“A Landscape Made From Dreams”
is the debut album from Swedish guitar maestro
Daniel Palmqvist (Xorigin). The music is a collection
of 12 sonic tapestries that are diverse
in styles yet combine to make a truly cohesive
body of work guaranteed to appeal to non-guitar
players as well as their stringed counterparts.
Palmqvist’s
approach to the instrument is inspired by
the likes of Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen,
Allan Holdsworth, Pat Metheny, Steve Lukather,
Dan Huff and Kee Marcello, Daniel’s
playing combines the technical proficiency
of the above with a strong dose of melody
to make his own unique voice. On songwriting
inspiration Daniel’s states, “For
some of the songs I had a clear idea of
a certain feeling or mood that I wanted
to get across to the listener. On other
songs I started out with a mental image,
or as in one case, just a quote from a movie.
Then sometimes I just get a melody or a
riff in my head and go for it.”
“A
Landscape Made From Dreams” was written
over a 2 ½ month period spread out
over the winter of 2005 and the spring of
2006. Daniel Palmqvist and producer Daniel
Flores (Mind’s Eye) worked on and
off during this time due to their activities
outside this project. The basic rhythm tracks
where recorded in about two weeks in Flores’s
“Sound Vs Science studios”,
and then all lead guitars at Palmqvist’s
studio “Landscapes Made From Dreams
studios” towards the end of this period.
Mats Lindfors mastered the album at MasterRoom.
On
the aim of the album Daniel comments, “The
most important thing for me was to make
an album of interesting songs, with thought
through arrangements and memorable melodies
that would appeal to both guitar players
and non-musicians alike. Of course, the
guitar playing is very important to me,
but I enjoy good guitar playing in a context
of good music, so the songs were my main
priority. I’ve sometimes found myself
fast-forwarding to get to the solo when
I listen to instrumental rock guitar albums,
but I hope theses songs will capture the
listeners imagination and take them on a
musical journey, as well as delivering a
heavy dosage of cool guitar stuff”.
Providing
the musical support to Daniel’s guitar
work is the previously mentioned Daniel
Flores on drums, and his Mind’s Eye
partner bassist Johann Niemann. Palmqvist
comments, “They both are fantastic
players, long-time friends and their experience
and musical input really helped the songs
come alive”. In addition Andreas Olsson
(Narnia, Rob Rock) contributed with his
excellent bass playing on two of the tracks.
Daniel
also had the privilege of having three guest
keyboard soloists. The very melodic and
tasteful Johannes Stöle (Pedestrians
Of Blue, Orange Crush) plays a great keyboard
solo on the song “Behind The Mirror”
and a beautiful organ solo on “If
Things Where Different”. Kaspar Dahlqvist
(Dionysus) performs a fantastic solo on
“Moment Of Clarity”, a player
with a great sense of melody and a distinctive
personal voice. Finally on the title track
Andreas Lindahl (session keyboard player)
shows up with a stunning keyboard solo,
rhythmically interesting and performed with
amazing technique.
» Debut solo album from a hot new swedish
guitar talent and guitarist in Xorigin.
» Great varied selection of instrumental
tracks.
» Excellent backing band featuring members
of Mind's Eye and Narnia.
|