Sverre Knut Johansen Releases DREAMS BEYOND

Dreams Beyond, Sverre Knut Johansen's fifth offering on the Spotted Peccary label, is a wondrous adventure through musical visions and sonic dreamscapes, inspired by the album's striking and surreal cover artwork created by Michał Karcz.

The album is almost a solo effort, with all instruments and sound design by Johansen except for a cello performance by Henrik Silfverhielm on the emotive track "Human Connection." Delving into "synth" territory in a recent conversation with music journalist Robin James, Johansen said "The dramatic bird sounds I use in 'Tatra Mountains' are a big part of this song as they create a more dramatic and intense vibe throughout the track. These two minutes I created with these sounds are important to the whole album as I also use them elsewhere to link the tracks together. The bird sounds on 'Tatra Mountains' along with different effects and synth sounds were crafted from the OSCar programmable Music Synthesizer."

The inspirational cover art is titled "The Beacon" and was created by painter-turned-photographer Michał Karcz, who has established himself as a maker of detailed sound-inspired illustrations for imaginative fantasy worlds. "Most of my work is like a journey to the places which don't exist. Places from my dreams, desire, imagination and fears." He continues, "I can tell that music has the biggest impact on my work. It's an inseparable element with pictures in my mind, a kind of sound illustration to a visible scenery. These two things hit me with the strongest intensity."

Guiding the listener on a fascinating voyage, the album's nine tracks travel through quiet spaces and mysterious realms, frequently propelled by dynamic rhythms that build to powerfully dramatic moments. Using his collection of synths, electronic percussion, electric guitars, and sound design software, Johansen infuses the tracks with a creativity that satisfies the ears and sparks the imagination, weaving melody, rhythm, and texture into a captivating musical tapestry that constantly evolves from beginning to end. Inspired and sincere, Dreams Beyond is bestowed with passion and warmth. It is a thoroughly enjoyable exploration that invites us to follow our dreams into the unknown and beyond, seeking - and discovering - a peaceful paradise of long days and beautiful landscapes, safe from danger, and hidden from the outside world.

Sverre Knut Johansen's earlier releases are PRECAMBRIAN (SPM-3004), THE VAST EXPANSE (SPM-3003), SECRET SPACE PROGRAM (SPM-3002), and EARTH FROM ABOVE (SPM-3001). The album DREAMS BEYOND was mastered by Howard Givens, and is available for physical purchase in CD format and in 24-BIT AUDIOPHILE, CD QUALITY LOSSLESS, MP3 and streaming formats. The CD version arrives in a factory-sealed 6-panel gatefold package that includes vibrant artwork, liner notes, a 4-page booklet, and exquisite package design by Daniel Pipitone.

Tracklist:

1 Tatra Mountains (Introduction) 04:40
2 Awakening 09:37
3 Skylight 08:58
4 Dreams Beyond 10:54
5 Dawn 04:01
6 Tatra Mountains 08:35
7 Causeway 09:48
8 Echoes of the Past 09:19
9 Human Connection 06:38

Sverre Knut Johansen was born in 1960 and is from Mo i Rana, a lesser-known town in the northern-central Helgeland region of Norway, just below the arctic circle. Rich content and strong melodic elements have become his musical trademark. Johansen's first electronic album was produced by Erik Wøllo in 1994 on the Norwegian label Origo Sound. In 1999, he released The Source of Energy, followed by Planets in 2012, and began distributing his music in 2013 on his own label, Origin

Music. Dreams Beyond is his fifth album with Spotted Peccary Music.

Escape from the mundane is possible with Dreams Beyond, Sverre Knut Johansen's new album, a beguiling collection of compositions infused with imagination and beauty, that was released worldwide on Spotted Peccary Music in a wide variety of formats available at https://orcd.co/dreams-beyond.