Alternate Deviation

noxpox - hold on

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)

Lost in Desire

headphones that allow for deep bass recommended (you'll feel vibrations all through your physical shape - the way a spider would) 

method: the instrument seen in the picture was made for this song - I wanted to start out with direct vibration via a contact microphone. it is hardly dicernable, however, as it forms the basis for timestrech and shoegaze. two vst instruments (chinese flute, humming choir). voice. 
narration: a second hommage to spiders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anansi , after koyangwuti
image: the instrument made for this song, copyright jo richter

anansi / copyright jo richter:

tracheensinne
aufnahmebereit
was schwingt, wird spinne
netzspannenweit

jede bewegung
bebt nach, lyriform
luftdruck, geistdehnung
erregungskonform

kürbishaut spannt sich
kuticular
ums hohlorgan ich
schon weise, noch narr

interlinear translation: anansi // trachea senses / ready to receive / what vibrates becomes spider / as far as the net reaches // every movement / vibrates, lyriform / air pressure, mental expansion / adapting to the action potential // melon skin stretches / cuticular / around the hollow I- organ / already sage, still foolish

anansi

4 ever shinin riddim

Lo Stercorario

Anam Hermit   Lo Stercorario

Another great country trap beat by Robec - https://soundcloud.com/robec-277309038?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Trailblazer (Prod. Robec The Genius)

This is the last suspense track for the yet unreleased game Anthador.
I always wanted to experiment with an odd meter and this was a good opportunity as it introduces the feeling of uncertainty the piece needed.
Additionally I recorded some subtle sound design elements (rolling hacky sack and fingers wiping a micro fiber cloth) to portray the „creeping menace“.
Though looking pretty creepy the cover art was a fun family project that involved rubbing our hands in dirt and a decent amount of image editing.

Trailblazer (Prod. Robec The Genius)

Matt James