"Sic Parvis Magna" a new track for the "Ad Hominem" album!

Finally also those Cimelium listeners get something new to listen who were a bit annoyed by the rather "happy" sound of the songs for the "Madeira" album. It's slowly but steadily getting forward with the "Ad Hominem" album. However, likely it will still take some time until the album release date. Now the fifth track was completed as a pre-release version. So I'm pretty sure that the album release will not still happen this year. Currently, the "Madeira" album and the new album by Willma Poppen have priority.

Anyone who reads this blog regularly, will likely know about the beginnings of "Sic Parvis Magna". It was really rather planned as a minimalist and not too rhythmic piece. However, you know all too well that I often change my plans. And so this track became at least a bit more complex and rhythmic. I have yet honestly tried to stick to the simplistic approach and I think I accomplished it ;). Nevertheless, there was a bit of discussion in my circle of friends and acquaintances, whether this title would be rather suitable for the Willma Poppen project. One or the other actually had the opinion that it would be a bit too rhythmical for Cimelium. Others, on the other hand, thought, that it would be "too dark" for Willma Poppen. I think "Sic Parvis Magna" belongs clearly to the dark side of Cimelium. What do you think?

I have this time tried a few new tricks regarding to the rendering and some other minor technical details. Should the present work therefore sound kind of weird, strange or otherwise odd: I'm currently learning a few new things and am experimenting. But that's what a pre-release version is good for, or? ;) In the finished product of cause everything will sound much better. So, enough said. Here is "Sic Parvis Magna". I hope you like it!

The evolution of simplicity

So simple it starts (screenshot of the basic project)

This morning I thought, after all the other projects were making progress during the past few weeks, it would be a good idea to create a new song for the dark sister of the "Madeira" album. The album in production "Ad Hominem" lags somewhat behind. So I searched through my giant folder with incomplete works for a good base and found one quite fast. 3 synthesizers (1 pad, a bass arpeggio and a lead arpeggio) and a simple breakbeat rhythm with hihat, kick drum and snare. On each of the synthesizers is a little reverb, delay and a lowpass filter. The latter will probably play a bigger role in this.

So far, so good. If one plays it all in the loop and plays around with the filters it is amazing fun and a little reminiscent of the works of the Berlin School of electronic music, especially Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook. You really want to do nothing else but let the whole thing just run for 30 minutes, and simply just turn knobs, just as the old heroes of the analog synthesizers did it back in the days.

I am often accused of complicating things unnecessarily. Friends often say that I should leave a piece as it is and not add anything new. Often it is then precisely such a simple loop with a little "filter magic". And my answer usually is " Hey, this is just one stupid synth, with a little oscillation and filter fiddeling. I can not present that to the public as a finished work!". But especially Malina is often thinks I could do it.

Today I start a little experiment on which I want my friends on the web to participate. Everyone can and should give tips, suggestions or just make comments to make this project a success.

This time I will just try that: Do as little as possible, as much as necessary. I'll try to create with what (described above) is in this project already an entertaining, relaxed, 5 minutes musical piece, which fits on the album project "Ad Hominem". And I want especially my Facebook friends from the FL Studio groups to participate in this. So here we go. There is much ... STOP : ;) little to do. Here's a first, very simple snippet of the project:

"Poiso", a new track for the "Madeira" album, is here!

Who wonders why it again took two months until a new song is presented, is recommended to read this article from the AlionLive blog. That might explain a lot and in addition I am working even on these very AlionLive videos and the new album of the "Willma Poppen" project. Also, as the attentive Facebook friends probably already have noticed, that  this song has already been out for a good week. The delay of this blog entry is due to the fact that I wanted to finish the first episode of "Frühling auf Madeira" video series as quickly as possible . This was somewhat complicated by some technical and personal "difficulties".

Here he is now, however, the 10th (of traditionally 13) title for the album "Madeira". This time I completely used an orchestral approach and rhythm instruments were not used this time. Nevertheless, the whole thing is not what I call a "floater", ie a flowing, rather spherical piece. Rhythm is created in sufficient form by the instruments. In this respect, this song is rather unusual for this album and is in the tradition of the alionsonny album "Alion - The Original Soundtrack" from 2010. Because of this, I especially recommend this album to all who like this song.

