Mystified and Mister Vapor

First Review Of Emergence

". . .makes up some heavenly ambient music. But unlike the good ol' drone music, which is usually a straight line, the electronics follow the patterns created by the acoustic playing, so it bounces back and forth, slow, minimal yet majestically. . . Good, solid, dark atmospheric music with a gentle touch of acoustics."- Vital Weekly, June 2013

Preview and purchase: http://spottedpeccary.com/shop/emergence/

Emergence Sample

This is an edit of the first track from Morris/Mystified's 2013 Spotted Peccary/Lotuspike release, "Emergence". The focus of the music is the appearance of mammals in the ancient world. Hear more samples and order the album here: Emergence Release Page

Emergence Now Available

Shane Morris & Mystified are back with Emergence, the stunning second installment to their primordial three-part “Inspired Evolution” soundscape project. This natural sequel to Epoch, their lush first release, continues the artist’s bold effort to create a sonic environment that evokes prehistoric places and atmospheres, this time focused on the age when mammals arose and began to flourish on planet Earth. Mystified’s Thomas Park explains, “Emergence takes Epoch further. Now more direct predecessors to Man are emerging on the planet; early mammals surviving in diverse primal ecosystems. Each track has a title and theme that corresponds to a different ancient location or environment.”

The sound of Emergence is vital yet primal; ambient atmospheric yet powerfully evocative. Broad, sweeping acoustic and electronic tones are punctuated with treated percussive sounds such as wooden sticks, shakers and gongs. There are shadows of its predecessor, Epoch, with trombone notes and drones, which are supported by a variety of acoustic winds and other organic instrument drones. However, Emergence reflects the evolutionary turn from giant reptiles to mammals by adding some new sounds to the mix. Shane Morris elaborates, “Epoch used all acoustic sounds to create its ancient soundscape, but for this next chapter we relied a little more heavily on electronics, including digital synthesizers to reflect the shifting evolution.”

With Emergence, Shane Morris & Mystified once again create tremendously immersive soundworlds that are shrouded in mystery and filled with life. Each track an opening into the distant past, Emergence presents a vigorous and powerful sonic portrayal of prehistoric Earth.

Emergence at Spotted Peccary/Lotuspike

"Emergence" Pre-orders Available

This is a track from the Spotted Peccary/Lotuspike cd due called "Emergence". "Emergence" was created by Shane Morris and mystified. The theme is the appearance of mammals in the prehistoric world. The video was crafted by multi-talented interdisciplinary artist Jack Hertz. You may pre-order "Emergence" now here: http://www.amazon.com/Emergence-Shane-Morris/dp/B00CM9JL2A .

Mystified- Plunderman 4 [treetrunk 266]

This is the fourth "Plunderman" installment. Mystified uses antique vinyl loops of a Moog synthesizer, adding layers to create new and interesting music.

Plunderman 4 at Archive.org

Haiku 01 by Mystified

Each artist has contributed a three track release in increments of five minutes, seven minutes, and five minutes accompanied by a Haiku poem. Each song represents the line of the poem including title and reflection. This one by Mystified. / Night cicada; / having slipped upon some dew / to the moon he cries --Shodo

Night Cicada at Archive.org

"Fantastic Journey" On Star's End Radio

DJ Chuck Van Zyl played a track from The Circular Ruins and Mystified's "Fantastic Journey" on his popular radio show, Star's End, on 3/24/2013. Here is the playlist:

STAR'S END 1-6AM SatNight/SunMorning Playlist for 24 March 2013
88.5fmWXPN Philadelphia|99.7fmWXPH HarrisburgPA|90.5fmWKHS Worton/BaltimoreMD|
88.7fmMiddletown/York/LancasterPA|104.9fmLehighValleyPA
Host: Chuck van Zyl

ARTIST - TRACK - ALBUM (label)

1:00am
Solar Fields - Echo - Origin #02 (ultimae)
Arovane - Tokyo Ghost Story - Lilies (city centre offices)
Casi Cada Minuto - Milk - In White Rooms (exitab)
Janel & Anthony - Mustang Songs - Where is Home (cuneiform)
Steve Moore - Aldebran Exchange - Light Echoes (cuneiform)
Circular - Pattatine - Nordic Circles (utimae)
Motionfield - Blue Hours - A Sort of Homecoming (autoload)
Chronotope Project - L'Avenue du Ceil - Chrysalis (relaxed machinery)

2:00am
Bertrand Loreau - Modulator.Nostalgic Walk - Nostalgic Steps (spheric)
Free System Projekt - Heritage (excerpt) - Legacy (self-released)
Bernd Kistenmacher - A Hand Softly Touching You - Outlines (musique intemporelle)

3:00am
Vic Hennegan - At the Edge of Starlight - Nebula Waves (self-released)
Radio Massacre Int'l - excerpt - Philadelphia Air Shot (northern echo)

4:00am
The Glimmer Room - tracks 7 8 9 10 11 12 - The Wind Blows Summer From the Trees (a-frame media)
Open System - Caduceus - Sanyasin (virtual world)
Matt Borghi/Michael Teager - Precipice - Convocation (slobor media)

5:00am
Steve Roach - Soul Tones (excerpt) - Soul Tones (timeroom editions)
The Circular Ruins/Mystified - Twenty Thousand Leagues - Fantastic Journey (dataObscura)
Telomere - Sol Zero - Lux Primordia (evenfall)
Ian Boddy - Forgotten - Sepulchre (DiN/DDL)
Saul Stokes - Turn of Phrase - Formation (self-released)

6:00am

"Music For Transit" Review

"Cyclic Defrost" webzine has published a nice review of Mystified/Robin Storey's "Music For Transit" cdr.

