Daniel Crommie's Blogosphere

Daniel Crommie with Glyn Havard & Friends "Aquarius In Retrograde"

2012-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that the long-awaited follow-up to "Between the Darkness and the Dawn" has been completed and is now awaiting mastering and final cover art, readying it for a Spring 2012 release. Guests include guitarists David Duhig, Colin Henson and drummer Allan Price from Jade Warrior, James Havard, Jon Davis Miller, Keith Hatfield, Michael Maldonado, Bruce Hazen and bassist/keyboardist Eldon Hardenbrook. Glyn Havard wrote three new songs and played bass while Daniel Crommie wrote most of the remaining material with some contributions from Colin Henson and Eldon Hardenbrook. It will be available as a download album through iTunes, Amazon, etc and as a DigiPak CD with two additional tracks.

Blue Microdot Breakfast review

2011-11-15T13:47:00.000-08:00

Sea of Tranquility has a review of Blue Microdot Breakfast: " Short atmospheric bursts of birdsong and piano are merely included on this album to break up the relentless, if at times subtle electronic beats and rhythms, which are continually embellished with plaintive keyboard and synth melodies - some of which are captivating, some of which are unnerving."

Daniel Crommie's "Blue Microdot Breakfast" released

2011-10-09T12:15:00.001-07:00

The latest installment in Daniel Crommie's ambient series of albums "Blue Microdot Breakfast" is released Tuesday, October 18th worldwide. This download-only album is a psychedelic ambient work designed as a continuous listening experience – a linear series of pieces that constitute a whole. Some of the artist’s rare piano-based improvisations pepper the proceedings inhabited by electronic soundscapes and subtly shifting clockwork.

Here is the track listing:

01/ Going Under

02/ Gesso Noir

03/ Streamside

04/ Mantra in 4/4

05/ Verbena

06/ Sedna’s Sister

07/ Attack/Release

08/ Factory of the Dead

09/ Recurrence

10/ In Flux

"Living in the Dark Ages" single released on June 25th!

2011-06-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

A song Daniel Crommie wrote in 1984 and recorded in 2009 has been released at CD Baby as a digital download which will soon be available at iTunes and many other online vendors. "Living in the Dark Ages" features Daniel singing and playing acoustic & electric dulcimers and hammond & mellotron samples. You can find this song as a special two track EP (one version features Glyn Havard on bass guitar) plus video combo at Band Camp for the special price of $3.

"Skybridge" released digitally at Band Camp!

2011-06-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

In 1990 Daniel Crommie acquired a Fostex Model 80 quarter-inch eight track recorder, a Fostex 12-channel mixer and numerous affordable rack-mount effects - and built his first studio "The Living Room". The first album projects completed with this new set-up were "Shadowgraph" and "Skybridge". "Shadowgraph" was a primarily song-based album and "Skybridge" was an entirely instrumental album featuring synthesizers and flutes. Originally released on cassette in 1991 concurrently with "Shadowgraph", "Skybridge" is re-released digitally - you can listen & download from Band Camp.

Reviews:

DANIEL CROMMIE, Skybridge

Here is a lovely, mellow instrumental recording comprised mostly of synthesizer, percussion instruments and various flutes. Its smooth, melodic arrangements provide a relaxing backdrop to work or to meditate by. There are no rough edges on this tape, enabling it to be easy on the nerves, as well as the ears. Artist Daniel Crommie is the sole writer, performer, engineer and producer on this quality recording. This tape is sure to be enjoyed by New Age and fusion fans alike.

Heartsong Review Fall ’91 / Winter ‘92

Skybridge by Daniel Crommie

On this other New Weave cassette, Skybridge, are Crommie’s solo works. His highly creative compositions move through electro-primal and New Age sounds – some potent, others calming, but never boring. Driving synth sequences and drums accompanied by flute are transformed into earthly spirit choruses punctuated with haunting samples and primitive instruments. While playing many synths, samplers, drums/percussion, and some HOT flute licks, he manages to avoid a saturated, fatiguing air. Instead the pieces are sparse and minimal, with a particular emphasis on content. Skybridge lacks the spontaneity and the edge of his collaboration with Jamie Haggerty (see Heat Lightning), but it is still recommended listening material. (Crommie has many solo tapes available and appears on various New Weave samplers.)

Synthesis / 1991 - (JW)

Daniel Crommie's "Shadowgraph" released digitally.

