-
Mean Streets 4:490:00/4:49
-
Gravity 4:020:00/4:02
-
Thinking of You 2:420:00/2:42
-
AI World 4:140:00/4:14
-
Blank Page 4:080:00/4:08
-
0:00/4:13
-
The Pledge 2:500:00/2:50
-
We Feel 3:540:00/3:54
-
A Fever Dream 3:280:00/3:28
-
The Future 2:550:00/2:55
-
Not Enough 4:160:00/4:16
-
Quietly Fading 2:320:00/2:32
-
0:00/2:43
-
Rest 2:340:00/2:34
Halcyon Phase - Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice
Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice is the second full length studio album from Halcyon Phase, produced and recorded at Bova Sound in Ottawa by Phillip Victor Bova. The songs address the state of the world, human relationships, actions and inaction, at a particularly perilous moment in our history. These are love songs, break-up songs; treatises and melodies that speak to social injustice/inequities, climate change, Artificial Intelligence (AI), struggles with mental illness and addiction. A thread lamenting the rapid passage of time and aging runs through it.
The new album also explores the role of the artist in society across mediums of artistic expression; the value and importance of pursuing art at all costs. Halcyon Phase leaders Frank Smith (words and music), Phillip Victor Bova (music) have crafted a compelling collection of powerful, melodic songs that are framed in genres including folk, indie rock and progressive rock, with distinct flavours of jazz. Session musicians and singers joined Phil and Frank in the studio to lend their incredible talents to complete Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice.
Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice features: Frank Smith (lead vocals); Phillip Victor Bova: (electric bass, keyboards, electric guitars, six and 12 string acoustic guitars; recording engineer and producer); Gord Finley (drums); John Fraser Findlay (lead electric guitars, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, keyboards, piano, harmony vocals); Kellylee Evans (additional and harmony vocals); Shannon Ross (harmony vocals); Tara Holloway ( harmony vocals); Jeremy Abboud (harmony vocals); Michael Belanger (harmony vocals). Janet Kirby provided project management from start to finish and delicious food and coffee in the studio.
The compact disc version of the album and the cover image that will be used online features an original oil painting by Alan Marsden and design by Grace Smith.
Halcyon Phase is a collaboration between veteran singer-songwriter Frank Smith (Sills & Smith) and legendary producer/recording engineer and multi-instrumentalist Phillip Victor Bova (Bova Sound). Frank and Phil have worked together on Halcyon Phase and Sills & Smith projects.
Halcyon Phase - Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice
1. Mean Streets
2. Gravity
3. Thinking of You
4. AI World
5. Blank Page
6. Our Love Was In Danger
7. The Pledge
8. We Feel
9. A Fever Dream
10. The Future
11. Not Enough
12. Quietly Fading
13. The Room Spins Around
14. Rest
Prog Sphere Launches Progotronics 47!
Today marks the release of Progotronics 47, the latest volume in Prog Sphere’s long-running compilation series. Available now as a free download on Bandcamp, this edition features 40 tracks showcasing a range of talent from the progressive rock and metal world. With contributions from bands across the globe, this collection reflects our commitment to supporting both emerging artists and seasoned musicians within the progressive scene.
A Wide-Ranging Tracklist
This volume opens with The Osiris Current‘s gripping “The Plan” and closes with An Oliver SC Project‘s experimental “Colossus.” Standout moments include The Dreamer‘s multi-part composition “Altum Somnum,” the industrial energy of Robots in Love‘s “The Sequel,” and Omnerod‘s sprawling epic “Panspermia.” Other highlights range from Electric Mud‘s brooding “The Fear Within” to Velvetic‘s richly textured “Dionysian,” offering something for every corner of the progressive spectrum.
Progotronics 47 – A Global Collaboration
The compilation brings together artists from around the world, celebrating the international nature of the progressive music community. From Brazil’s Velvetic to Japan’s Taro Sakamoto to Finland’s Maailmanpuu, Progotronics 47 bridges geographic and stylistic divides, putting together a collection that offers unique perspectives on the genre.
