Another month, another single! This one is the last of three summer dance singles with auto tune, ass-shaking bass and working synth. I can’t imagine it being your thing @grmpysmrf ‘s , but would be very interested to hear what you and anyone else who has the 2:45 to listen thinks. Heck I’d even invite @DJ_Pon-3 to post snark and immediately delete it! If nothing else, I don’t think I sound like Weird Al this time out!
The b-side is inspired equally by 80s Cabaret Voltaire and 2010s Disclosure. Oh and the Noex Beats remix is insane good.
Next month goes in a radically different direction. Pastoral
A 3-song version is also up on Spotify and all other streaming.
Personally, I like the spoken word recordings. The other ones are also good, but not really my cup of tea. I do like that bass synth in “Take the Night away.” Still, you’ve been putting out some interesting stuff. Keep it up!
Thanks! Definitely next month’s single will be very different than the ones so far, but my suspicion is that October and November will be the ones that most suit this board’s tastes.
It’s been fun doing a ton of different styles, but God one a month has been gruelling! I have them demoed out through November but December on is open.
Kind of on a lark I just dropped this little Noise Punk Industrial single. I have an EP in progress, but just wanted to fuck around and make a cover and get one track and a b-side out. Both tracks are less than 3 minutes of listening time, so it won’t take you long to determine if it’s hot or not (remember that website?)
It’s really me trying to do digital hardcore if digital hardcore had been heavily influenced by Wax Trax! instead of Berlin techno.
And here’s something very different. As we move into fall the tone of the singles takes a drastic turn with this electronic folk music EP. One track has a Leone-esque western strings arrangement, one is a stripped down love song. Don’t know if any of you will listen or what the hell you’ll think if you do!!
As always, any feedback even rudely stated put downs are gratefully accepted. Gotta grow thick skin if you’re a middle-aged dude making music. Just no mean statements about the cover model, because she’s my wife!
Here it is on Bandcamp (with an extra track making it a bona fide EP):
Just listened to “Mountain”. LOVE IT! I hadn’t read your intro about Sergio Leone, but I absolutely got the soundtrack vibe from it. It is very much atmospheric and brings visual moods. I envision the post-apocalyptic (yes, at some point in time I compare EVERYTHING to Mad Max) or Barbarian style caravans trekking up windy desert paths, with their heavily armored horses and camels and hand-crafted weapons and cages of weird meat.
And it cracked me the fuck up when the lyrics said something about your face being a mountain face. There’s a scene in “Hot Rod” where Dave is on a bad acid trip and says Rod’s face looks like a mountain. Then when he leaves he shouts, “See you later, MOUNTAIN FACE!”
Anyway, I’d not caught your latest updates here but will try to get back up to speed and let you know what I think.
I could see myself getting stupid in the club with this one. It’s not particularly new or revolutionary, but for the style/genre (or what I perceive the style/genre to be) it actually really hits the spot. You want a catchy groove that gets people moving and you want a refrain or bit of chorus that people can yell along with when they’re feeling it. It’s got all the needed pieces and just feels like it would be a fun underground club dance party hit.
Thanks so much for the reply! I had no idea if anyone here would listen or dig it. Definitely going for the cinematic vibe and live that you saw post apocalyptic acid trip aspects to it! Gives me new imagery. That’s one of the coolest things about hearing about what people think of your music is the wide range of interpretations.
And thanks for words on “Burn It Down”. That was a quick little number to do and will be better mixed and mastered when it shows up on the EP but a blast to do. Strangely it was recorded at an AirBnB in Thailand at lilac colored desk that looked like it was made for 17th century women to use for applying make-up.
Another month, another single (or in this case EP). This one is a little gothic dream pop kind of thing that my wife does the vocals on.
Here’s the BandCamp (with a bonus ANDRAS remix):
Here’s Spotify:
And Apple Music:
Feel this is probably more up the board’s alley, but can never really predict what will land! Either way, this style is probably what I’ll slowly build an album out of next.
Red Porcelain is the best stuff you’ve done IMO. I like it. I like ethereal dream pop so this fits nicely.
A suggestion, and this is strictly my own person taste, I would alter the mix just a smidge and move the bebop keys a bit farther back in the sound. I’d also change the pitch on the bebop a bit lower and flatter. I hate even saying anything as this is worlds better than anything I could create. Nice job.
You and I - I like the mix better on this one. Have your wife do all the vox
Tick of the Clock - I’m not sure what to think. It has it’s moments but overall doesn’t do it for me. Again, I hate even saying anything as this is waaaaaay better than anything I can do.
Appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment. Never feel bad for telling me how you really think - it’s one of the reasons I like this place. Most places either don’t respond at all, or tell you what they think you want to hear rather than how they really feel, that way I can make actual progress.
I tried to get my wife to do all the vocals on You & I but it wasn’t easy for her in the timeframe we had (doing these things monthly means it’s a bit pedal to metal for timing). There’s a track on next month’s that when we put together an album she’ll probably do the vocals instead of me too. She’s also working on an EP of spoken word material that I’ll do the music for, probably released next year.
As for Tick of the Clock. It’s the oldest track - something I’d started before spilled water on my old laptop and killing it. I like what I do better now, but wanted to finish it and finally release it. Had been planning to do an EP or album in that style back in the day.
No stress, no obligation to like any of it! It’s fun trying to grow my skills and slowly build things. Doing a stupid amount of singles like I’m doing is an attempt to kind of force my own musical evolution, so never feel bad saying you don’t dig. Helps me grow.
