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about

This piece was recorded using only guitar and voice. No other instruments or electronic sounds were added. I interact with the guitar in multiple ways to bring out many frequencies and textures that are overlaid on top of one another. You will hear me strumming, plucking, knocking and tapping the guitar, rapping knuckles against the wooden body, scratching nails along the strings, even singing into the cavity, which resonates the strings to produce an ethereal choral effect. I bring all of those different elements into a single song to juxtapose the different manipulations which can be explored using tactile instruments.

The lyrics to this track were inspired by the author Paolo Coehlo and his novel The Alchemist. In the beginning of The Alchemist, our protagonist is travelling the world as a shepherd, gaining life experiences along the way. He is connected with the ebb and flow of life, not being tied to any particular place and happily traversing landscapes. He also a little lonesome, with only his sheep to strike up a conversation with. As a shepherd, it becomes second nature to count sheep for a livelihood, in order to keep track of his stock. We would normally associate counting sheep with dreaming, and I play on this idea in the lyrics. Both the novel and the song are about chasing dreams, which manifest in the subconscious to gradually emerge in the real world.

lyrics

The sheep, they sleep, under the sycamore tree.
Count one, two, three, four is the black sheep.
Do they dream of pastures green?
Do they count sheep to fall asleep?

credits

from You Will Outlast Me, All! Even the Babe​-​In​-​Arms, released November 13, 2015
Vocals and guitar by Astrid Zeman.
Mastered by Jono Holmes.

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Astrid Zeman Sydney, Australia

Solo Sydney musician Astrid Zeman creates lush, ambient soundscapes using a loop pedal, guitar, keyboard and voice. By plucking, tapping, scratching, strumming, knocking and singing into resonant cavities, Astrid manipulates each instrument in multiple ways to extract its full range of frequencies and textures. She infuses her wistful soprano vocals into these richly layered strings and textures. ... more

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