Mythos (musical project)


Mythos is a Canadian new age musical project started by Bob D'Eith and Paul Schmidt in 1996. Bob and Paul collectively wrote, produced, and performed on the albums with the help of various session performers. The centerpiece of the Mythos sound rests on the acoustic guitar and piano, which are accented by guest vocalists. Synthesizers and performances in various other musical styles are regularly incorporated into the music.
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History

Robert D'Eith attended the University of Victoria in the 1980s, receiving both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law from this institution. Before creating Mythos, he played keyboards in Rock band Rymes with Orange, and contributed to the scores of a number of film and television productions. Throughout his musical career, he also maintained a private legal practice in Entertainment Law, and currently holds the titles of President for Adagio Music, and Executive Director of Music BC.
D'Eith and Schmidt formed Mythos in 1995. Mythos' initial release, Introspection, was on D'Eith's Spark Records and was confined to the Canadian market.
After Canadian success, Mythos submitted the Introspection EP to X DOT 25 Music, a boutique Record Label in San Francisco Bay Area. This submission resulted in a several-albums contract deal with X DOT 25 Music, in 1996. Per X DOT 25 Music requirement for a full album, Mythos added few new songs to the original Canadian release Introspection EP. The new full album was released by X DOT 25 Music. Shortly after the release, Introspection by Mythos went up to #2 on New Age Voice Magazine's New Age Chart, in March of 1997. A trip to MIDEM in France and a meeting with Max Ahmadi and Jon Leon Guerrero was fruitful with a discussion around producing the second album. Consequently Mythos delivered the second album "Iridescence" to X DOT 25 Music. Max Ahmadi decided to work on a deal with Mr. Dan Selene Higher Octave, a Malibu California New Age Label.
Higher Octave then released a combination of Introspection and a follow-up unreleased EP Iridescence with the world release of Mythos through Virgin/EMI. Higher Octave wanted to have X DOT 25 Music creativity engaged in the release and commissioned X DOT 25 Music to create the cover concept. Max Ahmadi suggested using Mr. Gil Bruvel's painting for the cover and inside pages of the CD. So 4 of Gil's paintings were licensed by Higher Octave and used in the CD package.
The "Mythos" release was commercially successful, peaking at 18 on the Billboard Top New Age Albums chart. Mythos became a big seller for Higher Octave who went on to release the follow-up albums Reality of a Dreamer and Eternity, both of which placed on the Billboard chart. Sales would surpass 100,000 and Mythos stayed on Billboard New Age charts for many months. All Mythos albums' artworks were licensed from Gil Bruvel. Mythos subsequently released the album Purity with Pacific Music/Warner in Canada and Allegro/Alula records in the USA. Since that time, the pair have continued to write, but with Paul Schmidt living in Korea, recording has been a challenge.
In 2010, Mythos released Rain, a remixed version of "Wind", in celebration of the group's 15 year anniversary. After a six-year hiatus, Mythos released an album entitled "Journey" in April 2013 on Adagio Music/The Orchard, followed in 2015 with a special 20th Anniversary Vinyl "Best of Mythos" collection. and an EP entitled Eros on August 3, 2018. In 2021, Mythos released a 25th Anniversary Album XXV featuring 5 new tracks and 9 fully remastered classics and an EP entitled Redux in 2022.

Musical style

Critics have described Mythos as New Age, Ambient, Ethereal, and Film-Oriented, with influences from Jazz, Classical, Gospel-Soul, and various World styles. Many of their songs include vocalize performances, but few have lyrics. The music is multi-layered, incorporating synthesizers and a numerous acoustic instruments. Multiple guest artists and/or session musicians have contributed to each of Mythos' studio releases, most prominently husband and wife pair Rene Worst and Jennifer Scott.

Awards and nominations

Mythos was nominated for Juno Instrumental Artist of the Year award in 1998.
Bob D'Eith was nominated for the Canadian Music Awards' Best Keyboardist of the Year in 1995.
Individual albums have won and been nominated for various awards, as described in the Discography.

Discography

Introspection

Track listing Original Canadian Release

  1. "Wind" - 4:00
  2. "Cathedral" - 4:32
  3. "November" - 4:58
  4. "Premonition" - 4:09
  5. "Sirens" - 3:29
  6. "Clockwork" - 4:45
  7. "Prelude" - 2:36
  8. "Introspection" - 4:01

Awards

Winner West Coast Music Award Best Dance Album

Performance Credits

  • Bob D'Eith: Piano, Keyboards
  • Paul Schmidt: Guitar
  • Christine Duncan: Vocals
  • Jennifer Scott: Vocals
  • Rene Worst: Bass

Introspection

Track listing American Release

  1. "Wind" - 4:00
  2. "November" - 4:58
  3. "Angels Weep" - 8:33
  4. "Paradox" - 4:42
  5. "Premonition" - 4:09
  6. "Cathedral" - 4:32
  7. "The Nile" - 4:01
  8. "Clockwork" - 4:45
  9. "Sirens" - 3:29
  10. "Prelude" - 2:36
  11. "Introspection" - 4:01
  12. "November " - 5:32

Performance Credits

  • Bob D'Eith: Piano, Keyboards
  • Paul Schmidt: Guitar
  • Christine Duncan: Vocals
  • Jennifer Scott: Vocals
  • Rene Worst: Bass

Angels Weep

Track listing

  1. "Angels Weep " - 3:42
  2. "Angels Dance " - 3:33
  3. "November " - 3:15
  4. "November Dance " - 3:26
  5. "The Nile " - 4:00

