FAWM: Bear (@mahtowin)

Bear

@mahtowin

Songs

Joined

2021

Near Stutt DE
soundcloud.app.goo.gl/BPRT2ZmqJmUaJjVs8

I live on the country side in the south of Germany. I love to call myself a sound artist, poet and bass player. In my "real" life I work as a social worker and therapist. Music is a powerful force in my life which grows more and more and I am a big fan of playing together. So I take any chance to do this.
My artist name is Mahtowin, which means Bear-Woman. It reflects my connection to the natural world and certain animal guides, which seem to inspire my work. The power of the icebear works inside me. And also the power of the Selkie. Both - the icebear and the Selkie are guides to me.
In music as in life I follow many traces. My personal goal is to be aware of what is around and inside me in the present. Now. Try not to think too much about the past or the future (which is hard sometimes, but I try). To stay in present and to recognize the beauty around me (which is a lot) and also the anger and grief, the love and the joy. To accept that all this is LIFE - and I love it!

Very interested in collabs!

Call me she/her/Andrea/Mahtowin/Bear

I'm one half of the incredibly creative and prolific duo "Pennyfeather Mahtowin"!
My duo partner is the perpetual music machine from sunny Florida: Paul Pennyfeather aka @ttg105 here on FAWM. Check his music!
And - of course - check our music! We made 10 albums in not even two years!
You find us on bandcamp and on mostly all streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music!

I usually write in German - very rarely in English.

"I'll never be like other people, but that's alright because I'm a bear!"
(Paddington Bear)

"One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz." (Lou Reed)

„Respect your ideas!“ Marcus Miller

Note: no AI used on my songs!

Update Jan. 25:
My Dad dies last Saturday, so this FAWM will be different to me!
But if you want to collab with me don‘t be shy to ask for! Music helps me in many ways!

#bass #neurospicy #hsp #german #bear #deutsch

Songs

Der Mond ist meine Sonne / the moon is my sun by @slusk + @mahtowin 7h #dark #moody #different

bow to David Lynch by @mahtowin 1d #drone #ambient #davidlynch

Die Angst (The Fear) by @ttg105 + @mahtowin 4d #alternatetuning #gloomfolk #german

a frozen dream by @mahtowin 1w #poetry #frozendream

mind after midnight by @mahtowin + @ttg105 1w #insomnia #bassdrivenbeast #dangerousrecording

it was easy in the moonlight by @mahtowin 1w

a pale pink moon arising by @mahtowin + @slusk 1w #pinkmoon

the river / der Fluß by @mahtowin + @ttg105 1w #german #poetry

Die Flüsse fließen / the rivers flow by @fairplay +4 more 1w #acapella4track #german

Strange World, Red Moon (We Built Time a Bed) by @freshspotlessyouth + @mahtowin 2w #folkpunk #lowestfi

moon in a strange world by @riverman + @mahtowin 2w #fam #folk #acousticonetake

Mahtowin's Dream by @ttg105 + @mahtowin 2w #alternatetuning #nylonstrings #melodica

moon in strange world / mond in fremder welt by @mahtowin 2w #poem #needsmusic #lyricsneedmusic

The Nothingness (Das Nichts) by @ttg105 + @mahtowin 2w #uke #melodica #wistful

THE EMBRACE by @cts +3 more 3w #finished #ballad #poetry

A daffodils dream / Traum der Narzissen by @mahtowin + @ttg105 3w #singersongwriter #german #haiku

Soundboard

@ayais 1d

Thanks, mah! These things just keep popping out! Back to some kind of spiritual number.

@cts 1d

Hi! I am waaayyyyyyy behind on my commenting. Please know I plan to stop by and do some more listening before FAWM is officially over. Congrats on getting to 14 as I kinda figured you would!

@slusk 2d

Thanks for your kind comments on "You Don't Know"! Made me feel little better this gray day.

