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New Album Review – Boundaries of Imagination by Bryan El.

The year 2012 wouldn’t have been the same without another new album, EP or new songs by the sensational electronic music composer Bryan El.

For the artist from Belgium who specializes in electronic music it has now become clear after his third release there is a conscious effort made on his part to focus on quality verses quantity, with his classical symphonic music.

Two years in the making, this is proven to be the case behind his quality driven 13 new songs on his album in 2012 titled Boundaries of Imagination.

Bryan El’s earlier albums Out of this World from 2008, and Spiritual Evolution from 2010, are some of the best electronic albums in the classical symphonic, music categories. With the introduction of high-tech electronic equipment and newest synthesizers arrives a new-found sense of empowerment, especially when placed in the hands of a great composing artist like Bryan El whose electronic music is brilliantly delivered, time and again with jaw dropping effect.

Boundaries of Imagination is comparable to Out of this World & Spiritual Evolution by the unique Bryan El signature sound recognizable from the beginning song, but there are several distinctions with the 13 new electronic songs from his first two releases.

Boundaries of Imagination is perhaps lighter or more refined than the first two, but a dazzling album focused on intricate detailing and deep melodic phrasing fans are sure to enjoy. Another point of interest I thought significance is the song Angels Cry which features the elegant vocalist Amethyste, whose singing clearly delivers the lyrical verses written by Michael Leonard and Bryan El in wonderful fashion.

It may be unclear if Bryan El is shifting more toward the territory of electronic pop or not, but no matter which direction he travels going forward, it’s like the title of his dazzling new hit album implies, it will arrive at the outer boundaries of imagination.

You may sample or purchase albums on Bryan’s page at AMAdeaRecords.com, and visit the artist at BryanEl.com. Cover artwork is courtesy Davy El.

Bryan El is the artist recognized for producing Classical Symphonic New Age music in a highly effective format that makes a grand impression while shedding new light on each and every one of his modern day electronic interpretations. You will find his compositions readily capture your attention right from the first few measures up to the final notes.

Bryan El is our featured interview guest where the topics of Bryan’s 2 albums, Out of This World & Spiritual Evolution, and his stunning song videos are open for discussion. In addition we take a detailed inquiry into what makes Bryan El’s individualistic approach to music so appealing.

Interview host John Olsen had the opportunity to visit with Bryan El. Today we publish their conversation so that our readers can learn more about the ambitions of this New Age musician many have come to recognized by his remarkable electronic symphonies.

Interview with Bryan El;

John : Thank You for taking time out for our interview Bryan. Recently I wrote album reviews and posted several song videos from Out of This World & Spiritual Evolution because I felt our readers would find your projects are boldly unique from many other forms of electronic music just like B.T. Fasmer and I did. I have read many comments from your fans that support my statement too. It was only logical to ask for an interview so everyone, including your fans could learn more about you.

Let me ask you this first. Many times an artist will say they have another musician’s influence or they “sound like“ another more recognized artist. I personally feel you break new ground with electronic music in many respects and do not “sound like“ another artist. Do you agree and share the same thoughts or do you feel your music closely resembles another artist?

Bryan El : Many people have a habit of comparing the sound of one artist with another. I believe each individual composer is trying to find their own “sound”. This can be based on several different songs and styles they have heard throughout their lives and have been unconsciously inspired by them. Of course I have my own sources of inspiration as any artist does but I feel I am still evolving my own “sound” as I keep producing new projects.

I honestly couldn’t say what my music will sound like ten years from now and that’s what makes it so exciting. You will always be able to identify similar instruments being used by different artists like pianos, strings and violins, but what matters to me most is the way an artist mixes these together into something unique…. A melody which expresses an emotion like a story that has never been told before.

John : What exactly sets your music apart from so many others Bryan. Is it because your music is Classical Symphony styled, or could it be your upbeat modern day songs are the reason you rise above the crowd from other electronic composers? What are your thoughts Bryan?

Bryan El : Good question. It’s hard to give your own music a “stamp” of its own kind and I don’t really like to compare my music with other artists in terms of “uniqueness”. Each artist is trying to capture emotions in their own way and the beauty of it is…. there are no rules how to do it. It allows composers to experiment by tweaking their own sounds and combining different styles into one to create something new and original. Eventually it’s up to the listener to determine what sets a specific type of music apart from others.

John : Out of the many genres available for a musician to explore, what led to your decision to embrace New Age and then explore the surreal Classical Symphonic music?

Bryan El : It wasn’t a decision really. It’s not like at some point I decided “hey let’s try the electronic new age category for a change”. I actually experimented with different things never knowing where I’d end up before I started a project. I’m not trying to fit a certain “genre” either. It has never been my intention to compose symphonic electronic music as people may call it. It’s just the global mix of so many different aspects and influences in my life that led me to create this and I am continuously searching to expand my boundaries.