And what about the 'dark sister album" of the "Madeira" album, "Ad Hominem"? There are some pieces for this album in the works, but "Madeira" has currently a priority for me, since we are nearing the  completion and the work on the album really took long enough. In this respect, patience! Also for the lovers of the dark side of Cimelium there will be soon something new.

And here is now, without further ado, "Poiso" . Have fun !

New track for the "Madeira" Album: "Santo da Serra"!

I would like to start this posting with an apology for the confusion it caused that I have this time broken with the usual routine, which I usually follow regarding to the posting of pre-release versions of songs. This time I only posted a short announcement on Facebook and now four whole days have passed since I've done that. So one or the other asked me if my blog or Web site would not work, because there was the lack of the usual, more or less detailed, announcement. And I thought that no one really reads this stuff ;). No, I didn't forget it and both, blog and website, work perfectly. The reason for the break with the routine is a small experiment. Currently I am putting my promotion strategies to the test and am investigating on some strange things regarding the statistics of well known internet services. No, I will not explain to you in detail how I do this, because that may affect the results. To make it short: The experiment was successful and served its purpose. I thank the companies Google and Facebook for their involuntary participation ;).

But now finally to the new song. First of all: I never was as unsure about the quality of a piece of music as in this case. This is not just because of the fact that I recently went through a "dark phase" again, but also because that song is somewhat "unconventional". It has gone through amazingly many phases of transformation and I am far from saying that I am satisfied with it now. But for what do I have an audience and devised this thing with the pre-release versions? Correct: It is, because that way the decision if a song is good as I have conceived it initially and what is to improve it, remains not on my shoulders alone. Don't forget: Although I create the music, it is yours, because you listen to it. So this time I ask especially for a lot of feedback from you, and not just from the "usual suspects", but preferably by people who otherwise rather keep quiet. Come on: I do not harm anyone for factual criticism.

The new song is, as the title already says, destined for the "Madeira" album and this time it is about the picturesque mountain village of Santo Antonio da Serra, which is just called Santo da Serra commonly for the sake of brevity. Initially, the whole was what I call a "floater", something similar to "Parque do Lido 6:30 am". Two commentators already suggested that it would have been better if it stayed that way ;). But I have decided that it should be somewhat rhythmically this time. I still think that the it is quite relaxing and calm, except for the part with the marching drums. MARCHING DRUMS ??? Yes, exactly: There is a part with just such and one of the already mentioned commentators found this extremely inappropriate. But he was pleased with the once again used
accordion synthesizer, which in turn will inspire others to escalating criticism. I could use my favorite quote from Wilhelm Busch here again... Finally, I would like to say that there will be no return to the pure "floater", despite of desired change- and improvement proposals ...and the marching drums will also stay! Otherwise, everything is possible. And now I will end this (for me) unexpectedly long blog entry. Have fun with " Santo da Serra "!

The long wait is over: Here is "Câmara de Lobos"!

You all know for sure why it took "some" time again with the new sound food... or? I just say: The other projects. Now, finally, we have a new song for the "Madeira" album. This time it is about the picturesque fishing village "Câmara de Lobos". Fishing village? So Sonny will for sure get out the ol' accordion synthesizer and will fiddle a fine melody on it for us? RRRRIGHT! My long time listeners know that I have a certain fondness for organs and accordions, which already gets on the nerves of some folks. Again, as with the other tracks destined for the "Madeira" album, this one is a rather happy, cheerful, but also quite relaxed song. I hear the long time Cimelium listeners already groan in agony. Some time ago somebody classified the Cimelium album "Mesopotamia" even as "Gothic". So it did not surprise me that there are not a few who, as mentioned in previous entries... let's say "are not very thrilled" about the tracks for the "Madeira" album so far, because they are so "happy". But I never thought about Cimelium as a Gothic project or something alike. IT IS YOUR FAULT, IF YOU GOT THE PROJECT WRONG, DAMMIT! ;). Ooops, I actually went a bit loud here. Ok, but I can promise you "friends of the dark sounds", that it will soon get a lot "unhappier" again. We still have the sister album "Ad Hominem" in progress. And everyone who might think, that I have done nothing at that project is absolutely wrong. Actually I had too many depressive phases meanwhile, and in such phases the tracks for "Ad Hominem" are created usually. ATTENTION: Don't think, that you now have to plunge me artificially into a depression, so you get this album. I would notice that, and then I would release a Cimelium Polka album as a revenge ;). I also want to give you a glimpse into the somewhat distant future of the Cimelium project, so the "friends of the darker sound" will have something to really look forward to: Once we are finished with the two albums in progress, an album project is planned, which will be so dark, that tons of light bulbs will blow up, the dead will rise and dance on their graves. Exaggeration? Well, just wait and see ;).

