S+A Choreographs

Mare Orientale

Note: This post was written in 2025 and backdated to appear on the day I wrote and published the track. This entry to the Mare series brings back some direct, rather than implied, rythmic elements. I didn’t want to be an outright beat, but rather a soft accompaniment. It’s not compositionally complex, but I think the length of each chord keeps things moving without taking away the languid pace and space to absorb. The backing pads, noise washes, and granular effects provide ongoing variety, becoming much more involved than the primary pluck sounds. I didn’t use many of my ambient … Continue reading

Mare Crisium

Note: This post was written in 2025 and backdated to appear on the day I wrote and published the track. Last year (2023) I named most of my ambient pieces after lunar seas. It wasn’t really a planned thing – just an easy naming convention – and the definition of “ambient” certainly shifts across the six pieces, ranging from a melodic piano piece with electronic spices to full-on drones. I was initially hesitant to explore those spaces, but positive feedback from other Song-A-Day participants encouraged … Continue reading

Grimecake

Note: This post was written in 2025 and backdated to appear on the day I wrote and published the track. Another day, another beat-driven electronic piece. Yesterday’s track ended up having some oddness / quirkyness that I ended up enjoying. I’m doing my best to stop writing the same old thing and stretch out a bit. Take some risks. Break some things. I don’t remember the order in which I discovered the various sounds. In all likelihood, I started with the drums. XO (by XLN Software) has quickly become my go-to tool for rhythms and loops. It has a quite … Continue reading