Since the lockdown began, Devin Townsend has kept himself busy with his Quarantine Concerts and podcast series.
And now the Canadian musician has uploaded a stream titled Guitar Improvisation #1 – a flowing ambient piece which clocks in at just over an hour.
Townsend says: “It’s been a strange week and I have been writing a lot of strange music. Amidst the more tumultuous stuff that’s appeared, I often find it therapeutic for me to just simply play guitar in the mornings, and over the years I've kind of 'developed' a sort of chilled-out, ambient guitar technique.
“This isn't meant to be focussed on, it’s meant to be a sort of wash that you can play while working, chilling, or creating something – that’s my hope at least.
“I like playing like this, and in fact, I would say 80% of what I play with a guitar in my hand over the last decade or so ends up sounding something like this.
“I had recorded some of it in the background of the podcasts – which I will be continuing – and was asked to post it, but it made more sense to me to do a fresh one here.”
Townsend adds: “Lots of people still think I’m secretly the same raging metalhead I was in my mid 20s, but it has been a few decades since I legitimately felt that way.
“This improvisation is one take – with a bathroom break I edited out – and I used a Sadowsky Telecaster and a Fractal AX-8 for the sound. Art for this – and the podcast – are done by my good friend Travis Smith at Seempieces.
“Hopefully it’s helpful to some of you who need a sonic break. Thanks again for the ability to do this. I’ll release this in a physical form if there’s any interest. I really like echo.”
Townsend will also release Empath: The Ultimate Edition this coming Friday (June 5) through InsideOutMusic.
The revamped version of his 2019 album will be spread across 2CDs and 2 Blu-ray and, along with the original album, will feature a wealth of bonus material, including demos and live cuts.
Devin Townsend: Empath - The Ultimate Edition
CD1
1. Castaway
2. Genesis
3. Spirits Will Collide
4. Evermore
5. Sprite
6. Hear Me
7. Why?
8. Borderlands
9. Requiem
10. Singularity: Adrift
11. Singularity: I Am I
12. Singularity: There Be Monsters
13. Singularity: Curious Gods
14. Singularity: Silicone Scientists
15. Singularity: Here Comes The Sun!
CD2
1. The Contrarian (Demo)
2. King (Demo)
3. The Waiting Kind (Demo)
4. Empath (Demo)
5. Methuselah (Demo)
6. This Is Your Life (Demo)
7. Gulag (Demo)
8. Middle Aged Man (Demo)
9. Total Collapse (Demo)
10. Summer (Demo)
Blu-ray 1
1. Castaway (5.1 Surround Mix)
2. Genesis (5.1 Surround Mix)
3. Spirits Will Collide (5.1 Surround Mix)
4. Evermore (5.1 Surround Mix)
5. Sprite (5.1 Surround Mix)
6. Hear Me (5.1 Surround Mix)
7. Why? (5.1 Surround Mix)
8. Borderlands (5.1 Surround Mix)
9. Requiem (5.1 Surround Mix)
10. Singularity: Adrift (5.1 Surround Mix)
11. Singularity: I Am I (5.1 Surround Mix)
12. Singularity: There Be Monsters (5.1 Surround Mix)
13. Singularity: Curious Gods (5.1 Surround Mix)
14. Singularity: Silicone Scientists (5.1 Surround Mix)
15. Singularity: Here Comes The Sun! (5.1 Surround Mix)
16. Castaway (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
17. Genesis (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
18. Spirits Will Collide (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
19. Evermore (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
20. Sprite (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
21. Hear Me (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
22. Borderlands (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
23. Why? (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
24. Requiem (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
25. Singularity: Adrift (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
26. Singularity: I Am I (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
27. Singularity: There Be Monsters (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
28. Singularity: Curious Gods (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
29. Singularity: Silicone Scientists (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
30. Singularity: Here Comes The Sun! (Stereo Mix Visualizer)
Blu-ray 2
1. Empath Documentary
2. Empath Album Commentary
3. Genesis 5.1 Mixing Lesson
4. Acoustic Gear Tour
5. Intro (Live in Leeds 2019)
6. Let It Roll (Live in Leeds 2019)
7. Funeral (Live in Leeds 2019)
8. Ih-Ah (Live in Leeds 2019)
9. Deadhead (Live in Leeds 2019)
10. Love? (Live in Leeds 2019)
11. Hyperdrive! (Live in Leeds 2019)
12. Terminal (Live in Leeds 2019)
13. Coast (Live in Leeds 2019)
14. Solar Winds (Live in Leeds 2019)
15. Thing Beyond Things (Live in Leeds 2019)
16. King (Official Video)