DEAN’S MUSIC

Note: the music I’m writing and recording I consider very much to be in the spirit of/another aspect of the direct ‘sound healing’ work I do: in the same way that my type/form/style of sound healing arose out of my being a musician.

Dean Carter – Standstill Sol-Invictus

12/27/2024

Review by Dan Weston Pitch Perfect

Dean Carter’s “Standstill Sol-Invictus” is a sprawling, nearly ten-minute ode to the rebirth of light and hope heralded by the winter solstice. Its title alone hints at the grandiosity within, yet the song’s strength lies in its understated brilliance. Opening with acoustic guitar lines that evoke the vast, windswept plains of 19th-century Americana, it pulls the listener into a meditative space before expanding into something more intricate.

As the track unfolds, Carter’s exceptional guitar work takes centre stage. Two distinct guitars—one panned left, the other right—create a rich stereo effect that feels intimate yet expansive. The addition of tom drums, which pulse like echoes of ancient rituals, infuses the piece with a ceremonial, almost mythic quality. There’s a timelessness to the composition, as though it exists outside of any specific era.

While the instrumentation is consistently engaging, the final two minutes are where “Standstill Sol-Invictus” truly ascends. The song takes on a mantra-like quality, pulling the listener deeper into its hypnotic layers with each measure. It’s an immersive experience that feels both personal and universal, a reflection of the solstice’s symbolic promise of renewal.

What makes this track so compelling is its restraint. The warmth of the acoustic guitar and the minimalist arrangement create a delicate balance that never feels overwrought. It’s a song that doesn’t demand attention but effortlessly earns it. Carter’s ability to channel such profound emotion into a deceptively simple framework makes “Standstill Sol-Invictus”not just a great track, but a quietly powerful statement.

Dean Carter – “Standstill-Sol Invictus”

review by Mike Mineo

January 2, 2025

 Folk/Tracks

A calming, reflective folk sound enamours throughout “Standstill-Sol Invictus,” a lovely new track from Dean Carter, an artist based in Glastonbury, England. The instrumental sound spans from quaint acoustics to multi-layered ardency, building enjoyably across 9+ minutes of blissful guitar work and ample melodic heart.

“Standstill-Sol Invictus” comes via Carter’s fourth full-length, Wheel of the Year, which pays tribute to each festival or “station” of the pagan calendar. The album’s opening track, “Standstill-Sol Invictus” represents the rebirth of light and hope following a long night; it translates from Latin to “Unconquered Sun.”

Comforting guitar tones move from a gentle lushness into more vibrant expressions past the one-minute mark, as twangy layers reflect charmingly into the following sequence. A mixture of twangy suaveness and acoustic undercurrents make for a jovial entrancement by the track’s third minute, thereafter carrying into a beautiful second half that continues the intermingling, textured instrumental folk appeal.

Carter’s own life and career have experienced setbacks and ensuing triumphs; he was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and that led to an ability to perform and listen to music. He took to sound healing practices and his ability to work with music regained as well. A fantastic comeback ensued, and Wheel of the Year is certainly evident of that.

NEXT LIVE APPEARANCE:

FEBRUARY

Saturday 1st

DEAN CARTER LIVE 8pm

Timo’s Cafe, 17 Benedict Street, GLASTONBURY, Somerset BA6 9NE

£10/8 concs

WHEEL OF THE YEAR ALBUM LAUNCH for Imbolc

Continuing the series of live performances of the critically acclaimed guitar instrumental album themed around each of the stations of the Wheel of the Year, which also saw the track for Yule Standstill-Sol Invictus released as a single.

WHEEL OF THE YEAR 

The new album’s already out on Spotify etc. as some of you are aware and people have been saying nice things about it too.

The CD has landed also, so buy a copy even if you’ve nothing to play it on as with the absurdist royalty rates on streaming platforms the CD s are the only feasible way artists can make their money back in their lifetime:

£12 + £2.60 p+p

a/c no 16123990 sort code 09-01-26 Dean Carter as payee.

Cheques also made out to himself at 8 Dairy Flats, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4AQ.

And obviously I need your address to scoot one to you  email good old ahiahel@live.com

Notes on the pieces and the whole Wheel of the Year concept in a wider sense:

WHEEL OF THE YEAR notes on the pieces

What the critics have said:

… an intimate and emotive journey …The nine-track acoustic masterpiece…stands as a testament to Carter’s prowess as a musician and storyteller…Carter’s return is nothing short of triumphant– We Write About Music  OUT OF THE LOOP

Dean Carter has brought life to an album with the elegance of a master singer-songwriter. Balancing acts of instrumental virtuosic ability along with cutting, sharp lyricism-he has achieved in a debut what some take a lifetime to. –Sinusoidal Music  SONGS WITHOUT WORDS/TOWARDS TOMORROW

a refuge for the soul in a world overwhelmed by words and noise, providing solace, healing, and space for personal reflection. From ethereal, contemplative melodies, to pulsing, uplifting rhythms, the album invites listeners to embark on a transformative musical odyssey. –Indie Suburban  SONGS WITHOUT WORDS VOL. II

OUT OF THE LOOP

SONGS WITHOUT WORDS VOLUME II, the all-instrumental follow-up to SONGS WTHOUT WORDS/TOWARDS TOMORROW has now been released on all major digital platforms

The CD version from us non-robots @£12 + £2.50 p+p, bacs details : a/c no 16123990, sort code 09-01-26,  cheque payable to D. Carter, 8 Dairy Flats, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4AQ. email ahiahel@ live.com so I can send it to the right address.

link below to YouTube version of ‘Father Figures’ :

https://youtu.be/1I6zEVnFGV8?si=xPgQr_rSHd6IPRTu

‘an immersive and unique listening experience…a refuge for the soul in a world overwhelmed by words and noise, providing solace, healing, and space for personal reflection…a transformative musical odyssey’.–Indie Suburban

‘… spellbinding … mesmerizing tunes and stirring compositions effortlessly resonate with your soul. This sensational album transcends linguistic barriers through its instrumental prowess, taking you on a captivating melodic adventure. ..this auditory delight showcases Carter’s unparalleled gift for creating bewitching soundscapes. With a rich tapestry of folk arrangements, evocative guitar patterns, and unforgettable riffs, each song is a masterpiece in itself.–‘Testing Melodies’ full review: https://www.testingmelodies.com/post/sonorous-whispers-dean-carter-s-musical-tale-songs-without-words-vol-ii

...a relaxing and placating piece of instrumental folk that’s a deeply immersive and cathartic experience. It’s soothing and mesmerising, purely off the back of an acoustic guitar that’s able to convey so much emotional weight through so little. Deeply personal and immensely intimate, the sheer expressiveness of songs like “Hyacinth” and “Mabon Dawn” are so innately supple with their weight and vigour but so strong and resonating for their emotional core and clarity. Anyone with even the slightest affection for the acoustic guitar is bound to find so much on this record.—Find No Enemy