2011-06-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

In 1990 Daniel Crommie built his first studio - a Fostex Model 80 8-track, Fostex 12 channel mixer, numerous affordable outboard effects and of course numerous acoustic & electronic instrument filled the room lovingly dubbed "The Living Room". Two albums were culled from a year of recording and both were released simultaneously on cassettes. "Shadowgraph" was the primarily song-oriented album and "Skybridge" was entirely instrumental. "Shadowgraph" is now available for download from Band Camp and "Skybridge" will soon follow. Here's a review from KCMU in Seattle:

“Techno” and “ethno” are what I label the two main elements of Daniel Crommie’s latest album. The line-up of instruments range from modern synthesizers, percussion programs and electric dulcimers to traditional reed pipes, clay flutes, wood flutes and penny whistles. With this combination, Crommie becomes a one-man-neo-Devo band with a twist on getting back to our musical origins. As the album progresses, Crommie reaches the extremes of both elements by stretching his songs from ultra-synth to oriental new age.

In “Small World” there is quite a competition between the “techno” and “ethno”. Crommie plays the flute as Eddie Van Halen plays the guitar. Wind instruments transform “Moon Circle” into a space-age oriental love song. “Reconstruction” is a jump in the “ethno” direction and reveals the diversity of Crommie’s talent. The furthest removed from electronics, it is a soothing, well-crafted instrumental piece. To contrast his two styles, Crommie follows “Reconstruction” with its “techno” antithesis, “Touching Tongues”. “Hall of Fame” expands on this style but sounds like nothing more than a synthesized experiment.

Crommie consistently states rather than sings his songs, which adds to the impersonality of the “techno” side of his music. Generally, the album is dominated by pulsing synthesizers which overshadow the contrast of the wind instruments to such a broad range that the album is left hanging without a definitive style.

Jacqueline Koch / Wire (KCMU program) June/July 1991

Daniel Crommie guests on Thomas Filardo's album

2011-04-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Daniel Crommie was invited to contribute to Thomas Filardo's "Enter the Edit Suite" playing flute on two tracks "I Can Love You More" and "Obsessive Behavior". You can find the album available for download or as a limited edition cassette at Band Camp. Click here for further details. Thomas Filardo played on the "DC Sound Collective" album "Direct Current" which was released in February on New Weave.

Daniel Crommie video resume

2011-04-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

You can view Daniel Crommie's video resume here. This video was created to help generate interest in utilizing Daniel's music for placement in commercial, television, feature films, etc.

Direct Current released on February 15th & a Review!

2011-02-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

Direct Current is an adventurous collaborative music venture which took root in December 2008 as an acoustic / electronic hybrid project between violist/violinist Leslie Gray (Saturnalia Trio) and flutist/keyboardist Daniel Crommie (Group Du Jour, Saturnalia Trio). As the recording progressed other musicians expressed interest in contributing: Jon Miller (guitars), Brian Davis of Pink Martini (congas), Thomas Filardo of Total Noise (guitars), Larold Will (Theremin), Bo Parker & Paul Parker from Group Du Jour (percussion & guitar / fretless bass respectively) and Paul Evans (alto sax) all came in to add their unique sonorities and textures to the mix. In summer of 2009 Glyn Havard (vocalist & bassist of Jade Warrior) agreed to add his talents to the proceedings and two albums were slated, “Between the Darkness and the Dawn” became a Crommie / Havard collaboration and the remaining tracks coalesced into the all-instrumental “Direct Current”.

This album is available for download only on iTunes, Amazon and many other online vendors.

Track listing:

Pacific Time (Crommie)

December Daydream (Crommie / Gray)

Snow on Bare Branches (Crommie / Gray)

Elephant (Crommie)

Ocean Sketches

a. Java Sea (Crommie / Filardo)

b. Arabian Sea (Crommie)

c. The Caspian Sea (Crommie / Gray)

d. Coral Sea (Crommie)

FreQ Rez (Crommie / Gray)

Road to the Atlas Mountains (Crommie)

Ballet from “Swan Island” (Crommie / P. Parker)

Flint & Fuel (Crommie / Filardo)

One Monkey Year Between Us (Crommie)

Psyclones (coda) (Crommie / Havard)

"Strangely though, while the similarities are easily drawn between the two albums, the end results are quite startlingly different, with Direct Current eschewing the more song based approach of Between The Darkness... for a far more repetitive, electronic feel where the rhythms dominate, but seldom change for the entire duration of the songs." - Steven Reid, Sea of Tranquility. Read the review here.

