flirting with obscurity (2024) ALBUM NOTES
All songs were written by me and recorded in 2023 and early 2024, in the same time frame as the Garden Variety album songs. I play all instruments myself. The music featured here reflects my more experimental side.
5 songs on this album use an analog percussion synth called "Edge" and several songs are using sounds from two new synths I got: the Korg OPSIX (used mainly for chord- and rhythmic sequences) and the Behringer Pro 800, a clone of the vintage legendary Prophet 5.
I also use a special instrument called the LinnStrument made by Roger Linn, the inventor of the Linn drums in the early 80s. It is an advanced Midi controller but also a new type of musical instrument.
Here is a song by song description:
01 Wunderland; is based on a patch of my new Boss GM800 guitar synth. A melodic tune, only 2 tracks. There are a few songs in this style this on on the album.
02 Aqua Cavernas; is a song that uses both, a rhythm sequence on the OPSIX and the Edge. Even though the Edge is not that prominent in this song, please allow me to explain how it works. The OPSIX plays a rhythm sequence (or a chord sequence or both for that matter) and triggers the Edge which is connected via Midi. The deal with the Edge is that you can manually work the filters in real time and come up with some cool and crazy percussion sounds that create interesting alternations and sound variety. Now I record this new “performance”, a mix of both synths, in one single stereo track. In this particular song I later added a synth pad track, 2 guitar tracks and a bass track.
03 Distant Star; a little melodic tune, only 2 tracks as well, beautiful OPSIX chords and a nice melody played with a relatively clean sound on electric guitar.
04 Outside In; I was experimenting with the arpeggiator on the Pro 800. This tune features an accompaniment with very intricate time signature changes. Then I wrote some cool melody lines that are played with midi guitar and doubled with distorted guitar (2 guitar tracks). I think it turned out quite interesting, hopefully you agree.
05 ASMR Folklore; is played on a SRV strat clone that I inherited from my good friend Bob, may he rest in peace. I put a neck with scalloped fretboard on it. It is a very special guitar! The tune uses variations of melody lines from old fashioned German folk songs that we sang when we were kids, 60+ years ago. ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a term used to describe a feel-able sensation (like tingling in your head) in response to audio or visual stimuli.
06 Ritmo Ringmod Racket; I found this rhythm sequence in the OPSIX. It inspired me to improvise a crazy guitar solo over it. I used a ring-modulator effect on my Eventide H9 and pressed the record button. This take formed the basis of this song. I then added a bass track and a very sparse rhythm guitar track. It came out sounding kind-a-like a live band improvisation. It is pretty weird and wild though. Later I added a little “mystery” intro and a synth pad track under the improv part. Not everybody’s cup of tea I guess, but I like it (especially the sparse rhythm guitar).
07 The Ride; thanks so much for coming along! The is a positiv tune, with a nice flageolet sound guitar solo, it also features the Edge.
08 -1=? ; the idea for this tune was to use some short melody patterns that repeat with one note removed, until only 1 or 2 notes remain. If you listen closely you will find a few of these patterns. But I think this song title also has a deeper meaning: What would the world be if you or me or anyone else would not be here? Would things have developed differently? Or how will you deal with loosing a loved one or a dear friend?
09 Asteroid Field; the Edge again, a cool bass line and a guitar that is weaving it’s way through the rocks trying to avoid a collision.
10 Piano Seed; starting with an intro that is kind of deceiving, it leads into the piano part with a nice guitar melody on top. Also only 2 tracks, OPSIX and guitar.
11 You Cannot Be Serious; this is a faster tune that uses a chord sequence on the OPSIX, the Edge via midi, worked filters etc, and an improvised guitar track over it. The beginning few bars are half time (with kind of humorous sounds, hence the title) then it shifts into double time.
12 Waterfront Cafe; the feeling of this tune reminds me of a cafe at the port of Ibiza in the Mediterranean Sea. When I was about 20 years young, I hitchhiked with a friend from Germany to Barcelona in Spain. The trip went through half of Germany, all the way through France into Spain and another 90 miles to Barcelona where we took a ferry to Ibiza. I think I had about $70 in my pocket for the entire 2 weeks trip. Crazy…
13 Pure Obscurity; here I use the LinnStrument and experiment with a grand piano sound and a weird scale. A bizarre and risky experiment. The title says it all. It’s definitely an acquired taste…
14 Flirting with Obscurity; also played on the LinnStrument, I use a harmonica sound from my keyboard, you can do quite some expressive playing on the LinnStrument.
Cover image by NASA: “A view of the Milky Way supermassive black hole Sagittarius A in polarized light”