Things We Dream About
This EP includes two compositions (5 tracks total):
Echoloquacious (2013) for flute, vibraphone, drum kit, and Gameboy (LSDJ) by Matthew Joseph Payne
Things We Dream About (2013) for flutist and percussionist (scored for flute, bass flute, vibraphone and drum kit) by Ivan Trevino.
I. Love
II. Being a Rock Star
III. Ghosts
IV. Fun!
(released December 5, 2013)
Things We Dream About can be found on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, CD Baby, Spotify, and Pandora!
ECHOLOQUACIOUS
"Echoloquacious is a strong departure from my normal style. I rarely if ever draw upon the video game roots of the Game Boy platform with which I create the synthesized parts for my compositions, but with this piece I intentionally aimed to create a suite of “mini-movements” and short songs that would emulate the soundtracks of the games I grew up playing. As I developed the piece, I intentionally kept this plan a secret from Meerenai and Chris, but I knew I had succeeded when I overheard them referring to unnamed sections of the piece as “the boss battle” and “the credits” at the recording session.
My previous piece for Meerenai, “Flight of the Bleeper Bird” explored the idea of the flute as an additional voice acting in conjunction with the Game Boy rather than a solo instrument playing over an electronic background, and I’ve continued that idea here - vibraphone and square wave run arpeggios in harmony while the noise channel fills in the missing hand on the drumset. The flute is equally likely to be trading melodic or counter-melodic fragments with the gameboy as it is to be simply providing the third note in a triad.
We made a video game to go with Matthew Joseph Payne's composition. You can play it here.
I was especially excited when I finally heard Ivan Trevino’s piece “Things We Dream About”, destined to be paired with Echoloquacious on A/B Duo’s first EP. With no prior discussion, we had created pieces that I feel pair together perfectly; his, a multi-setting exploration of sleeping dream imagery and mine, a multi-setting exploration of video game imagery, which is after all just a digital daydream."
- Matthew Joseph Payne
THINGS WE DREAM ABOUT
"In dreams, emotions are overwhelming."
(From Michael Gandry's film The Science of Sleep)
"Dreams are both bizarre and beautiful, and I'm reminded of this each time I see Gandry's film, (and each time I wake from a weird-ass dream!) Dreams often times exaggerate our emotions and sometimes help us experience things we cannot experience in real life.
Love, success, clairvoyance, and happyness are four things we all dream about, and four sources of inspiration for this piece.
I. Love
We all long for it. Sometimes we find it. Sometimes we lose it. We never forget the first time we fall in love, or the last time we fall in love.
II. Being a Rock Star
Growing up as a young classical percussionist, I often hoped and dreamed that Radiohead had a "marimba" vacancy. It never happened, but that didn't stop me from dreaming about it.
III. Ghosts
Inspired by the opening scene of Gandry's film. I often dream about dead relatives and loved ones. Talking to them, embracing them, wishing they were still here.
IV. Fun!
Ever wake up from a dream, smiling and laughing? Those are the best! This is a pop tune inspired by Matt & Kim, a keyboard and drum duo I like from Brooklyn.
Things We Dream About was commissioned by A/B Duo in 2013. It's a duo for a flutist and percussionist, and is scored for amplified C-flute, bass flute, vibraphone, and drum set."
- Ivan Trevino, July 2013
CREDITS
Meerenai Shim, flute and bass flute
Christopher G. Jones, vibraphone and drum kit
Ivan Trevino, voice
Produced by A/B Duo.
Recorded/Engineered by Alberto Hernandez at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, Ca.
Mastered by George Horn.
Artwork/Design by Meerenai Shim.