Category Archives: Lockdown

The Derry Ormond Tower

Drone Footage of the Derry Ormond Tower and Beautiful Surrounding Landscape nr Lampeter Ceredigion

The Derry Ormond Tower and Beautiful Surrounding Landscape nr Lampeter Ceredigion

Built in the early 1800’s by a benefactor businessman Derry Ormond to provide employment for locals during a recession. Sadly today the tower is in a state of dissrepair and is offlimits owing to danger of collapse to the public. The crows and other birds have it to themselves as the tower still stands proud in the magnificent landscape near Lampeter in west Wales.


“The Derry Ormond Tower is a Grade II listed folly situated above Betws Bledrws, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Lampeter in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. It was built in the early nineteenth century as an unemployment relief project”. “The 127-foot-high (38.7 m) tower, which is based on an upturned cannon, was built on common land near Derry Ormond.[6] The pedestal of the column is built of coursed square rubble stone, 8.3 metres (27 ft) high and 4.3 metres (14 ft) wide. The column itself is 31.4 metres (103 ft) high and has a square plinth and a rounded base 3.8 metres (12 ft) in diameter. The column swells in the middle and has a neck ring and a now-eroded band of corbels at its top. Apparently it was surmounted by a viewing platform, but is now covered by slate slabs and consolidated in concrete. The stairway to the top had narrow loops to admit light through the shafts.” Wikipedia.

The music is an interpretation of a waltz in the form of a bollero, a rare piece written by me in the murky noughties. There was something in the mood which to my mind seemed to suit perfectly the forgotton grace of this social and historical icon within the landscape. “The Bollero of Derry Ormond”

Llangrannog – Cilborth Beach, Carreg Bica.

Drone Footage of Llangrannog – Cilborth Beach in the Sun featuring Carreg Bica a Cinematic Shamble.

Llangrannog – Cilborth Beach in the Sun featuring Carreg Bica.

A short movie of Cinematic 4K footage of spectacular scenery, involving fly rounds and other neat cinematic moves. Not necessarily in this case Hillforts or Cairns, Stone Circles etc but features within the landscape that exude a sense of ‘Genus Loci’ ~ the spirit of place. In other words very special locations that mean things to aeons of humanity and somehow give off a vibe to those sensitive enough to feel it.

Today we are flying down, down from high above from a cliff top path, I had to remind myself not to step backwards here. The tide was halfway which was enough to separate the conjoined beaches of Llangrannog and Cilborth which are joined at low tide. This is one of West Wales most iconic holiday locations, a secret best kept that is not known to many. A gem of a location with a village straddled from high down to the beach with gushing waterfalls. On The headland promontory behind is Lochtyn with an Island that again is joined to the mainland at low tide. The flat top of the headland belies an ancient Hillfort , in my opinion the summit looks flattened by our ancestors and they then built up massive banks and ditches to protect themselves from Sea and land based invaders. It’s some 500 feet above the waves. From here there occasionally can be seen Seals Dolphins and Porpoises and kind of exotic Sea bird life.

Please correct me if I am wrong but as we descend down the cliff in the earlier scenes, we can witness Sand Martins ducking in and out of their nests on the cliff side. The first beaches we visit are empty the tide is coming in and folk are urged to be mindful of the tides as they can get cut off at high tide. There are footprints that betray recent human activity. I guess the New Quay Lifeboat must occasionally get called out here to rescue folk that didn’t make the tide. As we round Cilborth beach where we witness human and canine activity, there is a rock formation called ‘Carreg Bica’ which has connotations with a local legend.

“The rock is the source of a legend that says that a giant once suffered from toothache and ripped out the offending tooth and tossed it on the ground. The rock is said to be the result of the tooth, calcified over the ages. “

The soundtrack is ‘Transversal’ by Nostramus which is an early shorter mix before the arrival of the great horned god ~ Pan, of a EP released named “Pan ~ Transversal” recently by Nostramus at Bandcamp https://nostramus.bandcamp.com/track/…

Pan – Transversal

Nostramus #DarkAmbient #Demonic #DrumandBass #ChillOut

“Pan ~ Transversal” is the continuation of a originally planned trio of tracks to be released spring 2021 but as this is track number four, I guess we can now call this a series. Rather than release a promised album this summer my current plans are to continue releasing a track a month Depending on the style of each track from now on in I will be suffixing my Nostramus moniker with either #Ambient, #DarkAmbient #Drum&Bass #Glitchcore #Trapstep #OldSchoolDrumAndBass #Tribal #Cinematographic etc.

