Kairos Collective | Erato
Introduction
While the world we live in seems to have run out of virgin territory, I am lucky and perhaps escapist enough to enjoy access to worlds that still need discoverers: the lost worlds I visit as a geologist and music, which I consider a world entirely of its own.
This album, my third, is dedicated to the source of music, which idea was triggered by a thought-provoking seminar given by my composition teacher Ross Daly entitled ‘Where does this music come from?’ This may sound like an esoteric question, but if you compose it is also a rather practical one – music seems to originate from your mind, and with the right skills and mindset you can make it come out. But how did it get inside your head in the first place? Why does it come out the way it does? How do you decide that a piece is finished? Why does it sometimes feel like pieces are writing themselves and that you are merely there to assist? Neuroscience, sociology, geography and history may bring us some clues, but I prefer to think that these questions have no meaningful, complete answers and rather keep marvelling about them.
Michiel van der Meulen
Bunnik, June 2021
Project information
Album concept
Erato will feature a broader range of sounds than my previous albums. Like before, Kairos Collective performs the more orchestral pieces. Other than that, there will be a piece for solo oud with percussion, a combination of violin, oud, microtonal tambura (see video for a live impression), a combination of accordion, double bass and snare drum, and a lyra duet. Check the projects page for updates.
Studio sessions
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- June 22, 2020 | Antart Studios (Athens, Greece) | Taxiarchis Georgoulis (oud) and Vagelis Karipis (rek, bendir) | Gryphon (Kürdî devr-i hindî).
- November 21, 2021 | Wedgeview Studios (Woerdense Verlaat, Netherlands) | Michalis Kouloumis (violin), Alexandros Papadimitrakis (oud), Michiel van der Meulen (microtonal tambura) and Jacobus Thiele (percussion) | Kilim, Meltem (Hüseynî karsilama), Manastırka (Levéndikos).
- Juli 21, 2021 | Wedgeview Studios, Woerdense Verlaat | Jan Wollring (accordion), Michiel van der Meulen (bass), Jacobus Thiele (percussion) | Aj Sarajevo (Nihâvend yürük semâî).
- August 9 & 21, 2021 | Studio Vasmaris, (Heraklion, Greece) | editing, mixing, dubbing double bass in Aj Sarajevo.
- August 27, 2021 | Studio Vasmaris, (Heraklion, Greece) | Ross Daly (tarhu), Kelly Thoma (lyra), Mayu Shviro (cello) | Erato (Acem-Buselik Medhal)
- May 2022 | Antart Studios (Athens, Greece) | Kairos Collective.
- May 2022 | Studio Vasmaris (Heraklion, Greece) | editing, mixing, mastering.