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The Swollen River

by David Joseph

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Sometimes ideas come strongly enough to make you drop what you're doing and get in the studio. This is one such idea. Early on in January I found myself stuck with a five-note cadence that wanted to become a drone. I don't know quite why I felt so compelled to go to Room With a View, the studio where we did most of the in-person sessions for Solace, which is about a 20 minute drive from my house? "Hey, Steve! Is your piano in tune? And are you free this afternoon?" "Ish," he replied, and "yeah, come on up."

I wasn't sure this was an idea that would suit where we are going with Held By Trees. I sat on it for a few weeks, after I had added some ambient guitar and bass. In the end I don't think it leaves enough space for other musicians, and it doesn't need any more embellishment. Some ideas just need to happen and then they are realised - deciphered from the brain and into real sound waves. And that's sometimes all that needs to happen.

So, in the end I have decided it's better off as a stand-alone piece under my name. It goes some way to illustrating the sort of thing that can happen that doesn't fit into any other stack of music.

I named it The Swollen River because I had to drive over the river Stour to get to Steve's studio, which was in flood on the day I went there. The music sounds a bit like a twinkling river that is in overflow as the music crescendos.

I hope you like it.

David

credits

released February 14, 2024
David Joseph: Piano, guitar, bass guitar, mix, master.

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Held By Trees England, UK

Held By Trees is an instrumental post-rock collaboration of musicians. Heavily inspired by Talk Talk/Mark Hollis, and working with musicians that played for them, Held By Trees also features veterans of Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Blur and blues legend Eric Bibb.

Debut album ‘Solace’ was released 22.04.22. An expanded edition followed a year later on Lasgo Records.
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