Amethystium
(1999-Present, Ages 14 and Up)
9/2/16
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(NOTE: As of 2017, I had officially retired “Mono No Aware (Opening)” as the opening theme of The Tale Collector. As of 2021, every episode in my entire catalogue, including this one, will be re-edited to feature “The Call” by Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund as my main theme.)
When I was first developing my blog for radio, I was hard-pressed to find a suitable theme song. Among others, some options I had considered included “Never-ending Story” by Within Temptation (no relation to the 1984 movie version by Limahl, by the way), and “The Storyteller” by Fairyland. But they didn’t quite match the mood I was going for. Truth be told, I didn’t really know what that mood was at the time. I think I subconsciously had a sort of Masterpiece Theater vibe in mind in the sense of a dignified representation of mankind’s ability to create marvels with only words and thoughts. But I didn’t want it to be as formal as all that. What I wanted was a sound that would create the feeling of coming together by a warm fire to hear a story before bed on a dark, cold night. I eventually chose a song called “Mono No Aware (Opening).” I have since retired it as my Tale Collector theme, but whenever I hear it now, I always remember the qualities that made me choose it: spiritual, exhilarating, and nostalgic, like the art of storytelling itself. This holds just as true for the man who wrote it.
The Ambient/Electronica/Neoclassical music project known as Amethystium is the creation of musician and composer, Øystein Ramfjord, of Trondheim, Norway. At the age of 14, using an internal sequencer, a guitar, and a stereo tape recorder, Ramfjord began to compose his own music. It was from this combination of musical experimentation and steady listening to electronic based music, in order to refine and establish his own individual sound, that Amethystium was born. After his project achieved recognition through underground exposure and word of mouth, Ramfjord signed up with Neurodisc Records in 1999. Under this name, Ramfjord has to date released five albums, a greatest hits collection, and two EPS. In a March 2005 interview with Bert Strolenberg of Sonicimmersion.org, upon being asked about his project name, Ramfjord explains:
“I think of Amethystium as a studio-project/solo-project of mine, occasionally involving other people. I don't consider it my personal artist-name, as I'd rather not personalize it much. In a way it serves partly as a way of musical expression without putting myself in the limelight.”
The first three albums-- Odonata (2001), Aphelion (2003), and Evermind (2004)—form what is now known as the “Dragonfly Trilogy”, so-named because each album’s cover art contains images of silvery dragonflies, whether as centerpieces or within backdrops of scenery ranging from natural to ornate to surreal. According to Ramfjord in the aforementioned interview, the symbol of the dragonfly was “inspired by an early childhood memory”. He calls this trilogy his “musical childhood” and as such feels that they belong together as their own collection. I think this is a wonderful idea as dragonflies have been used constantly in art due to their vibrant colors and the near-perfect symmetry of their shape.
Amthystium has often compared to New Age groups and artists such as Delirium, Deep Forest, Enigma, and Vangelis. While it makes extensive use of electronic instruments and sounds reminiscent of genres like trance and pop, there is a distinct air of ancientness to it, much of which is due to the majestic voice work of Gregorian chants and Middle Eastern vocals, among others, as well as some more natural and traditional instruments like flute, guitar, and violin, as heard, for example, in “Unbounded”.
Whenever I listen to Amethystium, my mind goes dark. By that I mean I am reminded of darkness, though not in the way one might think. The darkness I mean is the kind reminiscent of falling into a deep sleep and conjuring up strange and fantastic dreams. In particular, this blend of melancholy and ecstasy, with a hint of danger added for good measure, puts me in the mind of the faeries of old: neither good nor evil; regal, yet wild; child-like, yet wise; heedless and free of the shackles of time as they dance in an eternal “Reverie”.
What’s more, to me, this aesthetic of Ramfjord’s project isn’t achieved solely through its sound. Each title of his main albums has a very specific meaning which I believe reflects and, in turn, is meant to inspire, the limitless qualities of man’s imagination:
- Going back to a prior topic, Odonata (2001) is the name of the scientific classification of carnivorous insects—including the dragonfly, which symbolizes, among other things, self-realization, mental and emotional maturity, and a deeper understanding of life, as mirrored within the metaphorically well-named twelfth track, “Ascension”.