A review of "Solstice Sketches"

2010-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

This is very cool ethereal music by Daniel Crommie, delivered through the flute and synthesizer (sic). It is very complex and wonderful music to listen to before sleep, yet it's difficult to describe and really must be experienced. Very dreamy and relaxing, yet mind stimulating. You cannot go wrong here even though it's hard to tell when one song leaves off and another begins. A wonderful addition to anyone's collection of relaxing, tranquil, thinking music. The prolific Crommie comes up with another winner here with Solstice Sketches.

Mark Johnson / Sea of Tranquility

Read the review here. Click here to download from Amazon.

Solstice Sketches released on iTunes & Amazon

2010-12-06T21:48:00.000-08:00

Daniel Crommie's new solo flute album "Solstice Sketches" is due to be released on December 22nd (download only) on iTunes, Amazon and many other online vendors. Recorded between sessions for "Between the Darkness and the Dawn" and "Direct Current" in December 2009 and January and October 2010, the collection features Daniel's solo flute in a very ambient setting. Here's the track list:

Midnight Moon 9:21
Begin the Longest Night 21:46
Toward the Dawn 12:46
Autumn Epilogue 2:22
Half-Awake Dream 8:17
First Rays 2:49

Download from iTunes

Download from Amazon

Crommie/Havard CD reviewed three times! (so far...)

2010-09-13T09:14:00.003-07:00

Dave Platt's "Friends of Jade Warrior" site has a very positive & generous mention of the Crommie/Havard album and you can read it here. There's a review of "Between the Darkness and the Dawn" at Sea of Tranquility. Read the review here. BRfm in Wales also reviewed the CD in addition to broadcasting it. Read the review here.

Review of Saturnalia Trio's "Hummingbirds" CD

2010-06-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

"This delightfully versatile group’s only problem is arithmetical; it actually consists of four multi-instrumentalists, who play everything from psalteries to synthesizers and darbukkas to dulcimers. They dig deeply into the progressive folk genre, combining medieval and Renaissance music with modern sensibilities. Memorable originals sit comfortably next to songs by John Dowland, and the results form a thoroughly enjoyable pastiche that might remind one of Fairport Convention or the Incredible String Band. This recording will be a smash within a hundred miles of any Renaissance fair." (JW) Here's a link to the full review page.

Daniel Crommie

2010-06-09T14:15:00.001-07:00

Download rare and unusual Daniel Crommie songs here.

Daniel Crommie with Glyn Havard "Between the Darkness and the Dawn"

2010-04-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

Daniel Crommie's collaboration with Glyn Havard "Between the Darkness and the Dawn" is completed. Ten compositions: six songs and four instrumentals that feature both Glyn's and Daniel's lyrics and vocals and include musical contributions from Jon Miller (guitars), Larold Will (theremin), Michael Maldonado and Paul Evans (saxophones), Brian Davis (bull roarer), Paul Parker (fretless bass & guitar), Bo Parker (tongue drums) and Leslie Gray (violas). Glyn also plays bass and electric guitar while Daniel played flutes, synthesizers, dulcimers and created the rhythm beds. This album is available for download at iTunes, Amazon and all the usual online vendors, while the CD was released on June 15th with one extra track. Order it from Amazon or order it from CD Baby.

Review of Daniel Crommie's "Life Rattle"

2010-04-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

You can read this fantastically uninformed review of Life Rattle here. This eclectic album of electronic instrumentals and songs is available only as downloads from Amazon, iTunes and many other online vendors.

Group Du Jour - Waiting for the Sky to Fall | ThinkIndie

2010-01-30T14:48:00.000-08:00

Group Du Jour - Waiting for the Sky to Fall | ThinkIndie

Listen to Daniel's music

2009-11-19T07:45:00.000-08:00

You can listen to some of my music here.

Daniel Crommie - Sidewinder (single version) on MUZU.TV

2009-11-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

Daniel Crommie - Sidewinder (single version) on MUZU.TV

"Living in the Dark Ages" video on You Tube

2009-11-18T10:55:00.000-08:00

You can view the new "Living in the Dark Ages" video here on You Tube. This song was written in 1987 but not recorded until October 2009. Funny how things don't really change - just the setting.