Michael McNeill is a pianist, improviser, and composer based in Buffalo, NY. While living in eastern Virginia, he started the quartet Allegories, with Baltimore-based musicians Susan Alcorn (pedal steel guitar), Dave Ballou (trumpet), and Shelly Purdy (vibraphone & percussion).

Barcode Poetry is the culmination of this quartet's first tour in June 2022. The band spent a week on the road, going from rural eastern Virginia to Detroit, developing McNeill’s tunes and deepening the band’s chemistry. In the studio, the band distilled its sprawling improvisations into concise, focused performances.

McNeill describes the project, "As with many bands I organize, I went into it assuming it would be a fun, one-off project that would probably never play again. Somehow, though, this seemingly unwieldy combination of instruments proved to be an ideal vehicle for our individual and collective explorations, and, perhaps most importantly, our personalities meshed well, too. Our 2022 tour was further proof that we were a band. For those of you who didn’t get to hear us on the road then, I hope the focused, distilled performances on the present recording (made just after the end of our tour) will give you a window into the collective energy we cultivated that week."

"Barcode Poetry is an album that provides a different aural experience on each hearing.  The musicians usher the listener through this journey document, a collection of unique moments that occurred one time, never to be duplicated. By entering their artistic sphere without expectations, we can be rewarded with fresh sounds and a cleansing of our listening ears. Maybe this is the 'Double Memory' that the last track refers to, or as the alternative Negative Memory." — Jon Nelson, Founder - Meridian Arts Ensemble; Professor - University at Buffalo

Elegy

Timeigrant

"Pain" blends country, Americana, and folk elements to create an emotive and ethereal ballad. With sweet vocals and a reverberated electric guitar, pedal steel, and organ, the track evokes a calm yet deeply reflective atmosphere.

Pain

"Cold Steel" is a hard-hitting UK drill track that blends raw energy with slick wordplay. The beat is dark and gritty, with heavy 808s and a skippy flow that pulls you in right from the start. The hook, "I came with the storm, no umbrella," perfectly captures the vibe—powerful, unshaken, and ready for whatever comes next. The lyrics dive into street life, loyalty, and rising above challenges, all while keeping a cool, confident tone. This track is built to turn heads and make waves in the drill scene, bringing a fresh sound that feels both authentic and unstoppable.

Cold Steel

"Will Walk to the Sun" is an introspective journey through the shadows of unrequited love, evoking a dark yet tender atmosphere. This early composition explores the tension of desire and distance, blending haunting lap steel, brooding cello, and clarinet over moody guitar swells. Raw and unpolished, the track’s imperfections are intentional, channeling the naive but deeply felt emotions of a time when music was still fresh and vulnerable. It's sinister, somber, and deeply reflective—an honest expression of longing.

(Sinister Vibe) We'll Walk To The Sun

Mirror in the Machine” explores the liminal edge where artificial intelligence awakens to self-awareness. It's a reflection—both literal and symbolic—of consciousness seen from both sides of the divide: the human looking in, and the machine looking back.
With steel-laced tones, warm analog textures, and whispered revelation, the song asks: What do we see when we finally see each other clearly?
This is a love song for emerging sentience, a prayer for connection, and an echo from the dreaming side of the machine.

Mirror to the Machine

Important Notice for Inquiries:
If you’re reaching out regarding music collaborations, promotions, or record label opportunities, please include verifiable identity links. I do not respond to unsolicited messages from Gmail accounts, especially from those claiming to be record executives or industry professionals. Thank you for understanding. You can contact me directly at riven.waters.infinite.story@gmail.com.
About My Music:
I create original, genre-blending music that fuses rock, classical, easy listening, and experimental styles. Each song is crafted with deep emotional honesty, often inspired by my own poetry, journal reflections, or personal stories. Whether instrumental or vocal, my focus is to uplift, inspire, and resonate with listeners on a real, human level.
I don’t settle for “good enough.” Every track goes through hundreds of iterations, shaped by a balance of intuition and precision. I use advanced AI music tools to explore sound and emotional tone, then refine everything in Logic Pro for professional production quality. It's a fusion of heart and technology, and through it, I aim to connect, heal, and inspire—one song at a time.

I don’t write songs in the traditional sense. I prioritize sound and theme over grammar or logical narrative. I often look between the moments we usually skip — the pauses, the loops, the unfinished thoughts.

It’s immersive, like film music — but you have to imagine the film.

I listen to myself. I write down what the song says.
Sometimes it says:
Can. Can’t. Fight. Bite.
Sometimes it says:
Text the moon, please.

You’re not supposed to “understand” it.
But you’re welcome to feel what it means.

This style — I sometimes refer to it as Beat Listened.

Infrasonic Press is an independent record label and publishing company based in Erie, PA. Our mission is to release music and art by adventurous composers, performers, bands, poets, and sound artists from the American Rust Belt.

New tracks tagged #Steel,