- Aphelion (2003) describes the point of a celestial body, like a planet or asteroid, which is furthest from the sun. Its fourth track, “Ad Astra”, likewise, is a Latin phrase meaning “to the stars”.
- Evermind (2004), according to the Lord of the Rings mythos of J.R.R. Tolkein, is a flower that typically grows upon the tombs of the dead; it is also called “everlasting memory” and, interestingly, is said to resemble the “forget-me-not”. This sentiment is echoed with beautifully forlorn reverence in its third track, “Shadowlands.”
- Isabliss (2008) is a word I’m not familiar with. But if the brighter and less intense vibe in comparison to his earlier albums is anything to go by, the “bliss” part would certainly make sense. The word’s even in one of the song titles: “Frosty Morning Bliss.”
- And Transience (2014), the title of which describes the quality of being temporary or of lasting only a short time. This is represented perhaps no better than in its final track, “Epilogue”.
Amethystium is a prime example of why New Age is one of my all-time favorite genres of music. Through his sounds, Ramfjord shows listeners a light that acknowledges the dark without abolishing it, rejoicing in the glory of running free into the warm embrace of the night, a time of wild joy and intimate mystery.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
"The Call" " Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
When I was first developing my blog for radio, I was hard-pressed to find a suitable theme song. Among others, some options I had considered included “Never-ending Story” by Within Temptation (no relation to the 1984 movie version by Limahl, by the way), and “The Storyteller” by Fairyland. But they didn’t quite match the mood I was going for. Truth be told, I didn’t really know what that mood was at the time. I think I subconsciously had a sort of Masterpiece Theater vibe in mind in the sense of a dignified representation of mankind’s ability to create marvels with only words and thoughts. But I didn’t want it to be as formal as all that. What I wanted was a sound that would create the feeling of coming together by a warm fire to hear a story before bed on a dark, cold night. I eventually chose a song called “Mono No Aware (Opening).” I have since retired it as my Tale Collector theme, but whenever I hear it now, I always remember the qualities that made me choose it: spiritual, exhilarating, and nostalgic, like the art of storytelling itself. This holds just as true for the man who wrote it.
The Ambient/Electronica/Neoclassical music project known as Amethystium is the creation of musician and composer, Øystein Ramfjord, of Trondheim, Norway. At the age of 14, using an internal sequencer, a guitar, and a stereo tape recorder, Ramfjord began to compose his own music. It was from this combination of musical experimentation and steady listening to electronic based music, in order to refine and establish his own individual sound, that Amethystium was born. After his project achieved recognition through underground exposure and word of mouth, Ramfjord signed up with Neurodisc Records in 1999. Under this name, Ramfjord has to date released five albums, a greatest hits collection, and two EPS. In a March 2005 interview with Bert Strolenberg of Sonicimmersion.org, upon being asked about his project name, Ramfjord explains:
“I think of Amethystium as a studio-project/solo-project of mine, occasionally involving other people. I don't consider it my personal artist-name, as I'd rather not personalize it much. In a way it serves partly as a way of musical expression without putting myself in the limelight.”
The first three albums-- Odonata (2001), Aphelion (2003), and Evermind (2004)—form what is now known as the “Dragonfly Trilogy”, so-named because each album’s cover art contains images of silvery dragonflies, whether as centerpieces or within backdrops of scenery ranging from natural to ornate to surreal. According to Ramfjord in the aforementioned interview, the symbol of the dragonfly was “inspired by an early childhood memory”. He calls this trilogy his “musical childhood” and as such feels that they belong together as their own collection. I think this is a wonderful idea as dragonflies have been used constantly in art due to their vibrant colors and the near-perfect symmetry of their shape.
Amthystium has often compared to New Age groups and artists such as Delirium, Deep Forest, Enigma, and Vangelis. While it makes extensive use of electronic instruments and sounds reminiscent of genres like trance and pop, there is a distinct air of ancientness to it, much of which is due to the majestic voice work of Gregorian chants and Middle Eastern vocals, among others, as well as some more natural and traditional instruments like flute, guitar, and violin, as heard, for example, in “Unbounded”.