John : Since the artist music of Bryan El consists of you alone, how exactly do you construct your projects to acquire a full orchestra sound, and do you mind telling everyone what equipment you use while recording?

Bryan El : Except from the hardware sounds I get from my Motif 6 synthesizer I am using a mix of VST plugins which I load into my Cubase sequencer. The orchestra sounds like violins & cello’s come from an amazing VST plugin called EastWest’s “Symphonic Orchestra”. The sounds from this VST have been individual-note recorded giving me the freedom to bend the notes to my own will with every detail. The choir vocals come from EastWest’s “Symphonic Choirs” which has a speech utility where you can actually type what the VST plugin should sing in any desired composition. It’s state of the art. Most electronic sounds come from the ReFX Nexus plugin. The Nexus is really awesome. It lets you tweak your own sounds in detail. I don’t know what I’d do without it. Finally the groove is done with Stylus RMX.

John : Would you tell us about your introduction to music starting from your earliest introduction up to present day?

Bryan El : The earliest I can remember is my mother playing these cassettes with very melodic new age/electronic music when I went to bed as a child. I remember it relaxed me so much and some of those tunes are burned in my memory for life because they had such a deep impact on me. I believe some of those tunes were by Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Karunesh and Aeoliah.
It’s no surprise that when I got a little keyboard for my 10th birthday I couldn’t stop playing with it. Then came the Playstation era. Apart from the many cool games it had there was this awesome music program for it called “Music”. It opened my eyes to all possible things that could be done composing music. It was a basic sequencer which allowed you to freely place your own notes and adapt everything to the smallest detail.

Of course when I listen back to some of the tunes I made on it, I find the sound is quite poor compared to professional sound studio’s but it was a great start for me. When I was about 16 I got hooked on this cool midi sequencer called “Fruityloops” and made some dance tunes with it which I played at my friends parties. The Fruityloops was a next generation for me and much more sophisticated, far better sounds and effects. I was mostly inspired by dance-trance artists like Tiësto, Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren at the time and I learned a great deal by listening to their sounds, but it wasn’t until I got my Motif 6 synthesizer along with Cubase SX that I started to do some serious composing. I was 20 years old and could finally do what I always dreamed of and make it sound exactly the way I wanted it to. It was only a matter of time I discovered the internet would become a great tool of sharing my music with the world and I was surprised by the amount of positive feedback. I never taught I’d ever get the chance to release my own CD…. let alone two of them :p

It’s a dream come true thanks to AMAdea. The thing people never seem to understand is that I never actually attended any music school or learned how to read notes. When I have a melody in my mind I just systematically search and set each separate note in my sequencer instead of playing it live. It’s quite a time consuming process but patience is always on my side. I think this proves that anybody can make music if you are determined enough to express your emotions. I’ve never believed anybody should learn a specific set of guidelines and rules when it comes to music, I am autodidact and teach myself by learning from the music world around me.

John : Since you are one of the many great AMAdea Records Label artists, have you compiled any projects with other AMAdea Records label artists?

Bryan El : Indeed there are many great artists distributed by AMAdea but I haven’t had the pleasure to work with any of them yet. Who knows what the future brings, but for now I’m concentrating on a third solo album.

John : Many of your fans have said the song Solaris is among their favorites out of the many great songs you have produced. Is Solaris your favorite also and what do you believe is the reason this song is so popular among your fans?

Bryan El : Each composer has his own favorite baby and this one’s mine. Solaris is selected for airplay on several internet radio stations around the world. I’ve also produced a trance remix of it which has become quite popular on YouTube. The exposure may have caused the tune to become such a hit among my fans.

””When I have a melody in my mind I just systematically search and set each separate note in my sequencer instead of playing it live. It’s quite a time consuming process but patience is always on my side.  Bryan El

John : Your YouTube music videos are some of the best songs combined with visual effects I have seen, and many would agree with me that they are well conceived. Is constructing a song video and getting everything to correspond exactly the way you want it complicated technically?

Bryan El : The most complicated thing is to come up with an idea for the video. Once you have that it’s not that hard to assemble the video itself. I’m a music composer and not a movie designer so I had to come up with the solution of using existing footage to present my own music with. I have hundreds of DVD’s and have enough footage about anything you can think of so then I just listen to my song while I imagine what the emotion is showing me. Then I search for fitting footage to the music.

For example…. on my Solaris remix I used small parts of footage from a Tiësto concert dvd and pasted the parts together, muted the original sound, placed my own remix on top and adjusted the footage speed to match my own remix. Eventually it looks as if DJ Tiësto is playing my remix on one of his concerts. All you need is a good video editing program like PowerDirector and you can start editing. Of course none of my video’s are for sale as the images come from existing copyrighted material, but because the amount of footage used is so small it can legally be used under the term “fair use” on YouTube.

