Flin van Hemmen

Flin van Hemmen | [email protected]

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To Our Logos (2017->2026)

My daughter Rina, who's on the floor beside me painting, is 8 years old now, soon to be 9. This music was recorded a few months prior to her worldly existence, in 2017.

In the years that followed, I spent a lot of time mixing and gradually re-imagining these recordings, taking liberties I never intended to take. Splicing, looping, adding field recordings, having plugins (effects) become their own instrument. It was a very exciting time as I was creating a sonic world that felt uncharted and full of possibility. I went all in and created far too much music (the music kept multiplying).

In 2019 'Casting Spells & The Coves' was released on Neither/Nor Records, followed by 'You Can Know Where the Bombs Fell' in 2021.

'To Our Logos' came from the same period but never saw the light of day.

Every now and again I'd be reminded of its dormant existence (thank you Eliot), and would feel a pang in the heart region. 'Don't let it die on your hard drive', said the pang. So I went ahead and mounted said hard drive, double clicked the 'To Our Logos' folder, and listened.

This time, free from the entanglement of making... the preciousness of my investment... the fear of redundancy (Had I not made my point already?)... I let myself be swayed by the music, along with the distant memory of being the one who put it all together. A strange and wonderful experience. 'Let's put it out, once and for all', said intuition, 'on Bandcamp'. 

credits

released May 31, 2026

A big thank you to Todd and Eivind who's presence, sound and intention permeates the music herein.

Todd Neufeld - acoustic guitar Eivind Opsvik - double bass FvH - piano, percussion

All Music, Master & MIx by Flin van Hemmen Cover Photo by Ben Gerstein

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New Album out now!

One evening some years ago found my dad and I sitting on a hill listening to the sounds of night.

We wondered are they cicadas, when dad offered:

.. 'Could Also Be the Nachtzwaluw' 

Thus the title of my new album was born, though that conclusion did not land until mere weeks ago, as I was

shaping this album. An album that includes the acoustic guitar, my first love, and the piano, even some drums.

A full circle of my life's musical exploration, nothing less, and so, may I guide your much prized attention towards this music

via link below, thus completing this cycle of cycles. For what is my music without an ear? A worthy contemplation.. (for another time)

Let me know how it sounds, I'm proud of my work, and my hope is that it can be a release valve of sorts, or what have you.

With love and respect,

Flin

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'Luxury of Mind' out now

In order to thaw matters of the heart, one must go to where it's cold.

It was the summer of 2022 and I was finally summoned there. My personal winter had come, a place at once foreign and familiar. In a flash I was made aware of all my life's dimensions- the ones less welcome, or too big to face. For once, my sense of musicianship had been halted, unsure of its return.

Early 2024 I sensed my personal winter was waning, and so I started tinkering away again, musically. The pitter patter of the rain, the orchestra rehearsing their parts simultaneously, the sounds inside the corner store where I buy my daily coffee. And how do they sound, together? What indeterminacies reveal itself, or do I pick up on?

That's my journey and a journey I wish to share with you in 'Luxury of Mind'.

Flin

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The Archives vol. 2

Here we are, meeting in the realm of these words, written in the Fall of 2023. 

Leaves are turning, hearts are broken, all at once. I like to believe music brings solace and transcends all surface differences. In music we are integrated, from the bottom up. 

This volume started out in the same way as Vol. 1- Assembling older material, plopping them on a fresh sheet of Logic and seeing which ones ring with vigor, vigor! 

This time around, I broke my promise not to tinker with the material. Three cuts are pretty much brand new. 

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Too Tall To Sing

New Album with Jozef Dumoulin! We are ‘Too Tall To Sing’ and we have some ‘New Dance Moves’ for you to discover. Enjoy! https://jozefdumoulin.bandcamp.com/album/new-dance-moves

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Too Tall To Sing (Jozef Dumoulin & myself) will release a full length album on Shhpoema (Clean Feed) this Spring! Can’t wait to share what we’ve made..

Here a video by Ben Gerstein for your enjoyment and anticipation.

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NEW ALBUM OUT NOW

You Can Know Where the Bombs Fell by Flin van Hemmen

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'Where Mushrooms Grow' from the forthcoming album ‘You Can Know Where the Bombs Fell’. This can be considered the ‘single’, and is graced by the ever emphatic Ben Gerstein, who's participation herein means a lot to me.

This is my 3rd solo record, and it’s the most conceptual one to this date. Very much a result of tinkering in my home studio, zooming in on snapshots of sound. Worlds within worlds within worlds... 

For more information on the process- an interview with Jozef Dumoulin: http://www.neithernorrecords.com/neithernorrecords/Flin_van_Hemmen_interview_2021.html

Overlooking Nijmegen, my hometown, I observed that ‘you can know where the bombs fell’, and somehow that had a ring to it. I think it helped me shape the music, to some extent. Poetic suggestion can give direction to what is to come, and helped me solidify that what is/was fleeting.

Record Release date: September 16, 2021

link to the full album: https://neithernorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/you-can-know-where-the-bombs-fell

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Forest Music - 'Snow Day' (Ali & van Hemmen)

A ‘four seasons’ album is forthcoming..!

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'Ty/Yt' - Too Tall To Sing (Dumoulin & van Hemmen)

an unforeseen event sparked this first collaboration, in as far as life is not unforeseen to begin with. former lifetimes cross paths, momentarily, filled with feeling, fleeting. 

this is us sending music back and forth until somehow it’s natural conclusion is found. there is more where this came from.

Guy Peters, gives it it’s context (in Dutch), and describes it’s flavor. https://www.enola.be/2020/12/21/too-tall-to-sing-ty-yt/

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As Miro recalled later: “As for Breton and Eluard... they ignored my existence until my painting freed itself in the direction of poetry and dreams”.

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Neither/Nor records presents Casting Spells & The Coves!

Casting Spells & The Coves by Flin van Hemmen

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Stilleven (een drieluik)

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Casting Spells & The Coves

Ladies and Gentlemen! with great excitement I present to you a first taste of, 'Casting Spells & The Coves', a double album that took three years to shape, to conceive and fathom, an unusually solitary endeavor (the chipping away!), taking me to the brink of madness and helping me get through challenging times and life changes, but ultimately bringing solace, if you will.

For the most part I kept the music to myself as I suspected it would come out as something I could not yet foresee. One constant witness however was Ben Gerstein with whom I'd share my work on a regular basis. His encouragement and our shared sensibilities became a part of the albums fabric and so it is only fitting that this amuse comes embedded in a video and concept of his making.

Two more such collaborations are to follow, shortly, after which it will be September 20th, the albums release date, presented by Neither/Nor Records (Carlo Costa!).

For obvious and less obvious reasons I thank Todd Neufeld, Eivind Opsvik & Joseph Branciforte, all leaving an indelible mark on this music.

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https://soundcloud.com/ninnymusic/tony-flin-jersey-stretch/s-aFcX5

A 17minute snippet of a musical encounter of Tony Malaby and yours truly for those who have the appetite and to whom a snippet consists of 17minutes.