#astral spirits

[jamestheenderman]

Is the astral plane stuff like- an original thing? An astrology thing? Superstition? Or something? What is it in the setting of Minecraft even? It feels like no native being would know of it anyhow.

Why introduce such a thing if Minecraft already has magic and realms in place. Maybe even afterlife if you tie it to the nether and aether. /genuine /curious

LONG TEXT AHEAD:

[[ Long story short, a friend of mine and I had the idea of making our own kind of realms. Back in 2014, Minecraft wasn't so advanced and we basically.. created some kind of religion? Not exactly that but to put it simple, we made our own version of Creation itself. We created a God and its "minions", which would be what you'd call Astral Spirits today. They would evoke the nature and its forces: Darkness, Light, Water, Ice, Magma, Fire... and so on. We gave these Astral Spirits temples where they would rest and recover their forms once a while. Afterwards, Astral Planes were created, places where people would go divided by birth. This basically meant that depending on which "tribe" you were assigned, your plane would change from one to another. Did these realms have some difference among them? It's a tricky ask... yes and no. Buuut yea...]]

TL;DR: Astral Planes and their lore were created as a need to expand the Minecraft universe and how we understood it.

[musicollage]

Wadada Leo Smith – Sun Beans of Shimmering Light. 2021 : Astral Spirits.

[burlveneer-music]

Konjur Collective - Blood In My Eye (A Soul Insurgent Guide) - from Baltimore, a synth / horn / drums free jazz double LP on Astral Spirits’ new cow: Music imprint

It is with great pleasure that we can finally announce the official release of the long-awaited release of Blood In My Eye (A Soul Insurgent Guide), the debut release of Baltimore’s own Konjur Collective. Blood In My Eye is a super special record for many reasons. One, the roots of this lp stem from the ever-expansive creative process of percussionist Bashi Rose. A long-time creator in many mediums, Bashi is probably responsible for leading many Baltimore youth into various forms of expression via mentorship, performing arts, and deep conversation. Bashi has been one of my biggest influences over the years. Two, the record is the foundation on which cow: Music sits. It was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that Bashi shared with me the record in its unmastered form. After giving it a few listens I knew that Astral Spirits would be a great place to release this masterpiece. After a few initial meetings with Nate Cross and the various members of the Collective, my dream of cow: Music was born. Though Chris Williams Quintet’s ‘Live’ was the first release, it was Blood In My Eye that made our start possible. Three, Baltimore, Maryland has always been a hotbed of musical activity. Legends such as Chick Webb, Billie Holiday, Stanley Cowell, Lafayette Gilchrist, Vattel Cherry, and Gary Bartz have all called the city home at some point in time. Blood In My Eye is not only an album that works as a dedication to political prisoner / revolutionary George Jackson but a new chapter in Baltimore’s recorded musical history. For far too long the city has quietly created while other cities have flourished. Well, that is about to change. The 2xLP suite is a rollercoaster ride of Black Empowerment and emotional expression like nothing else available today. Show Azar - Synthesizer Jamal Moore - Alto Sax, Trombone, Electronics, Percussion Bashi Rose - Drums Artwork by Ariston Jacks Layout by Dylan Marcus McConnell / Tiny Little Hammers Produced for release and liner notes by Gabriel Jermaine Vanlandingham-Dunn

[dustedmagazine]

Brent Cordero & Peter Kerlin — A Sublime Madness (Astral Spirits)

A Sublime Madness by Brent Cordero & Peter Kerlin

The partnership of Brent Cordero and Peter Kerlin precedes the pandemic, but the 2020 shutdown set the stage for them to make something lasting out of it. At any rate, it cleared their schedules. Furthermore, the tenor of the times created a milieu that the album acknowledges and responds to. 