” Pan ~ Transversal ” what’s up with this?
Developing from the theme from “Multiversal”, “Crystalwych” and “Optimum Singularity” “ Pan ~ Transversal” is a deep and dark trip into a primordial world reminiscent of something out of Dante’s Inferno or something out of one of Hieronymus Bosch paintings.
There are two movements which I see like lines converging into a form within the piece as the journey moves through monolithic and dripping reverberations, enticed by diabolical jesters and pied pipers to an otherworld where physics and geometry as we know is turned upside down. Out of the void comes the music box that falls without the famous Spaghetti Western scene. The scene is set for the arrival of the horned god Pan as Crowley’s ode is invoked, oozing with hammer house drama. “Oh Pan” leads up to the frenzy. Here, Pan’s pipes are morphed into a dramatically intense Brass motive.
Then cometh the discordant drum and bass breaks and the track proper kicks in with the D n B equivalent of the drunken stance in the Shaolin kung fu.
Well I will leave it at that, make of it what you will. Personally this track deeply contrast’s the earlier trio of kinder gentle motion with an exciting wild and dazzling earthy flavour, I sure hope ‘Pan’ will think this as a worthy contribution to his mythos.

Drone footage of Henfynyw Church

The birthplace of St David the patron saint of Wales nr Aberaeron?
All of these movies are best played back on full 4k HD screens with a good quality sound.
Drone footage of Henfynyw Church Deicated to St David

Is this really the birthplace of St David the patron Saint of Wales?
Actually nobody really knows for sure, but it seems he grew up here.

Today another Church, a very special Church in Cymru for it is dedicated to St Dewi (St David) This church, once the site of a monastery, is identified in the earliest Life of St David as the scene of the infancy and early education of St David (Dewi Sant), the patron saint of Wales. By the twelfth century, Henfynyw church was dedicated to St. David, and early Christian lore had it that Henfynyw was the place where St David had spent some of his early years. For instance, the ‘Holy Bard of Brecon’ (Gwynfardd Brycheiniog, flourished 1176 AD) drew on this lore, when he included Henfynyw church in a poem. His “Ode to St David” listed the places in Wales that were then closely associated with St. David…

“And fair Henfynyw, by the side of the glen of Aeron, Fields prolific in clover, and woods full of wealth.”

The name Hênfynyw signifies literally ‘Old Menevia’ and there is a tradition that the cathedral of St. David’s was originally designed to have been erected here. Near the church is a spring, still called Fynnon Ddewi, or ‘St. David’s Well’ and this parish is distinguished as the place where that saint was brought up from his infancy. There is a pond to the south of the church, could this be “Fynnon Ddewi” as mentioned above? http://www.aberaeronparish.org.uk/Hen…

Music once again by Nostramus and is written and conceived by myself, Steve Spon and is a clip from a forthcoming piece which I have tentatively called “Genus Loci”

I will be posting up more ‘Drone Eggs’ as well as more Movies in my Ynys Prydein Hillforts and ancient Ruins channel. If you like this video, please click the ‘Like’ Button, Feel free to Share, Please ‘Subscribe’ to my new Channel and comment below. See you next time

Awesome Drone Flight around Penbryn

On the spectacular West Wales Coastline over Sea and high cliff
All of these movies are best played back on full 4k HD screens with a good quality sound.
Awesome Drone Flight around Penbryn

#Mabinogi, #DJI #Mini2, #4k, #CinematicFootage, #Beautiful #Wales, #Arial #Photography.

Welcome to “Dronescaping “Ynys Prydein” for those of you who are not familiar this translates from old British or Welsh into English as “The Isle of Britain”
Today we present another “Drone Egg” ~ What does that mean?

