May 14, 2005 17:52:46 PM
This isn't an Electrologica song yet, but I think it will be. Let me explain to you the lame subdivision I have made in my mind of my music. If it has a lot of MIDI and noises and it's engineered up the yin-yang, it's Electrologica. If it is just me and a guitar, it is 56 Kilobit Sentinel. Why it isn't my name is because I don't like seeing my name on things.

I wrote this "demo" for somebody, but after I did I started to really like how easily it came to me, and it wouldn't be out of place on Electrologica if it was recorded properly. I'd like to find a balance between the (what I consider poorly-done) wall of sound I used to do for Electrologica and this kind of bare thing. Anyway, this is called Colorwheel (MP3, ~1.3MB)

January 27, 2005 14:58:49 PM
All right, here are two more-or-less-complete demos for you.

This first one I did a couple days ago. It's not really mixed at all (only through headphones), and as is the case when I do that, the voices are too loud compared to the music. It's pretty sparse for me and I'll probably add some variations to it.

I want to find some things to build up what comes before the pseudo-chorus. Anyway, here is the undermix version of Argon Deuteronomy Revivalist (MP3, ~3MB).

The second one is more complete, but I'm not happy with this mix; it's pretty muddy. I'm debating adding some quiet drums, but I don't think I need them. I want this to be the last track on the album. One Minute Back (MP3, ~3MB).

January 25, 2005 16:29:27 PM
The hard part about writing music is feeling like you have something to convey, but being unable to. I listen to other music and I think "that's what I wanted to say," so I sit down and try to come up with something that says that, but it doesn't work.

Also I think playing guitar has actually hindered my ability to write, since I know relatively few chords, but I'm always trying to write for the guitar. machines that think? was done all in MIDI, and I didn't know one note from another. As much as I dislike relying on MIDI, I think it was freeing in that way. Maybe if I find a better wavetable, I'll like it better.

Lately I've been interested in some kind of NES-like wavetable. Where would I find one?

January 18, 2005 19:12:46 PM
Well, here we are. The last Electrologica project was put out in 2001, and lately I've felt compelled to try it again. I am (somewhat) proud of machines that think?, as a first attempt of someone who didn't know anything about music. There's a lot of things I wish I did, though. Like, you know, sometimes adding a bridge or a drum fill. That would have been good.

Anyway, rather than do another album isolated in a vacuum, I have decided to share the whole thing with the internet as I do it. Normally I don't like the idea of putting something out before I consider it finished and whole, but maybe this approach will be a good one.

I thought I had all but decided on the tone of the next album, but I'm not really feeling it so much anymore, mostly because I was very depressed when I started it, middle of 2004. I'm pretty sold on the title being One Minute Back, and it's a concept album, similar to the concept in a short story that, I think, have taken off the fiction page. It's about the first attempt at time travel. Wow, another time travel idea! I'm not sure how much of the album will really tell a story. It's more like... thematic, not literal.

I'd like it to be about forty-five minutes. The first album was only 35 minutes, which is kind of short. Digital Nothing is more "complete," but not as "cohesive," if that makes any sense.

Look for some lyrics, demos and tracks here soon. Also thanks for your interest.