Iridescence

Track listing

  1. "Loneliness" - 3:38
  2. "Sunless Sea" - 4:01
  3. "Iridescence" - 4:15
  4. "Planinata" - 3:28
  5. "Brazil" - 4:15
  6. "La Cathedral" - 1:59
  7. "Sacred River" - 3:05
  8. "Evolution" - 5:08
  9. "June" - 5:07
  10. "Motif" - 2:47
  11. "Danse Plantania" - 3:31
  12. "Sacred River " - 3:01
  13. "Angels Dance" - 3:32

Performance Credits

  • Bob D'Eith: Piano, Keyboards
  • Paul Schmidt: Guitar
  • Annette Ducharme: Vocals
  • Christine Duncan: Vocals
  • Niko Quintal: Percussion
  • Jennifer Scott: Vocals
  • Rene Worst: Bass

Mythos

Background

This is Mythos' debut on the Higher Octave label, consisting mostly of previously released material. The liner notes claim this release includes "the best of the previously released album Introspection plus seven new tracks," but a number of the remaining songs were included on Iridescence. The track name "The Odyssey" does not seem to have appeared prior to this eponymous album, but it actually is the track "Catheral" on Introspection.

Track listing

  1. "Brazil" - 4:17
  2. "June" - 5:01
  3. "Sunless Sea" - 3:59
  4. "November" - 4:57
  5. "Planinata" - 3:26
  6. "La Cathedral" - 2:03
  7. "The Odyssey" - 4:31
  8. "Angels Weep" - 5:36
  9. "The Nile" - 4:02
  10. "Motif" - 2:49
  11. "Sirens" - 3:31
  12. "Prelude" - 2:36
  13. "Introspection" - 4:01
  14. "Evolution" - 5:11
  15. "Premonition" - 2:58
  16. "Paradox" - 4:46

The Reality of a Dreamer

Track listing

  1. "Alchemy" - 4:38
  2. "Kaleidoscope" - 3:30
  3. "Venice" - 4:28
  4. "Vision I" - 3:22
  5. "Requiem" - 4:37
  6. "Solstice" - 4:06
  7. "Fantasy" - 3:24
  8. "Destiny" - 3:42
  9. "Reveries" - 1:28
  10. "The Ring" - 3:24
  11. "Redemption" - 3:33
  12. "Vision II" - 3:24

Awards

Nominated for the West Coast Music Award Best Electronic Release

Eternity

Track listing

  1. "Ascent" - 3:39
  2. "Unity" - 4:21
  3. "Del Mar" - 3:42
  4. "Turn to Grey" - 3:56
  5. "Alpha" - 2:48
  6. "Exodus" - 4:39
  7. "Leyenda" - 1:51
  8. "Kyrie" - 4:35
  9. "Dreams of Jade" - 5:28
  10. "Paradise" - 3:46
  11. "Orca" - 5:48
  12. "Sixth Sense" - 2:35
  13. "Freedom" - 4:02

Awards

This album won Western Canadian Music Award for "Best Instrumental Album" in 2003

Purity

Track listing

  1. "Purity" - 4:34
  2. "Surrender" - 5:51
  3. "Alten Mara" - 3:18
  4. "Andalucia" - 4:03
  5. "Icarus" - 4:38
  6. "Adagio" - 2:35
  7. "Mizo's Gift" - 5:13
  8. "Deus Ex Machina" - 5:46
  9. "Dream" - 4:53
  10. "Mystique" - 3:51
  11. "Triste" - 5:23

Performance Credits

  • Bob D'Eith: Piano and Keyboards
  • Paul Schmidt: Acoustic Guitar
  • Jennifer Scott: Vocals
  • Rene Worst: Bass
  • Pepe Danza: Additional Percussion, Ethnic Flutes, and Stringed Instruments
  • Cameron Wilson: Violin
  • Finn Maniche: Cello

Singles

  • "November Dance"
  • "Danse Planinata"
  • "Kaleidoscope"
  • "Angels Dance"
  • "Ascent"
  • "Rain"

Journey

Track listing

  1. "Journey" - 4:38
  2. "Spiritus" - 4:47
  3. "Escape Velocity" - 5:46
  4. "Tokyo" - 5:12
  5. "Inner Peace" - 3:01
  6. "April" - 2:43
  7. "Novaya Zemlya" - 4:02
  8. "Nepal" - 3:40
  9. "Duet" - 4:34
  10. "Nocturnal" - 1:38
  11. "Impressionism" - 3:48

Performance Credits

  • Bob D'Eith: Piano and Keyboards
  • Paul Schmidt: Acoustic Guitar
  • Jasmin Parkin: Vocals

Eros

Track listing

  1. "Kawakari" - 4:30
  2. "Eros" - 4:49
  3. "Catana" - 4:17
  4. "Allure" - 4:35
  5. "Song from a Sad Dream" - 3:36

Performance Credits

XXV

Track listing

  1. "Legacy " - 5:02
  2. "Fly Away" - 4:39
  3. "Bonum et Malum" - 4:10
  4. "Progression" - 4:52
  5. "Recuerdos de la Alahambra" - 2:44
  6. "November Dance " - 3:28
  7. "Brazil " - 4:17
  8. "Planinata " - 3:26
  9. "Alchemy " - 4:39
  10. "Ascent." - 3:40
  11. "Icarus " - 4:40
  12. "Surrender " - 5:51
  13. "Eros " - 4:48
  14. "Spiritus " - 4:47

Performance Credits