I discovered William S. Burroughs’ (WSB) work when I was in high-school. Naked Lunch was all the rage among some of the folks I hung out with at time. When I read it, I was blown away by it’s originality and edginess. It opened the door for me to the Beat Generation and some its writers who I grew to love.

The basis of this track is a reading from WSB on a visualization exercise called “Take Nirvana” ( https://youtu.be/JTcw4RymVy0 ). I’ve always enjoyed Burroughs’ delivery style when narrating his work. I love the creaky texture of his voice. This is my little tribute to WSB, I hope you enjoy it.

A Visualization Exercise Called: Take Nirvana

My goal is to create sonic landscapes that capture the listener and take them to unknown places while building and maintain a secondary (musical) world to keep them immersed and actively engaged within it. Music should be inherently enjoyable to listen to, yet provide enough tension to keep it interesting enough for active listening. I also try to tell an aural story or narrative that blends Electronic Music’s past with its present.

By using real-world environmental samples, I seek to anchor the listener to something that is familiar and immersive. Curiosity compels a deeper level of listening which helps develop, build and sustain the secondary world.

My stronger influences are 70s and 80s electronic and progressive musicians such as Brian Eno, Vangelis, Edger Froese, Klaus Schultze, David Sylvian, Holger Czukay, Popol Vuh and Pink Floyd, as well as more recent artists such as The Orb, Aphex Twin, Future Sound of London, Mathias Grassow, Steven Wilson, Bass Communion, Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. There are unabashed references and homages to these artists and (many more) which is consistent with the post-rock approach to modern music.

I grew up in a home where music was loved and the radio was always on, which gave me early exposure to a variety of genres including jazz, classical, contemporary, pop and rock. Playing musical instruments throughout my early and middle-school years, allowed me to became proficient in several woodwind instruments, the electric bass and manipulation of reel-to-reel tape recordings. The exploration in creating experimental tape effects had a large impact on my current musical expression.

A Visualization Exercise Called: Take Nirvana

Battlemoose