"It's hard to take on classic tunes like that and leave some sort of imprint of your own, but fair play to him, that's a fine version I think."

Ralph Mc Lean, BBC Radio Ulster

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"Martin Praetorius retaining a sense of Celtic grace with his version of Van Morrison's classic song 'Into the mystic.'
Who would dare cover Van Morrison in such a brilliant way?"

Alex Huskisson, Mystery Train Radio, UK

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"A big one to take on, and he does it great."

Fiachna Ó Braonain, RTE Radio 1, Ireland

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"Into the mystic", written by Van Morrison, is the second single from Martin Praetorius' forthcoming album "It's OK, I'm still laughing!"

"There was a big chestnut tree outside our house, the branches of which reached up to my window.
As a young teenager, I would lie in bed at night in the summer with the window open and listen to the wind playing in the leaves. I would hear the slow, steady rain and try to follow the sound of the different sizes of drops cascading from the top down.

On Friday nights, I would hear music coming from across the street, where the weekly disco in the halls of residence was held. This was my favourite night.
Depending on the direction of the wind, I could make out the songs, if I knew them. I didn't know many, but I was learning fast. Sometimes the wind was not in my favour and all I could hear were scraps of sound, coming and going, making it hard to tell what they were playing.

But those nights ended, one like the other, with me drifting away from that place where day and dream collide, to the music that slowly faded away...

They were probably playing "Into the Mystic" back then, because when I got to know Van Morrison's music a few years later, it sounded very familiar.
But more likely it is just one of those songs that you hear and immediately feel at home with. It never gets old. It's always new and exciting. And it stays with you like a good friend.

It became one of my favourite summer songs. Listen to it with the window open. Maybe there's a tree outside your house. Maybe the wind picks up the music, shuffles it through the leaves and blows it away, into someone else's ear.