@PulseWave -- Way to quash a boys popstar dreams. Just for you, I put two more recent 'rule' tracks at the link. Those ones have beats. The kids love those, right?

@Lois Lane -- Thanks, appreciate that. I've decided it now resides to your songs universe as backup. Just in case any cute kittens dare try to materialize when the other isn't looking...

 

I'll go right there, to the fresh, vibrant green and download both songs to my home hard drive, across the planet in seconds via internet data cables. Which is already the 9th wonder of the world in itself.

I find your two songs with speech samples very true to life, lively – for me, very serious and timeless music, Musically diverse and with imaginative instrumentation. Bravo Usr4321, well done....

 

@Usr4321 yo thats nice, reminds me of Xiu Xiu; like specifically something that would be on Girl With Basket of Fruit. has like that darker industrial style too it thats almost gothic and grungey. feels very disconnected and a little depressing and defeated. idk how you got that vibe from the image, hearing your thoughts behind that wouldve been more interesting to me personally because of how different it seems to me; but its your entry

and overall i liked your interpretation, nice to see you return

 

Very cool @User4321

{https://samply.app/ is nice too!}

 

@capitan crunch Thanks. Just found samply but so far seems good. Free accounts get 4gb and you can't see the insights, otherwise not restricted it seems. Lossless playback. One account to control Nnumber of projects with privacy settings. Pretty much all I'd want for a demo sharing platform.

@Grape Ape Ah, thank you for reminding me Xiu Xiu exists. One of those bands I keep meaning to dig into.. then.. just, uh.. kinda forget... Reading your view on it and how that translates makes perfect sense to me. I can 'see' that New Mexico/Arizona tint in the image and hear the mescaline working through the stages of Its not doing anything man' to jump cut 45 seconds later 'oh man, its doing something now.' I'm also pretty sure I'd lose my mind if that sample kicked mid trip, so good call at putting it in the beginning. Though I still jumped...

I viewed it a wee bit different. I don't see a breathing world in transition. I see a world that is already dead. If the sun is rising or setting is immaterial. Nothing of what made the world once vibrant remains. Though this world didn't die in a galactic calamity. The sun will rise and set and rise and set, maybe yet still for multiple eons. But it will do so with nothing of note to take notice. Some sparse vegetation remains. The occasional grove of trees or patch of prairie breaks an otherwise pale horizon. Even still, a bit closer reveals any signs of its growth as consequence of function rather than something poetically ascribed. Maybe there is a vague sense or memory of what it used to be, but what remains has no desire to begin again.

Now if you'll excuse me I need my Djarum Black and Absinthe break and to go claim my 2am table at Dennys.

 

Happy September to All!! Here's my take...

 

@capitan crunch ..

I hereby sanctify your piece in the name of The Major, The Minor and The Holy Moly as a song befitting and aptly expressing the chosen artwork, not conforming to normalcy and in addition wiggly enough for my pet worm Arnie to also appreciate...and Arnie is a hard sell, so congratulations!!

 

hey all, hope summer was good. i tried something different to the usual stuff i do.
the image, even if it shows a bare tree, gives me a sense of hope. i wouldn't know how to tell you why; i always try to look at the positive side of things i guess. (i'm not sure but i think i've used a mixolydian scale? for the strings. honestly i don't know; i just used a minor 'v' instead of the major 'V').. in any case, 100 bpm, sort of downtempo, here's the track.
nice to see (hear, eheh) so many different styles in these topics. cheers, hope summer was good for all


download/listen on SC or on Youtube
started this morning (around 10 hours ago) and scrapped many projects before focusing on this

 

@reticular
I really dig that opening synth, super airy and immediately inviting. Going full ambient feels like the right call with this artwork, the space breathes. I kept picturing a wide plain at sunset, light stretching far, time suspended. Personally, I could also imagine some very soft, ghost like percussion coming in late, just to underline the melody, but honestly, the levitation works perfectly as is. Sometimes less really is more. Beautiful choice.

@TimJackman
Big fan of the natural vibe here, and that low end is carrying everything with such grace. The kick’s gradual rise is exactly the kind of progression I love, organic, never forced. Your layers weave into each other in a way that’s open and cinematic. It feels like stepping into a wide landscape, both spacious and alive. Really curious about the sources or treatments you used for those atmospheric textures, they sound both grounded and surreal at the same time.

@Grape Ape
Haha, The Lion King intro had me cracking up brilliant way to flip expectations. That bass is pure sex, and the synth tone you crafted is gorgeous. Listening felt like a picnic scene slowly shifting into a psychedelic mirage, with the sun bending and trembling. The second part builds a tension that’s deliciously unsettling. Which vocal did you use exactly, and how did you process it to keep that hallucinatory vibe without overwhelming the mix I’ll admit, part of me wished for a wild rhythmic explosion at some point, but staying within the image’s theme makes total sense. Really loved it.

@Lois Lane
Sending you a lot of strength and gentle energy for your fight. Musically, this track hit me hard. The deep low end reminded me a bit of Boards of Canada, while the harmonics breathed in and out beautifully. The rising sense of unease felt so intentional, almost cinematic, I couldn’t look away. The textures are carved with precision, and the second half had me holding my breath. I don’t know if the war reference was deliberate, but I felt it in the contrasts. Thank you for sharing something so raw and powerful. We’re with you.