A “Drone Egg” is a short movie of Cinematic 4K footage of spectacular scenery, involving fly rounds and other neat cinematic moves. Not necessarily in this case Hillforts or Cairns, Stone Circles etc but features within the landscape that exude a sense of ‘Genus Loci’ ~ the spirit of place. In other words very special locations that mean things to aeons of humanity and somehow give off a vibe to those sensitive enough to feel it.

We fly above the ancient church at Penbryn which is believed to be the oldest church in Wales, St Michael’s Church (Llanfihangel Pen y Bryn) has guarded this parish since the 12th century.
It states this on the Church’s facebook group of all places, whether or not this is the case is up for debate however is certainly the oldest in the diocese of St. Davids.
We spoke to a chap there who invited us in, he may have been the reverend , he told us that the church or parts of it were much more ancient than was believed. According to Coflein.. “St Michael’s Church is situated within a curvilinear churchyard, Aerial photography (during dry summers when grass has parched sufficiently to show buried structures) suggests a curving outer enclosure skirting the rounded hillslope below the church on the north-east side. Another circular enclosure (NPRN 405336) was identified during aerial reconnaissance in 2006, 140m south-west of the church. It parallels the church’s circular churchyard, raising the likelihood that this was originally a pair of later prehistoric enclosures, with north-easterly one subsequently re-used for ecclessiastical purposes.”

The circular enclosure surrounding the graveyard certainly reminds me of Hillforts and other prehistoric settlements.

Music this time is part of the Dark Ambience project and is written and conceived by Steve Spon for The Hidden Core, a Nostramus spin off project.

I will be posting up more ‘Drone Eggs’ as well as more Movies in my Ynys Prydein Hillforts and ancient Ruins channel. If you like this video, please click the ‘Like’ Button, Feel free to Share, Please ‘Subscribe’ to my new Channel and comment below. See you next time

Castell Bach and Morfa Cove

Rugged Coast Cliffs and Islands Cinematic Drone Footage

All of these movies are best played back on full 4k HD screens with a good quality sound.

Rugged Coast Cliffs and Islands Cinematic Drone Footage

#Mabinogi, #DJI #Mini2, #4k, #CinematicFootage, #Beautiful #Wales, #Arial #Photography

Today we brave the rugged coast of Ceredigion deep within mythical Mabinogia (West Wales)

We fly ‘Buzby’ our DJi Mini 2 high over Carreg Y Ty which I think translates as The House Of Stone ~ the small Island we fly around which today is home to Sea Birds and the occasional Seal.
The tide is in below. When the tide is out and on a fine day this Island can be reached by boat or by a scramble over the rocks and the explorer is then rewarded by visiting the cave that runs right through the middle of Carreg Y Ty.
This place is paradise on a sunny day at low tide, with the only safe way of reaching this beach is by boat. Although for the braver and arguably foolhardy folk there is a steep more or less mountain rock climb down to the Traeth (Beach). Honestly folk rightfully love Devon and Cornwall or perhaps in Wales, Pembrokeshire or the mountain parks but this area is full of hidden gems like this secret Beach. There is actually some people enjoying their solitude on this remote Beach, perhaps blissfully unaware of ‘Buzby’ flying high above. I find it is hard to hear the drone when on a Beach as the sound is masked by the crashing waves.
Our flight approaches the beautiful seaside village of Llangrannog with its enigmatic ‘Lochtyn Island’ and Hillfort situated behind. I must admit to being somewhat nervous of flying over the Sea it was very windy that day and the drone’s gimbal which keeps the horizon level was struggling. I had to edit out some dreadful gimbal slips but on this day the light was perfect and anyone who knows this area will tell you that sunny, windless days on the coast are often rare outside the summer months but it had to be done the gorse was in bloom and the bracken and heather were in deep shades of colour. I will return at another season.
Note the winding coast paths Oh and yet another Iron Age Hillfort called ‘Castell Bach’ perched on the cliffs slowly crumbling into the Sea 400 foot below. This is hard to see, see if you can spot it. Also you can just spot the two Standing Stones within the field of grazing Cows.

The music is written by Steve Spon for Nostramus The track is called ‘Port Sian’ and is a new remix of that track from a forthcoming Nostramus release later this Spring.

I will be posting up more ‘Drone Eggs’ as well as more Movies in my Ynys Prydain Hillforts and ancient Ruins channel. If you like this video, please click the ‘Like’ Button, Feel free to Share, Please ‘Subscribe’ to my new Channel and comment below. See you next time

New Youtube Channel!

