Arik's Journey - The full 49-minute (unedited) CD Album in standard Jewel case with 4 page artwork/information insert
Includes unlimited streaming of Arik's Journey
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 2 days
£9.99GBPor more
Streaming + Download
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Please note - the physical CD version is a single 49-minute piece.
To comply with Bandcamp's file upload size limits, the Download version is edited into 3 individual parts
The majority of this album was composed between 1977 and 1980.
I was about 17 when I wrote what would become the opening guitar theme of Arik's Journey.
Inspired by bands such as Genesis, Yes and especially Mike Oldfield's albums 'Tubular Bells' and 'Ommadawn', I set about writing my own instrumental 'concept' album.
Initially, I could only record my ideas on a basic cassette deck but by 1980, I had access to a 'Sound on Sound' Tape Recorder, which allowed me to overdub several parts and develop my ideas further.
At the time, I had recently read the book 'Stormbringer' by Michael Moorcock, which inspired me to write a story to accompany the music.
The title for the music and the story then became "Arik's Journey
In 1983, I received an Arts Grant which enabled me to book 3 days in a small 8 Track Recording Studio, where I was finally able to record my ideas in multi-track form.
For several years thereafter, other music projects took precedence and Arik's Journey remained nothing more than a studio demo and a hand written short story.
In 1996, my own home studio had grown to 16 Track capacity and - following the split of a rock band I had formed some years earlier - I decided to revisit Arik's Journey.
After several months, I had completed a new demo of the album - extended, more cohesive and much improved from the 1983 demo, but Arik's Journey was pushed aside once more as, again, other music projects took precedence.
In the years which followed, I often listened to the 1996 demo and thought of ways to expand and improve it - always with the intention of one day recording a finished definitive version.
In March 2020, the World changed and I, like millions of other people, found myself confined to home for several months due to the Covid 19 Pandemic.
I decided to use this time to begin work on a final version of Arik's Journey - over 40 years since my initial ideas were captured on that tiny cassette deck.
The first line of the story I wrote back in 1980 was "Arik awoke in a strange land..." - For me, the music has always told a story.
I know what is happening during each section of the music - in my story.
I hope you will enjoy listening to the music and maybe make up a story all of your own.
Ian Hill
June 2021
credits
released September 5, 2021
Composed, Arranged, Performed and Produced by Ian Hill.
Additional Vocal Phrases by Alison Hill
supported by 10 fans who also own “Arik's Journey”
A very pleasant album. Like other comments said, if you like the first Camel album (Moonmadness for exemple), you have to listen at this one. calm, relaxing are the first words that come to me
You can listen from the start to the end: it’s like a journey…. in the space! yodablanc
The Long Island metal band's third album etches arena-sized hooks into their jagged compositions, deftly balancing experimental and poppy inclinations. Bandcamp Album of the Day May 12, 2022
Anyone homesick for the classic sound of ’90s math rock will fall in love with the jagged guitars & tricky tempos on “LLC.” Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 6, 2023
supported by 10 fans who also own “Arik's Journey”
They played a wonderful set at Summer’s End in October 2018 which was based around this album . For me it was one of the sets of the weekend. The record is a wonderful permanent reminder of the show. Tony Honour
supported by 10 fans who also own “Arik's Journey”
Soothfully a phenomenal prog rock album—an instant classic. What motivates me to say so, is the music’s incredible expressiveness & its wonderfully cinematic song structures. Jargon is a very good fit with this band. It is quite evident that the band’s current lineup have great chemistry together & that they share a common affinity to this vein of music. I look forward to their next creation. Drifting Sun are definitely one of prog rock’s brightest lights. Thank you, DS!
9+/10. Alrihkh