The year has kicked off with quite a flurry of busy activity. Design, recordings, photography, mastering, writing music, illness, etc. So, here’s something I unintentionally neglected to mention at the beginning of the year.

Around the end of 2012, a lovely compilation was released that featured my new track “Ignis Gloria” along side some wonderful pieces of music from Cousin Silas, Earlyguard, Fontaine, Ambienteer and many others.

Now you can download it for FREE. Highly recommended. Available here.

My new track “Ignis Gloria” now available as a free download. Enjoy! A little something to warm up the winter. =)

Was excited to recently discover that my album Respire made it on to this lovely list from the Headphonaught site. A lot of really wonderful artists on there and I’m honored to be in such great company.

My new album is out. Now, the details and a stream of the whole album. 

AVAILABLE AT:
Beatport
iTunes
eMusic
Amazon





Respire is a body of work that explores the power and intimacy found in deep connections between people. The album is built around recordings of rhythmic and meditative breathing made by myself and some close friends in a quiet room. From there, even the instruments recorded in the aftermath were treated as breathing entities. Inhaling and exhaling. Washing in and out. Everything moving in, through and around the sounds of friends sitting silently in each other’s presence, just being. All of these elements are knit together – guitars, piano, breathing and heartbeats – to create a work that is delicate, intimate and, at times, visceral in nature.

TRACKLIST:
1. Butterfly Flaps Its Wings 
2. Yours Mine Ours
3. Ocean Breath 
4. Ocean Breath (313 Version) 
5. Breathe Out The Sea

For the following whom I greatly love and who have been light and inspiration in return: God, Anna Swartz, Claire Swartz, Noelle Swartz, Liza Swartz, Mom & Dad Swartz, The Owen Family, Michael Carian, Monique Prieur, Candice Belanger, Justin Van Slembrouck, Janie Van Slembrouck, Mom & Dad Van Slembrouck, Stephenie McWalters, Dan Edwards, Tom Currie, Philip Zott 

Very special thanks to Anna Swartz, Daniel Half, Monique Prieur, Windy & Carl, Brock Van Wey, Candice Belanger, Michael Carian, Justin Van Slembrouck, Krystle Lilliestierna 

This album was recorded, mixed and mastered in high resolution audio with numerous subtleties. The mix of each piece will sound different from system to system due to the full scope of frequencies captured during the recording process. To protect the integrity of the dynamics and subtleties contained within each mix, mastering was treated minimally and tastefully. Listening volume should be considered as one would consider adding salt to a dish. Add to taste. In other words, if you need it louder, turn it up. 

Photography by Monique Prieur 
Artwork by Daniel Half 
All compositions written, arranged and performed by Steve Swartz 
Breathing by Candice Belanger, Michael Carian and Steve Swartz 
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Steve Swartz at Utter East - Detroit, MI 

© 2012 UTTER EAST / ASCAP

Super stoked to discover today that my new album was featured on the always excellent Stadiums & Shrines website. Dave Sutton had many nice words to share and I’m quite honored to say the least.

Image derived from a Delaney Allen photograph.
 

I recently had the joy of mastering the new Widesky release for the FutureSequence label. It’s a richly dense listening experience from an artist as genuine as they come. Get it digitally from the label. Highly recommended!

Check out a sample:

If you are interested in having me master a future release of yours, please contact me. I love all styles of music. As an artist myself, I know that money is not a commodity most of us have in abundance. But, that doesn’t mean the end product of your work should suffer. I’ve got quality gear and lower than average rates. Let’s talk. =)

swartzet(at)uttereast(dot)net

I had the proud privilege to be included on the recent SEQUENCE3 compilation from the FUTURESEQUENCE label out of the UK. My contribution is a new piece titled “Yours Mine Ours.” It’s the first unveiling from a new body of work inspired by the rhythms of human breathing. If you like the track, there’s much more of this to come.

There’s an amazing roster of artists on it and I’m extremely honored to be along side them. Other artists included are: Machinefabriek, Field Rotation, Black Eagle Child, The Oo-ray, Wolf Maps, Tone Color, Heinali, Sun Hammer, Birds of Passage, Maps and Diagrams, and many more. Best of all? It’s all FREE. Yes, you can download it for free from the label. Get it here.

I recently had the honor of mastering the latest release by Windy & Carl for the Kranky label. It’s a fantastic album from a couple who have been masters of their craft for years. Get it digitally, on CD or Vinyl from the label, iTunes, Amazon or elsewhere. You won’t be disappointed.

Check out a sample:

If you are interested in having me master a future release of yours, please contact me. I love all styles of music. As an artist myself, I know that money is not a commodity most of us have in abundance. But, that doesn’t mean the end product of your work should suffer. I’ve got quality gear and lower than average rates. Let’s talk. =) 

swartzet (at) uttereast (dot) net 

Here’s a little something I do for all my friends and family every year around this time. I take some of the fun or interesting stuff I’ve heard during the year and put together a few mixes that have a something for everyone. Experimental stuff, folksy chill stuff and some fun stuff for the hipster kids and their holiday sweater parties. My gift to you. Download, enjoy and I hope you discover something new that you like. 