Dronescaping Ynys Prydain

Dronescaping Ynys Prydain.
Youtube channel featuring movies created by UAV footage and by Go Pro and Cell

On this channel I will be sharing some of the fantastic hidden gems that inhabit one of the remotest and least populated areas of all England and Wales. I will be using my DJI Mini 2 UAV orv ‘drone’ to reveal fabulous birds eye views of some of these ancient kingdoms historical and mythical Hillforts, Cairns, Stone Circles, Chambered Tombs, Standing Stones and other ancient artefacts.

The DJI Mini 2 is a fantastic beginners drone, there are plenty other channels that explain how it works, the remit of this channel is to get out there and get some wonderful footage. For me, the Mini 2 is a cinematic eye in the sky with the ability to record crystal sharp images and 4k video footage. I have been developing my drone flying and cinematographic techniques, it’s one thing to fly high and take pictures but it is another to entice, add drama and expectation, to tantalize, to thrill with a beautifully cinematic drone footage, revealing hidden Hillforts in all their glory.
All music by Steve Spon and Nostramus.

DJI Mini 2 Drone Cinematic footage of Teifi Valley Hillforts Part One Caer Gwytheryn

Welcome to “Dronescaping “Ynys Prydein” for those of you who are not familiar this translates from old British or Welsh into English as “The Isle of Britain” PILOT MINISERIES Part One : “Caer Gwytheryn” Hillfort WA2192 This is a pilot two part series, looking at three Iron Age Hillforts overlooking The Teifi Valley in Wales. This is part one of my series pilot investigating and revealing private, hidden and secret Iron Age Hillforts, most yet to be investigated by Archaeologists. Not much is known about these forts, communities and settlements , there is no doubt our ancestors in this part of the world utilized high promontories, atop deep cwms (narrow coombes or valleys) to either protect themselves or to show off to their neighbours or other would be adversary’s.

We are set in the kingdoms of West Wales, Ceredigion, Carmarthen, Pembrokeshire all counties in the former kingdom of Dyfed in Cymru in Ynys Prydien. Or sometimes this is spelt Prydian. There are literally hundreds of these hillforts scattered around this part of the world. Many are lost, sometimes they crumble into the Sea or sometimes they simply get ploughed out and forgotten. These are where the ancestors of these lands once lived, in this rugged and Atlantic affected part of the world where the ancient mountains, once high and sharp have been eroded by the eons and ground down by the glaciers, to form a rugged terrain of solid hills reaching up to 350 metres, with deep gullies or cwms to quickly dispose of the water dumped by the Atlantic Ocean. Farmers have mostly tamed the land today and Cows and Sheep are what provides for the current look of the landscape, but you are never far from a bit of rough ‘Gors’ (Marshland)or Waun (Moorland)

This is the land of the Welsh Annals of Arthur, Merlin and as written in the ‘Mabinogion’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion Some of these Castells, Caers or Dinas are mentioned in the tales of the Welsh Annals and one such is “Craig Gwrtheyrn” situated on a dominating strategic outcrop, high above the Afon Teifi (River Teifi). This castell or fort was formerly know as “Caer Gwrtheyrn” (Vortigerns Castle) and written about by 9th century scholar Nennius quoting Saint Germinus.

The quote is read out in this video by Ella Jo , the performance is delivered in appropriate and usual dexterity adding to the mystical and mythical atmosphere as we peacefully drift over sheep chomping like there is no tomorrow, blissfully unaware of the human history , both mythical and real just meters below their feet.

DJI Mini 2 Drone Cinematic footage of Teifi Valley Hillforts Part Two Hen Castell and Pen Coed Foel

#DJI Mini 2, #Cinematic Footage, #Ancient Landscapes, #Arial Photography

Welcome to “Dronescaping “Ynys Prydein” for those of you who are not familiar this translates from old British or Welsh into English as “The Isle of Britain”

PILOT MINISERIES Part Two : “Hen Castell” Hillfort WA2193 and “Pen Coed Y Foel Camp” Hillfort WA2302

This is a pilot two part series, looking at three Iron Age Hillforts overlooking The Teifi Valley in Wales.

