American Harmony, by David Van Auken

American Harmony

by David Van Auken

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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Beautiful Digipak edition of American Harmony.

Includes unlimited streaming of American Harmony via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$10 USD or more

	1.	Small Time Tresspassing 05:22
	2.	Blossom 04:51
	3.	The Earth Needs Snow 02:53
	4.	Pichillinque 02:22
	5.	Branches 02:53
	6.	Chanters 02:39
	7.	Lander 03:52
	8.	Bovine's Rest 01:33
	9.	The Tyranny of the Moment 03:30
	10.	A New Theory on Dreams 03:40
	11.	Somnambulance 05:13
	12.	On a Hill Outside of Town 03:19
	13.	Enchain 04:21
	14.	Delusion Drive 04:12

about

David Van Auken's take on American country blues and finger-style guitar caught my attention immediately because of his varied and non-traditional accompaniments. His compositions grasp old traditions, conjuring the familiar while exploring new landscapes in synthetic textures that sit gingerly in the mix; never overpowering the simple guitar lines while adding worlds of depth and harmonic gravity.

Once we spoke about the record it became apparent this was the magic of his creative process. After studying early American guitar forms for over a decade, David wanted to approach his first collection of original material in a way that paid homage to the guitarists he'd loved and emulated, but from a perspective that also felt fresh and distinguished him from those he’s looked up to.

David: “At some point in early 2021 I realized I had about 17 original guitar pieces, and it occurred to me that maybe I should record an album. Most of the songs, while somewhat technical in playing style, are pretty simple structurally, so I thought it'd be fun to go into the studio and see what additional instrumentals I could come up with as a means of broadening them. I've always been a big fan of electronic/experimental music that leans towards the ambient realm and I thought it'd be cool to see if I could approach some of the sounds I'd heard in those styles to see how it'd blend with my guitar playing.

The engineer I worked with Benjamin Cleek focuses a lot on film scoring, so I thought he'd be a great fit for helping me to realize my vision.

I'd reference sounds I heard in music I'd love from Boards of Canada etc. etc. to all sorts of experimental music. And he always came up with a sound/synth/or original sample we'd create for me to explore on the keyboard in harmonizing with my guitar. In many ways, it was like the freedom I was allowed in exploring sounds on the piano as a kid.

All the acoustic guitar tracks on the album were recorded in just 4 quick sessions, and the additional instrumentals were created over the course of a year or so, visiting Ben's studio once a week. Man, it was a blast, yet a lot of hard and sometimes painstaking work too...luckily I kinda only remember the fun of it all.”

It's rare for a debut to have this incubation period and not come out overwrought and fussy. Luckily, David and his collaborators have such an ear for light-touch embellishments that the record always keeps it bright and focused.

credits

released March 24, 2023

Written and Produced by David Van Auken
Recorded and Mixed by Benjamin Cleek
Mastered by J.J. Golden

Guitar, Synths, Melodica, Squeezebox - David Van Auken
Cello - Benjamin Cleek
Sitar - J.J. Gregg

Photography by Robert Delahanty
Design by Estudio Oscuro

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about

David Van Auken Portland, Oregon

David Van Auken is a Portland, Oregon-based musician performing and creating instrumental guitar-driven music.

davidvanauken.net

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One of the absolute best American guitar albums of the last couple of decades, Nathan Salsburg's Third sets the bar in both technique and imagination, a must! David Van Auken
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