Casting A Light
by @hanley
Skirmish: Refraction (@robinleaf)Liner Notes
Gave the 'Refraction' skirmish a go. Spent about an hour on the lyrics, but most of the track was already formed prior. Certainly spent longer than expected on this one, think I'll need to do a few more skirmishes to get up to speed if I wanna get to 14!
Lyrics
Irridescent Light, refracting in the mind, what‘s in front of me, ain’t your reality
Shifting bending waves, passing through the planes, Wiggle, wobble streams that fold like origami dreams,
Intermittent beams, remaining heard not seen, Flooding veins of blood, that stick like boots in the mud,
Brains Blowing balloons, float high up to the moon, Shame I can’t recall the truths I swore I heard before
I’m casting a light, High as a kite, The match will ignite, When day turns to night, I’m casting a light.
Comments
The opening being all stripped back and focussed on the uber cool melody totally hooks you in. Love the repetition on 'I'm casting a light'. Some really interesting harmonies in the high as kite section that follows on, and great layering when the arpeggio synths appear.
Love the skittery clickety clack beats in this and that low burbling synth pad is really nice. The arpy-y synth that comes in around 2 minutes is great, the slight portamento is cool. Vocal on this is great, really nicely layered and sitting really well in the mix, just a really great production all around. Liked this a lot
I love how restrained this is, reminds a bit of Nils Frahm when he steps away from the piano (to use other equipment I mean, not to make a sandwich or something). Some excellent polyrhythmic stuff popping in between those arp synths - reminds me more of a band called Vessels by that stage. All the filter work really breaths some human life into the machines.
I really like this. There's lots of playfulness in the lyrics, and that pairing of an acid house MS-20 vibe with an 80s drum machine groove is very much my sort of thing. And then it all opens up at the two-minute mark! Really cool. Very much enjoyed listening to this one.
You ever listen to Freak Power? I think they listen to you.
Yeah I can hear where the time went. That drum programming is crazy detailed. All the little skibbetty things.
Oh hello, we have live drums now. Yeah. Annnnd arptastic madness. What is this arp that's so live and musical? VST? Actual hardware?
Ain’t never heard for Freak Power, sounds up my alley! You know I’m a sucker getting carried away with beat programming😝 The arp is my Roland JU-06A (Juno). But I programmed the midi in Ableton and sent it through so I can fiddle the faders. The bass arp is my moog Grandmother with the same approach.
this is really cool, the doubled vox, the underwater beats, the chirpy stuff, the wiggle and the wobble. i'm not usually one for electronica, but this has a great melody and is imaginative and tastefully put together... the trippy lyrics are a bonus. you're the lightcaster :)