Welcome to part one of this, my latest roundup of an increasingly prolific musical output.
First up, here’s another new tune composed on my modular synth; a burbling ambient soundscape, with some added sample sequences for a bit of structure, this is Thrumm.
Next it’s an epic techno odyssey called Conduit To Sector 17, made using the same technique, with another bespoke synth framework.
Followed by a big orchestral production number made from samples and sequences, with a video editing spectacular to match.
Stay tuned for part two, a Twin Peaks inspired multimedia masterpiece…
The time has come for me to move on up to the next level of music production, using programmable modular synthesizers.
Now, having no idea how any of these things work (as usual), I once again embarked on the experimental stage of a steep learning curve.
The first synth app I treated myself to is called HEAT; featuring a bewildering array of switches, sliders and knobs with nothing in the way of instructions…
…however, with a lot of fiddling and twiddling and many hours of making unlistenable noises, I started to get to grips with the huge number of variable sonic parameters and worked out how to control and manipulate the sounds it produces.
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If possible, the second virtual synth I bought is even more complicated and goes by the name HEXEN. It is described as a “eurorack modular synth” and allows me to build an unlimited combination of modules (sequencers, samplers, oscilloscopes, tape units, effects generators, etc) on the rack’s six shelves, using an endless supply of patch cables.
Having eventually discovered how to add modules and record the resulting output with a tape unit, I’m now learning to incorporate the infinite possibilities of Hexen into fully mixed tracks, but for now here’s a video of it running my first attempt at a programmed sequence.
And finally, here’s my first completely original production using the HEAT synth, also featuring drum patterns and samples which were added at the mixing stage; ladies and gentlemen, I give you the decidedly colourful video for Puls8.
Hi there, welcome back to the third and final part of my musical update of 2022, specifically; a series of collaborations with my Russian friend, Alexey, aka MakeUp.
Alexey is a talented photographer, filmmaker and musician from Russia, who I originally got to know as part of the global resurgence in Twin Peaks fandom a few years ago and who shares my interest in peculiar electronica soundscapes.
We were chatting on Facebook a few weeks ago and he sent me some of his back catalogue to listen to and I couldn’t resist trying a quick remix.
I wanted to create a whole new tune to combine with Alexey’s “Sexy Acid Track” and for no reason at all I chose one with a Zouk Bass kind of feel (a sub-genre of bass-heavy electronic dance music with its roots in African and Caribbean percussion) and you can sample the resulting, glitchy aural collage below.
This is the only video I’ve made so far but there is at least one more collaborative track completed, so I imagine that will also see the light of day before too long.
Hello, Happy New Year and welcome to part two of this roundup of recent audio visual output, this time focusing on music I made entirely by myself, as opposed to adding to/remixing existing material.
I created each of these compositions using dozens of samples, which I patiently assembled from the hundreds I’ve found by trawling the internet, then added extra layers of sound by mixing two or more of these initial sequences together.
The videos are made with a variety of pattern generating and editing apps, often using several different versions superimposed on top of each other, then multiple layers of effects are added (because I never did know when to stop) to achieve the sometimes retina-bothering results you see below.
I’m aware my sonic noodlings are sometimes rather long, which is a result of my preferred method of a “live jamming” recording process. I really only make the accompanying videos because YouTube links are the easiest to share, so if prolonged exposure is a bit much for you, I quite understand. ;~}
There is a whole load more music which is yet to be released into the wild, so my next project will be to compile some of that into my third Bandcamp album of original material. Watch this space for details.
Anyway, to the music.
This first one started out as a silent experiment in overlaying animations and I thought it needed a soundtrack, so I repurposed an old track of mine with some effects, just for fun.
Eklektik Headz
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After which, there’s this, the first result of the aforementioned experimentation. I started making the video one weekend and didn’t get round to finishing it, so it sat there in my editing app all week and every now and again I’d have an idea like; “Ooh, what this needs is loads of dancing robots…”
Then I’d think of another layer of effects to apply, then another, and another.
After the slightly creepy, pumpkin headed dancing men arrived, I figured it was time to stop
Oogle Plex
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Here’s a slice of psychedelic disco for you, the video is a bit like being sucked into a funky wormhole.
Malfunkshun
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Trance and techno more your sort of thing? Try this great big wall of sound production, it’s pretty damn anthemic, even if I do say so myself. (You could even check out the Extended Breakbeat Remix, should you so wish)
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And finally there’s this, well, I’m not sure what you’d call it, but it certainly builds to a very satisfactory crescendo of interesting noises.
Good evening to you, I hope you’re having a good start to the weekend, even if it isn’t the extended one we’re enjoying here in the UK for the queen’s platinum jubilee.
That isn’t the only thing worth celebrating today, however, because he time has finally come for me to air a new collection of original music, in the form of my new album, Process of Elimination.
Listen for free or purchase one or more of the album’s 15 lovingly crafted tracks via the Bandcamp player below.
As if that wasn’t enough, I’ve already created videos for a few of the new tunes and here are three of my favourites.
Hello there, happy new year to you all, here’s a new musical treat for you, to start 2022 off on a funky note. It’s a little disco number I call Daft Kerplunk, in tribute to a certain defunct French electro duo by whom it is inspired.
Mind your eyeballs, it’s about to get…complicated.
I have been working overtime in my home studio complex recently (oh alright, sitting on the sofa with my phone) to produce not one but two extraordinary new examples of multimedia madness to inflict on you share with you.
To start with, here’s the YouTube video for a chilled out fusion of minimal techno, garage beats and vocal samples entitled Content Blocked…
That’s followed by something completely different; an enormous, slowly building wall of sound production which quite frankly defies description, aptly named Unhinged Malady.
{The embedded Instagram player features an exclusive, extra-insane, retina-scrambling version of the video, but if you can’t access that one for any reason, here’s the original YouTube edit}
Another weekend of digital fiddling and multimedia mucking about has ended up with another new piece of genre-defying electronic music and an accompanying video which gives new meaning to the word “trippy”.
The video was made using only a single photo, which I was using to make some artwork for the track’s Bandcamp release. I got a bit carried away adding more and more extra layers of effects and, although the resulting visuals weren’t created by synching them with the music, they are still pretty awesome in their psychedelic trippiness.
Time for another burst of extended sonic experimentation, once again accompanied by an eye-wateringly psychedelic video.
The entire visual extravaganza was made using nothing more than a one minute twelve second clip of the spider you see at the start, which I then spent a few hours layering with more and more effects until I arrived at the retina-worrying result below.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the world premiere of Temporal Drift…
Good evening to you, unless it isn’t, then good morning or good afternoon, wherever you may be, I hope you’re having a lovely weekend so far.
I have spent an inordinate amount of time recently, making a couple of extremely complex audio visual delights and the time has come to share them with you.
The first is a completely “original” composition, made using royalty-free samples I found in online archives; created by my usual method of producing two complete eight track recordings and then mixing them together on my virtual DJ decks.
Once again I have lovingly constructed a multilayered, psychedelic, visual feast to accompany the sonic odyssey, Flare Rider, which you may enjoy right here and now. The music will also soon be available as a release on my Bandcamp page.
The second musical offering I have for you is another in my series of unlikely soundclash mixes; this one features some ’80s pop classics, along with some bespoke breaks, beats and bleeping noises from yours truly on the virtual wheels of steel.
It’s also FREE to download on Bandcamp (because; royalties, copyright, etc) so grab a copy for yourself while it’s still available…
RETURN OF THE INTERNET NOBODY 