Released in 2006, Purple Dawn is a collection of ambient, sometimes haunting compositions written and performed by William Bryan.

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"I play recorder, guitar, bass and synth on this album, as well as an obscure instrument called a theremin, which my nephew built."

The theremin was invented in 1920 by a young Russian physicist, Lev Sergeivich Termen. It's not only the oldest electronic instrument, but the only one that's played without physical contact.

"By using a Theremin, I am able to use my body's own bioelectromagnetic field as the basis of many of the compositions."

The effect is haunting. Chord structures roll in and over top each other much like ocean waves, drawing the listener out to sea.

This, along with the fact that the rhythm and echo patterns are set at 120 BPM, which the body readily can identify with, makes Purple Dawn a truly unique listening experience.

The name Purple Dawn is derived from the idea of hope -  that during the darkest times, one looks to the dawn as a sign of victory. As the dawn of Easter Sunday brought hope to a lost planet, so, too, do we look for that hope to be revealed.

Purple Dawn has received airtime on NPR, XPN, XM, and Sirius Radio.