• Sebstian Boulter’s Carrousel

    Sebastian Boulter’s sublime debut album Carrousel is released and available on Mutual Recordings store!

    Carrousel is a series of six pieces composed for piano, Hammond organ, marimba, Hohner Pianet T, and cymbals. These compositions blend elements of classical, experimental, and folk music. The music departs from the traditional concept of “bread and circuses for the people,” a theme we will revisit later in this statement.The word ‘Carrousel’ originates from a tradition encountered by European crusaders in the Middle East during the 13th century, where they observed Turkish and Arab horsemen practising battle drills. These drills involved throwing clay balls filled with perfumed water at one another while on horseback. A soldier struck by a perfume ball could be identified by the scent lingering on him even a week later. The French referred to this exercise as carrousel, meaning “a little fight.” During the Middle Ages, this practice evolved in Europe into what became known as the tournament of knights.

    By the late 17th century, the device we now recognise as the carousel had been developed. Early versions featured wooden horses attached to rotating beams connected to a central pole. The carousel was turned manually by a driver or powered by an animal. It quickly became popular, particularly among children and noblewomen, who found it especially appealing.

    The modern carousel is not far removed from the Roman concept of “bread and circuses” for the masses. Contemporary forms of entertainment, such as amusement parks, elite sports, zoos, fashion shows, TV series, or even Eurovision, serve a similar purpose. These are strategies designed to distract people from confronting the realities of society, effectively functioning as a means to keep the public’s attention under control.

    In today’s consumer society, we can easily become swept up in a whirlwind of entertainment, an overload of information, and a barrage of noise and visual pollution. As individuals, we may find ourselves reduced to bystanders—detached and uninvolved in a directionless, meaningless mainstream that leads nowhere. This, in turn, prevents us from recognising the mediocrity and monotony inherent in this artificial, man-made world.

     

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  • Lovers Of All Kinds – Lovers Of All Kinds Single Released!

    We are excited to announce the release of Lovers Of All Kinds – Lovers Of All Kinds maxi single and an animated video of the opening track Lovers Of All Kinds by Christine Gensheimer. The three track single is available on our online store as well as on all the popular streaming platforms.

    You can also listen the tracks here:

    Lovers Of All Kinds

    by Lovers Of All Kinds2022

    Lovers Of All Kinds(Lovers Of All Kinds)
    I Love You(Lovers Of All Kinds)
    Reprise(Lovers Of All Kinds)

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  • Sebastian Boulter: They Are Afraid Of Us

    In memory of
    Zak Kostopoulos | Zackie Oh
    1985 – 2018

    Lead vocal: Marilena Orfanou 
    Backing vocals: Apostol Terminal
    Cello: Mikko Supponen
    Guitars and bass: Sebastian Boulter
    Drums and keyboards: Teemu Takatalo

    Video: Taija Goldblatt
    Music: Sebastian Boulter
    Composed to an extract of poem by Tasos Leivaditis

    Recording and mixing: Teemu Takatalo / Mutual Sound Studios
    Mutual Recordings
    www.mutualrecordings.net

    2021

    ***

    Buy The Song: They Are Afraid Of Us

    All the sales revenue will be donated for LGBTIQ+ activism in Greece.

    ***

    The song and the video are made in memory of Zak Kostopoulos (1985-2018), also known as Zackie Oh, a LGBTIQ+ activist in Greece. Kostopoulos was killed on a street in Athens in September 2018. The trial over his death began in October 2021 with six people being charged, four of them police officers.

    The words in the song are an extract of a poem by Tassos Leivaditis. The extract was written on a wall at the place where Zak was beaten fatally. Leivaditis (1922-1988) was a poet, an essayist, screenwriter, literary critic and amongst many other works, the collaboration with Mikis Theodorakis, whom Leivaditis had first met when they were both in exile in the 1940s, continued in the field of songwriting, with the Greek composer putting many of Leivaditis’ poems to music.

    The composer of They Are Afraid of Us is an Athens based artist Sebastian Boulter (b.1974 in Finland). His work includes fine arts and music. Having a background of classical music, compositions for small chamber groups, contemporary dancing groups, theatre and cinematic music, this piece is his first piece of pop music. In the Mutual Sound Studio, where They Are Afraid of Us has been composed, recorded and mixed Boulter has his atelier for painting, drawing and sculptures.

    The visual artist behind the video of They Are Afraid of Us is Taija Goldblatt, who lives and works in Tampere, Finland. She works with video, animation and drawing. Goldblatt’s works have been seen in solo and group ehxibitions in Finland as well as in international film festivals such as Tehran International Film Festival, Melbourne International Animation Festival and FAQ – Feminist And Queer Film Festival in Bukarest.

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