Delighted to announce the release of another single: DILEMMA. It’s a short instrumental track in our hallmark Meld style, and a sneak preview for our new 7-track Mini Album SKETCHBOOK, out next month. Composed and arranged by Dmitry Ermakov in the band’s signature structural fusion technique, with expert drummer Koos van der Velde working his magic, DILEMMA starts with a taut Neo-baroque/Prog interlude which unexpectedly yet seamlessly flows into a chill Funk cadence thus harmoniously resolving the dilemma of a seemingly unsolvable musical equation. Enjoy!
Our next #trackofthemonth is Limping Mathematician. Dmitry Ermakov wrote this tune in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, in 1988 for “Pereplanirovka”, first album of the band ПАNIKA where he played together with Victor Mikheyev and R.I.P. Alexei Dovshan. That version was recorded in Victor flats on reel-to-reel double deca constructed by Victor from two Soviet recorders. We had no drums so used actual tape loops. Instruments we had in our disposal were also… hm… Soviet or home-made so the sound was quite heavy, the steel saxophone I played on the recording was certainly meant for #heavymetal ))) Anyhow, we did what we did our best according to the circumstances. Victor even played #sitar in the middle section of that version of the track. Then many years later I dug up the original score (well… it isn’t a score as you can see on the pic below – just a line with harmonies) and thought we can rearrange and rerecord this tune for our second album, Witchcraft Jazz, cos Carol liked it a lot! So we did. I’ve just finished the track’s cover today. So here it is – #checkitout😉
We are delighted to announce the release of our new single – CHICKEN AND EGG. It’s a great collaboration of art, music and philosophy.
Philosophy
This track is the musical expression of an ongoing question we each face every day when we try to understand the causes and effects behind what’s going on in our lives and in the universe as a whole: what comes first and what follows? The universal timeless dilemma of the chicken and egg.
Art
The cover art was drawn by our dear friend Alexander Voitsekhovsky and by happy coincidence, his exhibition in London coincides with our release. Like Dmitry’s music, Alexander’s art is ‘full of humour and mischief; it intrigues the soul.’ Or as one critic put it: “you can’t stop wondering how these small, childly naive pictures can shine with so much artistic and human sincerity and light.”
If you are in London, you can visit his exhibition @
6 Pall Mall East, SW1Y 5BF (corner of Whitcomb street and Pall Mall East, entrance in Whitcomb street via black double doors) 27 Oct. – 6 Nov. 2016.
Dmitry and Alexander by the sea near Dunstanborough Castle, Northumberland, UK.
Music
The rhythmic track is a meld of various styles: jazz-rock, funk, prog & electronica, great polyrhythmic drum breaks from Koos; and a fusion of mixing techniques. The result? The unmistakable sound of Meld music, pioneered by MetaQuorum.
For the story behind the track and some improvisation on theme, watch the short video below – it was our first attempt at a live Facebook video, so apologies for all the glitches, poor lighting etc.
Listen and Enjoy
You can listen, download, buy the track on Bandcamp or following any of the links in the Liner Notes below:
CHICKEN & EGG
A new single from the forthcoming album Witchcraft Jazz by MetaQuorum
Release Date: 27/10/2016
Dmitry Ermakov scribbled the sketch for this track as fragments of a score many years ago in a very different time and place: St. Petersburg, in a crumbling Soviet Union. The fragments rose from the ashes in 2016 while MetaQuorum were recording their second album, Witchcraft Jazz, in MQ’s recording studio in Weardale, North Pennines.
Midnight Sun (Remastered) was released on 18 June through all our usual digital distribution channels. And we are waiting for a bunch of limited edition CDs to arrive later next week. Why the need for Remaster? , you may ask. Well, the original master wasn’t really loud enough and it didn’t have this ‘big sound’ we developed for the 2016 releases. So Dmitry decided to remaster the album so that it comes closer to this new sound. We think it was a success. The tracks sound bigger and more 3D with many nuances coming to the fore. Give it a listen and see for yourself 🙂
A UK based progressive rock project by Dmitri Ermakov and Koos van der Velde recently put out two new songs: “Jonathan Livingston” and “Migration.” The band that grabs inspiration from plenty of different genres talked with Progarchy about their creative chemistry.
The first in our series of new singles was released a couple of days ago! Jonathan Livingston is already enjoying airplay and reviews, and we have 3 interviews lined up for next week.
As you might guess from the name, this track was inspired by Richard Bach’s book Jonathan Livingston Seagull which influenced so many during 70-80s and beyond.
“You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way.”
― Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull
The release is live on scores of download and streaming services so you’ll be able to tune-in wherever you are.
For STREAMING please follow us on Spotify @ https://goo.gl/i5n4rW, if you can – it costs you nothing and we get some pennies dropping each time it’s played.
Or for the full list of services see bottom of the post 😉
PRESS:
“MetaQuorum are being very bold in May, with two singles released; fans of their funk laden electronica are in for a real treat as new track Jonathan Livingston is released on Sunday 15th May with Migration following on Saturday 28th May.
Jonathan Livingston is filled with punchy grooves, and is powerfully atmospheric. Mellow yet melodic, it makes full use of funk-filled slap bass lines and smooth electronic effects. All set against a soundscape of seagulls, it’s a dense, moody instrumental that harbours an emotive expressive representation of our longing for freedom. Migration is a similarly progressive track, an epic sound echoing the expanse of the solar system, it’s all filled with dance-trance rhythms.”
By Simon Beckwith on Thursday, May 5th, 2016.
NARC. Magazine @ http://goo.gl/xTxUY5
NEXT RELEASE
We’ll be bringing out our first song – Migration – in just 10 days. We’re all very excited about it, looking forward to sharing it with you all!
Well, in amongst all the excitement of our forthcoming new releases , our debut single and album are enjoying some well-deserved radio play.
Tune into Beyond the Dawn radio @ http://goo.gl/S3yFSh at 9pm UK time to hear Circle & Square, or if you miss the show, MetaQuorum will be on high rotation all this week.
And North Sea Fret has joined For The Love of Music’s playlist – lots of great music there, check it out @ http://www.fortheloveofmusic.info/
MetaQuorum 