This is part two of my series pilot investigating and revealing private, hidden and secret Iron Age Hillforts, most yet to be investigated by Archaeologists.

Not much is known about these forts, communities and settlements , there is no doubt our ancestors in this part of the world utilized high promontories, atop deep cwms (narrow coombes or valleys) to either protect themselves or to show off to their neighbors or other would be adversary’s.

We are set in the kingdoms of West Wales, Ceredigion, Carmarthen, Pembrokeshire all counties in the former kingdom of Dyfed in Cymru in Ynys Prydien. Or sometimes this is spelt Prydian. There are literally hundreds of these hillforts scattered around this part of the world. Many are lost, sometimes they crumble into the Sea or sometimes they simply get ploughed out and forgotten. These are where the ancestors of these lands once lived, in this rugged and Atlantic affected part of the world where the ancient mountains, once high and sharp have been eroded by the eons and ground down by the glaciers, to form a rugged terrain of solid hills reaching up to 350 metres, with deep gullies or cwms to quickly dispose of the water dumped by the Atlantic Ocean. Farmers have mostly tamed the land today and Cows and Sheep are what provides for the current look of the landscape, but you are never far from a bit of rough ‘Gors’ (Marshland)or Waun (Moorland)

This is the land of the Welsh Annals of Arthur, Merlin and as written in the ‘Mabinogion’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion Some of these Castells, Caers or Dinas are mentioned in the tales of the Welsh Annals and one such is “Craig Gwrtheyrn” situated on a dominating strategic outcrop, high above the Afon Teifi (River Teifi), we focused on this on part one . This episode focusses firstly on ‘Hen Castell’ in Carmarthen which rises on a promontory overlooking the Afon or River Teifi across from Llandysul which is on the Ceredigion side.’ Hen’ in Welsh means old so could be the early settlement predating Llandysul. It is interestingly opposite the ‘old’ church dedicated to the Welsh Saint Tysul who was related to the Welsh Patron Saint St David. There is no dating evidence for this Castell. It is situated on a promontory, jutting into the would be straight course of the River an it is about 80 to 100 feet higher than the surrounding topography, today it is forgotten by humans and is grazed by Horses and Sheep. Pen Coed Y Foel Camp is situated a mile to the north on a large dome shaped hill rising high above the Teifi as it rounds a bend. It has a flat top and is crowned by two solitary trees which distinguishes it for those with a trained eye within the surrounding landscape.

On the foot of the hill which I missed on the production of this two part-er, is another small fortress and a solitary standing stone. There have been artifacts found on Pen Coed Foel which places the dating around the classic La Tene stage pottery period (500 to 1BC~) The period more commonly known as The Iron Age. All three Hillforts visited are within a mile or two of each other and dare I say must have been related to one another in some way. It is said that in the time of the post Roman period with incursions from the Anglo Saxons in the East and with from the west from the Irish, The Picts and a plethora of other Mediterranean privateers, that the former Romanized Britons (Prydeins)~ once again refortified these hillforts and formed new mini kingdoms in a time of transition culminating in remembered history merging mythological and Christian meanderings to create the fabulous tales of the Mabinogion, put to pen many years later.

Adding to the mystical and mythical atmosphere, we peacefully drift over sheep chomping like there is no tomorrow, blissfully unaware of the human history , both mythical and real just meters below their feet.

The link to the Atlas of Hillforts https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/ “Hen Castell” Hillfort WA2193 and “Pen Coed Y Foel Camp” Hillfort WA2302 , Craig Gwytheryn” Hillfort WA2192

Dronescaping Ynys Prydain

“On this channel I will be sharing some of the fantastic hidden gems that inhabit one of the remotest and least populated areas of all England and Wales. I will be using my DJI Mini 2 drone to reveal fabulous birds eye views of some of these ancient Kingdoms historical and mythical Hillforts, Cairns, Stone Circles, Chambered Tombs, Standing Stones and other ancient artefacts.”

