The musical chapters of DEEP IMAGINATION
Musical development and retrospective
Chapter 2 | 2012 - 2018
The chapter around the album "Carefully Kept Secrets"
After Thorsten Sudler-Mainz's band project Art Of Infinity fell asleep at the end of 2012, the musician took a creative break of one year in 2013.
The result was a new conception of DEEP IMAGINATION. After three instrumental albums Thorsten Sudler-Mainz expanded the electronic musical spectrum of DEEP IMAGINATION with vocals, guitars and percussion to a new atmospheric and floydian sound. He continued the concept he had already successfully developed for Art Of Infinity.
2015 saw the release of the EP "Dancing with Ghosts", which featured Ann Kareen Mainz's vocals and Günter Kaufmann's guitar for the first time. DEEP IMAGINATION collaborated with US percussionist Byron Metcalf on the fourth album released in 2017.
In chapter 2 DEEP IMAGINATION released one album and three EPs. A total of seven video clips were produced, including "Carefully Kept Secrets", "Awake From A Dream" and "Wings To Fly", in which Thorsten Sudler-Mainz performs together with his guest musicians.
"Carefully Kept Secrets" - The fourth album by DEEP IMAGINATION
"Carefully Kept Secrets" is the fourth album by DEEP IMAGINATION. The work was published on 10.03.2017 by the renowned German label BSC Music / Prudence.
After the three instrumental albums "Scapes" (2005), Gemstones (2008) and "Awareness" (2010), Thorsten Sudler-Mainz has expanded the electronic and musical spectrum of DEEP IMAGINATION with vocals, guitars and percussion. It is the development towards an atmospheric, floydian sound.
In collaboration with guest musicians, "Carefully Kept Secrets" was created over a three-year production period and was mixed by Thorsten Rentsch (Art Of Infinity) at Renaissance Studio Cologne.
Interview with Deep Imagination | The release of "Carefully Kept Secrets"
DEEP IMAGINATION – Interview with Thorsten Sudler-Mainz | Blackmagazin 06-2017 by S. Ericksen | www.blackmagazin.com
"My strongest musical influences have been Pink Floyd and Dead Can Dance”.
Once again I hold a small but simultaneously greatjewel in my hands. Those who appreciate the sounds of Enigma, Dead Can Dance, Clannad, Era, Pink Floyd and such can't ignore Deep Imagination. I’ve been following the project by Thorsten Sudler-Mainz a long time. The wonderfully produced and mostly cosmic sounding releases I have joyfully experienced. The new release"Carefully Kept Secrets", is no exception: spherical ambient sounds, interspersed with subtle percussion, airy otherworldly vocals, as well as tight art rock elements and occasional guitar highlights. So now over to Thorsten, let's hear how his project came to life, what's next up for him, he has a lot to tell us for sure.
Press comments "Carefully Kept Secrets"
English
This opus moves on exploring a psychedelic electro-rock universe, which sometimes appears to be the natural child of Pink Floyd and Enigma... The progression running through “ Wings To Fly” is absolutely fascinating, revealing a sonic voyage... Deep Imagination remains a fascinating sound experience, which will appeal to a wider audience. (Inferno Sound Diaries, Side-Line Music Magazine, Belgium)
"Ann Kareen Mainz proves a wonderfully engaging vocal presence, whether she's adding sensual layers of voice or gently singing the lyrics. Whereas Thorsten Sudler-Mainz reveals not only a liking for the guitar work of Gilmour, but also the poise and class to infuse this style into his music without ever sounding like he's simply paying homage." (Steven Reid, Fireworks Magazin, UK)
The obvious comparisons would be to reference to Pink Floyd's last (instrumental) album The Endless River, especially when Kaufmann's excellent guitar playing gives a heavy nod of respect to David Gilmour. Another similarity, especially in terms of the repetitive, soft trance rhythms and melodies, would be Enya and Clannad. (Andy Read, Dutch Progressive Rock Page, NL)
There are some virtuoso guitar parts spinkled all over this album, very well sustained by some splendid keyboards that should appeal to a large palette of music fans... If you enjoyed Endless River or the last two David Gimour solo records, this album could very much be to your liking. (proggnosis.com, Canada)
Stylistically, Carefully Kept Secrets has nine delicious pieces of atmospheric, electronic ambient, supported by synthesizer and percussion ... In terms of production and sound quality, the production is very high quality and it is recommended to take the time with Good headphones to enjoy the sound in full. (articmist.org, Spain)
From the outset, you are immersed in an atmosphere like the fabulous "PULSE" by Pink Floyd, the listener is unstoppably transported to a mood that Waters and Gilmour certainly do not deny ... It is a journey between ambient and atmospheric rock ... The German artist brings together on a single album the know-how of several iconic bands and musicians of the atmospheric stage ... Simply sublime ... (MusicInBelgium.net, Belgium)
"Carefully Kept Secrets" also includes some musical guests such as singer Ann Kareen Mainz, guitarist Günter Kaufmann, US percussionist Byron Metcalf, as well as his two Art Of Infinity companions Thorsten Rentsch (guitar) and Stefan Höllering (saxophone). In this recording Thorsten creates a mixture of traditional electronics and atmospheric artrock ... The wait was worth it because Thorsten Sudler-Mainz has once again created a great work with the new album of his project Deep Imagination, which is so bursting with atmospheric moments. A very nice, recommended album.(musikzirkus-magazin.de, Germany)
