The Emptys Response

 

Nový Den 

About recording and release:

This EP was created very quickly with each recording layered with synths and keyboards upon pre programmed drums apart from the last track which was initiated with ambient soundscapes layered subtly and in a subliminal hynagogic state, then drums programmed and additional keys added in the last tracking process.
I felt like I was in a trance while making the final track.

Mixing each track took about 5 minutes as the recorded volumes were near finished already. Fades and panning was done during the mixing process. 

Mastering was unnecessary due to volumes sounding adequate 

after mixing. 

Track order: 

1. The Drive Home     7:48

2. Terraforma              6:24

3. 11:11                       11:11

The Drive Home 

I had just visited a close friend and had to drive home about 45 minutes north after leaving. As I left I mentioned to her that when I get home I'll record something inspired by the drive. It's a scenic drive along a coast road with beautiful views of the sea and mountains in the South Island. 

As soon as I got home I set up my recording equipment and immediately programmed drums which were layered in 3 tracks. I wanted to achieve a sound evoking a rhythmic driving beat in a cruisy way. I then added keys subtly at first, then with a low end 'driving' beat. Towards the end I added arpeggiated keys which are a bit more abrasive than the smooth textures already added. I faded them in and harmonized them with pans coming in on the left side. As mentioned earlier mixing was done super quickly due to my being happy with the recorded volumes. I am happy with the result as I think the music depicts the drive accordingly, which was cruisy and at a consistent speed and mood throughout. I also intended for this first track to be like an 'introduction' piece setting a kind of mellow mood for the 'harder' sonic exploration which was coming on the next track..

Terraforma 

My next track felt like it needed more intensity after the 'low key' electronic mood and style setting of 'The Drive Home.' 

I'd been listening to a duo from Bristol called Fuck Buttons and consciously wanted to emulate an ear-catching and consistent beat throughout, just like they managed to do so brilliantly on their incredibly intense and dynamically layered track called 'Stalker' from their album 'Slow Focus.' 

So in came the drums programming, then an additional layer of hard panned hi-hats. 

Emulating distorted electric guitars via keys kicks off proceedings with the aforementioned initial and repeated beat. I tweaked modulation settings on the distorted guitar emulations via MIDI keys knob manipulations. Other, more industrial (sic) sounding percussive sounds were subtly brought in at times. Arpeggiated synths were brought in and I made slight variations on what notes I played on the 'electric guitar' to break any potential monotony overkill. I also added a noise coming in to kind of surprise listeners. 
Finally, we get back to the earlier sonic 'structure' and additional percussive noises come in towards the end to round out the piece with the distorted 'guitar' ending it all. 

11:11

This is the track which I recorded while visualizing a video I had already made for it. I had plenty of shots of our Christmas lights dangled in the bush in our front yard and steps area. Those lights were filmed at night to achieve the full effect of the lights. Basically this recording is a soundtrack. In order to follow the theme of the EP I deemed it necessary to introduce drums programmed with low end keys added as a sort of 'bass' line. These drums and low end keys don't enter until after the extended dark ambient section which I wanted to sound a bit like a horror film soundtrack. My plan was to move us away from the long, horror sounding intro via the introduction of the drums and 'bass' keys. However, to make the final section sound congruous with the dark intro I mixed up some haunting 'vocal' keys and ended it all abruptly for added initial surprise and tension. 

Final note:

I have been typecast as a guitarist for a long time which could be fair enough because it's the main instrument I play in front of other people and in bands I've played in and in a band I am currently in. However, it kind of annoys me because I use other instruments in my solo recordings to achieve the fruition of my sound. So as a protest against such typecasting I purposefully used no guitars on this EP at all.