John : Could you tell us what do you have going at present, where you are at in composing, and what can we expect to hear from you in the future?

Bryan El : I am planning a third album as you know and many ideas have been roughly recorded. Be patient though…. It will take me at least a few years to get this new album ready. I can’t tell everyone much about it yet but all I can say to the fans is… it will be worth the wait!

John : I am certain it will be highly anticipated, and many like myself look forward to your next release. I just wanted to thank you again Bryan. Expect me to write even more about you in the future here at our NewAgeMusicWorld.Com & NewAgeMusic.nu websites. Your music along with the song videos you produce display your talents in a profound way. B.T. Fasmer and I wish you continued success!

Bryan El : Thank you John & B.T. Fasmer! You guys are great and it’s an honor to be on your websites. I also want to thank my fans for their support (it pays for my studio :D) and thanks to AMAdea for distributing and promoting my music and for really caring about their artists!

You may visit Bryan’s new website at bryanel.com right here and visit his CDBaby.com page. Learn more at his profile page and then discover the many fine AMAdea label artists at the Bulgarian based AMAdeaRecords.com homepage. The bryanel.com website is also a great place to sample his music and read the latest news about Bryan El.

*AMAdea Records has just announced the grand opening of their independent music store outlet. You may read about the news here then visit their new amadeastore.com website to read about the specials and vast selection of popular music encompassing every genre they are now offering their worldwide visitors. Interview photos are courtesy bryanel.com.

Bryan El is the artist title known for producing great Symphonic New Age music in a highly effective format that makes a grand impression while shedding new light on every one of his modern day electronic interpretations.

Bryan El is also recognized by his prized videos highlighting his unique brand of electronic music which began with his Out of This World release.  When combined with visual effects, these creations become a truly memorable experience that tells much about his multiple talents.

Spiritual Evolution is his current album with a compilation video that begins a stunning new interpretation of his classic symphonies.

Here is my impression of this album in a recent review quote, and we invite you to view the compilation video from his current album Spiritual Evolution shown below.

Visit bryanel.com to sample / purchase his music or at his CDBaby.com page, then read his profile page at the AMAdea Records label.  Our pages dedicated to Bryan El display music videos and 2 album reviews for his releases Out of this World  &  Spiritual Evolution.

Spiritual Evolution marks the second Bryan El album, where some stereotypical guidelines in music are crossed, and synthesizer boundaries seen in many modern electronic influences begin a new interpretation. To me, Bryan boldly speaks this universal language loud and clear, marked by his spirited crusade of premium brand electronics in a fascinating second symphonic proclamation.

In a dream of fascination, one man’s New Age Symphony moved light years ahead in time by his first release on the AMAdea Records label based in Bulgaria. This visionary dream now advances into a deeper realm by his second release to become a world class symphonic revolution.

Bryan El is the artist title with a minds eye resemblance when confronting electronic music and where his first album Out Of This World began to witness a calculating number of people to his quickly multiplying fan base. Those familiar with the classic symphonies of Bryan El would be compelled to look you straight in the eye then admit his music carries a modern day or futuristic atmosphere, and some might even say his visionary projects are somewhat revolutionary.

Northwest Europe is the geographical homeland where Bryan was educated and currently lives, arriving at his stair stepping music ambitions after having studied Graphical Arts at Belgium’s Holy Technical Institute, along with a professional career and creative interests in website design.

Spiritual Evolution closely examines the challenging theories that make synthesized music a great formula and what can be interpreted from the use of electronic components. Integrating Contemporary New Age, Electronic, Groove, and Chill Out, touch every precise beat becomes relative motion in this modern day configuration.

Spiritual Evolution marks the second Bryan El album, where some stereotypical guidelines in music are crossed, and synthesizer boundaries seen in many modern electronic influences begin a new interpretation. To me, Bryan boldly speaks this universal language loud and clear, marked by his spirited crusade of premium brand electronics in a fascinating second symphonic proclamation.

Ascension makes your first trek into the deep symphonic creations of 13 song origins known front and center by an escalating song of beauty. During keyboards methodical exhibit of eerie ambience, glowing strides measured out by cellos back and forth inclinations, sway in time behind strong percussion rhythms in an effective blend of unifying ambience.

Dreamscape literally rises above like a hand waving crowd given the pronounced upper tempo showing the lofty abstract of this logistical dream escape. While rising to a high plateau on synthesizer, the keyboard staccato notes nicely contribute to equal groove timing, and deeper bass percussion entertains a pronounced beat while progressing into a conjoined helix of modernistic apparitions.

