Fires of Denmark Album Release
ABOUT ME:
Music has always been my obsession. It's the way my brain is wired. It's never a passive experience for me. Put on some music and I can't help but listen, dissect and try to find out why it makes me feel. "Why did that chord change give me chills?" It's a mystery I am still unraveling to this day.
Since I was able to play music, I started writing and recording my own songs. Learning everything I could and spending any extra money I had on new equipment to get my audio recordings to the level and quality I strived for. All while trying to create a unique fingerprint that was all mine.
The sounds that only exists in my head.
Fires of Denmark is my brainchild where I write/perform/record all of the songs. The project, started in 2010. It was conceived as an attempt to make “quiet dance music” while blending genres of psychedelic rock, alternative dance and slowcore shoegaze. With influences coming from The Cure, Damien Rice, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, LCD Soundsystem and Tear for Fears.
I have been playing/recording/composing music for the last 18 years. Winning music composition scholarships and national battle of the bands as well as signing to an indie music label by the age of 18.
In addition to live performances and recordings, I have also written commercial music for businesses like Caribou Coffee, Mayo Clinic Yoga Classes, Rochester Downtown Alliance as well as campaign music for, regional, statewide and national campaigns.
ABOUT THE ALBUM:
I was told people like it when they know the stories behind an album. I hesitate to tell them, not because of fear of giving away secret recipes or feeling that it is "too personal" but an unwanted desire to put the spotlight on the creator rather than the art. After the music is created it is no longer mine so I don't want to delude your experience with my stories, but if you are a learner and/or music nerd as I tend to be. I will share my experience creating this album.
During the writing of this album, I wrote over 100 songs for this one. Scrapped the majority of it back in December after I wrote the opening song. The original concept for the album was a "i'm tired of rock music let's do dark 80s new wave stuff instead." so i got an 808 and a korg ms 20 and started making this weird dark synth album with no guitar. Then I wrote "Leave Us In Dirt" and I fell in love with the guitar again but wanted to push it. And before I knew it, it ended up becoming an album that is my ode to my guitar.
I am very very big into song structure and setting up journeys for songs. Every 8 beats something has to be changing, to keep my attention. I studied and practiced how to make these changes without anyone noticing the changing is happening. Allowing you to get sucked into a song and not realizing where it took you by the end of it. Then to take that a step farther, I built in that "journey structure" into the album itself. The whole album is constructed with the poppier songs up front to be inviting and welcoming but as the album goes farther and farther in, it starts to go off on it's own little path. Climaxing with this guitar opus I have been kicking around in my head since I started playing guitar.
Lyrically the album is about knowledge and confusion. The Dunning–Kruger Effect vs. Imposter Syndrome. The space where Philosophy and Science rub up against each other. The place where no answers exist and your mind can get stuck in endless hypotheticals. The "What If's" of a infinite Mandelbrot Set.
WHY I AM ASKING FOR FUNDING:
Releasing an album, and creating promotions for it is an expensive process. And when doing it independently the numbers become unrealistic for me financially to see my dreams come to fruition. That is why I am asking for assistance.
I will be using the funds for the following:
- Physical Release and production of the album on multiple formats. Including Vinyl if I can reach the final goal. Yup... Vinyl.
- Merchandise (printed and created locally in my hometown)
- Music Videos
- Promotion and Marketing
- Any remainder or if the goal is exceeded would be put back into upgrading my studio equipment.
Thank you for supporting my dream and desire to do this right. I am very proud of this album and want to do everything I can to make sure people get a chance to hear it.
