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.

Honored and thankful for kind and deeply understanding words about my work from ATTN: Magazine. Thank you!

 

I recently answered some questions about my music and why I do what I do for the Headphonaught blog out of Scotland. Thanks Thomas for the opportunity. =)

Thrilled to see some thoughtful words about the new album from Thomas at the Headphonaught blog. Cheers!

 

Delighted to discover some lovely and very true words about my new album from Richard Allen at A Closer Listen.

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

FutureSequence posted some very flattering and lovely words about the new album today. VERY honored!

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 had the honor of being featured as SoundCloud’s artist of the day. They featured my track “Night Ships.”

Audio:

Night Ships by Swartz et

Video:

I make a lot of pretty, textural, cinematic music. But I live in Detroit. A city whose culture has been heavily influenced by rhythm. From Motown to Hip Hop to Techno. Even our punk rock had a strong groove to it. So it’s only appropriate that while driving around the city this summer, I should be accompanied by some sort of rhythm and groove. It’s inescapable in this town. With that in mind, here’s the soundtrack of the city through my eyes this summer.

Tracklist:
1. Ready For The World (xxxy Re-edit) - How to Dress Well
2. Bleu Celeste - RxGibbs
3. Motivation [Lil B] - Clams Casino
4. Transparency (How to Dress Well Rework) - d’Eon
5. Seal It With A Kiss (NIKE7UP MY TOMB REMIX) - NIKE7UP
6. Touch - Holy Other
7. Midnight - Beaumont
8. The Fourth Magi - Clive Tanaka
9. Nii - Okinawa Lifestyle
10. Honey Mine (ft Victoria Bergsman) - Korallreven
11. Self Service - Studio
12. One for My Ego - Magick Mountain
13. Street Halo - Burial
14. Plans That Fade (Faded Dub) - Pale Sketcher

LINK

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

Special thanks to Adam Williams out of Wales and Fluid Radio out of the UK for the very kind words. These guys are doing an amazing thing. Not because of the time they’re giving to my music, but because of the amazing wealth of quality sound they share with the world every day. Check it.

Thanks to Lend Me Your Ears! I dig the new title. ;)

You are super kind! Grazie! Review HERE.

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