Creating the video was quite an interesting ride. This was my first proper attempt to produce a music video so there were a lot of new things to grasp. The budget also consisted mostly of time instead of money, but what better motivation to stretch your creative muscles than a shoe-string budget : )

Camera of choice

My weapon of choice for shooting the live footage was Canon Legria HF S20. I decided to be brand loyal to Canon, as I’ve always been impressed with their lens quality. The camera proved to be a good choice, working its magic best outdoors, as mostly is the norm with consumer class camcorders. It also managed pretty decently with the blue screen shots that I took inside, considering that I only used basic indoor lights (a chandelier plus a directional floor lamp).

Professional gear is everything

For the super-professional blue screen filming I used a basic blue bed sheet (ironed,) while a tripod on top of a wheeled office chair worked as a dolly. The dolly-chair needed some heavy taping to keep its axis steady and the wheels going  towards the desired direction (see image above).

Invading the concrete spaceship for some angle

The absence of  a jib (the camera crane thingy) resulted in a limited range of shooting angles, but luckily I live near a water tower/restaurant which offered a nice point of view for the final scene of the video.

Just imagine it without the pillars...

My steepest learning  curve was with the visual effects, as until this project I was basically an After Effects newbie. You always learn by doing, but creating even reasonably decent visuals you really have to know your way around your VFX software. I took an AE crash course using Andrew Kramer’s brilliant AE website videocopilot.net, which I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wanting to dive into the wonders of visual effects.

Before and After Effects

There were also some scenes that had to be cut off from the final version for the sake of smooth storytelling.  Here’s a short clip of some unpolished space scene material that didn’t fit in the final cut.

Hope you enjoyed this little behind-the-scenes glance : ) Feel free to post any comments here or on the video pages in
Youtube (HD)
Facebook (HD)

A new review for our debut album literally made me blush. We’ve gotten some really amazing feedback before, but this review is definitely one of the most disarming. Metatonic is a really personal and special album for me, so when the music connects with people, it always feels really amazing; almost like connecting with someone on a soul-level. With that, I proudly present you the Metatonic review by Matthew Forss.

Finland’s Ali Kesanto is the brainchild behind Metatonic, the debut record from Vast Days. The electronic soundscapes of Metatonic are headed by Ali’s fine grasp of what electronic trip-hop music should be. It is one-hundred-percent unadulterated song textures with an instrumental backbone from a digital age. Ali’s understanding of electronic and video game music as well as film soundtracks allows a greater dimension of musical creativity and inspiration. Ali is joined by Washington, D.C.-based vocalist, Yoko K., and Australia’s Kathleen Procter-Moore on mezzo-soprano vocals.

The opening track, “Return Physical”, begins with deep electronic tones from a kantele, an ancient Scandinavian zither. The plucked kantele sounds give way to the trip-hop beat with Ali’s breathy vocals and a submarine sonar sound mixing in from time to time. The music is well-structured and progresses without monotony by incorporating brooding electronic washes with the tinny kantele. “Elsewhere” bubbles with a gloomy beat and then enters a new dimension with the addition of Kathleen’s mezzo-soprano voice.

“Nian” is a shorter track at two-and-a-half-minutes, and is probably named after a beast from Chinese mythology that is sensitive to light and noise. Fittingly, the music is relatively reserved and uses a combination of electronic washes and swishes with piano interludes. “Poures” opens with an ambient soundscape that fades quickly into piano accompaniment and Ali’s breathy vocals, posing similarities with several songs on Hooverphonic’s Blue Wonder Power Milk. “Flyer” has an arrangement that provides an Enigma-like ambiance and accentuates the vocals superbly.

The back half of “Predicament” features a breath-taking piece of symphonic excellence and is wrought with electronic brilliance all-around. The piano introduction of “Structures” picks up the pace with a melodic and spacey beat that is nothing short of absolute intelligence. Ali’s carefully executed vocals and sparkling electronic additives resembling particles of falling glass easily set “Structures” apart as the best track on Metatonic. The final track, “The New Now”, begins as a dramatic instrumental interlude and develops with a film score feel.

Ali Kesanto’s Metatonic encapsulates the essence of a classic trip-hop recording and sets an example for others in the genre. A harmonious album such as this is rare, using the right proportions of voice, instrument, and tone. The running length of forty-two minutes should not be a deterrent for any fan craving must-have trip-hop music. Metatonic is one of the best trip-hop albums of the decade!

