We are currently developing a Utopian art installation. We’re looking to explore the notion of Utopia. What it is. What it means to different people.

I feel, that by posing such a question, we also consider, with a more objective eye, the life we lead now.

Hope you like the installation above. It’s called ‘Garden’ by Malakoff.

I sat looking at this as I played ‘Garden’ on the new album. Take a look in the music section if you would like to hear this piece.

Light, David.

I find walking in nature everyday inspires my writing. This poem by Thomas A Clark perfectly captures the essence of how nature inspires music.

A school of minnows, darting in a shallow stream, is jazz

A clear brook, tumbling over pebbles, is counterpoint

A pair of orange-tips, fluttering in a meadow, is Mozart

A cloud of dust moats, drifting in a sunbeam, is chamber music

A patch of thistles, lurking in the fog, is dissonance

A herd of deer, stepping in oak woods, is plainsong

Taken from Jazz by Thomas A Clark.

Here’s our new video taken from the track ‘Together’. This is where the album gets a little more ‘four to the floor!’ – the whole concept is about making love – and this is the ‘climax’ of the track so to speak…

We certainly had fun making it. The studio was extremely hot as it was a beautiful sunny day. One of the difficulties was keeping control of the light streaming in through the windows as Utopia Studios is not built for video work… but all enjoyable!

Hope you enjoy & please let me know your thoughts.

Love and Light,

David.

Picture of the Ancient Yew Tree Hope Bagot.

Utopia studios is lucky enough to have a 2000 year old Yew Tree less than 200 yards from it. This is a special place. It is worshipped by many (the summer solstice was busy). It also has a natural spring running underneath it – nourished by the roots of the tree.

A quick search on google, hope bagot, ancient yew will bring back a number of videos taken of the tree by druids, worshippers and tree gods!

I find the spring is the perfect place to wash yourself clean before composing music.

The track ‘The Sun, The Stars’ was inspired by the concept of the light dancing on this spring. You can listen to it

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The Spring itself can be heard on the ‘Above You’ – alongside a 70s Mellotron!

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Hope you enjoy… Love and Light,

David.

Picture of Utopia Studios in the path of a major earth energy ‘ley line’.

Utopia Studios lies in the golden valley of Hope Bagot, England. This is the area where Alfred Watkins had a vision of ‘a chain of fairy lights’ across the beautiful landscape. Since this time ley lines have become associated with prehistoric pathways, ancient astronomy, UFOs, mysterious earth energy, ghosts, flying shaman and spirits of the dead.

We discovered, upon moving here, that a major ley line runs straight through the studio and through the ancient Norman church that lies in the Hope Bagot Valley. I totally believe this energy drives the music we create here. Many visitors have commented on the feeling of energy they experience when here for a period of time.

I like to think of these energy lines as the noosphere – a concept Teilhard de Chardin the philosopher coined for the energy created by the human collective consciousness. I have tried to depict this ‘human energy’ throughout the album.In fact, it’s the first sound you hear and appears throughout the piece.

I hope this positive energy reaches you through your speakers (try to listen on something half decent – you deserve it!).

Love and Light,

David.

From the Garden of Eden it came… The most beautiful drink known to man! It’s been well known for a long time that we offer cider to the music folks who visit Utopia! On a beautiful sunny afternoon, sat outside the studios many a musician / music biz type have fallen prey to its potent power.

… Because we’re not talking the commercial, fizzy stuff here. We’re talking the real thing. Just apples (and sometimes a little organic cane sugar).

We’re lucking living in the West Country (in fact one of our neighbours is a cider farm!) so there’s an abundance of the product in the area. Dunkertons, Westons, Mahorral, Ralphs… They are all within 20 miles and highly recommended.

It’s a beautiful drink. And I would highly recommend it as a driving force of creativity (although there is a fine line between inspiration and passing out!).

Wassail, wassail!

Instructions for the perfect Utopia experience – Read, watch, listen, Enjoy! Take 2 minutes out every day to refresh the mind!

Take a look at the Work of Charles Hadfield. A well travelled English poet. Many of the posts I’ve been sending recently are taken from or inspired by his book ‘Inventing Waterfalls’.

I found this inspiring book in Hay-on-Wye, England for less than £1! Charle’s tells us that the title refers to the ‘joy of creativity’. He also states that his aim is to capture ‘moments of inspiration’ or ’small epipahnies’.

That is exactly how I approach composing – by attempting to capture ‘moments of inspiration’. They may be moments of the heart, eye, ear or mind – I then focus on encapsulating them into a living organic mass called music.

Love and Light, David.

Summertime in England Video

There are always small ways to make the world a better place. Here’s 10 ideas… pass them on to friends. Ask them to add an idea and pass it on to their best friends… We’ll have a credo with 1,000,000 actions before the end of play today. We can then just pick those we’re most apt to implement. Beautiful idea.

10 Ideas to get things started:

Take public transport
Decline plastic bags where possible
Plant a tree
Read a story with a child
Introduce yourself to your neighbours
Watch less TV
Write to someone who inspires you
Hug someone
Shop locally
Fit at least one energy saving light bulb, or
Join something!

We’ve been looking for the perfect outdoor cover for our large video screens that sit behind us on stage. And we’ve found them – the tradional Indian Wedding tent! We’re having to purchase a number of these to fit the live equipment under but they should look fantastic when erected. You can see the top of the tent and the South Shropshire hills sat behind.

Visit. It’s a beautiful place to be… Special.

Read about the making of the album and the integral part the location has been. Keep in touch. Say hello! And thanks for all the kind words re: the new album. It fills me with inspiration to know there are so many Utopians out there building the earth!

Love & Light. David.

Why Utopia Moments? Just take 2 minutes out from your day to visit Utopia – just click above to listen whilst reading the thought piece below…

The essence of life seems to be movement. This is what I’m attempting to depict in Circles – the  music above… a piece taken from the new album the light. I shot this video in our valley early this Summer.