My first EP, from 2023, now available on Soundcloud. Bubbly ultraviolet weirdwave synth shading into dark belltones that bats linger in gothic towers to enjoy.

Sombre Hombre

After the EMP attack that took down the digital grid, we were forced to fall back on our voices, on our old acoustic and electric instruments. A few analog synths survived among the ruins, wavery and out of tune but beloved all the same. These are the songs we sang around the smoldering dumpster fires of our former lives.

with Fletcher Barton, Leo Dolan, Will Fox, Bailey Mae Gardener, Pearce Gronek, and Steven van Betten.

Produced by Ryan Pollie

Mixing by Brian Rosemeyer
Mastering by Rob Dobson

Cover by Spike Milliken

After the Pulse

Dont Pop My Bubble

The Ages of Man

A haunted House track for spooky season...or all year long. Perfect for long drives to nowhere in your self-driving car.

Background vocals by ASHERAH
https://soundcloud.com/asherahofficial

Co-produced by Bunny Kay-Traynor
Mixed and mastered by Bunny Kay-Traynor

Cover photograph by Mimi Raver

Ghost Car

A short tune with words, a longer one without.

Mastered by Rob Dobson

Animus/Anima

An intense little ditty composed while high above the Earth.

Mastered by Rob Dobson

Verify My Edict

The Man Who Fucked Solaris

Probly Skate

First single from After the Pulse (releasing February 7, 2025).

Weird Little Hill

Hey Lady Hey

Second single from After the Pulse (out February 7, 2025).

New Now

Mama Never Went Electric

Impatiently

Haunted Honey

On December 11, 2024, I played a set as part of the Los Angeles Synth Club at the Old Towne Pub in Pasadena, CA. The LASC is starting to play more regular shows, and this was our second time at the Old Towne. There will be more!

Full Set: December 11, 2024 - Old Towne Pub

Messing around with the Chroma Console and my acoustic Tacoma Chief, plus a little beat from the TR8S.

Chiefly Absent

Smile in Your Sleep (demo)

This is the first single from my forthcoming album, AFTER THE PULSE. The single is out on Bandcamp and will come out for wide streaming release on January 2nd. The full album is due on February 7, 2025. This and the Bandcamp version of the single are the only ones that will have this cover art by Spike Milliken, who did the cover for the full LP.

You can buy it here: https://marclaidlaw.bandcamp.com/track/weird-little-hill-2

WEIRD LITTLE HILL

We were looking at the lights of a sleepy little town
From the top of a hill with a chain-link crown.
Oh, the hill was dark but I didn’t really care.
There was light in her eyes, and oh, oh, oh weeds in her hair.

Every little town has a weird little hill
And I’ve climbed them all, and it’s done no ill.
Oh every little town has a weird little hill
And I’ve climbed them all and I always will

The moon never moved and the dogs didn’t fuss
And a transmitter tower kept watch over us.
We never did sleep, and we never saw dawn,
Till I said I gotta go, and she said with a yawn:

“Every little town has a weird little hill
But this one’s mine, it’ll be here till
You come back to my town, you come back to my hill.
Come and rest by me. Come and get your fill.”

I used to hitch a ride but now I got a car.
I drive a lotta miles but I never get far.
I fill her up myself, there’s nothing else inside,
Nobody waiting, no one wants a ride.
There’s always a hill I think I could be for real
I get to the top, it’s another bad feeling,
Another horizon, another shitty deal,
Another little town with another weird hill.

Every little town has a weird little hill
And I’ve climbed them all, not against my will.
Don’t remember that town, can’t remember her hill,
So I’m climbing them all and I always will,

Till I find that tower and I find her there:
With light in her eyes,
Arms outstretched,
Holding out my life,
And weeds, weeds in her hair.

Cause every little town has a weird little hill
And I’ve climbed them all and I’m climbing,
I’m climbing,
I’m climbing still,
Climbing still,
Climbing still,
Climbing still,
Climbing still,
Climbing still,
Climbing still,
Climbing still.

