Written, Arranged, Produced & Engineered by Mike Luv

ML- Semi-Generative Patching in VCV Rack

Urgency

New Era

OCEAN 1*

CAPSULE

This song started out as an attempt to cover the mostly instrumental "Sweet Florence" by the French Caribbean guitarist and originator of zouk, Jacob Desvarieux. I added lyrics and a rock-funk breakdown in the middle, and it became its own creature.

In October 2023 I went to a fantastic live show of the band Say She She in Washington, DC. Before the band came onstage, as is typical of most concerts, music was being played as the crowd chatted in anticipation of the show. A song started playing that immediately enchanted me: a deep synth bass line followed by a funky slow beat that resembled reggaeton, with a beautiful and haunting guitar solo and various synth touches. I tried using the app Shazam on my phone to identify the song, and it kept failing to hear it properly amid the loud ambient noises of the theater. I was running out of time to identify the song. As the band came onstage, and just as the song started to fade out, my phone identified it on the third try as "Sweet Florence" by Jacob Desvarieux. In the coming weeks I listened to the song over and over, and I felt that desire that musicians have to create my own version of it, to cover it.

I was unable to reproduce the wonderful synth of the original since my keyboard doesn't go that low, so I had to change the octave of one note. I also had to layer several synth basses over each other to add to the deepness. Making this song was also a lesson in sound quality; I am not able to replicate, with my current setup, the deep sonic quality of the original. Trying to play the guitar hook made me realize how skillful Mr. Desvarieux's playing is. My version is less funky than the original but interesting and rhythmic nonetheless. Rest in peace, Jacob Desvarieux, and thank you for such a fabulous song.

Here is a link to the original:
https://soundcloud.com/jacobdesvarieux/sweet-florence?si=849b37fd215648d688807694c94241fd&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Lyrics:
It’s easy to believe
When your brain's been washed and the privilege won
It’s easy to achieve
With your fingers crossed and they’re on the gun
Ain’t hard to see the signs
Of a deep conspiracy
If you don’t read between the lines
And don’t learn the history
It’s easy to believe

Solo

You signed yourself up 
‘Cause they’re filling up your bank account with cash
You got sugar in the cup
And the lies you tell are the latest fash-ion
It’s effortless to see
When you take a big gulp of the sweet kool aid
You see the enemy
Just beat ‘em to a pulp, bow your head, and pray
And it’s easy to believe

It’s easy to achieve
When your mind’s made up and you live in fear
It’s easy not to leave 
When the only place you know is here
The only place you know is here 
It's easy, easy to believe

Music by Jacob Desvarieux and David Wagoner
Lyrics by David Wagoner

Easy To Believe (aka Sweet Florence)

method: layering, effects, etc ... and yes, most of the melody lines start out with mi mi re ....
narration: the lure of ancient lore derives partly from all the huge gaps in the stories that allow poets to fill in whatever they consider fit. nice.  this poem centers around the mythical figure of Wodan/Odin - often regarded as an older equivalent to Hermes/Mercury (who is supposed to be all youthful) due to their inspired furors - his visit to Mimir‘s well and his two ravens whose sight spans the globe … in the case of this poem, time as well .... 
image: copyright jo richter

poem / copyright jo richter: 

a double raven
tatooed in his mind
with a beak of dark silver
and a wingspan to blind

one eye pierces
all that has been
the other fills with
what will be seen

no-stone drops sharply
ripples in truth
that pass through the void
in invisible hues

mimir's mead

Valhalla

Licky

Waiting For The Night

Call It Quits

Using voice generator Voisona:
Cubase

Youtube Post/Video link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nA2zwdU2x0

Gargling and Hand washing

Understand

I´m mainly using Hardware Equipment 
(The Electronix) for my Music.

The Electronix are:
Synthesizer + Keyboard + Sampler:
--------------------------
Akai mpc x se
Quasimidi The Raven Max 3x
Quasimidi Sirius
Korg Modwave
Korg Wavestate
Korg Opsix
Korg Multi/Poly
Korg Poly 800
Roland D20
Roland D 110
Roland JX305
Yamaha SY 35
Yamaha CS 1X
Yamaha SU10
Yamaha Qy 70
Yamaha Tenori One
Casio MZ X 500
Casio XW P1
Behringer Model D
Behringer Pro 1
Behringer Wasp Deluxe
Aturia Keystep Pro 
(Master Keyboard for Behringer Synth.)

Recording & Mixing:
Tascam Model 24
Behringer RX 1202 FX
Behringer Eurorack MX 2004 A
Zoom HD16
Behringer Virtualizer Effects

Waiting For The Night

JANO and the Electronix