Multi-GRAMMY® Award nominee David Arkenstone will take listeners on an unforgettable journey with the July 1 release of his latest album, Quest for the Runestone. Inspired by Arkenstone’s deep love and connection to Celtic, Nordic, and cinematic music traditions, Quest for the Runestone is a bold and brilliant experience reminiscent of the New Age visionary’s previous “concept” albums.
“Earlier in my career, I was very pleased to see how the concept albums I recorded were met with great enjoyment from my fans,” Arkenstone says. “I sort of miss that time, now that most music consumption has become mainly ‘track based,’ meaning people commonly listen to curated playlists of songs from various artists. That is a great way to discover new music, of course, but I wanted to create something that would be a rich and engaging experience from start to finish.”
Composed, produced, and performed by Arkenstone, Quest for the Runestone features David on guitar, cittern, saz, flute, whistle, melodica, drums and percussion, handpan, bass, vocals and keyboards.
As he was in the initial stages of conceptualizing the album, Arkenstone asked his son Dashiell to write a story, which kicked off a flurry of creativity. “What Dash delivered to me was so full of powerful imagery that I became very excited and started composing furiously and immediately,” Arkenstone recalls. “Quite soon, I had an album’s worth of music ready to be recorded. I then called on some fabulous musicians, and their artistry elevated the music to another level.”
Among the musicians featured on the album is Eric Rigler, described as “the most recorded bagpiper of all time,” whose playing has been a hallmark of numerous movie soundtracks including Braveheart and Titanic. Rigler is featured on Uilleann pipes and provides stirring, emotional waves of Celtic sound throughout. Another key player is Luanne Homzy, a veteran of many Arkenstone recordings, whose passionate violin and haunting Hardanger fiddle from Scandinavia dazzles the senses.
“I’m very pleased with the result,” Arkenstone says, “and I think it’s some of the best work of my career.”
Quest for the Runestone’s gorgeous CD is packaged in a special box with several “surprise” elements and keepsake items, along with an original story in a 48-page booklet. Filled with powerful imagery, the Runestone tale and music combine to transport listeners during such otherworldly tracks as “Prophecy,” “Ancient Magic Awakens,” and “Secrets of the Runestone.” Says Arkenstone of the complete package, “I wanted to do something meaningful for my legions of fans and followers.”
To complete this listening experience, Quest for the Runestone will also be available in Dolby Atmos®, which is an immersive sound experience you can feel all around you. It reveals more depth, clarity, and detail, connecting you more deeply with your favorite music.
Ahead of the album’s official release date, an intimate world premiere Dolby Atmos® listening experience event will be held on June 27 at 6:30 pm PST at the Dolby Screening Room Hollywood Vine at 6321 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. To RSVP or for Press Passes to this event, please contact Cynthia Gage at cindygagecsr@gmail.com
Also ahead of release date, Arkenstone will host a Listening Party on Bandcamp on June 30 at 9pm EST/6pm PST. Fans who tune in can listen to Quest for the Runestone from start to finish. Arkenstone will be available live in chat to answer questions and respond to comments about the album
For review copies of the album Quest for the Runestone or to set up an interview with David Arkenstone, please reach out to Cynthia Gage at cindygagecsr@gmail.com.
For more information about David Arkenstone, visit https://davidarkenstone.com or https://linktr.ee/davidarkenstone
About David Arkenstone: Since the release of his first album Valley in the Clouds in 1987, David Arkenstone has become one of the most engaging and prolific instrumentalists of our time. David has received GRAMMY® nominations for his albums Pangaea, Fairy Dreams, Atlantis, Citizen of the World, and In the Wake of the Wind. With over 1.1 billion streams worldwide, 70+ albums, film and TV scores, gaming scores for World of Warcraft, and NBC Sports themes such as The Kentucky Derby, The British Open, and Premier League soccer, David Arkenstone’s music has become the soundtrack to millions of listeners’ lives across the globe.
