Review: Elemental Tangents

Composer: Stephen Paine
Photographer: Tracey Swain
ISBN: 9780993252105

Full disclosure: "Elemental Tangents" was offered to me by the photographer in exchange for a review.  As I adore photography, and music, I was happy to do so.

"Elemental Tangents" is a unique fusion of images, and sound.  The elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit are encapsulated in the imagery of Tracey Swain's photographs, and the music of Stephen Paine.

I appreciate good photography, and the music being in the style of ynth, chill out, meditation style is the perfect accompaniment.  It is a unique experience to peruse photographs with music made to accompany it, or to listen to music with imagery designed to enhance the meditative experience.  It's hard to explain this fusion properly; it has to be experienced.

Stephen Paine's music is evocative of Enigma, and Deep Forest.  It is the style of music that allows you drift to other places, which is perfect if you use Tracey's photographs to guide you.

It's not just a CD of music with clever liner notes; it's a book with music designed for reflection on the elements.

I would have preferred this to be a coffee table book, so that the photographs could be better appreciated, with a slot for the CD rather than a CD case-sized book.  This is just a minor quibble.

Would I recommend it?  Yes.  If you enjoy meditation, if you enjoy photography, if you like meditative/chill music, then this is definitely for you.  It truly is an experience.

Grian-Stad an t-Samhraidh / Summer Solstice

However you acknowledge the longest day, and the shortest night, i.e. the summer solstice, may it bring you happiness.

Artificial islands older than Stonehenge stump scientists

A study of crannogs in Scotland's Outer Hebrides reveals some were built more than 3,000 years earlier than previously thought. But what purpose did they serve?

When it comes to studying Neolithic Britain (4,000-2,500 B.C.), a bit of archaeological mystery is to be expected. Since Neolithic farmers existed long before written language made its way to the British Isles, the only records of their lives are the things they left behind. And while they did leave us a lot of monuments that took, well, monumental effort to build—think Stonehenge or the stone circles of Orkney—the cultural practices and deeper intentions behind these sites are largely unknown.

Now it looks like there may potentially be a whole new type of Neolithic monument for archaeologists to scratch their heads over: crannogs.

Read more from the article at National Geographic here.

Halloween comes home: New 'Púca' festival could attract 100,000 visitors

Fáilte Ireland is investing €1.5 million in a festival bringing Halloween back to its roots, reports Pól Ó Conghaile

Read more here.

Là na Tamhlainn - Earth Day - 2019

Visit the Earth Day website for more information on how you can save our planet.

Earth Hour - 30 March 2019

For further information, see: Earth Hour.

Co-Fhad-Thràth an Earraich

'S e co-fhad-thràth an earraich a th' ann an-diugh.  Today is Spring Equinox, and this is how to say it in Scottish Gaelic.

Pronunciation: bit.ly/2osbnUG

Sheelah's Day

2019

The new start I had hoped would occur in 2018 didn't happen. 

I am stuck where I have been these past decades. 

I need to move on.

I need to appeal to the gods, and the powers that be to assist in this shift.

I need to end this blog's hiatus.