Lisa DeBenedictis is a singer/songwriter who has had great success at Magnatune with her ethereal, shimmering textural pop. A prototypical DIY musician she wrote and performed her entire debut solo album Fruitless. For Chronic Dreams Lisa re-recorded the vocals for "Brilliant Day" remixed here as a late-night ambient Al Green style in album's opener and later over a classical string quartet. She also sings a previously unreleased original song "Ocean in her Head" which makes it's world debut on Chronic.

Another DIY musician c. layne's music is pure, both in it's deceptive simplicity and depth of soul. On his Magnatune debut Potemkin Villages there are strong reverberations of 60's pop brought up to date in a distinctively modern style. Layne contributed the vocals to two previously unreleased songs to Chronic which were subsequently remixed here as a 10cc-style ambient ("Just My Luck") and the stunning album closer "How Soon We Forget (Minsk Mix)" which fuses layne's haunting vocals with the soaring, soul searing voices of the Kyiv Chamber Choir.

Ian Varley's band Drop Trio plays a unique blend of organ/electric piano jazz, fusion, rock. Their success, both artistic and commercial, is significant. Their brilliant album Big Dipper is a consistent best seller at Magnatune and their live performances are legendary for their energy and musicianship. The Trio's track "Lefty's Alone" was heavily sampled in Chronic Dream's "Not Even Alone" and Ian's brilliant electric piano playing can be heard on "Be Brave (Dip Blotter Mix)" which he specifically preformed for Chronic.

The prolific singer/songwriter Norine Braun is an indy iconoclast and her five (!) albums are all available on Magnatune. Her studio work is varied and deep and she proves a mastery over a multitude of genres. Norine's song "Be Brave" has been completely recast from it's original acoustic version on her latest release Now and Zen and appears on Chronic Dreams as "Be Brave (Dip Blotter Mix)" in a beat-era cool groove replete with jazzy-strings chorus.

Producer Victor Stone (a.k.a. fourstones.net, Four Stones, fourstones) has been producing and collaborating online for 10 years. His first Magnatune release was a 40 minute mega-mix entitled Ridin' the Faders: Magantune Remixed. He currently runs the popular Virtual Turntable site aimed at helping DIY independent musicians with technical issues relating to recording their own music. Stone is also an outspoken advocate for music industry reform and is a regular contributor to the Creative Commons weblog.

The Chronic Dreams project was originally based Stone's concept of showcasing both the new business model at Magnatune as well as its artists. A deep background write-up on the genesis of Chronic can be found here. He also contributed several original instrumental and remix tracks including "Dead Money" and "Art vs. Process."

The Chronic Dreams album is sprinkled liberally with samples from throughout the Magnatune catalogue including tracks by Indian artist touchingGrace, IDM techo by Beat Under Control, the Johannesburg Philharmonic, 30's style blues guitarist Jag and many, many others.

1. Brilliant Day (Chronic Mix)
2. Just My Luck (Chronic Mix)
3. Not Even Alone
4. Ocean In Her Head (Red House Mix)
5. Dead Money
6. Be Brave (Blotter Bros. Mix)
7. Calling Ella Baker
8. Ocean In Her Head (Spliff Mix)
9. Art vs Process
10. Brilliant Day (Eine Kleine Mix)
11. How Soon (Minsk Mix)

Listen to: the entire album.

Release date: 5/20/2004
Four Stones lives in California USA

Tagged as: Alt Rock, Rock, Happy Hour, Remix, Remixed by Four Stones

1. Romantic Dinner Classical Compilation by Magnatune Compilation: the best music from Magnatune
2. Blues for all Occasions by Alan Marchand: Toe Teasin' Jazz Tunes For All Occasions
3. The Black Dragon by Canconier: Medieval music from the 12th to the 15th centuries
4. Pfff by Brigitte Meuwsen: positive vibe electro pop
5. JS Bach on Guitar and Ukulele by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
6. Vol 1 - Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 'Flat Keys' by Katherine Roberts Perl: Bach on the harpsichord - poetic and expressive
7. Sonic Graffiti by Ben Rusch: Unique to the power of twenty-two (so far...)
8. A Celebration of Robert Burns by Shira Kammen: early folk and celtic music.
9. La Domna Ditz - Songs of the Trobairitz by Rossignol: spare and lyrical medieval troubadour songs
10. Christmas Guitar by Jeff Wahl: acoustic new age and jazz guitar.
11. Traces by Jesus in Japan: a reflective voice in a noisy world
12. The Lost Mode by The Lost Mode: medieval music meets living modal music traditions
13. Fairest Isle by Wildcat Viols: viola da gamba girls gone wild!!
14. Sabbath Day's Journey by Lydia McCauley: intriguing piano compositions with dynamic accompaniment
15. Essential Scarlatti by Colin Booth: solo harpsichord music
16. In thy Dormition thou didst not forsake the World, (O Theotokos) by Putinki Church Choir: clear calm voices of spiritual music
17. Passions and Fantasies for Solo Piano by Joel Bruce Wallach: magical, heart inspiring music
18. Scarlatti on Guitar and Ukulele by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
19. Bach Cantatas by The Sarasa Ensemble: Lively, bright Baroque
20. Corrette - Le Phenix - Les Delices de la Solitude by Musica Franca: buoyant Baroque bassoon

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