Read the review: http://www.cyclicdefrost.com/blog/2013/03/mystified-with-robin-storey-music-for-transit-roil-noise/

Purchase the cdr: http://roilnoise.com/mystified-storey-transit.htm

"Music For Transit" Review

Mystified - Ghosts That Dance (waag_rel018)

". . .it is this latter piece - "Network" - which kicked off this four-track EP. It became the starting point for the music on "Ghosts That Dance (waag_rel018)". I was so taken with "Network" that I asked Park if he had any other tracks like it up his sleeve … and he promptly obliged with a further three vibrant, upbeat, slices of dance-y electronica … which I just adore. These tracks really came together nicely and it felt appropriate to release them as an EP … this included rereleasing "Network" … which I think really sets the EP off."--Thomas Mathie, 2013

http://archive.org/details/waag_rel018

On the heels of the release announcement for "Emergence", there is a nice review of its prequel, "Epoch", by Richard Gürtler:

"As you might know, my ventures into rather dark ambient fragranced territories are quite sporadic, however it's time to take a closer look on "Epoch", the first part of planned trilogy entitled "Inspired Evolution", mapping the prehistoric time of the Mesozoic Era, the Age of Reptiles, with huge dinosaurs colonizing the land. Released in April 2012 on Lotuspike as collaborative project between ambient composer and multi-instrumentalist Shane Morris (Fayetteville, Arkansas) and ambient/drone soundscaper Thomas Park aka Mystified (St. Louis, Missouri). Solely based on the use of the acoustic instruments such as trombone, didgeridoo, vibraphone, bass drum and bowed gong. "Cambrian Explosion" evolves with sinister low drones and cavernous watery sounds, all enhanced by curving darker and harsher, but minimal and cacophonous crackles, buzzes and breaths. Deep immersion into expressive primordial landscapes is guaranteed!!! The longest piece "Devonia" gets over 22 and half minutes and keeps on the same path as the opening track. Deep low drones are spiced by didge howls, mysterious high-pitched sounds reminding some ghostly voices along with cavernous field recordings of watery or crackling fire traces, all mesmerizingly circling, swelling and enveloping. Stunningly transporting organic symphony, dark ambient at its most primitive!!! "Triassic Extinction" unfolds with eerie drones and distant gong rumbles, with monstrously expanding walls of ear-tickling tensions and dissonances. A truly mind-bending sonic adventure precisely portraying this dramatic prehistoric period!!! Sounds of insects lead the final part, "Jurassic Dawn" and swirl around your head. But soon myriad of mammoth drones, harsher shrills, rumbles and didge barks enter the terrain, the big invasion of birds and dinosaurs has just begun... "Epoch" is exquisitely distinguishing project offering to each listener enormously immersing sonic ride with masterfully executed cover artwork (by Daniel Pipitone, the graphic guru and one of the Lotuspike owners, original photography by Jourdan Laik). "Epoch" is definitely not easy listening experience, but don't hesitate to give it your time, wear your headphones and after few spins you will be transported into stunningly entertaining prehistoric time line with incredible series of changes. I am quite sure it will be as much rewarding for you as it was challenging for its inventors, when shaping this installment. And keep in mind, few days ago the second part of "Inspired Evolution" has been announced by Shane & Thomas, "Emergence" CD is scheduled for release at June 11th, 2013, so stay prepared!!!"-- Richard Gürtler, March 2013

You can preview and order "Epoch" at Spotted Peccary / Lotuspike Records.

Major Release Announcment

Major announcement: Morris/Mystified's "Emergence" is due out June 11 on Spotted Peccary/Lotuspike. "Emergence" is about the appearance of mammals in the ancient world, and is the exciting sequel to "Epoch". Hand percussion and synthesizer sounds now appear in addition to "Epoch"-style acoustic drones.

Mister Vapor- Beyond The Velvet Sky [treetrunk 261]

This 6-hour piece was created using sferics, or atmospheric discharges from the Earth. It debuted in its entirety on Stillstream radio in 2009, and was played on Chestnut Tree radio once again in 2012. The piece has often been requested and asked about, so here it is.

Beyond The Velvet Sky at Archive.org

The Ghost Between The Strings and Mystified- Ghostbone 2 [treetrunk 260]

In this sequel to Ghostbone (Webbed Hand Records, 2011), The Ghost Between The Strings and Mystified further explore collaborative sounds based on the trombone and guitar. Expect more drones, and deeper complexity.

Ghostbone 2 at Archive.org

"Fantastic Journey" Out On DataObscura

Fantastic Journey is an homage to writers such as Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and other pioneers from the early age of science fantasy. Composed and performed using various samples, synthesisers, and field recordings by Anthony Paul Kerby (TCR) and Thomas Park (Mystified). It could perhaps be called exploratory electro-ambient music.

Fantastic Journey Release Page