Yesterday I discovered 'vaporwave'. Today I tried to make a vaporwave track, using sound samples from a soundtrack I made for an abandoned visual novel. I did it all on headphones while at work.

Enclave (Vaporwave experiment)

"Gloss", or a song about robots.

Here's a song I've been working on for around two years now, it's gone through maybe five arrangements including synthpop, dream pop, indie rock, before finally settling on a sort of indie folk kinda thing.

This track also features the kick-ass Jason Parker on drums (get a load of that shuffle!) and Tim Shaw who provides a smoky tenor sax section.

James Cronin - vocals, guitar, bass, keys
Jason Parker - drums
Tim Shaw - tenor sax

And thanks to Jamie McKee cos I borrowed his bass.

Mastered by Jason F. Parker at Parks of Bathgate Studio

Gloss

I've been working on this one for about 3 years now, it's my longest song to date, and the song I'm most proud of.

Featuring Lucy Rosenstiel on lead vocal
Mastered by Jason F. Parker at Parks of Bathgate Studio
Artwork by Eddie Tindall (http://www.gunpowderblue.com/)

Lucy Rosenstiel on lead vocal
Modartt Pianotec on reverse piano
Moog Little Phatty on bass and filter effects
Alesis HR-16B (mostly) on drums
Yamaha DX7 on fake rhodes, digital piano, FM growl, strings, and "that" bass
Roland Juno on pads
and Epiphone Casino as herself

You Call That A Hill

you can download this album for free, or name your own price, at bandcamp. it's also available on cassette tape. https://jamescroninmusic.bandcamp.com/album/dead-horses

dead horses - a story of friendships, failed relationships, and aliens. 

this album was recorded, mixed, and mastered on analogue cassette tapes over the course of one eventful summer. 

the opinions contained herein represent the views of the songwriter alone, and sometimes, not even him.

---

everything written and performed by james cronin 
front cover art by lucy rosenstiel 

tape duplication by Tape That (Staffs) Ltd. 

special thanks to jamie (for letting me use his bass), steve (for tea and stroopwafels), alex (for liking it), lucy (for using all her crayons), binny (for kate bush and the intervening 9 years), harry (purveyor of exquisite musical opinions), dowse (for nimu), jason (for stealing samples of his drum kit), yan (for embarrassing ourselves in harmony), josef kenny (because i keep breaking tape recorders), and dr jerry ehman (for the wow! signal). 

the COOL JOHN recording company, #00

Buy a tape

Nighttime In America

written  performed  mixed  ||  james cronin
mastered  ||  jason parker  parks of bathgate.

eliza the android  ||  vocals  choir
juno 6  ||  arpeggios
dx7  ||  bass
tr-707  ||  drums
portastudio 414  ||  tape loop
casino  ||  guitar
microkorg  ||  pad
little phatty  ||  triangle wave  siren
sararr  ||  swell
pianoteq  ||  piano.

the COOL JOHN recording company  ||  #03

Daughter

written  performed  mixed  ||  james cronin
additional lyrics  ||  sam dowse
mastered  ||  jason parker  parks of bathgate.

james cronin  ||  vocals
eliza the android  ||  backing vocals
little phatty  ||  bass  glitch
microkorg  ||  bass  pad  stabs
dx7  ||  sub bass
linndrum samples  ||  drums
juno 6  ||  pad
casino  ||  rhythm guitar
melodica  ||  pad
stratocaster  ||  lead guitar.

the COOL JOHN recording company  ||  #03

Radio Silence

written  performed  mixed  ||  james cronin
mastered  ||  jason parker  parks of bathgate.

eliza the android  ||  vocals
little phatty  ||  bass  arpeggio
drfusion  ||  drums
juno 6  ||  lead  pad
kontakt  ||  strings
pianoteq  ||  piano.

the COOL JOHN recording company  ||  #03

Suitcase

written  performed  mixed  ||  james cronin
additional lyrics  ||  sam dowse
mastered  ||  jason parker  parks of bathgate.

james cronin  ||  vocals
eliza the android  ||  vocals
little phatty  ||  bass  lead
tr-707  ||  drums
microkorg  ||  beep  pad
juno 6  ||  pad
stratocaster  ||  guitar
mrtramp  ||  electric piano
pianoteq  ||  piano.

the COOL JOHN recording company  ||  #03

All Over (When You're Gone)

worked on this for about six months, i'm not sure i even like it any more. i filmed most of the recording process but i don't have the energy to edit it into a video, so here is the audio for now.

the squishy bits around 3:00 is where my cassette deck ate the tape and i had to splice a few seconds out.

yeah yeah i know i messed up the drum solo but you try recording it one drum at a time with a bucket and a drumstick.

i dunno who those people are in the photo but it pretty much sums up this cover.

Abbey Road Medley (Beatles cover)

worth mentioning i recorded this while extremely drunk and lonely in a mouldy studio flat, christmas day 2015

To All Of You (Syd Matters cover)

i'm working on some originals, but in the meantime, enjoy this cover i did of fleetwood mac's "dreams" featuring the fantastic Shonalika on vocals

check out their metal-influenced songwriting at http://shonalika.com/

plus you can watch a video i made for this song here https://youtu.be/Qliof4tBswA

happy new year, love you all xxx

Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover)

Music and lyrics by James Cronin
Guitar solo by the fabulous Sam Binstead

Recorded by James Cronin
Mixed by Sam Binstead at Rialto Sound
Mastered by Jason F. Parker at Parks of Bathgate Studio

The Wind

Music and lyrics by James Cronin
Drum programming by Sam Binstead

Recorded by James Cronin
Mixed by Sam Binstead at Rialto Sound
Mastered by Jason F. Parker at Parks of Bathgate Studio

Crease

Music and lyrics by James Cronin

Recorded by James Cronin
Mixed by Sam Binstead at Rialto Sound
Mastered by Jason F. Parker at Parks of Bathgate Studio

Apathy Part II

Music and lyrics by James Cronin
Drum programming by Sam Binstead
Dialogue sampled from "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (dir. Edward D. Wood, Jr., 1959)

Recorded by James Cronin
Mixed by Sam Binstead at Rialto Sound
Mastered by Jason F. Parker at Parks of Bathgate Studio

Apathy

광명 (Kwangmyong)

On the Fourth Floor

i've been listening to a lot of pet shop boys

follow shonalika here
https://www.facebook.com/shonalikamusic/

Last Christmas ft. Shonalika

featuring an outrageous fairlight solo which was tragically deleted from the original mix

Like A Virgin (Edit)

all songs written, recorded and produced by envelope generator
except track 4 coda written with evie chalmers

Hypocrisy

Too Good To Be True

Natalie

Genie Mac

Emasculine

original by The Darling Invasion https://soundcloud.com/darlinginvasionofearth/helena

written by holly b
recorded by hazel c

Robots

Don't You Want Dreams (mashup)

A cover of "Focus" by Yellow Magic Orchestra. It's the same as the one on YouTube, except with the original Japanese lyrics rather than English-translated lyrics.

envelopegenerator

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