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Summary:
The song is about how things aren't what they seem to be on the surface. How people try to hide their imperfections with perfect facades.

In the song, it speaks of a beautiful person, whom as the song progresses becomes more of a stranger and alien, rather than being expected as someone whom the composer use to "know".

Delivery / Differentiation factor:
The excessive use of pitch correction is intentional to create a false sense of perfection. Beneath the perfect pitch lies the ugly imperfections we try to hide. 

The long introduction is put in place to represent the entry from the superficial level, through all the noise (represented by the vocal effects), right into the real-ness of the heart.

The heavy harsh bass is used to represent the "shocked" or sudden realisation of discovering the truth about someone not being who they really are.


Vocals: 
Denise Fong (SM58)
Tim(SM58)

*rest of the instruments are MIDI

Lyrics: Denise & Tim
Inspiration / arrangement: Denise & Tim



Verse 1:
I was dreaming bout you the other night 
You drew me close and you held me so tight 

Your honest smile, your eyes your gaze 
left me hanging in a sweet summer daze 


Verse 2:
I was dreaming bout you the other night
It felt real but I know ain’t right 

Something’s off 
and I’m afraid
I didn’t recognise you anymore 


Verse 3:
I was dreaming bout you the other night 
the same old smile but now in a different light 

our memories, now left behind 
we’re just strangers of the night 
just strangers of the night
just strangers of the night

just strangers 
just strangers 

just strangers of the night 

Chorus:
Oh, We were once so dear
You set me free from reality 

oh our lines now drawn so clear 
Two different paths for you and I

Just Strangers2

CANDY is a song I wrote a while ago, at the start of this year, I had this idea of a pop-funk-jazz fusion feel of a song, and this is it. I paid very close attention to the arrangement of the song, which is the differentiation factor. I recorded the rhythm section together, and then the melodic sections separately.

The song can be summarised as "something normal but unusual". I took the typical arrangement, and changed what's usually in them, it's like peeling the skin of a banana and finding a cucumber in it, something usual, a banana, but unusual, a cucumber in it.

The arrangement of the entire song is something that's common, intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus, but tweaked. The intro starts with the drums, then everyone together, and then there's a sudden stop followed by some wind chimes, which gives the sparkly, sweet effect, relating back to the title of the song itself. The 2nd PC of the song has no vocals in it, which surprises the listener at first, but then they're met with the twinkle of the e piano. The listener is then brought back to home base with the chorus.

The feel of the song is mostly pop-funk-jazz. The vocal melody is taken from pop inspiration, the groove is taken from funk, and the organ touch is the jazz kind of feel to it.

I recorded the drums, bass and guitar rhythm together (a nightmare of cables and mics), MIDI in the keys and organ, and recorded the vocals separately. I sent the musicians a minimal demo of just drums and bass, and asked them to add some of their own touch to the song, which turned out great. At the last chorus, I asked them to just vibe out and play to their heart's content (idk how to phrase it but that sounded right).

CREDITS:

RHYTHM SECTION: Studio C
Guitar: 
Played by Aloysius
SM57 & MD421

Bass:
Played by Harist
SM57 & MD421

Drums:
Played by David
Hi hat - Earthworks QTC30
Snare - AKG 451B
Toms - Audix D2 & D4
Kick - AKG D112
OH - AKG 414
Room - AKG 420

Keys:
Played by Robbie
MIDI 

Vocals:
Main Vocals by MJ
Neumann U87

Backing Vocals by Robbie (yep you read that right)
Neumann U87

Big thanks to Tim for helping me in the studio!

Lyrics:

V1:
Oh baby
How they got you looking so fine
From the top of your nose
To the bottom of your toes, yeah baby
Won’t you just come on and be mine

PC1:
Time came to a standstill
When you stepped into the room
Eyes on you like a bank bill
When you smiled we all went boom

C1:
Hair so silky smooth
Damn it’s all on you, baby
You’re so sweet, it’s true
Candy, it’s just you

V2:
Take you on a date, girl
Treat you right with a golden plate
And if you’re not satisfied 
Come to my place and take me on a ride

PC2:
*INSTRUMENTAL*

C2:
Hair so silky smooth
Damn it’s all on you, baby
You’re so sweet, it’s true
Candy, it’s just you

B:
When it comes down to you
Everything I say is true I hope to see you walking my way
If not my whole world would turn grey

C3:
Hair so silky smooth
Damn it’s all on you, baby
You’re so sweet, it’s true
Candy, it’s just you

#kthxbye

CANDY

I wrote this song for all the misunderstood people in this world. All those that people assume are gay but aren’t actually. 

