Tried something different this week: working backwards. Instead of starting with sounds, then making themes/melodies, then figuring out how to put them together-- I started with the structure and worked backwards. The structure I ganked from Objekt's "Tinderbox," which is an amazing tune and you should listen to it sometime in the far far future, after you've forgotten about this one. There are some interesting deviations from the 16-16-16-16 structure-- while still using primarily 16-bar units, there are transitions 4 bars, 10 bars, 12 bars long... stuff to confuse the DJ.

Anyway, futzed with Operator to come up with some sounds (a variation on my trusty wobble bass, a brand new bass drop sound, yet another harsh keyboard sound, yet another organ sound, and something that reminded me of a melodica) and started composing some themes...

Stuff got dark. I mean with me. The problem was actually that the melodies weren't dark enough. I'd planned to use C Phrygian, but as mightily as I struggled it still sounded like Ab Major. And it was just a bunch of loops that didn't belong together. This time two days ago I was resigned to uploading a piece of junk and apologizing profusely. Then something magic happened and it started working.

The weird calypso rhythms gave the piece a tropical feel that I had not intended and fought and fought and finally embraced. It could be a summery jam of support for all my friends and family suffering under the blizzard! Something to (metaphorically) melt all that snow: SNOWMELTA!

Which gave me some ideas: needs samples! So I put in some movie samples... it was a close thing that I realized I wouldn't be able to get away with it. Hence the Curat Lex Remix: all uncleared samples excised! I'll put the original on my SoundCloud page and throw in a link once this goes live... though now having heard both versions, this one with its swirling hauntological echoes of unheard voices, I'm not entirely sure which version I prefer!

EDIT:
Here's the original
[soundcloud]243619474[/soundcloud]
(I tracked down a news item about a machine called a Snow Melter and how it was melting a bunch of snow (local news!). These gave a different feel to the whole piece-- less tropical, more civic filmstrip: the magic of municipal technology! Then I put in some samples from the movie "Snowpiercer," to balance out that optimism with a touch of dystopian dread...)

Tags: bass drops, blizzard soundtrack, calypso, dance, dubstep, electronic, halfstep, lawsuitproof, tropical, week 3 2016, wobble bass, View by:CrazyBob