Review by Matthew Forss

Buy Metatonic from:
iTunes
Bandcamp
CdBaby

BEYONDSPHERE

“Beyondsphere is the third album from the electronica collective Vast Days. Ali Kesanto (producer) has given life to a nine-piece album that works as a soundtrack for a sci-fi story, introducing us to a distinctive downtempo style combined with magical Gothic type vocals. For this latest Vast Days album Ali has found three amazing vocalists (Elika Mahony, Kesang Marstrand and Leeni Wegelius) who give meaning and emotion to each of the tracks. The songs work as melodic chapters that recount the adventures of a character travelling in a fantasy world.

“Seian” is the piece that opens the album. The intense and mysterious music gives way to the bewitching voice of Elika Mahony who seduces with her words “Come down to me… I surround you with a veil of my star felt” that are spoken to the main character in the story. A perfect soundtrack and a powerful song that introduces the listener into the action of the story.

“Diamond debris” is quieter, alleviating the ecstasy of the previous track. In this case, the voice that sings and tells the story (Kesang Marstrand) is sweet and affectionate. The piece is a beautiful soliloquy, a cry full of unanswered questions. A soft drum attached to the synth pad and synth lead give life to a piece that creates a melancholic atmosphere. One of my favourites!

“Talk to me Emptiness” is a beautiful and elegiac piece. The heartbreaking voice of Elika Mahony returns to give meaning to the story, but this time with a sad tone. Wounded phrases like “I know I’m just a hologram, but now it burns, it hurts so bad” demand attention to the inner turmoil. The amazing and powerful voice of Elika offers unparalleled feeling to the piece. Wow!

“Thin air” is simply relaxing. A harp played by Leeni Wegelius and the tender voice of  Kesang Marstrand support Ali’s electronic sounds. The piece flows slowly and smoothly, with the repetitive and sweet sounds hypnotically inviting the listener to take a dive into the beautiful dreamworld.

In “Bliss” we are invited back into the action. Although the melody sung by Elika follows a slow course, the percussion “breaks” and the worrying sounds that move between left and right keep the listener on her toes.

“Fractions” begins with a beautiful electronic sound that is maintained from beginning to end. This is added with a wonderful set of strings, which together with a percussion are the perfect base to carry Elika’s voice. After a while, the percussion disappears, leaving a pleasant sense of tranquility that is enhanced by the mesmerizing voice of Elika singing delicate phrases.

The most peaceful and relaxing part of this work is titled “Innocence“. The zither of Leeni Wegelius opens the theme with a very beautiful sound. Leaving aside for a moment the strong electronic sounds of synthesizers and percussions, Ali only relies on his own voice combined with the singing of Leeni and the sweetest background pads that give life to one of the most beautiful pieces of this work. This song is no doubt my one my absolute favourites, just perfect for relaxation or meditation. A Lovely piece!

“Shadow Dance” is simple and sweet both in lyrics and in the melody, with a synth lead and strings that accompany Kesang Marstrand’s vocals. Again, Ali moves away from the sounds of electronic percussions and bets successfully in a peaceful melody that appeals to us with its peace and tranquility. A perfect piece to close your eyes and relax!

The theme that closes the album is a lengthy (almost six minutes), skilfully crafted song “Revive“. It is the instrumental track of the album, and in this case, Ali only makes use of synths and electronics. A piece that would be perfect as a soundtrack for the end of a movie, as it has a nice rhythmic touch without being too aggressive. A perfect song to finish the work!

Beyondsphere was born as a soundtrack for the sci-fi story that Ali has created and which we can read on the album website (http://beyondsphere.com), but it also works perfectly as a background for a movie or a video game where different kinds of compelling events are taking place continuously. Ali has produced an album that creates a perfect atmosphere, each track of the album drawing infinite astral images into the mind of the listener. Recommended!”

Score: 4/5

Buy Beyondsphere from:
Bandcamp (incl. sci-fi story and exclusive remix tracks)
iTunes
CdBaby
Equal Dreams

To boost up the holiday spirit, we’re offering you a chance to send your friend a music gift. All you need to do is give us your friend’s details and we’ll send him/her a code that allows for a free album download.

We’re giving away a total of 100 download cards which each has a unique code that can be used only once. You can use this offer until 20.12.2009 (or until we run out of codes).

Here’s what to do:

Send an email to ali.kesanto@vastdays.com with the following info:

• subject: “VAST DAYS Christmas”
• your friend’s name and email address (up to five friends)
• which of our album you want to give him/her (Metatonic or Mithridatism)
• who is the gift from + any additional holiday greetings

That’s it! We’ll send you friend a Christmas e-card with the unique download code and you’ll gain some decent Santa points

Happy holiday season!