1. Fiction Dawn - Deaf Center
2. Schwarzschild Radius - Stephan Mathieu
3. Untitled V (For Tape) - Jannick Schou
4. The Piano Drop - Tim Hecker
5. Vemod - Tone Color
6. You’ve Never Seen The Ocean? - William Cody Watson
7. Peleda - Naono
8. Summer Holiday - Seaworthy
9. Machine Shop - Kevin Greenspon
10. 25 Thousand Miles - Goldmund
11. By This River - Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto
12. She’s In Visions - Lyndsie Alguire
13. Jenseits Des Stromes [Beyond The Tide] - Jürgen Müller
14. A Sisyphean Silence - Bvdub
15. Look For Me Here - Solo Andata

DOWNLOAD

1. Lost Verses (Live) - Mark Kozelek
2. Holocene - Bon Iver
3. Paper Cup - The Swell Season
4. Newspaper Gown - Damien Jurado
5. I’ll Find A Way To Carry It All - Ted Lucas
6. Bon koum - Sidi Touré
7. Taksim II - Gunn-Truscinski Duo
8. Light of the Light - Six Organs of Admittance
9. Mercy - Steph McWalters
10. Your Company - Marketa Irglova
11. Dance, Sing, Fight - Arborea
12. Plain and Sane and Simple Melody - Ted Lucas
13. Saint of Fishermen - Six Organs of Admittance
14. Everything Trying - Damien Jurado

DOWNLOAD

1. Our Theme Song - Dreams
2. Lizzy Come Back to Life - TV Girl
3. Weekend - Smith Westerns
4. Work - Jon Zott
5. Give You My Love - Sloslylove
6. Hours - Tycho
7. Reunion - M83
8. Playing House - Active Child
9. Night Air - Jamie Woon
10. Before - Washed Out
11. Song For America - Destroyer
12. Marathon - Tennis
13. After the Moment - Craft Spells
14. Nautical Day - Seapoint

DOWNLOAD

DETROIT P.M. 2/26/11
It’s funny how we fall into routines and begin to overlook things around us over time. For example, I was recently taking the trash out as I normally do. Before I made my way back into the house, I paused to breathe in some fresh air as I had been cooped up indoors for most of the winter due to very cold temperatures and the arrival of twin daughters. Then it suddenly struck me just how texturally rich the sound of a city can be. I heard all sorts of things that I completely overlooked during the last 7 years of taking the trash out in my neighborhood. Now I listen differently every time I step out for a walk or go to the garage. 

(Audio was recently used in the background of this piece.)

My Street – Flickr

A new track I recently finished that is dear to my heart.

Inspired by the amazing sense of hope emanating from a new class of multidisciplinary entrepreneurial artistic types that are rising up throughout Detroit to reclaim it and make it into something new. There’s a fire that exists here despite our economic troubles. A new creative culture that is trying to burn away the old baggage and build a new city that can be as monolithic in its creative future as it was in the early days of its industrious past. The most viable vehicle in Detroit is the creative spirit and the only vehicle that will carry us through the fire. This new piece of music is a prayer and mantra to rebuild, rebuild, rebuild.

Part of Slow Motion – A Visual Mixtape curated by Stadiums and Shrines and Flashlight Tag

Captured during a snow storm on the night of February 20, 2011. Got a couple hours of interesting audio that will be used for a future project.

At long last, today is finally the day that my ambient/drone album is available to the public. It’s been an amazing journey of discovery and exploration. My hope is that you will enjoy it, find comfort and peace with it, and that it will sweep you away for an hour apart from your troubles. =)

Stream it in it’s entirety HERE

AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT THE FOLLOWING:

iTunes
eMusic
Amazon

HIGH RESOLUTION MP3/FLAC/LOSSLESS:
http://swartz.bandcamp.com 

VINYL:
Any parties interested in helping make this happen can contact me:
swartzet (at) uttereast (dot) net

NOTES:

For my daughter, Claire, whose playing and exploring in the recording studio inspired much of this work.

This album was recorded, mixed and mastered in high resolution audio with numerous subtleties. The mix of each piece will sound different from system to system due to the full scope of frequencies captured during the recording process. The decision was made early on to protect the integrity of the dynamics and subtleties contained within the mix. Therefore, mastering was treated minimally and volume should be considered as one would consider salt. Add to taste. In other words, if you need it louder, turn it up.

All compositions written and performed by Steve Swartz

Additional acoustic guitars recorded by Justin Van Slembrouck on Mercy Lights, Dinghy and Late Machines

Recorded by Steve Swartz at Utter East - Detroit, MI
Mixed by Steve Swartz at Utter East - Detroit, MI
Mastered by Steve Swartz at October Audio - Detroit, MI

THANK YOU God, Anna Swartz, Claire Swartz, Mom & Dad Swartz, Michael Carian, Justin Van Slembrouck, Janie Van Slembrouck, Stephenie McWalters, Philip Zott, Tom Currie, Monique Prieur, Kari Shimmel, Krystle Lilliestierna, Candice Belanger, Dan Paton

© 2010 UTTER EAST / ASCAP

THE BLUE LIGHT OF MORNING (From the upcoming album “Nighttide” available November 16, 2010.)

SYMPATHETIC STRINGS (From the upcoming album “Nighttide” available November 16, 2010.)