Spivkurl

It does sound very devo-bot, does it not?! Honestly this seems like so long ago... but who am I to judge?! Thank you for the respect, my friend!

Thank you for taking a listen and leaving a comment. "Disturbing and just off, in a good way" is something I can get behind for sure! It seems that the songs of this album disturb exactly the right people, while the people who are already on the right track find it happy and refreshing. As far as the vocal verses go, I can give two excuses... 1) The vocal parts of this song were literally last minute, as I was facing the chance of jail time the following monday. 2) The song is not meant to be a radio friendly pop song, but more of a modern folk song. (I would place a big guess that you are not into Niel Young or Bob Dylan etc...) In regards to the low end, some of the bass parts are purposely mid frequency, and lifting into higher frequencies at times. It sounds considerably thumpin on all of the systems I've listened on... (five different headphones on different players, alesis monitors, computer speakers with sub, and my hi-fi with JBL three way speakers) I appreciate your advice of course, but since the song and album are only memories now, no changes will be made. Appreciate the comments!

Your words mean a lot to me! This song was pretty important, and thoroughly enjoyable to create, so it makes me happy that some others like it as well. Songs like this seem to be shaping the way I work lately. Got to love those real recordings! Thanks for your support!

Electro punk sounds like a decent description... a lot of the new wave sort of stuff that I've listened to for a long time was combining electronic and punk aesthetics. Like New Order, The Cure (Got tickets to see them in June!!! First time in 20 years!), Gary Numan and stuff like that. I guess I never really thought of most of these sounds as 8bit, since generally they weren't from 8bit sources, nor were they recorded at 8bit... but I can definitely see why it would sound that way. I would agree about it not getting boring for sure, as even I still listen to it regularly. Thanks much for your listen and continued support!

Thanks for your continued support Ed! I think the idea that I'm not a commercial source makes a big difference. I react badly when money and art are co-mingled sometimes! This is quite sample based, but a lot of the samples were of instruments I built or modified. I've been doing a lot of work in my temporary second studio in the kitchen upstairs, and I don't have all of my instruments up there. Soon the hardwood floors will be done for the lab and studio B, so I can move a few instruments in there... and free up some space in my main studio, as it's getting mind blowing at the moment. I found ti pretty minimal as well, but groovy and deep enough to wok. I really appreciate you taking a listen!

Hey friend, thank you for the listen and kind words! The main idea was inspired by pre-dawn solo smoke sessions listening to Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley while writing... so it makes sense that it sounds like a mind freed! Until PJB mentioned Captain Beefheart, I can't say I'd ever heard an entire song of the group. Went out and heard some, and like the more recent stuff, and not so much the stuff from the seventies. I find most Devo pretty annoying, but maybe if I gave it more of a chance it would go better. I'm from the generation where "whip it" was a retro hit, and it got pretty annoying at the time... :) It's nice to hear that you enjoyed the listen. Hope you have picked up a download of the album. Thanks!

Hey, thank you for the listen and leaving your words! I'm happy you like this one. It's funny, most people seem to take the words "You Are Never Alone" as either a positive reinforcement or an insult... originally I meant it as sort of a complaint about life as a human. I'm happy that everyone can interpret my songs in different ways though, as that's what art is all about. Appreciate it friend!

Thank you for the very kind and expressive words! The sounds in the song would be an example of my more sample based, "spontaneous synchronized randomness" sort of composition, rather than MIDI controlled hardware sort of style which I do a lot. The vocals were a bit hurried out of necessity, but I still love how they turned out. I find that most of humankind is more akin to robots currently, or at least cybernetic organisms, rather than mammalian animals which they should be... but I understand what you mean, as I know that things will get worse before they get better. It's a good thing to me that this sounds like a new genre to your ears, as I have trouble separating it from things such as devo (who I don't like to listen to) and Gary Numan's Tubeway Army (who I've been appreciating more recently). I wasn't consciously trying to replicate anything, aside from emotion, so it is good that it sounds original to you. I hope you have picked up a copy of this album, if not some of my others. Thank you very much for listening and leaving a comment!

Happy to hear that some amount of inspiration was transferred via this song! I appreciate you letting me know! I will try to watch your profile for new works. December seems like so long ago now, although I am living by my expressed beliefs even still. Have a good day!

I appreciate the very kind words from a fellow musician who I have never encountered before! Like I've mentioned to others, I don't consider "electronic" to be a genre... it's more like a warning that the listener will hear electronic instruments in the composition. I'm happy hat you enjoyed the listen, and I'm glad that you left your words! Thank you!

Thank you Rhodesy for taking the time to listen and leave some words! Happy that the vocals seemed appropriate in this song. I had a lot of drive to complete them, and to do it in a way that conveyed the feelings/message. It seems that most people are hearing what I'm saying, and that means a lot to me. I appreciate the comment!

Hey Steve, thank you for your kind words regarding this song! It was an important one to me for sure. The vocal delivery is maybe not as spectacular as it could have been if I'd had more time to spend, but I am happy with it. I did not want the unfinished album sitting there waiting if I ended up in jail... fortunately that did not happen. Since one cannot predict the future (in many cases), it is best not to count on "luck" to smile upon us. The song does sound rather schizoid in it's focus shifting, and I guess it's appropriate that way. I really appreciate you listening!

Hey man, it's good to hear from you! I actually had to go and listen to some Captain Beefheart, as I really am completely unfamiliar with his music. I somewhat randomly landed on the video for "Ice Cream For Crow," and within less than a minute I had it "liked." Super cool stuff, which I identify with a lot! This kind of speaks to my intentional incorporation of folk, jazz, and blues influences into seemingly modern sounds. The comparison with Devo deepens the connection, and I am fully ready to admit that this is one of the more Devo sounding tracks I've ever made. That part was not intentional though, ha ha. The "ensemble awareness" idea you have proposed makes perfect sense to me, and I think I may have felt that while trying to complete this track. It fell into place, because it was meant to happen. I watched "Metropolis" a few times back in the day, and found it a bit disturbing, but at the same time influential. It's a big honor that you can find this song musical, as you are serious about your art. Thank you very much for your words!