Marc Laidlaw: Vocals, rhythm guitar
Will Fox: Guitars, bass guitar, keyboards
Ryan Pollie: Drums, harmonica
Bailey Mae Gardener: Backing vocals

Produced by Ryan Pollie

Mixed by Brian Rosemeyer

Mastered by Rob Dobson

Cover art: Spike Milliken

Bandcamp

Weird Little Hill (Soundcloud Single)

I can now announce that this track was composed especially for MUSICAL AID: A FIRE RELIEF COMPILATION FOR THE POC COMMUNITY OF ALTADENA, assembled by a friend and containing 56 tracks of music for a small minimum donation of $10. While I hope you enjoy my track here, I urge you to buy the album on Bandcamp and get so much more music to enjoy--including previously unreleased tracks by Deerhoof, Finnish Postcard, Ryan Pollie, and more!

https://musicalaidcomp.bandcamp.com/album/musical-aid-a-fire-relief-compilation-for-the-poc-community-of-altadena

Sunrise
Moonrise
Set into the ocean
The moon set into the ocean
Only the ocean can slake the ocean
Sunrise
Moonrise
Set into the ocean
The ocean

e-Phoex

A man was being followed
He grinned from ear to ear
From one step to another
He appeared to disappear

We never saw his photograph
We never knew his name
We only heard his story
And we thought let’s do the same

C’mon, let’s disappear
C’mon, let’s disappear
We’ll gladly take you with us
Just as long as we are here

C’mon, let’s disappear
C’mon, let’s disappear
Why wait when every minute
More and more of us are here
 
The tethers are invisible
They keep you feeling tense
Let’s test the legal limits
Of your voluntary fence

There’s nothing new in heaven
There’s nothing new on earth
Except new ways of cashing in
On what a life is worth

They fill you where you should be hollow
They’ve packaged feeling sad
They have an app for appetites
You never knew you had

They think your heart has hardened
They know you’re often bored
You tend a paywalled garden
For imaginary lords

C’mon, let’s disappear
C’mon, let’s disappear
And when you find us finally
You’ll never know we’re here

C’mon, let’s disappear
C’mon, let’s disappear
Instead of feeling happy
Why not feel a little weird?

You wanted to be noticed
You wanted to be seen
And now you hold the fascination
Of a vast machine

We see you turn transparent
We see you turning clear
We see you as you really are
Just as you disappear

A man was being followed
Or maybe not a man
They call you what they want to
When you opt out of the plan

You’ll hear what you’ve been missing
You’ll feel much less alone
You’ll find a soul-shaped object
Where you used to have a phone

C’mon, let’s disappear
C’mon, let’s disappear.
We’re playing in the shadows
Where a new light has appeared

C’mon, let’s disappear
C’mon, let’s disappear
C'mon, let's disappear
C'mon, let's disappear

* * *

Written and performed by Marc Laidlaw

Cello and bass: Ben Absent
Accordion and piano: Troy Dillinger
Violin and backing vocals: Brooke Tannehill
Drums and percussion: Ryan Pollie

Featuring: Stevie

Producer: Ryan Pollie
Mixing engineer: Brian Rosemeyer
Mastering engineer: Rob Dobson

Cover photograph by Mimi Raver

C'mon, Let's Disappear

First experiment sampling with the Ableton Move's direct line in, cut to a drum kit, building up from there. 

Countdown 666

We never had a chance
We never had a clue
Couldn't tell my XXXXX
From what I was to you
I'm always counting backward
To 197-Eleven

It's always sunset in the parking lot
In 197-Eleven

There's something going down
While I'm just sweeping up
Trading baseball cards
For beer in coffee cups
I close my eyes and there we are
In 197-Eleven

Back behind the garbage bins
Moths are beating out their brains
Where I saw you kissing him
And now nothing else remains
Thank God I can't return
To 197-Eleven

I'm always counting backward
To 197-Eleven

I'm always counting backward
To 197-Eleven 

****

released May 2, 2025

Written and performed: Marc Laidlaw

Drums, bass, piano, synths: Ryan Pollie
KORG Minilogue: Marc Laidlaw

Produced by Ryan Pollie
Mixed by Brian Rosemeyer
Mastered by Rob Dobson

Cover collage by Alex Muñoz aka Favorite Haunts

197-Eleven

Ableton Move thru Microcosm into Fender Champ 20 recorded on iPhone while I puttered around the kitchen … ambient soundtrack for my morning

ambient kitchen

A Glossary of Mining, Without Definitions

I played a 20 minute set on my Ableton Move at the Los Angeles Synth and Pedal Expo this weekend. This was recorded off the mixer and there are a few slight volume drops over the course of the set.

Live Set from Synth and Pedal Expo (June 21, 2025)

Composed for freeform live jamming on the Ableton Move, exported to Live and shaped it a bit.

Cumbionica

Playing around with a new Prophet Rev 4 and some old frog creek samples.

Marc Laidlaw

Pinned to spotlight

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