All music by Steve Spon.
The DJI Mini 2 Drone aircraft weighs less than 250 grams

Dronescaping Ynys Prydain Youtube Channel

Optimum Singularity

Nostramus #Ambient #DarkAmbient #Drum and Bass #ChillOut

A new single from Nostramus

“Optimum Singularity” is the third of a trio of singles I am releasing between February and May 2021 There are plans for an album but for the time being that project is now on hold but I will continue releasing single tracks in the meantime, perhaps summing together for an album combination later.
Depending on the style of each track from now on in I will be suffixing my Nostramus moniker with either #Ambient, #DarkAmbient #Drum&Bass #Glitchcore #Trapstep #OldSchoolDrumAndBass #Tribal #Cinematographic etc.
The above should distinguish the genre’s I work with. I am not a DJ Producer I am a musician Producer but I realize that DJs and listeners will like to know what genre I am producing.
I have an eclectic taste in my productions which are all broadly speaking ‘alternative’ and ‘underground’ rather than music produced purely for a commercial market. I make music that firstly I enjoy making and secondly if I feel good about a production I like others to enjoy as well.
“Optimum Singularity” what is it about?
Continuing the theme from “Multiversal” and “Crystalwytch” I am attempting towards lucid and dark realms of musical rotations that hopefully emulate visual manifestations orbiting around a musical and gravitational inevitability in temporal space. The music can be described as a helix ~ a spiraling circle in three dimensions as a metaphor for quantum tunneling and a theory that in some fashion Black Holes can channelize potential warp drive and create pathways to time travel and circumnavigating the Universe. The point of ‘Optimum Singularity’ being the perfect transcribe for a theoretical event that would open up a gateway to the infinite as proposed in Kubrick and Clarkes 2001 A Space Odyssey, an optimum singularity.
The oratory is a reading from Kingsnorth’s ‘The Wake’ spoken in a shadow language related to old english. It refers to the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, where the former inhabitants were brutally defeated and subjugated. Wives (Wifmen) and daughters raped, villages and land burned to the ground and pillaged and the ordinary peasants turned to slaves for their new masters. The Norman’s whom by the way still cling to power in many cases in form of the landed aristocracy, in Britain. Our orature wanders the wasteland after losing his family and village and eventually teams up with the resistance fighting back against the Normans.

Recording? I use Cubase and a host of plugins these days to produce my music. I have recently upgraded my set up so now I have the added possibility of working my sound to moving video, which frankly adds another layer of inspiration to my work. Working to video blimey but it does open ones eyes to landscapes and soundscapes and all betwixt.
I hope you enjoy ‘Optimum Singularity’ released on the last of the pandemic lockdown Bandcamp Friday’s. However as I mentioned earlier there will be more tracks to come so please watch this space…

Thanks to everybody who has supported Nostramus.
lyrics
Words to poem coming soon….. 

credits

released May 7, 2021
Music conceived and written by Steve Spon for Nostramus.

license

all rights reserved

Crystalwytch

Nostramus #Ambient #Drum and Bass #ChillOut

A new single by Nostramus.

