This instrumental single from Pennsylvania-based musician David Van Auken is an absorbing piece that starts brightly before darkening and becoming more musically moody by the track’s close. “Deadhorse Hill” showcases Van Auken’s great technical ability and his skill for layering and building his music, creating tension and resolution. His finger-picking and strumming style is terrific to watch and creates a distinctive sound. The gorgeous warmth of Van Auken’s guitar perfectly matches the sweeping landscapes in the accompanying video, the music forming a compelling soundtrack to the journey through these bleak hills. “Deadhorse Hill” refers to a place in Colorado, where horses were crushed by the mining equipment they were pulling; it’s sensitive subject matter that has inspired a real soundscape.
Van Auken says of the video: “Shot in the free-ranging cattle country of North Park, Colorado and Southern Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest, the video features starkly beautiful cinematography of the landscape and intricate shots of my finger-style guitar performance.”
“Deadhorse Hill” appears on Van Auken’s brand new album, “Dark Year”, which is out today, 29th November 2024. As the title implies, the new album is a reflective collection that represents hard times through moody minor keys. Throughout the tracks on the album, Van Auken’s beautifully-picked guitar is accompanied by the sustained notes of Carlin Schossau’s viola, which adds solemn, ethereal depths. Enjoy.