@macros mk2
This one gave me strong Extrawelt vibes at times, which I absolutely love. The rhythm works smoothly without overcomplicating, and the bass… instant favorite. It makes me want to move, straight away. The melody is catchy yet subtle, with small details that keep it alive. Great production, clean and confident. If you ever do an extended version, I’d be first in line.

@vuldegger
The spatialization alone is a trip. That bass line slithers in such a cool way, almost like it’s telling its own story. Which scale did you go for It has a modal flavor, with moments that feel slightly oriental, and I love that. The free-jazz touch works, and the trumpets add depth while leaving space for the synth to shine. I ended the track floating on a cloud. Beautiful work.

@Usr4321
IDM is very close to my heart, so this was a real treat. The textures are crunchy and tactile, you can feel the material. I love your idea of setting rules, it sharpens creativity. The tracks remain abstract but never cold,there’s emotion in the interruptions and returns. Really nice harmonic moves and micro-variations. I’d be super curious to hear you push this sound palette into 160 BPM breakbeat territory one day, I think it could be glorious chaos.

@capitan crunch
Another gorgeous deep bass, you know how to hit me right away. The atmosphere reminded me of Aphex at his most contemplative, that’s my weakness. The rhythm is tight without overpowering, and the lead sound is just perfect, slightly acidic in all the right spots. The melodic shifts are smooth and well handled. Total nerd question: did you transpose in real time or use some kind of scale modulator And what synth are we hearing here I’d love to know.

@Backtired
Closing my eyes, I’m completely inside the painting. The rhythm has this alt-rock kind of pulse that pushes forward with character. The FX placements are spot-on, giving the track nice breathing points. The bass, with that acidic touch, supports everything beautifully. I’ll admit my personal taste would have loved an even heavier acid push at the end, but that’s just me being greedy. Really solid and immersive piece.

And here’s mine
I must have rebuilt this track five times before daring to post this version. At first, I wanted to anchor it in the historical context, so I worked with Chaplin’s final speech from The Great Dictator. Then I abandoned it and built something more like a plain-walking piece, with a steady promenade rhythm. D minor, a touch of Aphex in the spirit – minimal but alive. At the end, I tested the speech again and to my surprise it fit almost perfectly, like the first idea had been waiting for me all along. Sometimes the intuition knows better than we do. Excited to hear your thoughts.

 

@johnmusichead .. What a fantastic musical backdrop for a message that is universal and sadly one that needs bear repeating still. You've helped make Chaplin's iconic speech accessible to those many that perchance are not familiar with it and hopefully it will resonate with them in deed, and as well to remind those that good can and will in the end triumph over evil. I'm reminded of the Czeck Velvet Revolution when the police were ordered to massacre protesters but refused as their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers and friends and relatives were all gathered in solidarity.

Great job!

 

Thank you so much Lois, your words really touched me. I wasn’t sure at first if using Chaplin’s speech would resonate or feel out of place, but in the end it just glued itself to the track almost naturally. Knowing it connected with you and even brought up something as powerful as the Velvet Revolution, means a lot.

I believe music has this strange way of carrying messages beyond time, and it makes me happy if it can remind us all of the strength that lies in unity and hope. Wishing you all the energy and light for your own journey; you inspire me with the way you share both your art and your story here.

 

hey @johnmusichead thanks for sharing your thoughts, to answer your question that vocal sample was the second chorus from this song (i time stamped it but that usually never works on this site, should be like around 3:20)

i used RX 11 to separate the vocal part and clean it up, i already knew it was in the same key just in a different mode, then i ran it through serato sample in Logic so i could trigger it correctly. looking at the project file i reversed it with Kilohearts reverser from Phase Plant, it has this like this cool delay that you can dial in; i used its mix knob to blend it so its like distorting the actual sample to sound like its in an in-between place

the balance is just good speakers i bought from my neighbor who has this really nice studio on his property up the road where he does work for country and rock artists; theyre like $4k brand new for the pair, so its very easy for me to balance stuff in my home studio. i didnt use eq or anything, just the fader

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
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as for your interpretation, intuition is definitely the best guide, its taking me so far in life despite what other people thought was possible or had to say. everything unfolded in a way nobody couldve predicted including myself, im glad i trusted it and didnt listen to others or even my own self doubt at time and now i trust it absolutely, so im not suprised it worked out for you - hope you gained even more trust in it from working on this, even if it seems small

you usually make some of my favorite interpretations, this ones no different. this is a very good example imo of the mode (minor/aeolian) not making as much difference as the intention its used with. normally people associate minor=sad but this has a very positive and uplifting energy and feeling too it, which i agree goes well with the dialogue and the image; feels like a morning sunrise and a new day. nice job and thanks for hosting this month

 

Wow, thanks a lot for taking the time to share all that detail, really appreciate it. The way you processed that vocal is brilliant, especially the reverser trick, it really gives a good feeling. I might have to steal that idea at some point :D. And those monitors… I can only imagine how nice it must be to work with that level of balance in your room.

I totally agree with what you said about intuition. This track taught me to trust it more, every time I tried to overthink, I ended up stuck, and when I let go, things aligned almost on their own. It’s inspiring to hear how far following your gut has taken you too.

And you’re right about minor not always meaning “sad.” Sometimes it can feel hopeful, like a sunrise, exactly as you said. That’s the vibe I was hoping to land on, so I’m really glad it came through. Thanks again for your kind words and for all the energy you bring to these non-contests, it’s always a joy to read your thoughts.

 

I was being silly with a blessing parodying The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.

 

I know.

 

I know that you know.