She Smiles video comes out at last!
We have finally come to the point where She Smiles is ready and set to be released on August 21st!!! The people involved were pleased and stoked, happy to say. I can give you an explanation, many in fact, as to why we didn't finish it sooner: Firstly, there was this things called Covid19 that fucked up a lot of peoples project and, well, the whole world... But there was also people having babies, work, organizing other music-stuff in between, work, recording, work... You know, life.
But after all, between the time we shot the video's material and now, a lot of things got done. The video was edited and sent to us for comments. We wanted some changes and video was re-edited. We also did some re-mastering to the song it self and recorded new bass lines with Ikke, our bassist. This version will also be on the album. After finishing this the audio was sent to the video editor, who attached it to the now-ready video. So phew! We haven't been idle. And, oh, if you've been following our social media, you might have noticed that we also took new band photos.
It was really long over due, because the former bassist left ages ago, and those pictures were no longer valid. We went to an old villa with a photographer friend and took a bunch of funny and serious band photos, to be used in covers, media-releases, socials. etc. I've been posting some of them on our instagram and facebook lately. I also wanted to make it into a project where I kind of introduce each band member and in a way declare our current line-up. Now all have been introduced except the bassist. So keep your eyes peeled for the last introduction!!
We had also booked a trip already in december, our every other year-visit to Catalunya, where we get the chance to focus on music and composing for a whole month. It's a place I've really grown attached to, and it means much to me. This time we had to wait until the very last week before the flight there departed, before we knew if we could go. Spain had already lifted quarantine regulations there, but Finland had not, so two weeks home bound would be expected when returning. But this opportunity seemed too narrow to pass by, we might not get another chance any time soon. So when the plane did fly, we took it.
The month spent in Catalunya was basically like being in quarantine: We didn't meet anyone and avoided big crowds and cities. Seeing small villages was enough, especially after the news that covid- cases had soared again in Barcelona and it's surroundings. A face mask was obligatory in public transports and later outside in general as well. Only when eating and when doing sports were you allowed to take it off. Hand sanitizer was used in stores and you weren't allowed to touch vegetables with bare hands. So the rules were quite strict but it seemed to me, that some part of the population, mostly teenagers and middle-aged men, interpreted them quite loosely. Social distancing is hard, so the masks were really a good thing.
We spent the time mostly composing and practicing. I finished a number of songs for Hateful Chains, that of course yet remain to be tried at rehearsals. I also wrote some goofy songs just for practice, don't know what I'll make of them, really. In addition, also artsy and contemporary classical music was composed and many other ideas put onto paper and brain. We're now back home, quarantined and finishing the stuff we started in the residence. She Smiles- video has gotten end credits and thus is now ready to be launched. And media releases have been written. And I'll go through my list now and send it everywhere.
We hope that we'll remain healthy, so that on August 21st we'll be able to celebrate the release of She Smiles-video with the people who participated in it's making!! From a SAFE distance, of course.
Thank you, and good health to you
Love, Hypnosis