Building on Success
Our previous volume, Progotronics XLVI, garnered over 13,000 track plays and more than 5,000 unique listeners in its first two weeks. With a carefully curated lineup and strong support from the community, Progotronics 47 aims to reach even more listeners and introduce fresh voices to fans around the world.
Download and Explore
Head over to Prog Sphere’s Bandcamp page today to download Progotronics 47 and dive into 40 tracks showcasing the creativity of underground and emerging progressive rock and metal artists. Whether you’re new to the genre or a dedicated fan, this compilation is your gateway to discovering fresh and inspiring talent.
Tracklisting:
1. THE OSIRIS CURRENT – The Plan 06:38
2. VELVETIC – Dionysian 06:12
3. THE MC2 PROJECT – Rising 03:39
4. THE WRING – Blur 04:17
5. HALCYON PHASE – Mean Streets 04:49
6. IXION – The Advent 05:49
7. FUGIT – Psilocybin 06:07
8. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS – prichitat | stabat filius 05:22
9. ACID HAGS – Kaoss & Concord 05:55
10. ADVENT HORIZON – Water 05:02
11. FRAKTIONS – Hummus 04:47
12. OMNEROD – Panspermia 16:08
13. PLEXIMENTS – Hidden Instigators 05:08
14. WEREART MUSIC – Timeworn 04:40
15. PASSAGE – Mirroirs 14:48
16. APPLEGARDEN – Cultural Oligopoly 04:23
17. NEST – The Fog 04:21
18. CALLAS – Sunlight 04:34
19. LAISVE – Kennedy via Telstar 06:05
20. VIOLET – Daddy Sea 07:05
21. INMANIS – Unravelling 05:05
22. VISIONS OF MORPHEUS – Lost Within 07:07
23. ARAN PROG PROJECT – Everything Ends 09:28
24. NEBULAEN – Corvid 06:06
25. SHADOW THOUGHTS – Feeding Emptiness 08:04
26. MOTHER NOUVEAU – While You Were Sleeping 04:18
27. ROBOTS IN LOVE – The Sequel 05:51
28. PENGETETT MYLORD – Szomiszami 04:08
29. THE DREAMER – Altum Somnum (i. Sweet Unconsciousness, ii. The Deepening Soul, iii. Nightmares, iv. The Realization) 17:26
30. RITUAL OF ASCENSION – Evolution Procured 06:59
31. EXCHANGER – Aliens 07:49
32. A LIGHT WITHIN – Identity 04:46
33. MAAILMANPUU – Kaimalkuu (Moon of February) 09:36
34. EDISON SUIT – Breakers on the Beach of Skulls 04:38
35. EVER ELSE ENDS – This Road Heads Home 14:59
36. THE LIGHT IN THE OCEAN – Things Inside 05:32
37. TARO SAKAMOTO – Archon 12:17
38. ELECTRIC MUD – The Fear Within 07:20
39. SOUNDSCAPE – Insatiable 04:05
40. AN OLIVER SC PROJECT – Colossus 04:04
The Light Between: Songs of Hope and Mercy Compilation
“Halcyon Phase: Time Watch on YouTube - Preview and purchase at Bandcamp - Link here "Ottawa's Halcyon Phase has a surreal animated video out to accompany "Time," A moody folk-rocker from the baroque indie duo's 2021 debut LP Tendrils. The piece again pairs the group with Okanagan filmmaker Jesse Stasiuk, who previously treated their "Emergency" single to an acclaimed visual treatment. The director commented: "My inspiration was a clockwork world, full of wonders and kept separate from threat, but always on the verge of disaster at its borders. The two lovers find solace in quiet moments and in each other amidst a chaotic storm of perceived and real threats." Halcyon Phase pairs Ottawa singer-songwriter Frank Smith (Sills & Smith) with veteran recording engineer and multi-instrumentalist Phillip Victor Bova (plus a host of session musicians). Their 13 track Tendrils debuted in March of 2021.” - Adam White
2022 Prism Prize Eligible Video: Halcyon Phase - Emergency
Nov 14, 2021 (FYI Music News)
The 2021 Prism Prize for Best Canadian Music Video was recently awarded to Theo Kapodistrias, for his clip for Haviah Mighty’s Thirteen. We will continue to profile noteworthy Canadian videos that are eligible for the 2022 prize, including this one from an Ottawa duo with a notable pedigree.