Wow, and I am writing and writing... instead just announcing the new song. Well, you should get to know me in person. Then you would classify my blogging behaviour as rather "uncommunicative" ;). But now that was really enough words. Let the music speak for itself and let's hope that the wait until the next Cimelium track will not be too long. I do my best. I always do. And now: MUSIC! Here is "Câmara de Lobos":

New song for the "Madeira" album: Santana, and more ...

Yes, things are going quite turbulent recently at the alionmind headquarters, and so it is not surprising that this post ends up just today on the Blog. I just took a look at the blog, and had to realize that since the 15th of July there has been no update. Well, that's really not good because I usually try to keep you updated. Anyway, let's make up for this! So: What has happened since the 15th of July 2013 regarding the Cimelium project?

De Omnibus Debutandum
Until October 17th, everything here at alionmind was rather focussed on the other projects, but at that exact date another track for the lovers of the more deep and dark Cimelium sound was published. Thus, this song, titled "De Omnibus Debutandum" (everything must be questioned) is of course a prime candidate for the dark sister album of "Madeira", namely "Ad Hominem". I hope now the doubters, who began to rebel slightly after the release of first few songs for the "Madeira" album, have calmed down a bit. No: Cimelium will not become another happy & funny music project from alionmind, but rather represents the more serious and more "thoughtful" part. So my "Cimelium Goths" (as I call them by now ;)) can relax.


Santana
Even much longer than the lovers of dark sounds, the friends of the "Madeira" album had to wait for something new. Since the 20th of May (Man, has it been for so long?) nothing has been done here. But now, exactly 3 days ago, after overcoming my latest depression attack, this changed and the 7th track for the album was completed. This time, the song is about the, as I call it, "pearl of the rough and tough north coast of Madeira", Santana. As with the other tracks for the album I have done my best to summarize my impressions of this place into sound. In the case of Santana, this was anything but easy. The north coast of Madeira was an absolutely overwhelming experience for me. Madeira is in itself one, but the north coast is even more rich in unique and absolutely fascinating aspects that it is difficult to choose a tangible amount to use as an inspiration for a piece of music. I still think that I have been able to put my personal impressions of Santana and the surrounding area in a suitable sound concept. Not everyone may experience Santana as I did, but we are all individuals. And if you rather hear Funchal or your breakfast out of this song... well... so be it.



Yes, and that's it. Closing this post, I would like to again ask the listeners of Cimelium for a bit of patience and understanding. As, at least most of you, know Cimelium is not my only music project. And if you think again, that alionmind records is dead, because you do not get new Cimelium sound material, I am working hard on the other projects. And if you, like now, get new stuff from  Cimelium, the fans of alionsonny and Willma Poppen have to wait . All in good time. So: Most probably you will have to wait quite a time again for new Cimelium music, because now it's the turn of the other projects. And if you do not like the wait, well, then expand your horizons and listen to the music of the other projects ;).

Cimelium finally has a Homepage again!

After some friends from Russia found it very funny to test the resident alionmind content management system for securty and finally even found a gap, I had to put all project homepages into a allmost non-functional security mode. By and by I improved the CMS and migrated the homepages one after the other to it. And so I present, yet not with all the glitter, the new Cimelium homepage.

There's no particular reason why Cimelium got its homepage fixed as the last of the projects. It just happened that way. As I said, not all functionality is implemented yet. I will do this step by step. At some parts, the layout still looks quite trashy. I will fix that some day. If you out there spot some problems with the site, please inform me and I'll fix it. ;)