I do my job and watch them argue over tempos, chords and mixing. I give my opinion when asked and do whatever it takes to be a part of the group, but also realize that it’s best to sometimes be quiet and observe. The only thing that could hurt me is having an ego. Everyone involved is so serious about getting it right and I really love that. Eventually I will have to entertain people for about 30 minutes while the band plays on behind me. We have a few places open for improvisation in the show. Me and the band making it up as we go along on stage – how wonderful!

After the 48 Hours Neukölln festival we will be playing in different venues over the summer changing and perfecting our show as time goes on. This is the most thrilling reward I’ve ever had. I’m not scared but nervous – for the first time in what feels like forever, isn’t that exciting?

We were on top of a foothill of a mountain. It was late winter/early spring and the sky was perfectly clear. There was a long flat building (1970’s architecture perhaps) that several people were using as a living space and arts center. It was the weekend and everyone was doing different things. I was a visiting artist and got a small tour. I went outside to look at the landscape and above us was the largest metal and stone sculpture I’d ever seen. It was as big as any of the surrounding hills and seemed alien. I asked, “What is that?” and the blonde woman next to me had no answer and remained silent and staring at me as if she was thinking of one. I looked at the sculpture again and then back at her and realized, “I’m dreaming this!” She remained still and silent. I knew that soon I would wake up (as what always happens shortly after such a realization) so I ran back into the house and demanded a video camera which magically appeared. It was a nice one just as I like, big with a bit of weight to it and black with a nice large glass lens. I exclaimed to the people around that we didn’t have time and that I needed someone right now who was good with the camera to come with me. Everyone remained perfectly still which was frustrating. I could hear some birds from the waking world and my consciousness beginning to slip. I yelled at them “Who can do this? NOW!” and still no one responded. I went outside with the camera and someone took the camera. I told him, “Come with me, we must document everything with as much detail as possible so that I can remember this place.” He began filming and I could sense the lilac-bluishness of the real dawn in the bedroom. As I began to dissolve I told my helper, “Don’t worry about me, just keep going and don’t stop until there’s nothing left.” I woke up.

I’ve had these sorts of dreams to different degrees for as long as I can remember. They would end as soon as the realization came that I was dreaming. Then there was a frightening experience in my early twenties that will never be forgotten. I was lying in bed asleep when I became conscious while my body remained sleeping. I was completely paralyzed and could not open my eyes or move any part of my body. I could hear the wind outside and had a feeling that there was something in the room like a malevolent ghost watching and waiting to do something. I panicked but there was nothing to do about it. I finally came to the conclusion that if I could just move my finger or turn over or anything that would cause my body to react then everything would be okay. I concentrated as hard as I could but it didn’t matter. I then thought that maybe if I could change my breathing rate that it might be a start. All the same I could feel this other entity around the bed standing over me. I wanted nothing more than to vocalize, or move or even open my eyes to assure myself that everything was okay. Minutes seemed to have passed and my body finally finding itself uncomfortable twitched and I woke up alone in complete darkness. While that technically is not a lucid dream, it sparked an interest in the spaces between conscious and unconscious states.

Since then the frequency to which I experience lucid dreaming has increased. Although I cannot make them happen, they occur more regularly. In the last year alone I’ve already experienced dozens. I get a bit further into working with them and now would like to condition myself to prolong them if possible.

I was on the very edge of having the album Memento Mori finished and ready to go but the final mix didn’t sit right. It went in every which direction and refused to be tamed. I then stripped it apart and started  reworking previous material with it and something else totally different came out. It was retitled Null. Unfortunately I’m not happy with it either. I spoke before everything was finished and cursed this project – lesson learned the hard way. Null will not be released – at least not as originally intended. A large portion of the problem is there’s actually too much going on all at once. I’ve been physically displaced for about 6 weeks now living out of a backpack of clothes and with too limited space to do much of anything. This coupled with a massive renovation, a day job, a theatre project, and cold rainy weather has caused a burnout.

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Then last night a muse kissed me on the lips and something broke through. For the first time in months I started writing music. Immediately everything previously written was cancelled out. I won’t talk about it anymore until it’s finished.

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What I will do is thank those who’ve been patiently waiting for an album since the nevec red project began. I offer a special limited edition album for free to clean the slate: NULL UND NICHTIG TRACKS. Beginning today (June 4th 2010) and for the next week (ending on June 10th) I will leave the following form open. If you would like a copy then simply fill it out and submit. On June 21st I will personally email you the link to download the album. It will be available for 24 hours and then gone. Each copy will be personalized and numbered. There will be different track arrangements so if there is one particular track that you like above others please suggest it in your entry form.

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Under no circumstance will your email address be shared with anyone and I will personally delete it from my computer after sending the link to ensure your privacy. After the solstice the nevec red project will remain quiet until the next incarnation, however long that takes.

SORRY, THIS OFFER NOW OVER