Hey friend, thank you for listening to this and leaving a comment! This really is a pretty bass driven song composition wise, even if much of the bass work is very mid range. How do I do it so well? .... hmmm... I guess that in a song like this, taking my time with the composition and mixing is all important. The vocal part was done with time limitation, as it was the last recording for the album, with looming jury trial coming the next week. The lyrics were very influence by listening to Jimmy Cliff and smoking buds before sunrise, which have both been habits of mine almost since birth (one thing I can thank my father for). Kind of started as a rasta influenced ballad style, and then merged with anthem sort of vibe, which is common for my recent vocal based songs. I'm very happy that you liked the "chorus" lyrics, as they were important to convey for me. I appreciate you stopping by!

Firstly, welcome to the site! I really appreciate you listening to this and leaving your words! All of your impressions are pleasing to read, from "fresh" to "surprising," as well as "keeps you guessing." I am always "trying to try" new things, and it makes me happy that it comes across in some of my songs. Have a good day!

Thank you so much for listening and for going out of your way to download the album! It means a lot when someone else can appreciate something which I do primarily out of personal necessity. I often write songs to remind myself of important things, an if it can reach someone else, then all the better! Thanks so much!

Thank you for the "fantastic" first comment on this song! I appreciate it!

Hey buddy, thank you for the comment! I'm happy that you are feeling this as a favorite! Everything in this fell into place very naturally, as it was a song that I felt was meant to be. I'm happy you liked the lyrics, as the song wouldn't have happened without them. I honestly don't know if I'm into the remix scene at all any more. I worked in those constraints so long, and I don't think it really does anything for the evolution of creativity any more. If people don't have something to work with that they did not create, then they either are forced to create something unique, or to give up altogether. If I do a competition in the near future, it will be providing raw audio data to people to create a song with. They will be required to use only this to create the song, and will receive hand made instruments which created the sounds as prizes. I'm oh so tired of what "electronic" music is being reduced to. Thank you for taking a listen and leaving your words!

Hey buddy! I actually find it quite humorous that you are the first person to mention that sound after 21 comments. Usually I turn off my cell phone while recording vocals, but I was awaiting contact from my wife, so left it on. I hear the sound come through on the recording while it was happening. At first I was frustrated, but after hearing where exactly it fell, I decided it was a perfect audio demonstration of the theme of the lyrics... so I left it there, exactly as it fell. It even seemed to encourage me to take the live percussion fills even deeper. So it was half a mistaken result of wanting to hear from my wife, and half intention. I really appreciate you taking a listen to this! It's been less than six weeks since releasing this album, and since then my studio setup has grown massively, so expect future things to continue the "very interesting sonically" trend. Appreciated man.

Hello my friend! Thank you for taking the time to comment on the song, as I know that the listening is far more important. You are entirely correct about this being an enjoyable experience! One of my favorite things in life is bring a song to completion which has the power of words which are meaningful to me. Sometimes time limits can really encourage this process, and the looming possibility of sentencing was a simple way to encourage myself. You have given me more impressions about my recent works than pretty much anyone, so I have no reason to expect more of you. You have probably heard the album more than most people as well, and that makes me happy. I will be responding to you soon, but I've just written at least 15000 characters this morning, so it may be a day or two. Thank you for listening!

lol... normally I return the favor of every review I get. Not going to do it twice today. Thank you for the comment!

I honestly don't know what you are talking about in your comment. "both match but try to make a track between both elements" does not tell me anything specifically. I've been recording my own vocals for sixteen years, and this song turned out exactly how I wanted it. The microphone was built by me, as were many of the instruments used in the song. The album has been released already, and the song will not be revised. Do you listen to any other music in this style? By "equalize," are you talking about using an equalizer, or are you using the wrong word to communicate the idea of "balance?" Thank you for listening!

Thank you for leaving your words on this song which is reaching past tense at the moment! I can only assume that the "flatulent" aspect is in the electronic music ideation of the words, as in response to the analog style bass line. Though I may be wrong. Saying that this is beautiful means a lot to me though. It was an overly honest song, and as we all know, honestly can have it's unfortunate results. I appreciate you giving me some feedback!

Hey Bear, thank you for taking a listen to this one! I am honored by your compliments and way of thinking of the way I make music. It's also good to hear that you felt that the song worked well to support the artwork. In all honesty, I don't think of this as a truly "live" track. The liveness of it comes in each instrument part being played or manipulated live. So it's similar, but to do it truly live would either be impossible, or require recorded/sampled backing. I found the organ part to be very influenced by the field recordings I took of the crows, and I wonder if this is part of why it feels more minor or morose than the rest... many seem to have those sort of feelings when it comes to crows or ravens. My feelings about them are very different, and I am thankful that they use our home and neighborhood as a landmark. I am working and gathering equipment to be prepared to perform live at some point again. Grabbed a pretty complex stereo loop/sampling pedal recently which I am learning how to use. Also a some good portable synth and sampling stuff. Unfortunately there are many hurdles to doing art in public in this city, but a pedestrian is a semi-permanent local. I really appreciate your words and the favorite! Thanks!

I do respect a lack of words in relation to art, so don't worry about that. I like to write lyrics, and I am ever so thankful for this time when I have the words to speak... it was not always this way for me. Most aspects of this song became the way they were due to me setting time limits on myself, because of being unsure of what the near future would bring. I am also thankful for that, since all is well personally. Thank you for listening and leaving your comment!