Halcyon Phase - Emergency
Halycon Phase is the collaboration of Frank Smith (Sills & Smith) and Phillip Victor Bova (Bova Sound). Based in Ottawa, the group recorded and produced their album Tendrils during the Covid-19 pandemic which focuses on the repercussions of human crisis. Although written prior to the Covid era, the songs resonate even more with listeners considering the state of our world right now.
Directed by Jesse Stasiuk, the visuals for Emergency showcase an animated telling of a town in crisis and the consequences of such. With a dark colour landscape and eerie displays of schools, homes, and families, the video captures an almost dystopian-looking town.
Stasiuk commented on his intentions for the video, stating “I created an Orwellian nightmare society which seems perfect for the lyrics and tone of this Halcyon Phase song and speaks to a decided tilt to the ultra-right in our real-world politics. Faced with an ecological crisis, the proposed solution of the society is driven by short-term greed; a chemical solvent to purify the contaminated water. Of course, the process to create the solvent is generating more pollution than the product can hope to contend with.” Some may consider this to be a parallel to the world that we are currently living in.
Produced & Recorded by Phillip Victor Bova
Animated by Jesse Stasiuk
Directed by Jesse Stasiuk
(Each year, the Prism Prize jury reviews more than 300 eligible Canadian music videos and votes to determine the Top 20 long list and the Top 10 shortlist. Following a second jury vote of the Top 10 shortlist, the Grand Prize winner is selected and awarded $20,000, while all other creative teams on the Top 10 shortlist will receive $1,000 courtesy of Patron partner Slaight Music. All videos from the 2021 Prism Prize Top 20 are eligible for the Audience Award.)
Halcyon Phase encourages listeners to confront the gloominess of the world with their new song, "Emergency"
by Breanne Doyle on June 1st, 2021 at 9:49 AM
Halcyon Phase encourages listeners to confront the gloominess of the world with their new song, "Emergency" | Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly
As puffy dark smoke gurgles out of factory flues and black tar falls from the sky, a family of four is settled inside their house, in front of their television, flipping through channels and watching the world expire from the safety of their living room couch.
This is the scene that opens "Emergency", the first-ever music video from Halcyon Phase, a new rock duo from Ottawa. "Emergency" is the kick-off track on its debut record, Tendrils. As with "Emergency" and its accompanying video, the full-length album takes us into a dark and brooding (at some points post-apocalyptic) world.
While climate change, political corruption, and corporate greed aren’t new topics for musicians to draw inspiration from, sometimes the message can get lost.
Halcyon Phase’s "Emergency", though, proves to be effective in delivering its message with its hauntingly memorable music video.
The video for "Emergency" was created by B.C. illustrator and animator Jesse Stasiuk. He says in a press release that he drew inspiration from various dystopian authors and directors including George Orwell, Terry Gilliam, Allan Moore, and John Carpenter.
Stasiuk says: “I created an Orwellian nightmare society which seems perfect for the lyrics and tone of this Halcyon Phase song and speaks to a decided tilt to the ultra-right in our real-world politics. Faced with an ecological crisis, the proposed solution of the society is driven by short term greed; a chemical solvent to purify the contaminated water. Of course, the process to create the solvent is generating more pollution than the product can hope to contend with."
Frank Smith, lead vocalist of Halcyon Phase, adds while these songs were written before the COVID-19 pandemic, the lyrics “carry more weight as we listen to the finished album in context”.
Listening to the album now feels oddly symbolic of the year we’ve just witnessed. We’ve watched alt-right extremists threaten peace across North America and climate change and life-saving medicine be doubted and refused across nations.
As we sit in front of our own TVs, a lot like the family in the video, we’re forced to reflect on the year behind us and wonder what we can do to make the future a bit better.
If we don’t do this, like the song says, “It’ll only get worse.”
Tendrils by Halcyon Phase is available now on Bandcamp, Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.