Chemical Slipper

Step Up

Presented is my 2018 creative practice submission. 
For this assessment I explored the practice of modelling, in which I hoped to gain influence from other published works. Particularly focusing on that of song structure and instrumentation, but also trying to replicate timbres and emotive properties displayed by established artists. I hope that this project will help speed up my own composition and production process.

For this track I looked for inspiration in artists such as Flatbush Zombies and Aura Da Prophet, though most notably in the The Underachievers’s song ‘Chasing Faith’.
I especially wanted to imitate the psychedelic choice of instrumentation coupled with the immersive soundscape portrayed in the piece.

I specifically chose the sample (The Spirit King - Tomohito Nishiura) due to it’s similarity to the intro in chasing faith, and thought it had some interesting tonal qualities.  I then built an imitational structural skeleton of ‘Chasing faith’, and chopped the sample to fit. I then constructed a similar instrumental palette to that heard in my reference track.

To me, the sample sounded reminiscent of a dreamlike state, which I then played with and tried to hint at within the score, for example the airy synth and chorus bells heard throughout. I also ended the piece abruptly with an alarm to simulate the change in state from unconscious to the conscious.

Other instrumental influences include the heavily compressed 808 baseline, and the panned and delayed clav/synth heard throughout what would be the hook/chorus section.

Since starting this project, I have also been extensively exploring the use of not only panning automation, but also into automating EQ controls and  dials within spacial and dynamic processing.

Dekkle Dubba