ABOUT: A lifelong artist and musician, Steve Brand originally recorded and released in the experimental realm under the name “Augur,” with more than 20 limited edition releases on various independent labels. In 2003, Steve began creating in the “ambient” genre under his own name. He describes this change in moniker and musical expression as “Part of the process of moving out of my head and more into my heart.” Since then, Brand has issued a number of self-released disks, as well as a number of solo and collaborative releases on the esteemed U.S. labels, Hypnos and AtmoWorks, and the Italian label, Afe.
ACTIVITIES: Selected tracks have been featured on Stephen Hill’s nationally syndicated radio show “Hearts of Space” on 6 occasions (October 2007 “Darkwater” edition, August 2008 “Reading the Bones” edition, July 2010 “Heatwaves” edition, and October 2010 “The Crossing” edition, May 2011 “Timescapes” edition, August 2011 “Desert Solitaire” edition), and continues in rotation on SomaFM’s DroneZone and StillStream.com. July of 2009, Brand’s AtmoWorks release, “Because We Were Once Covered In Gold,” was honored as the “Featured Album of the Month” on StillStream.com. In January of 2010, his Hypnos Secret Sounds release, “Children of Alcyone” was named one of Star’s End’s “Top 15″ for January 2010. “Avatara,” released on Hypnos Records in April, 2010, was named as one of Stars End “Top 10″ for July and August of 2011, and Galactic Travels “Top 20″ for December, 2011.
REVIEWS: Steve’s music has been described as “ambient,” “tribal,” “ritualistic,” “a direct link to our ancient, and arcane ancestry,” “…not mere music, but an almost shamanic attempt at deconstructing our interpretation of reality, by connecting us to an anti-technological, primal psyche,” and “Brand has tapped into a sound or feeling that’s at the core of all things, a universal essence.” Hypnos Records says of Steve, “(he has)…quickly established himself as one of the more interesting and distinctive artists working in ambient music…” Instruments used in Brand’s music include keyboards, natural sounds, various flutes, voice, medicine drum, rattles, bells, gongs.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND: In addition to his sound work, Brand is a Reiki Master and visual artist. He is committed to the idea that, “art/music, more than being just an object for sale, as actually a fluid and transformative process that opens us up to new possibilities that create the potential for healing spiritually and physically, and connects us via it’s roots in our common ancient past with it’s wellspring in the depths of our larger selves. The results of the creative process are sound maps of/to lost and uncharted realms of Being. Having said all this, I understand perfectly that some are more comfortable with ‘who-what-where’ biographies from artists. But why. Where is the passion and personal risk in that. I feel that when creativity is at it’s best, it doesn’t take a neutral or risk-free stance. Instead, I choose to take the very personal and active effort to reach into the gray areas of feeling, intuition, passion and the unknown—in doing so, I make music that is intended to facilitate expansion and healing.”
Music can be purchased here:
Bandcamp
CDBaby
Hypnos
Profile with sound samples on rM.ning community page.
DISCOGRAPHY:
2012
• “Spiritual Science” (w/ Ishq) Re-release, Re-master on PIONEER LIGHT – 3-16-12
• “Catalyst” on RELAXED MACHINERY – 6-12
• Material Re-released on Pioneer Light, Title and Dates TBD
2011
• “Subtle Movements Inside” on RELAXED MACHINERY – 11.11.11
• “Cahokia” (re-release) on PIONEER LIGHT MUSIC – 10.28.11
• “Upwelling“ (epiphanies, experiments, singular moments, remixes and re-discoveries) on PIONEER LIGHT MUSIC – 9.2.11
- Music aired on Hearts of Space in the August edition, “Desert Solitaire”
- Contributed the track, “Into The Current” to the “Conception” free download compilation on Free Floating Music label
• “What Is Memory?” (w/Disturbed Earth) on RELAXED MACHINERY – 7.11.111
• “SoulSpiral” (re-master, re-structure, re-release) on PIONEER LIGHT MUSIC – 5-13-11
• “Avatara” on HYPNOS – 4.22.11
- Music aired on Hearts of Space in the May edition, “Timescapes”
2010
- Music aired on Hearts of Space in the October edition, “The Crossing”
• “Coniunctio” (“Pale Blue Orb/The Beginning Of Days”) on relaxedMACHINERY – 8.3.10
• “Sunprints” on ATMOWORKS – 4.30.10 (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Circular Scriptures” on relaxedMACHINERY – 1.11.10
2009
• “The First Day Unnamed” (w/ Disturbed Earth) on ATMOWORKS – 10.30.09 (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “She Covers The Sky” (w/ contributions from Holon) on ATMOWORKS – 9.25.09 (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
- “Because We Were Once Covered In Gold” honored as StillStream.com’s “Featured Album of the Month” for August (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
- Featured artist on StillStream.com’s Rabbit Hole Radio, Thursday, June 4, 2009
• “Spiritual Science/The Voice From Home” (double album w/ Ishq) on ATMOWORKS – 7.17.09 (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Children of Alcyone” on HYPNOS SECRET SOUNDS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “The Rest of Time” (w/ Disturbed Earth) on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Cahokia” re-released/re-mastered on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Busy with Dreams” (w/ Disturbed Earth) on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
2008
• “LightTools” on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Epicenter of a New Dawn” Free Download e.p.
• “Into the Current” Free Download Single
• “Because We Were Once Covered In Gold” on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG 2010) (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Broken Gold” (w/ Disturbed Earth) on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “SoulSpiral” on ATMOWORKS (DELETED FROM ATMOWORKS CATALOG)
• “Codex” (compilation) Self-released CD-R, only at Hypnos Store (OUT OF PRINT)
- Music aired on Hearts of Space in the August, “Reading the Bones” edition
- Music in rotation on SomaFM’s DroneZone
• “Bridge To Nowhere” on HYPNOS SECRET SOUNDS
• “Looking Into The Other” self-released on CDBaby.com, iTunes
2007
• “Twilightmind” self-released on CDBaby.com, iTunes. etc.
• “Cahokia” self-released on CDBaby.com, iTunes. etc.
• “Awakensong” self-released on CDBaby.com, iTunes, etc. (re-release of formerly ltd. edition)
• “Looking Into The Other” CDR—Originally released March 2006 on Afe Records
- 2 songs aired on Hearts of Space in late October, “Darkwater” edition
- Interview with Fabrizio Grau of AudioDrome.com
2006
• “Looking Into The Other” Track contributed to Afe Records’ on-line compilation
• “Awakensong” CDR Released March 2006 on Afe Records
- Interview with TJ Norris for Igloo On-line Magazine