@ayais 2d

Yeah, quite the mix or voices, right?

@sph 3d

Danke dir für die netten Worte!

@mosno 3d

My poetress friend! :)
I just wanted to say congratulations! you did it, and with so much beauty. Thank you for sharing your art, and for all your beautiful comments! I truly appreciate you.

@ayais 5d

Glad you enjoyed "We Gather"!

My grandfather was French/Basque (Ayaïs), and I studied the (hard) language for a few years and have hung out with quite a few. Sometimes I wish I lived there.

@n1742 5d

Thanks for your kind words re our collab Mahtowin. Much appreciated.

@squirrelhavenstudios 6d

Thanks so much for the great comment about I Love You More Than My Guitar Pedals. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks also for the comment about the vocal. That was nice to hear too.

@nwhosings 6d

Thank you so much for your kind comments! I look forward to listening to some of your FAWM fruits. You've got many intruiging titles to choose from🐻

@daveyboy103 1w

So sorry to hear about your dad and sorry for your loss

@riverman 1w

Thank you Andrea for your comments; it means a lot coming from you. I am also glad to see you doing so well on your song count; you are kicking butt! I need to take some time and do some more listening. I just listened to "der Fluß" and love it; so evocative.

@gindark 1w

Aha yeah Stevie was my first proper musical obsession. And Bat for Lashes and PJ Harvey are who I could have been, if I'd known how!

@squirrelhavenstudios 1w

Thanks for the nice comments about Argentine Fog and The Strand. Much appreciated! And to answer your question, no, there was no harp in Argentine Fog. Just a drum synth, a few other synths, some percussion instruments, and accordion and violin software instruments (plus a wind sound effect). I think I might have seen the same movie about NYC bookstores that you saw, but it was a few years ago, so I can't remember the name of the movie either.

@slusk 1w

Thanks for your nice comments on “No More”. I didn’t know that you saw Bob M. I did too. The “Babylon by Buss” tour in ‘78 (I think). A very powerful experience. Al Anderson, a New York based guitarist that did not have any deeper reggae experience, did a very good work playing solos. Those were the days.

@arcane 1w

Thank you for your comments!
Sirius is well, we hope you are well too. Sending love. ❤️

@squirrelhavenstudios 1w

Thanks for the nice comments about The Strand and Argentine Fog. Hope your FAWM is going well!

@slusk 1w

Feel free to use "FAWM Rules My Life Forever More" for your secret pleasures. I can remove the guitar if you want - or change things to your liking.

@slusk 1w

At first I thought - how can she know that I'm working on a reggae? Then I saw what you commented. I think I see what you mean. The bass plays sort of a reggae phrase and the djembe drum sounds a bit like Nyabinghi drums. That said I hope to present a reggae twist on @kahlo2013's "No More" some day soon. Back to you on Friday (I hope).

@chill4matt 1w

That drive was undoubtedly difficult. My thoughts are with you. 🧡

@momentegalerie 1w

Thanks for your comment on 'Genervt'! 😊 Nachdem der Song dann draußen war, war der Tag auch nicht mehr so nervig. ☺️

@timfatchenMod 2w

No idea why the link won't work. You don't have some sort of block on soundcloud.com? Try the download button!

@timfatchenMod 2w

No idea why the link wasn't working...glitch in the fawm server or soundcloud falling over. Just checked, working now. Thanks for the try though https://write.fawm.org/songs/308748

@chill4matt 2w

Yes and thank you for listening! That is a preset called "the Road to Kinshasa". It is in Omnisphere and sounds very much like a xylophone. :)

@freshspotlessyouth 2w

Hey, I loved working with your words. I did my little lofi thing. I'm heading to Mexico in the morning. Maybe I'll rework it when I get back

@danieldeshon 2w

Thank you for your wonderful comments about the “Slow Rain Falling” video featuring @taracraig!
I’m going to listen to your songs as soon as I have a chance. Cheers!

