01. We All Rise with the Sun
We All Rise with the Sun is about giving each other the energy to fight for a better future. It’s inspired by a protest march in Valle de Bravo which highlighted the threat to natural springs from wealthy property owners who are illegally pumping water for their homes and amenities. The protests worked and the construction works near the springs were cancelled!
Video by Juan Pablo Ortíz and Tommy Perman.
Thanks to ambientecielorojo.org.
02. Esperanza
Like countless places around the world, Valle’s complex ecosystem is threatened due to overdevelopment and exploitation of natural resources. Esperanza (hope in Spanish) expresses Morgan and Tommy’s aspiration for people to work together to solve the urgent environmental problems that we face.
Video by Juan Pablo Ortíz, editing by Tommy Perman.
Thanks to ambientecielorojo.org.
03. Lullaby for Angie
While composing the album, Angela, the mother of our very close friend Malcolm, suddenly passed away. This is an elegy for her. The melody came out during the sessions and is a simple yet touching tune, almost like a children’s song, reflecting Angela’s everlasting youthfulness, like in the children’s books she made.
Artwork by Angie Lewin, animation by Tommy Perman.
04. Dance of the Fireflies
Morgan: During our rainy season, thousands of fireflies light up the ranch every night at twilight. This amazing spectacle occurs when atmospheric pressure or humidity changes after a long drought, triggering their emergence. Fernanda and I sit in the garden on misty nights, mesmerised by their dancing. However, fireflies are in danger due to human destruction of their habitat, light pollution and pesticide use. Like butterflies and bees, we must take action to protect them and preserve their magical presence in our nights.
Artwork by Angie Lewin, animation by Tommy Perman.
05. La Rosa de los Quatro Vientos
Morgan: The title, the Rose of the Four Winds, or Compass Rose, displays the cardinal directions and symbolises humanity’s relationship with nature and its harnessing of wind power to navigate the world. The guitar and marimba motifs are borrowed from Bach and Angie’s Lullaby. I recorded every wind instrument we had in the cabin. An old Mayan conch shell, an owl whistle which my mother gave me, my Indian flute from Hampi in India, and Tommy used a few of the wine bottles we recorded for Music for the Moon and the Trees. It has an almost Andean panpipe feel to it, which I love.
Video by Tommy Perman.
06. Birds of Paradise
Tommy: For Birds of Paradise, I wanted to create a collaboration between Morgan’s guitar and the songs of Valle’s birds. I decided to try to resonate birdsong through the strings of Morgan’s guitar using a digital production technique called ‘convolution reverb’.
Artwork by Angie Lewin. Bird drawings and animation by Tommy Perman.
07. Harmonic Rain
Harmonic Rain represents Valle de Bravo’s ecosystem at its most healthy. The dense tree canopy captures moisture from the mist, which then drips down to the ground, replenishing water sources and supporting a diverse ecosystem. But like many places around the world, Valle’s natural environment has been badly degraded by human exploitation.
Video by Juan Pablo Ortíz. Thanks to https://ambientecielorojo.org/
08. The Garden of Contemplation
Morgan: Tommy once asked me what I loved more about the ranch, about living in nature and being guardians of this magical place. I thought about it, and to me, it is living in a space which somehow drives you into a state of contemplation, of deep thinking, of understanding, of peace.
Video by Juan Pablo Ortíz, editing by Tommy Perman.
Thanks to ambientecielorojo.org.
09. Rodrigo’s River
Morgan: After the storm, I went to the river, knowing the strong current would be perfect for recording. Tommy wanted to use Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez as inspiration for a track. I sent him the harmony from the second movement’s Adagio, and he changed the chord order but kept Rodrigo’s chosen B minor key, which reminded me of the murky river water. I have always loved Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending and respectfully stole the first pentatonic motif from him… I thought it would be a nice bird link. I sat down one evening and improvised this solo in three takes, so it is naturally organic and free. It just flowed, like the river itself. In the end, I ran out of frets but kept going up as high as my fingers could fly.
Video by Tommy Perman.
10. Canto al Atardecer
Morgan: Sunset at the ranch is magical. Fireflies emerge, crickets sing, and the world falls asleep. I wanted to emulate a charango, so the accompanying arpeggio uses a South American rhythm. The melody flowed spontaneously, perfectly capturing the nostalgia and beauty as the day ends and the sun hides behind the mountains, leaving us wondering if it’ll rise again tomorrow.
Artwork by Angie Lewin, animation by Tommy Perman.
11. Canción del Adiós
Morgan: Our Goodbye Song, uplifting and using some South American rhythms. We decided to add some words and singing. It occurred to us to ask Juan Cordova and Juan Pablo Ortíz, who produced the documentary to sing. They are not singers, but that did not matter. They just had to be part of it. Last but not least, I invited Fernanda to sing in it too, even if she was not confident about her singing voice. In the end, her singing gives a lovely and gentle quality to the words: “I have come with this song, my love, a song from the heart, and a song with a blessing, to say goodbye.” A goodbye to this wonderful project, to our audience, and to all of those who strive to protect our planet, its wonders and its beauty. Adios amigos!
Video by Juan Pablo Ortíz and Ambiente CieloRojo, editing by Tommy Perman.
Thanks to ambientecielorojo.org.