About this 32 Minute Sound Journey:

In the middle of the shitshow called 2020, we began to discuss a project combining Melissa's crystal bowls and gongs with Jason's synthesizers and other instruments not typically associated with sound healing. But what was gonna be the intention behind this piece?

In a flash of inspiration, we pondered the upcoming shift into the Age of Aquarius in December 2020, decided to call the collab "Aquarius" and.... BOOM! A brand new idea was born!

Aquarius is a long-form musical piece that juxtaposes familiar and unfamiliar sounds to stimulate your imagination with a deep listening journey. If you're the kinda person who avoids reading reviews before you see a movie, don't read the notes below about the six different movements in this musical work until after you've listened....

Part 1 Dawning: Opening with the familiar sound of a crystal bowl, you'll hear melodic elements with piano, synthesizer, electric guitar, and harp in an extended introduction inspired by the slowly building illumination just before the sun comes up over the horizon. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius!

Part 2 The Water Bearer: As the lights come up on our astrological stage, we are introduced to the character of Aquarius, the Water Bearer, sonically represented by a feedback-drenched psychedelic guitar solo. Then a deep synthesizer and strings accompany Melissa's Heart Chakra F-Bowl. Aquarius, an air sign, carries a vessel filled with the elixir of life which she pours out to nourish all the other signs of the Zodiac.

Part 3 Elixir: This movement was created with samples of Melissa's crystal bowl playing, then remixed digitally into a continuous flow of crystal bowl tones flavored with higher octaves. Imagine the elixir from the Water Bearer's vessel flowing over you, around you, through you, nourishing all seven chakras.

Part 4 Awaken & Expand: following Melissa's signature sound bath formula, we follow crystal bowl tones with gongs. This section features two gong vignettes featuring Jupiter and the Full Moon gongs. The first is an augmented reality version, with wondrous synth arpeggios and gong playing that builds up to a surging intensity. The second Jupiter/Moon vignette features Melissa's organic, unadorned gong playing and intended to be the deepest, most meditative leg of this sound journey. We are entering a new age of creativity, now is the time to awaken your imagination and expand your creativity.

Part 5 Stay Awake: Betcha didn't see this one coming! When Jason was experimenting with different production ideas for Aquarius, he combined a pop chord progression with Melissa's intuitive insights captured after recording the Uprising gong meditation. Then we get waaaaay out there, dropping in a beat soaked in 90's pop flavor and a 21st century synth-pop hook. Aquarian energy is inventive—don't run away from the opportunity to embrace your eccentricity and explore new ideas.

Part 6 A New Age: We end our epic sound journey with a deep sound meditation that blends the unprocessed sounds of Melissa striking Tibetan bowls and Jason layering in ethereal synth tones and electric piano. We have entered a New Age, full of possibilities, imagination, and inspiration.

Welcome to the Age of Aquarius,

Jason & Melissa

PS: you can experience more of Jason's ambient music with your membership with Centering and Vastness of Pines.

PPS: here's a "Vision Board" Spotify Playlist created when working on this project if you'd like to hear some of his audio inspirations (and of course, the bitchin song by the 5th Dimension!)