@chill4matt 2w

I hear you. Some days, my output is definitely on the sad side. What do you do? One day at a time, I suppose. Thanks so much for listening!

@freshspotlessyouth 2w

Unfortunately, I have to go to work...so later

@slusk 2w

Thanks for your comments on "His name was Odd". I actually thought you'd like the vibraphone.

@freshspotlessyouth 2w

Okay, I wrote a song. I'll see if I can record a little demo. I made some small changes to the lyric in order to get more syllables. My title would be Strange World Red Moon, if you're okay with that

@akeli 2w

@mahtowin thank you for listening and commenting on the collab with @loch_jess_monster! Glad you liked it :-)

@slusk 2w

Thanks for being fast at commenting my songs. I’m glad that you liked it since I felt it was kind of lightweight lyrics-wise. It was mostly fun/easy doing the music and a way for me to do something uplifting of a troubling personal matter. .

@akeli 2w

Hi Mahtowin! Nice to meet you on the Acapella Challenge!

@vonnieknows 2w

Thanks for your comment on the kitten nibbles toes song i posted. Much appreciated.

@nancycunning 2w

Hooray, that's great. I'll send you a draft of a lyric for cleaning up...

@slusk 2w

Ein recht hertzlichen guten Abend from the fool on the hill! ;) Thanks for your kind comments on "Out of Time". All comments means a lot to me - and in particular from those I respect.

@chill4matt 2w

Thanks a million for that visual on listening to my music. It is nice to shift directions and make a different kind of song.

@ayais 2w

Thanks, Bear! My haiku efforts keep paying off ... three lines leaves room to think. And I'm loving putting words into characters mouths ... and it gives room to improvise, too.

@nancycunning 3w

How about if we do the melody too, and if we ended up one harmony short - that would be okay...

@nancycunning 3w

Andrea - Ich habe Dir einen Email geschickt mit eine mögliche Richtung für den Harmony Challenge. Ich würde auch gerne irgendwas ganz anders machen wenn Du möchtest.

@grenzgaengerin 3w

Happy FAWM...enjoy this year

@slusk 3w

Thanks for appreciating "Monochrome Love Affair". The female voice(s - two actually) are fake. It's 50% my voice and 50% my voice transposed one octave up with a formant shift which makes it female-ish when not too high in the mix. I was surprised how well it worked in the background. Maybe I'm destined to be Cohen Light (or Diet Cohen if you will).

@chill4matt 3w

Hey, thanks for the nice comments. Looking forward to more of your work!

@chill4matt 3w

Thank you, Andrea. I'm really liking this genre! :)

@arcane 3w

Thank you so much, Andrea.
That's something I've learned long ago: don't fight what is, because that's just a waste of energy. Adversity is part of our journey, and looking it in the eyes strengthens us and helps us grow. I know you know. 😉
Sending healing vibes to you! ❤️

@gregwere 3w

Thanks for your comments on Candlelight on the Ceiling - and no -most flattered by the comparison. Thank you.

@atam94 3w

thanks so much for the kind words on "Stand Out" - I really appreciate it :)

@mtmelodie 3w

Thank you for the comment, you kinda nailed in on what I was going for, and my condolences for the loss of your father

@chill4matt 3w

I appreciate your comment on "Simplicity". Looking forward to hearing your work this FAWM. :)

@tcelliott 3w

I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. I hope you find peace. Thank you for your comment.

@freshspotlessyouth 3w

I have no doubt that your tunes will be among my favorites again this year

@writeandwrong 3w

Happy FAWM 2025! I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad! FAWM became different for me for a long time after my mother passed. My father passed in 2005 so quite awhile ago. Just remember, "Music is Therapy" and go with it. 🤗 🎵

@nancycunning 3w

Yes to collaborating on German acapella lyrics. I was also feeling shy about offering but if we take it on together it’ll be great. @beacon

@nadine 3w

Mein herzliches Beileid. Ich hoffe, dass dir die Musik dabei hilft, den Verlust zu verarbeiten.