Whenever I listen to Amethystium, my mind goes dark. By that I mean I am reminded of darkness, though not in the way one might think. The darkness I mean is the kind reminiscent of falling into a deep sleep and conjuring up strange and fantastic dreams. In particular, this blend of melancholy and ecstasy, with a hint of danger added for good measure, puts me in the mind of the faeries of old: neither good nor evil; regal, yet wild; child-like, yet wise; heedless and free of the shackles of time as they dance in an eternal “Reverie”.
What’s more, to me, this aesthetic of Ramfjord’s project isn’t achieved solely through its sound. Each title of his main albums has a very specific meaning which I believe reflects and, in turn, is meant to inspire, the limitless qualities of man’s imagination:
- Going back to a prior topic, Odonata (2001) is the name of the scientific classification of carnivorous insects—including the dragonfly, which symbolizes, among other things, self-realization, mental and emotional maturity, and a deeper understanding of life, as mirrored within the metaphorically well-named twelfth track, “Ascension”.
- Aphelion (2003) describes the point of a celestial body, like a planet or asteroid, which is furthest from the sun. Its fourth track, “Ad Astra”, likewise, is a Latin phrase meaning “to the stars”.
- Evermind (2004), according to the Lord of the Rings mythos of J.R.R. Tolkein, is a flower that typically grows upon the tombs of the dead; it is also called “everlasting memory” and, interestingly, is said to resemble the “forget-me-not”. This sentiment is echoed with beautifully forlorn reverence in its third track, “Shadowlands.”
- Isabliss (2008) is a word I’m not familiar with. But if the brighter and less intense vibe in comparison to his earlier albums is anything to go by, the “bliss” part would certainly make sense. The word’s even in one of the song titles: “Frosty Morning Bliss.”
- And Transience (2014), the title of which describes the quality of being temporary or of lasting only a short time. This is represented perhaps no better than in its final track, “Epilogue”.
Amethystium is a prime example of why New Age is one of my all-time favorite genres of music. Through his sounds, Ramfjord shows listeners a light that acknowledges the dark without abolishing it, rejoicing in the glory of running free into the warm embrace of the night, a time of wild joy and intimate mystery.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
"The Call" " Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
All other tracks are by Amethystium:
“Shadow to Light” (from Aphelion [2003])
“Withdrawl” (from Aphelion [2003])
“Enchantment” (from Odonata [2001])
“Unbounded” (from Isabliss [2008])
“Reverie” (from Evermind [2004])
“Ascension” (from Odonata [2001])
“Ad Astra” (from Aphelion [2003])
“Shadowlands” (from Evermind [2004])
“Frosty Morning Bliss” (from Isabliss [2008])
“Epilogue” (from Transience [2014])
“Transience” (from Transience [2014])
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Amethystium on Wikipedia
Amethystium's Official Website
Amethystium's Official YouTube Channel
Amethystium's Facebook Page
Amethystium's Twitter Page
Sonic Immersion's Interview with Amethystium
Amethystium on Discography
Buy Amethystium on Apple Music
Buy Amethystium on Amazon
Buy Amethystium on Ebay
^^ Back to Music, Bands, and Other Creations of Sound
“Shadow to Light” (from Aphelion [2003])
“Withdrawl” (from Aphelion [2003])
“Enchantment” (from Odonata [2001])
“Unbounded” (from Isabliss [2008])
“Reverie” (from Evermind [2004])
“Ascension” (from Odonata [2001])
“Ad Astra” (from Aphelion [2003])
“Shadowlands” (from Evermind [2004])
“Frosty Morning Bliss” (from Isabliss [2008])
“Epilogue” (from Transience [2014])
“Transience” (from Transience [2014])
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Amethystium on Wikipedia
Amethystium's Official Website
Amethystium's Official YouTube Channel
Amethystium's Facebook Page
Amethystium's Twitter Page
Sonic Immersion's Interview with Amethystium
Amethystium on Discography
Buy Amethystium on Apple Music
Buy Amethystium on Amazon
Buy Amethystium on Ebay
^^ Back to Music, Bands, and Other Creations of Sound