Cordero, who has played keyboards for Psychic Ills and Mike Wexler, provides organ, piano and synthesizer. Kerlin, of Sunwatchers and the Solar Motel Band, plays upright and electric basses. They first recorded as an improvising duo on Kerlin’s album Glaring Omission, which documents his efforts to come to terms with the eight-string bass. But, with time on their hands and the state of the nation on their minds, they set about organizing their music into a cohesive statement. While improvisation still figures in their methods and sonic orientation, the album was assembled in stages, with guest players adding drums, horns, viola and synthesizer to the duo’s original recordings. In essence, the solos function to provide focus and emotional impact to music that takes note of examples that are jazz-adjacent, but not jazz-confined.

“Movement To Protect The People” opens with a churchy organ melody. It sets the stage for an intricate countermelody articulated by an upright bass, which is then overtaken by spare piano notes, which drift in time with Ryan Sawyer’s stately, swinging backbeat. With each change, I found myself waiting for a voice that never arrives — Robert Wyatt’s. The tunes, textures and vibe all sound deeply inspired by his work, and the title suggests that their hearts beat in time with that of music’s most compassionate communist. However, the title of the propulsive waltz that follows, “Decolonize This Place,” articulates a consciousness that is very tuned into the trials of the present; Kerlin and Cordero aren’t just playing out their Soft Machine dreams. And the music is equally tuned into newer information. The effects on Cordero’s organ during the first solo show an engagement with malleable, distorted sound shaped more by pedal-hopping guitarists than post-bebop keyboardists. And a rippling performance by tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis adds to Kerlin and Cordero’s virtual community. 

Over the next five tracks a steady stream of musicians, including Jessica Pavone, Ryan Jewell and Daniel Carter, add their distinguishing voices to music that sounds like it is trying to transcend the realities alluded to by titles such as “White Supremacy In Black Face” and “Affordable For Who?” You can’t change the facts on the ground by slapping stirring names on instrumental compositions. But in a time when the American political discourse has morphed into a naked donnybrook over the means by which dissenting voices will be told how to shut up, it feels as necessary to say where one stands as it does to give comfort to those who are standing up. 

Bill Meyer

[musicmakesyousmart]

Chris Williams & Patrick Shiroishi - Sans Soleil

Astral Spirits

2021

[raspberryjones]

Dustin Laurenzi’s Snakebite, “Behold” (Astral Spirits 2020) | One for Moondog, the Viking of 6th Avenue, on his birthday. In 2019, Laurenzi dropped Snaketime: The Music of Moondog, on which the Chicago tenor saxophonist led an octet through seven excellent interpretations of Louis Hardin pieces, heavy, funky and free. (It was undoubtedly one of my favorite albums of last year.) “Behold” is part of a bonus EP from the Snaketime sessions, and equally excellent in its melodic accessibility and deep abstraction.     

[stygiantarot]

Spirit Work: Energy Directives

Energy directives, in terms of spirit work, are magical “programming” devices/charms/enchantments for the purpose of attracting specific types of spirits. Sort of like dialing a specific area code for a phone number.

It’s frequently used when seeking a spirit companion or wanting to contact a specific type of spirit for socializing reasons. It goes by many names and techniques of course, depending on the spirit worker.

Here I shall outline my own methods!

~~~

You’ll want to determine how specific you want to get with the type of spirit you’re contacting. It can be as simple as “non-malicious, interested in friendship” down to “a hellhound open to companionship”.

The energy directive can take two forms:

1.) A physical charm: this can be certain crystals, herbs, objects related to those attributes you’re seeking coupled with a sigil and offering that you set out on the border of your wards to “call” to the spirits. Keep in mind that you should interview any applicants on the border of your wards before allowing them in for more detailed communication and bonding. And always have your personal wards up and a banishing method prepared just in case the spirit doesn’t agree to a request to leave.

2.) An astrally enchanted device: think like a personal ad listing in the astral that has the attributes that you’re seeking. You would either enchant a letter you write/type to be a metaphysical listing in the astral OR if you’re comfortable astral traveling, submit the letter directly there. Again, be aware of your astral wards and protections and don’t compromise your safety for the communication.

Hopefully this helps you find the ideal spirit types to work with and filter out any toxic ones! Feel free to ask any questions!

[natugardener]

HOLY SPIRIT