illrecur is the moniker used by Jeremy Allen Pursell. The American music project was founded by Pursell, the only official member. Since 1997, thirty-nine instrumental albums have been released. The music explores a wide range of styles, while often using experimental ideas. Interests between music, psychology, mood, behavior, memory, story-telling, and developmental advancement have always […]
illrecur: “Mnemonics” – epically cinematic!
Music is a powerful ‘stream of consciousness’ enhancer, because it literally lights up both hemispheres of your brain, releasing a constant current of dopamine. The best kind of music for this experience is lyric-free instrumental music. The main reason instrumental music is so effective is that it engages the emotional centers of your brain, while […]
Elmo Karjalainen: “Back Where We Belong” – amalgamations of both earthly and atmospheric spectrums
I know Elmo Karjalainen as a metal rocker, but he is a musical chameleon. He is an amazing musical arranger, composer and player. You could put a banjo in his hand and he’d make it sound like an orchestra. Elmo is one of those players that you need to know about if you’re a guitar […]
ImprovFusic: “The TaleTeller” – an underlying beauty that is undeniable
Esther Y.W.Wong, a registered music therapist, a multi-instrumentalist and a composer based in Hong Kong. Inspired by music around the world and all her travelling experiences, her style of music blends the modern with the traditional. Cat S.Y. Chau who has worked in social welfare since 1997 is the first registered music therapist in Hong […]
Forest Robots: “Timberline and Mountain Crest” conjures up vivid imagery
Let’s start of by saying that Fran Dominguez aka Forest Robots is a master at producing chilled out electronic music with heavy beats, and lots of orchestral instrumentation thrown in the mix. To call it electronic music almost seems unfair, as it implies this is music made by machines. Yes, I realize he is called […]
Juan Donovan: “Merlot & Marijuana” – a fully focused project
As one half of the production duo Darkroom Productions, Juan Donovan has produced with his partner Jamal Roberts some of today’s hottest artists. That list includes R Kelly, Wale, Young Money, Maino, JellyRoll, 24Hrs (Royce Rizzy), Brick Squad, G-Unit, Bad Boy, and more. The duo also won multiple awards for its phenomenal work on HBO’s […]
Billy Swayze moves with soul-influenced indie instinct
Passion for music and entertainment runs deep in Billy’s veins. The legacy of music and entertainment runs deep in Billy Swayze’s family. His cousin Roderick Falconer/Rod Taylor was a prolific rock singer/songwriter on Geffen Records who produced seven albums before launching his film career. Billy’s father was the pro wrestler Beautiful Bruce Swayze, his distant […]
Lake of the Lion – a master of a meaningful multilayered orchestration
Lake of the Lion is the brand name and moniker for Luxembourg music composer and producer, Daniel Kohnen, who is steadily building up his catalog and increasing his fan-base with regular new releases. In recent years, ambient instrumental and soundtrack scores have been following a certain trend. Composers seem to have this motif of creating […]
MAKI: ‘Waking Up With The World On Fire’ – decidedly textural, atmospheric and cerebral
The world is a fragmented place, with fear and hate giving rise to isolationist movements around the globe and huge portions of the population turning inward rather than outward towards each other. As such waves of bigotry spread like wildfire, the music scene becomes extremely important, not just because it means more great music, but […]
Ellis Hadlock: “Fusion to Love” – a most rewarding experience
“Fusion to Love”, the latest album by Ellis Hadlock, is seven tracks of layered pulses, melodic vibrancies, and foundational grooves that evoke a human expression of awe-inspiring vastness that stretches the very fabric of imagination. It is a beautiful and powerful expression of friendship, love and the artistic spirit. On this new offering, composer and […]
