For my final project in COM381, I set out to synthesize and showcase the full range of skills I developed throughout the course. Because this project serves as my culminating submission, I intentionally adopted a maximalist approach, pushing the boundaries of structure, texture, and narrative. Rather than creating a conventional beat, I chose to compose a long-form, multi-movement piece that functions more like a composition. This vision led to “let’s go in the garden, there’s something you should see,” a work designed to guide the listener through a psychedelic-inspired auditory journey.

The piece unfolds in distinct phases, each representing an emotional and sensory stage of a psychedelic experience. My goal was to reflect the dramatic highs, lows, confusion, and fleeting clarity that can accompany such a trip. To accomplish this, I layered numerous samples with original MIDI instrumentation and detailed drum programming. One unifying element throughout the entire work is a repeating drum loop, which remains constant as chord progressions, textures, and sonic palettes shift around it, providing continuity amid constant change.

The composition opens with an atmosphere of mystery and anticipation, evoking the curiosity one might feel before trying psychedelics for the first time. A softly sung female vocal repeats the line “let’s go in the garden,” symbolizing an invitation into an unfamiliar world. This vocal is sampled from “Everything Stays,” written for "Adventure Time". The restrained instrumentation gradually builds tension until it reaches a peak, after which the music abruptly shifts into a busier, more chaotic section, representing sudden immersion into an altered reality.

The second movement introduces chopped and looped handpan samples from C418’s “Aria Math,” heavily processed with disorienting effects. Once the beat drops, the music becomes dramatic and overstimulating, mirroring the sensory overload associated with hallucinations. Synth pads and strings expand the soundscape until the section collapses into a stark transition where only the drums remain. Over this moment, audio clips discussing the neurological effects of psychedelics play, bridging into the next phase.

The third movement builds on the same rhythmic foundation but adds warped, reversed keyboard tones and a distorted sample from “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy and Monica, layered with additional vocal harmonies. This section is intentionally dizzying and off-kilter, illustrating abstract and fragmented hallucinations. The fourth movement erupts with arpeggiated synths and dense vocal layers, forming the emotional peak of the piece. Familiar motifs return alongside glossy piano octaves and handpan textures, representing vulnerability and catharsis. At its climax, the music cuts to white noise.

The fifth movement begins in near silence, broken only by slow, high-pitched handpan notes. This reflects brief moments of lucidity and grounding. Gradually, guitars and keys enter, pulling the listener back into chaos. A chordal transition returns the piece to B minor, preparing for the reemergence of earlier motifs. The sixth section revisits the warped handpan chaos of the second movement, escalating to its most intense point before shedding its electronic layers.

The outro represents the return to reality. Synthetic sounds disappear, replaced by sparse acoustic instrumentation that conveys clarity and grounding. The song ends with a young woman reflecting on the uniqueness of psychedelic experiences, emphasizing that only those who have lived them truly understand their transformative nature.

Final Project - let's go in the garden, there's something you should see

Andre Flores