... "floydian" in this case means that the relaxing-atmospheric side of Pink Floyd, which has been especially developed on "The Endless River", serves Deep Imagination as part of the Artrock component... Thus the guitars, which are held in the spirit of David Gilmour, which are presented in front of a spherical sound, can exert a healing effect with Deep Imagination. (Babyblaue-seiten.de, Germany)
Who deeply appreciates the atmospheric moments at Pink Floyd, is well cared for with Deep Imagination ... Carefully Kept Secrets is an album about dreams and their secrets, which is gentle and very harmonious. It is an album to relax and switch off from everyday stress. It is music, whose magic unfolds very intensively under a headphone.(Martin Dambeck, Empire Magazine, D)
"Spherical electronics, discreet percussions, ethereal vocals and the corresponding guitars make "Carefully Kept Secrets" a work of ambient music with a meditative ambition, on the other hand, the chillout record that Pink Floyd never made."(Eclipsed Rock Magazine, Germany)
Spanish
Estilísticamente, Carefully Kept Secrets se compone de nueve deliciosos temas de corte electrónico atmosférico con influencias ambientales, sobre pasajes muy descriptivos básicamente de sintetizador y percusiones... En cuanto a producción y calidad de sonido, Carefully Kept Secrets vuela muy alto, siendo recomendable tomarse el tiempo para escucharlo con unos buenos auriculares para apreciar el sonido en toda su extensión. (articmist.org, España)
French
D'emblée plongé dans une atmosphère propre au fabuleux "P.U.L.S.E."du Floyd, l'auditeur est transporté irrémédiablement vers une ambiance que Waters ou Gilmour ne renieraient certainement pas... Voyageant entre ambient et rock-atmosphérique... Au sein d'un même album, l'artiste allemand rassemble d'une certaine manière le savoir-faire de plusieurs groupes et musiciens emblématiques de la scène atmosphérique et de l'ambient... Sublime tout simplement... (MusicInBelgium.net, Belgique)
CD-Cover
The video clips from the album "Carefully Kept Secrets" on YouTube
Press comment video clip "Carefully Kept Secrets"
In the video of "Carefully Kept Secrets" Thorsten Sudler-Mainz and his guest musicians Ann Kareen Mainz (vocals) and Günter Kaufmann (guitar) perform in person. This is rather untypical for a studio project like Deep Imagination.
The clip is pleasantly low-key in its visualization and not overloaded with effects. This leaves space for your own interpretations. In terms of content, the title is about the preservation of secrets, the search for solutions that everyone must find for themselves. The musicians in the video are suggested as shadows, that disappear here, then there, only to disappear again.
Shot in cartoon-style black and white and at times sepia, the optical processing is somewhat reminiscent of early music videos. The nostalgic visual feel provides a contrast to the modern ambient music. Set against the backdrop of the Klosteruine Arnsburg and the use of static camera lends an atmospheric, soothing chillout mood. (Udo Herrmann)
"Carefully Kept Secrets": https://youtu.be/YzcT51IvzZg
Press comments video clip "Awake From A Dream"
Using a negative image that’s been colorized, Deep Imagination creates a dream state where the singers emerge out of a forest, intoning the mantra like lyrics “awake from a dream” as their images get alter color, like coming into, or out of another world... With choral voices, synthesizers, a David Gilmour-influenced guitar solo, shimmering percussion, “Awake from a Dream” sits comfortably in that mid-period Pink Floyd mold... (Gillian Booth, echoes)
In his new video "Awake From A Dream", Thorsten Sudler-Mainz, the head behind the Deep Imagination project, is showing his own unmistakable style... The digital effects add something mysterious to the dreamlike setting. The fact that many sequences are played backwards gives the impression of actually awakening from a dream and slowly recalling backwards. (Udo Herrmann)
"Awake From A Dream": youtu.be/tP6i2awpH88
Press comments video clip "Wings to Fly (single-version)"
With the current video "Wings To Fly (single-version)" Deep Imagination concludes a 3-year-long project, from which the album "Carefully Kept Secrets" was created.
The last of a total of 7 videos therefore also seems like an encore, in which the artists once again appear in front of the curtain and present themselves to their audience.
Unlike in the previous videos, which are more about the visual background of the music, you can see Thorsten Sudler-Mainz, the head of Deep Imagination in "Wings To Fly (single-version)" on the keyboards, his wife Ann Kareen Mainz and the singer Oda Reiter on the microphone and not least the excellent musician Günter Kaufmann on the guitar.
At least on the screen, this creates the impression of a live concert, in which one would have liked to be there. (Udo Herrmann)
Wings To Fly: https://youtu.be/Ff9eQhyRPg8
YouTube video links
"Dancing With Ghosts (chillout-version)": youtu.be/lTkR5Ljr-cE
"Carefully Kept Secrets": https://youtu.be/YzcT51IvzZg
"Paradise In Space": https://youtu.be/-zm7CQ71g7g
"Awake From A Dream": youtu.be/tP6i2awpH88
"Before Thousand Of Years": youtu.be/PYEhQhcsAFo
"Underneath The Waves": youtu.be/vVT0nB8mk-0
"Wings To Fly (single-version)": https://youtu.be/Ff9eQhyRPg8