Extracts from Song a Week for a Year

Cloud Occlusion-20

Mysterioso Does Rock

Mysterioso Does Bass

Mysterioso Does Ambient and Experimental

The Swedish Baron

I decided to play around with a couple of synths, a bit of MIDI, a handmade BEW pedal and see what happened. This is the result.
In the process I taught myself a couple of new things about recording too.
I got to the end of the lyrics and realised I really ought to have rewritten the first verse but time was not on my side. So have at thee.
Guest vocals written and performed by Becca Allen.

Free Download

This  is the Great Void

Number seven.  I took a slightly different approach with this piece, layering four or five sounds to make each gong strike and building up the drone from 15 channels of voice (Becca and I).


<a href='https://theartistunion.com/tracks/8ef7b4'>Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

The Overall Immobility of Things

This week's work is the theme for the protagonist of a dystopian sci-fi movie. Sump is a lot like Rick Deckard.
I'm not sure if the reprise is used for the trailer, i.e. for a montage, or for the final moments of the film as Sump stares into his melting ice-cubes recalling the details he hasn't shared with anyone.

Sump's Theme (reprise)

I decided to assemble a track that has been sitting in bits & pieces gathering dust, and apply some of the things I've learned so far to  the arrangement and production.

I'd intended the song to have lyrics, but I've come round to the idea of it being an instrumental, using guitars & synths to highlight the vocal melody. Also my falsetto disappeared about 15 years ago, so my vocals were never gonna work ;)

Blind (Full Version)

This piece, number 24, started off inspired by Black Heart Procession, but then traveled through Gravenhurst and latter day Nick Cave. Once again, it's a bit dark.
Becca Allen joined in on backing vocals and autoharp.

<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/feadd6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

That's the Message

Into the Silos

I count this as more a remix than an original, as it's based on a series of VCS samples by Barry Cullen.

<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/d79020" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

It Came From Below

I'm not sure what to say about this piece; I wanted to wrong-foot the listener then leave them feeling uncomfortable in the dusk in a vaguely familiar place.

<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/09f780" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

Annerton Pit

Aiming for a little horror, a little of the Electrician.
Vocals by Rebecca Allen, nylon guitar by Steven McKnight.

I'm calling this genre "creepy-little-girl-core"

<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/c0fb5c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

SAWFAY

A Hand in the Dark

For the big four-0, I started with a 3-track vocal line, then this happened.  I thought I was building the basis for a double-bass improvisation, but adding anything else felt like overkill.

Intractable

I decided to strap them on with this tune. There may be a slight Horslips reference and possibly a slightly less subtle 'DC reference at the end.
Plus me getting all stentorian on it. One of my favourite choruses, it turned out.

Holy Fool

I pushed the boat out this week, since this piece sees the completion of my Song a Week for a Year challenge. 
I reached towards realisation of that apocalyptic vision I've always had and I'm satisfied that this song approaches it.
Vocals were very kindly performed by Martin Byrne https://soundcloud.com/djmcflymo

Trenton, New Jersey

Weekly Beats

The Skittering

Made the track yesterday vocals this morning,
(Lyrics)

You're missing out on your life
you'll never step in the light
won't ever get it quite right
this is the saddest of sights

You're drowning in the river
your body still will quiver
your hate cannot deliver
now go and keep your silver

You drag my name in the ground
cause i will not be your clown
and when i am not around
will see what you have to say

The hate is all in your eyes
why do you act surprised
i will not sympathize no

When we all rise
tell me no lies
i won't be there for you

Severing ties feel the demise

No matter the stakes
i will not break
something is taken away
so far now

I'm looking for that place
but it's so far away
I'm looking for your face
but it won't be the same
I'm waiting for the end
so i can see it all
I'm looking through the glass
so i can get one glance

I'm looking for that place
but it's so far away
I'm looking for your face
but it won't be the same
I'm waiting for the end
so i can see it all
I'm looking through the glass
so i can get one glance

I think we are not ready
my heart is growing heavy
it seems it's beating steady
I'll go and break the levee

We're all washed away and now
you hear a sombering sound
you woke the giant that lived
and now we're all suffering

It seems almost every time
they try to go and deny
but you'll get what you get

The suffering is divine
but it's not always mine
come and take your fair share

When we all rise
tell me no lies
i won't be there for you

Severing ties feel the demise

No matter the stakes
i will not break
something is taken away
so far now

I'm looking for that place
but it's so far away
I'm looking for your face
but it won't be the same
I'm waiting for the end
so i can see it all
I'm looking through the glass
so i can get one glance

One Glance

New rhythm guitar parts for the verses, a complete new bass part, a completely new drum module and a new mix. Playing through an amp again is like falling in love with guitar all over again!
The original version is here: https://soundcloud.com/mysterioso/the-grunderhunter

WeeklyBeats

The Grunderhunter (Slight Return)

Vladimir Selivanov - voices, guitar, bass, ukulele, percussion, synthesizer;
Anna Ryabova - samples;
Katerina Skoraya - kalimba;
Mikola Kravits - izozvukoscop;
Artem Zalesskiy - noise.

Indian Bible, 2017

Ants....
come underneath this blanket
cause it's cold outside
can you hear my breathing 
one beat  at a time


should i put the fire out
its getting late and the bugs are out
well maybe just one more log
the smoke may throw them off

and one by one the ants march away
and one by one the ants march away
carrying the load, their carrying the load
there no way of easing you down

hollow point of shelter and distant look away
if i didn't understand it , how could i explain

this chaos beneath  us,  the road already paved
as the ants dig their mines out , beneath our feet of shame

and one by one the ants march away
and one by one the ants march away
carrying the load, their carrying the load
there no way of easing you down

and one by one the ants march away
and one by one the ants march away
carrying the load, their carrying the load
there no way of easing you down

Ants

This is a preview of my brand new Song BUT I CAN WRITE A SONG FOR YOU. Please tell me your thoughts about it.

BUT I CAN WRITE A SONG FOR YOU

This piece is built on the idea of drones as stasis and time as a fixed grid. Stretching time then changes the auditioned perspective of the drone.

Arcturus Minor

These recordings are all demos.

Interested in the dark side, the quirky side, but mainly in that buttery biscuit bass.

Bassist and composer from Belfast.

Fancy a collaboration? Drop me a line.