“Crystalwytch” is the second of a trio of singles I am releasing over February, March and April before a brand new album is released this summer.
Depending on the style of each track from now on in I will be suffixing my Nostramus moniker with either #Ambient, #DarkAmbient #Drum&Bass #Glitchcore #Trapstep #OldSchoolDrumAndBass #Tribal #Cinematographic etc.
The above should distinguish the genre’s I work with. I am not a DJ Producer I am a musician Producer but I realize that DJs and listeners will like to know what genre I am producing.
I don’t see why I should select one genre as has been suggested in the past. I have an eclectic taste in my productions which are all broadly speaking ‘alternative’ and ‘underground’ rather than music produced purely for a commercial market. I make music that firstly I enjoy making and secondly if I feel good about a production I like others to enjoy as well.
So ‘Crystalwytch’ what is it about?
Continuing the theme from “Multiversal” here the work is played out to Helen J Street’s lucid and phantasmagoric poem “The Crystalwych” which is whispered as in the breeze on a moonlit night. The ‘Crystalwych” could be described as analogous to a night time version of the ‘Green Man’ of the woods or a Druidic gathering in the Grove. Riding a chariot with seven jewel incrusted horses into the white marbled and sparkling heavens. A pagan allegory for what in realty is yet another alternative universe or simply a gentle attempt at autonomous sensory meridian response? In the poem things might not be the way they seem to be, the ‘Crystalwych’ may actually be a visitor from the other and the chariot and seven horses a craft sent from a far distant but mourned future. Who knows?
Moving on from the previous single ‘Multiversal’ I now re-enter the world of ambient and jazz flavoured drum and bass. I am not sure whether or not this would make a hard core floor filler, rather than attempting a mesmerising transcendent auditory meditation, or perhaps better still both. I have sat here with this song playing back in a loop and have been absolutely tripped out on it, of course I would say that but hopefully this will work the same way for at least some of you.
I am much indebted and would like to thank Ella Jo for her input here, for her whispered oratory. Also Tony “Redfish” Gee once more for his magnificent and succinct trumpet playing.
Tony recorded his trumpet remotely and I felt as always, quite confident that he would deliver. As a scientist in his day time job, he has that heightened empathy and love for the great British eccentricity that makes for a true thinking-outside-of-the-box, musician. Hopefully there will be much more “Redfish” collaborations in the future.
I enjoyed playing electric piano on this, which is how the idea kicked off. I laid down the chord progressions and then played a lead pattern over the top of the chords. The overall effect I was looking towards was ‘soft’ and ‘jazzy’ although I would be the first to admit that I am simply not good enough to play ‘proper jazz’. I do go for the mood that works and once I obtain something like the desired performance, I record it warts and all. I then refine and edit it into place.
Quantising? I think that subtlety and nuance is vitally important in performance. I used to quantise the f*** out of everything I played and eventually I came to realize that in certain cases there is a danger of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I was super conscious of allowing as much free style playing as possible without severely quantising the vitality out of my performance. So I left as much heart and soul as possible in the played keyboard parts. However to counteract I sequenced a triad of quantised but hypnotic moving pads that nail down to the Drums and Bass.
I then plugged my guitar into my pedals and created some jagged but ephemeral washes that gently glide over the rhyme. Initially I had the guitar much louder over the song but I came to realize that ‘less is actually more’ at times when working on composition. When I turned them down in the mix , the whole song lept out of the speakers at me. So we are left with just a hint of their former glory. Who knows I may do a remix at some point with the guitars featured more. I am known for my guitar playing in post punk band UK Decay and IN Excelsis so its probably right to point the above out for those that may expect my usual guitar performance’s.
Recording? I use Cubase and a host of plugins these days to produce my music. I have recently upgraded my set up so now I have the added possibility of working my sound to moving video, which frankly adds another layer of inspiration to my work. Working to video blimey but it does open ones eyes to landscapes and soundscapes and all betwixt.

So I see “Crystalwytch” as part two of a trillogy, a further invitation to journey between musical dimensions. I hope it does it for you.

UPDATE: May 2021: You know, I am just going to carry on releasing solo or single tracks, hopefully monthly but my target is ten new tracks a year.

Thanks to everybody who has supported Nostramus. 

lyrics

Words to poem coming soon…..

credits

released March 5, 2021
Conceived, written and produced by Steve Spon for Nostramus.
Lyrics: “The Crystalwytch” by Helen J Street
Whispers: Ella Jo
Trumpet: Tony “Redfish” Gee
Electric Piano: Steve Spon
FX guitar Steve Spon
Thanks to Diamond Seeds Media Productions.

license

all rights reserved

Scythian Art

A Reckless Relic film, giving a brief history and some examples of Scythian art.

A warm welcome and thanks for visiting my media website.

Of Late I have taken to creating Youtube Movies, utilising my audio and music productions with film.

Steve Spon
A Reckless Relic film, giving a brief history and some examples of Scythian art.

A Reckless Relic film, giving a brief history and some examples of Scythian art. Surviving relics portray a fascinating culture that had no writing, but produced extraordinary art. Note – pictures are for illustration and not necessarily linked to any specific examples being discussed in the film, unless otherwise stated. Also, this film features mummies and human remains that may not be suitable for the young or the squeamish. Written and narrated by Ella Jo, produced and filmed by Diamond Seeds Media with music by Steve Spon’s Nostramus. Scythian Article Transcript: https://recklessrelic.com/cleaning-up…

Look out for our Reckless Relic Scythian T Shirt Design : https://recklessrelic.com/