@gardeningangel 3w

My heart goes out to you 💔 I always enjoy your songs and perspectives. Hope the month ahead is as healing as possible for you, however much you're up for participating.

@atam94 3w

Just stopped by to wish you a happy FAWM and also to say that I am so sorry for your loss.

@ambroise 3w

Hehe nur "Hallo, Wilkomen, und Ich hoffe dir zu Hoeren". Aber, auf meiner leeren 50/90 Seite hat es mich gefreut.

@nancycunning 3w

Andrea - I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad’s death.

@ambroise 3w

Bonjour ! Merveilleux FAWM à toi !
Toutes mes condoléances pour ton père. J'espère que la musique t'aidera à tourner la page.

Und vielen dank fur deine Nachricht waehrend 50/90 ! 2024 war noch nicht das richtige Jahr fuer mich. Vielleicht 2025 ?

@cts 3w

Hello there! I am quite interested in hearing what the muse imputes in you. Also, I’m thinking maybe a song where you provide bass? We’ll see….

@squirrelhavenstudios 3w

Hi, Mahtowin! You have a great FAWM too! Maybe we can do another collaboration, one where you play the bass this time! Not sure why it didn't occur to me to have you play bass on our reggae collab. Missed opportunity!

@billwhite51 3w

i think it was the spirit of my mother who brought us together this time. she had such a strong identification with indians, and would be so thrilled to have a grand daughter with incan blood. i also had an obsession with the incas as a schoolboy. my grandmother was a mexican, which may have been part of my mothers atttraction to my father, although her true love was a Hawaiian boy she knew as a teenager at pearl harbor. in her diaries, the decision was between him and my father, and he was the preferred suitor. then her diary abruptly ends with the entry that my father asked her to meet her on the steps of the courthouse the next day, which was his birthday, july 12..the day he married her and also the day he died.

@billwhite51 3w

i have lost my dad, my mom, two sisters, three girlfriends, and dozens of friends..but nothing prepared me for the total devastation of losing Kelly. The worst part of it is not knowing whether she still exists, and if so, where she is and how we will meet again. I worry about her all the time. We have already chased each other through several lifetimes and always something has gone wrong. Where was the mistake this time..and how will we recognize each other in future incarnations? Her death has put my life into perspective, the error of my ways, my failure to save her when she succumbed to post traumatic depression after losing so many of her fellow doctors in their battle against covid. she saved so many lives, but was unable to save them all. we did this time succeed in bringing estrella into the world. that was the purpose of our love, and we succeeded in that. now i have the necessity of staying alive as long as possible to be with her as long as she needs me. Meanwhile, I have only my songs to guide me through the perilous dreamworld of this existence.

@billwhite51 3w

im so sorry to hear about your dad. wishing you the comfort of the spirits as you continue through life. i thought i would be unable to make music after losing my wife. but it has proved to be my comfort and salvation. when i make music, my corporate self and all its woes, disappear.

@sirius 3w

Meow! ❤️

@arcane 3w

Sorry for your loss, Andrea. Hope music will help you find some sort of solace. There are definitely healing energies in your songs.
❤️

@billwhite51 3w

So good to see you back. I have been enjoying the fabulous music you have been making with Paul, so it is like you have been here all year. Lets do another song for FAWM.

@heliosonorous 3w

Have a great Fawm!

@andrea 3w

Hi Andrea, I look forward to your music. Hope you have a great FAWM!

@andygetch 3w

So sorry for your loss. Hope that FAWM can be of some help in processing the loss. If you can find the time and mental energy I'm looking forward to hearing what you write.

@slusk 3w

Oh, that was really sad. I hope you will find comfort in your music.

@chill4matt 3w

I'm so sorry for your loss. You're in my thoughts. Music helps everything.