This song came to my mind when recently people in my year began shipping me and making fun of me with a guy I was close to. Of course I had to defend my sexuality every time and try to prove I wasn’t gay. ( Although I don’t think being gay is necessarily bad).

Thus I decided that I would write a song about how I wasn’t gay, dedicated to myself and all the misunderstood guys out there. I want this song to be like a driver’s license. If someone accuses me of being homosexual, all I have to do is play this song and that will prove my heterosexuality. I started this song with very cliche lyrics and almost love song-ey. This represents the misunderstanding people usually have when they see 2 guys being close together. They immediately assume both of them are gay. But then as the pre chorus and chorus goes on to explain, that my persona is not gay. In fact, he is the straightest person alive, although he loves his bro as a friend. The song then goes on to show the persona doubting himself. Which is usually a byproduct of all the teasing and shipping. Making straight people question their sexuality. But near the end of the song, the persona’s bro explains to him that he infect, isn’t gay too. Thus this song ends with the message that 2 guys can be close but they don’t necessarily have to be gay.

My differentiation factor is that people think homosexuals are frequently misunderstood as heterosexual. But what about the straight guys who don’t want to be labelled as gay? Thus this song is from their standpoint and how two guys being close without being gay is okay. 

LYRICS

(Verse 1)
When I was down,
You picked me up,
You were there,
When I was out of luck,

I know it's true,
that you care about me
When I'm scared,
Youre all that I need,

(Pre-Chorus)
I know how you feel
And how i feel about you too;
But here's the issue
You're a dude

(Chorus 1)
I'm not gay
No I am not gay,
Even though you're my best friend
And you could be my best man

But I'm not gay
And though I think it's okay

It's the twenty-first century
You can be who you want to be

#NoHomo

(Verse 2)
I remember, 
All of the times, 
We got too close, 
Was that some kind of sign?

I’ve seen you smile,
When you glance at me,
there's no more joy
than to see your glee

(Pre-Chorus)
I know how you feel
And how I feel about you too;
But here's the issue
You're a dude

(Chorus 2)
I'm not gay
I swear I'm not gay

Youre the first id choose to hang out with
But I really don't swing that way

I'm not gay
and i'd like to say

Please don't hold a grudge
cos I’m not one to judge,

#NoHomo

(BRIDGE)

(LAST CHORUS)
we're not gay
we swear we're not gay

we're really not a couple
it's not much of a puzzle

we're not gay
I think it's clear as day
That you and I have a bromo,
Don't mean we gotta be called homo
#nohomo

CREDITS
Songwriting: Raynard, Aloysius, Robbie, Adelline
Piano(STD A, AKG 420, AT 4021): Robbie
Vocals (RT 1, AKG 420): Raynard, Aloysius
Mixing: MJ

Am I Gay? (5)

Summary:
This song is about how an old man outlived his friends, and celebrated his last birthday on his own by playing himself his last piece on the piano while the phonograph runs in the background to accompany him.

Concept:
The idea is to explore how to use certain typical motifs in an unconventional manner, in this case how to dissociate the "happiness" from the "happy birthday" motif. 

Delivery:
In order to dissociate the "happiness" linked to the motif commonly attached, I use reharmonization to alter the perceived emotion as sad rather than happy. I also transformed the motif and reshuffled the rhythmic motif (interchanging between 3/4 and 4/4 to make it unstable and weak like the old man), while still retaining the melodic sequence. However, I retain part of the motif to trigger a sense of familiarity in the song.

Differentiating Factor:
I gave the piece a post-war 90s american feel, as the story is about an old man, thus creating a vintage sensation that gives it a unique story focal point. The addition of scratching vinyl sound and distorted EQ of the vocals make it possible. The imperfection of the piano is also intention to portray the venerability and weakness of the old man. The "undistorted" piano is to signify the old man's real life playing in contrast to the "recorded" phonograph running in accompany.


Vocalist: Jaslyn
Piano: Tim
Vinyl scratching noise: The Samplist (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41lrxMvhBdc)
 
Lyrics:

Verse 1:
Every once a year 
There’s a special day

That I celebrate
And I eat my cake

But this year was lonelier 
As I grew up much older


Verse 2:
All around
are empty cheer

No more joy
just simply fear

No one would remember
If I were to disappear 


Verse 3:
Simply put
All my friends are dead

I am old 
And very cold

Soon I will join them
My life reached the end

CANDY

MJ

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