P.S. To figure out which of our albums to gift wrap, visit our album page.

As the winter creeps in, it quickly becomes quite obvious why there is less people inhabiting these latitudes. The dark season is long, and lately also wet instead of snowy.

So, in the spirit of the season, I thought I’d share with you my own edition of “Surviving the Finnish winter”. Feel free to add your own survival tricks to the list!

1. Spoil Yourself
   Coffee, chocolate, dining at my favorite restaurant. This is not the season for me to go rationing on treats.




2. Humor
   If something really gets on your nerves or depresses you, joke about it. Humor is such a wonderful (and cheap) drug and this is the ultimate time to sharpen your sarcasm skills.




3. Do what you Love
   I love composing, so its’ no surprise I spent the dark days in the studio. No matter if it’s your job or hobby, doing what you love is a guaranteed mood-booster.




4. Get out!
   Most days the weather is far from inviting, but when it’s borderline reasonable, I head for a walk on the lakeside. Nothing vitalizes and stimulates your brain like muscle movement combined with fresh air.




5. Stare at the sun
   In the rare occasion when you happen to witness a strange light phenomenon in the sky, garb the opportunity. Your brain needs sunlight, so stare (not directly) towards the gleaming object in the sky and let the light sink in. If I’m inside, I sneak for the nearest window like a moth in slow motion.




6. Inspire your brain
   For me it’s quality movies, art galleries and sci-fi books. Whatever inspires your mind, go for it.




7. Eat fruits
   This time of year you simply can’t get too much vitamins, so fresh organic fruits are your best companions. I try to enjoy my companions daily.




8. Sleep it through
   Society wants you to be productive. Well, I’m most productive when I’m not tired, so I try to get all the sleep my body wants. For me a good night’s sleep combined with a 10 minute nap in the afternoon works like magic.




9. Give Love
   A compliment to a stranger, a smile to the cashier, a gift to your loved one. Giving is receiving and good mood is contagious. And yes, we should really do these all-year-round.




10. It’s ok
    No matter what kind of tricks I have up my sleeve, there are days when I just feel exhausted, tired and unmotivated. But that’s ok, it’s winter time. And it’s life. It’s all part of this experience and it’ll pass, so let it happen and enjoy the seasonal ride!

So, let me introduce you to the beautiful faces behind the beautiful voices: Elika Mahony and Kesang Marstrand. Here are some of their thoughts about the creative process with the upcoming new songs. (You can find more info about Elika and Kesang by clicking the links to their sites!)

Elika Mahony Homepage & Blog Facebook Page Myspace

Kesang Marstrand Homepage Facebook Page Myspace

He told me that he had been just a regular guy with too much work and chores and a constant hurry to “get things done”. He never had the time to think anything except what to do next and how to do it as quickly as possible. Then he retired.

When he got out of the rat race he finally had the time to simply be and to think. He started to make observations about the world and question why everything was as it is. This, he said, was a profound change in his life that ultimately made him realize how crazy the world is. His main concern was how our way of life was responsible for draining the Earth’s resources and widening the gap between rich and poor, and why everyone just played along with the game. He made the conclusion relying on his own experience that people are too busy to think, they just passively react to things. This in turn makes it impossible to have insight on what is really going on in the world and how to create a meaningful and fulfilling life that is not dependent on constant consumption.

I was taken aback from the honesty of this man, who a few minutes ago had been a total stranger to me. His cell phone beeped to signal that his car was ready, so we quickly shared smiles and wished each other farewell.

I was left with a deep gratitude for this meeting. It made me think of the possibility that lies with early retirement and the seeming crisis of losing a job. It can be the first time for someone to really have the luxury of having the time to think. What if we all had time to think what it is exactly that we are doing and how it contributes to our own and the planet’s wellbeing. What if our schools emphasized the ability to stop and think instead of keeping students busy memorizing details. Would we still do the things we do.

Another great online radio station called Radio Mystic is playing our song “Predicament” in their upcoming X3 podcast in Saturday, Sep 26. Take a listen, their ambient/electronica podcasts are top notch!

The video is also a main theme video for a campaign called ‘The Future of Green & Culture’ and it will be shown as an opener in a Korean Traditional fashion show. The show will be presented also in Washington D.C. in early October with one of the guests being The First Lady. The show is also broadcasted to 155 countries by CNN.

I hope you enjoy the video!