Lightly steady rhythms give Sunburst & Airwave a well blended symphony along with a modern common denominator akin to song Moonshine, with the exception of a more elevated tempo. The mid range Arcana hazily drifts towards an ethereal plane, much like the heavier percussion and choral backed piano heard in Soulbound.

Fantasia first appears to have a light linier florescence on the outer surface, yet there lays a deeply mysterious vector line etched parallel within this song. This imaginary line soon unfolds in a moderate tempo harmony with timpani, bass, and snare percussion holding steadfast in their revolving rhythms.

When keyboards enter a beautifully drawn out melody, soprano vocals strongly unite with their tenor and deep bass equivalents to incorporate powerful sketches of light contrasting mystery.

Solaris XL is an iconic song most popular with fans of Bryan El and while this upbeat revision holds a vogue mindset with a completely new matrix, the spirited melodic glow that made this selection most popular, is once again expected to acquire renewed acceptance and favor of those loyal to Bryan.

Those familiar with the name Bryan El have surely acquired this newest world class symphony for their collection. Newcomers will hopefully visualize their first opportunity to discover the candescent fascination behind Bryan’s unique brand of great symphonic music most are sure to see as revolutionary.

Visit bryanel.com website to sample / purchase or CD Baby.com page. Be sure to visit Bryan’s profile page at amadearecords.com website and the large selection of great musicians showcased at the AMAdea Records label.

Picture Copyright Bigstockphoto – sgame.

One man’s personal dream of a world symphony has become a reality by the release of his second album through the AMAdea Records label based in Bulgaria. There are around 6.7 Billion people living on our planet according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimate.

Bryan El is the New Age artist with a current release entitled Out Of This World. Taking into account the out of this world number of people on the planet, Bryan has now begun counting a large number of people to his quickly multiplying fan base.

After listening to his Out Of This World album for the first time, Bryan can count me in as a member, adding to his total tally of electronic symphony fans. I have always loved electronic music like Tangerine Dream so his release re-enforced the sound of distinction great synthesizer music produces. Those who like to indulge in the atmosphere of premium electronic projects that challenge the vast boundaries of synthesized music with classical music influences, can also be added to the register if you sample some of his carefully arranged numbers.

Bryan El began composing symphonic music with a master plan of sharing his New Age Electronic projects with the masses in a calculating manner. Speaking a universal language by translating his thoughts and feelings in total music harmony, Bryan El has a great start with his beautiful symphonic release titled Out Of This World.

Belgium is the geographical location where Bryan was educated and currently lives, beginning his number one music ambitions after having studied Graphical Arts at Belgium’s Holy Technical Institute. We are fortunate his love of music surpasses his professional career and interests in web design and it sounds like he is well on his way to gather everyone’s attention with his great compositions.

Bryan El has also composed several song videos that are available on YouTube. The wonderful theme settings with his soundtrack scores are truly special and worth taking a look for yourself. The planetary voyage video, and his song score Solaris give you an idea of what is in store for you.

The Out Of This World album is aptly titled, giving the listener an indication of the contents of Bryan’s dreamy music. The synthesizer mixing is very impressive and Bryan leads the way with a Classical and New Age touch, where Electronic, Contemporary, Ambient, and Chill Out, count every beat in unison while examining the incalculable depths of what synthesized music is all about, and what can be formulated from the use of electronic components and just one individual person.

Solaris is the symphonic score for his stunning trip around the universe video that travels past the planets at light speed and then encircle the young star cluster formation Eagle Nebula. Solaris starts the planetary trek at a nice clip and premium up beat tempo, along with a strong atmospheric ambiance that conforms perfectly with the classic space odyssey of a lifetime. While upper keyboard runs first travel beside the lower bass melody in a classic theme, the return melody advances along with a well directed synthesized orchestra, blending nicely with percussion rhythms.

Utopia reaches skyward for the ultimate in beautiful symphony music, creating a divine celestial presentation. Great choir vocals sing in total harmony while the infinite extensions of a synthesizer bend and stretch atmospheric notes far beyond their intended limitations, reaching those lofty sensation textures true connoisseurs of synthesized music know so well, can easily identify when heard, and that recognize the merits of a true art form.

Above and Beyond is also a song title in the 13 tracks on this album, but I reserve this song title to phrase my closing statement of what I expect the future holds for this great New Age artist from Belgium.  From what I have seen and heard,  Above and Beyond is what we can expect, and you can pretty much count on it.

In the short amount of time it took you to read my review of the Bryan El album Out Of This World, around 768 people were born and 324 have died, making the newly adjusted increase of total world population in just these few short minutes to around 443.

Visit Bryan’s website and sample his music at bryanel.com here  or at his CDBaby.com page.  Read his profile page at amadearecords.com here and every great musician showcased at Bulgaria based AMAdea Records.

Picture Copyright Big Stock Photo – sgame.