salij
salij (2020) is one of my most cherished musical accomplishments. Not because it has the best production value or the most interesting songs, but because it feels the most like me. I remember the feeling when I finished working it. I was so proud of the music – I felt like it really represented me. I still do. By the time I released this project, I had been making music for a decade and a lot of my recent efforts left me feeling disconnected from the music for one reason or another. This project is performed mostly by me (other than Reba’s feature on Beneath the Winter Snow), and mixed (mostly) by me. It has 5 songs and a run time of 21 minutes and 25 seconds. There is a winter theme throughout the album and it refers to a time of quietude and hibernation. A time that is barren and when nothing grows. Winter is cold
continuum x infinity
continuum x infinity (2021) is my first foray into sample based music. For years my preferred genre for listening had been down-tempo chill hop. Heavily inspired by Emancipator and Nujabes, I had long wanted to make some sample-based songs. So I made times infinity – the tracks came quickly. I was making a song a day every day or two for couple weeks and then it was over. Quickly I came up with this 8 song, 14 minute album. I loved the process, and I still believe arranged some beautiful compositions. I enjoyed the process so much my follow up album, continuum was built in the same style. This album offers more substantial songs, 6 songs over 16 minutes. I’ve decided to package them together as the double album continuuum x infinty.
gently speaking
Gently Speaking (2021) is an intimate acoustic album made with Ashley Gilmore. It’s got a mix of songs on it: Fearless and Heart Fire, which I had written previous to meeting Ashley, Gently Speaking and Unfolding, which we had created together, Looking Glass, which was an old song of mine that Ashley wrote lyrics and vocals to, and the Neil Young classic Harvest Moon. Ashley and I had been getting to know each other very well, making music together and performing regularly. The music on this album, more specifically the songs she wrote lyrics for, paint a vivid picture of her inner landscape and the joys and challenges of our relationship. I find her words to be strikingly honest. I see a lot of creative similarities in myself and Ashley. I feel we create with a similar desperation, desperate to be connected to something greater than ourselves.
algo rhythms
algo rhythms (2022) is the follow up to continuum x infinity. I had gotten my fill of sample based music but I was still enjoying the digital playground. I had been toying around with some virtual instruments but didn’t produce anything substantial until I was asked to make music for a video game. That got me started on the algo rhythms music. I wanted to create long, meandering tracks that felt repetitive but in a non-obvious way. I ended up feeding the same, or similar, midi through various step sequencers to build textures and patterns. It is a hybrid creation: part me, part machine. The music, verges on soundscape, and is meditative and meant to induce a trance.
elemaria
elemaria (2022) is a rock band project that began in 2019. It was a bit of a super-group as it contained the drummer (Dylan Piercey) from uforia, and the guitar player (Jacob Blanchard) from Tamas and the Pals. It started as a jam band, the three of us would get together and play for fun. In October I re-met Ashley Gilmore at a party and she was very keen on finding a band to be a part of, and here elemaria was born. In our first two jams as a group we came up with most of the music on this debut album, and then spent the next two years, on and off, recording it. From gentle, ambient grooves – mantra-like with repeating themes and affirmations, to explosive rock funk energy – grande, experimental, and progressive, Elemaria is an expression of fervent faith, devotion, and reverence in the form of of rock band.
uforia II
uforia II (2020) is the follow up to Fight or Flight. It has more hard-rocking anthems that I’ve really enjoyed performing over the last half-decade. While rocking with this band I’ve had the great pleasure of touring all around Ontario and Eastern Canada, opening for some great bands like Finger Eleven, USS, and Kim Mitchell, plus the countless other bands I’ve been able to meet and share stages with. This five song EP is again produced by Steve Molella and I’m happy to say I had a little more input into this one. I’ve ended up with a partial song writing credit on Say What You Want, and the majority credit on No Divide.
uforia
Fight or Flight (2018) is my second recording project with uforia. It marks a turning point for the band. I had joined in 2016 and up until this point had been working with Michael Ursini as the band leader and Tony M. as the manager and producer. There was a difference of opinion between Michael and Tony about the sound and style of the band and we moved in a new direction here trying Steve Molella as producer. Steve is a protege of a music legend Arnold Lanni and I learned a lot in a short time being in the studio with him. The production value is so high and I never thought I’d have my name on anything that sounds this good.
loup v sessions
The loup v sessions (2021) are recordings produced and co-produced by Loup V. I was introduced to Lü by Ashley Gilmore and we quickly hit it off. I really enjoyed his workflow and creative style. Things seemed to flow effortlessly and it felt like a collaborative experience – sometimes it can feel less balanced. Our first track was Took it All In (feat. Ashley GIlmore), followed by No Fear (feat. Meghan Simao and the Cottage Crew), and Crazy Dream.
j dub sessions
The j dub sessions (2019) are a couple recordings that I made with Jeremy Legault around 2018-2019. The first song we recorded was Healing and it also features Jeremy himself, Tamas Pal and Brooke Topp on the track. Jeremy is a talented musician and engineer with a very clean production style. Here again I was able to learn a lot about the recording process just by watching producers work. The second song was a real Daniel Salij classic, Come Alive.
above the clouds
above the clouds (2015) is an early effort of mine. I had created a couple acoustic albums using Pro Tools but this was my first project in Ableton. Again I composed and recorded the songs on guitar, but then used the wav to midi function to transform the sounds using virtual instruments. It was my first electric album.
upstream
upstream (2013) is my second recording project. After a solo album to launch myself, I decided to explore collaborations more deeply. Most of the songs on this EP feature a vocalist, with me performing and mixing the instruments. I feel really fortunate to have been able to meet and create with so many talented people. Featured on this EP are: Jason Julien, Natale Danko, Orijin, and Bridgy.
as it is
as it is (2012) is my first experiment in music production. I had bought a second hand interface and copy of Pro Tools from a girl I was working with and my exploration begun. Even to this day I do not feel encumbered by ‘the way things are supposed to be’. I approach my art from the inside-out, it is more a matter of honesty that perfection. Here as it is refers to a Buddhist teaching of experiencing reality as it is rather than how you wish it to be. With my music, I know it does not meet radio standards, but I wanted to begin to record my songs simply as they were. It is mostly a solo effort aside from Michael Ursini playing piano on Fyris.
+OK32
+ok32 (2011) is perhaps my first real recording experience, although at this point I am a performer only and not an engineer. I had started playing in a band and the rehearsal studio we played at had a built in recording studio that we got to use. The worker, I think his name was Andrew, helped us out and we made our first, live-off-the-floor with no click track recordings (Fast Song and Rise/Fall). We didn’t really know what we were doing but we did it anyways. I loved playing in this band. I played bass, but some songs I would compose on the guitar and teach to the guitar player Eric Soto. The band also featured Matt Wilson on drums, and Michael Ursini on vocals and keys. We continued to record music in Michael’s home studio (No Divide, Hang On, Powers of the Day) and there is one recording here that is a live, one mic recording from my parents basement of a pretty wild song called Ballad.
To explore an archive of my work, visit: https://danielsalij.bandcamp.com/
Daniel Salij 