The original Duster was from 2000, on the album Monte Cristo Gamble [sic].  This one was remade in the Covid downtime of 2020.  It was a particularly challenging one to get down.  one of those tracks where fixing one thing messed up something else without you immediately realising, and then noticing too late to be abe to make a sensible undo.
a light remastering in 2025 to put it out there.  and some new cover art, courtesy of AI.  
it's truly amazing what you can knock up quickly with a vague idea of what you want.  1980s bronx morning, girl come from the disco, guy with a briefcase.  hotdog stand.  maybe a vagrant.  and there you go.

Duster II

Originally on Monte Cristo Gamble [sic], and like a lot of the tracks from that 2000 period - heavily influenced by trip hop.
this one has a few different samples from vinyl going on - one of which 'East of Suez' have the track its name.  It's even got me reading some pretenious urbam poetry over the top (feom a book i had, i didn't write it).  I'm thinking I'm Underworld.  But I'm perhaps alone on that one.

This remake from the Covid sessions of 2020 is fairly faithful to the original.  beefs up the drums, sorts out the levels, brings in a few extra bits of ear candy.
Uploading in 2025 with the shine of a new mastering and the gloss of a new piece of Cover Art.  The original was a photo I'd grabbed from the internet, so wasn't ever happy about that.  How AI generated images are better, I don't know!!!

Gates Of Suez II

I love this track. 
I know, i should wait for others to say it.  Well, too late.  The original was one of my favourites back in 2000 on Monte Cristo Gamble [Sic].  Doing the remake in 2020 Covid sessions - I was worried I'd mess it up.  but it turned into a whole new adventure of it's own.
the original has the prophet 1000 i bought for 100 in Notting Hill as well as a beat sample from Renegade Soundwave.  (Who'd probably sampled it from somewhere else).
there's samples from library discs for voice over artists - an advert for Wales Tourism (Come Inside) and for having a TV license (I can draw a happy face on it - the consolation of still having an etch-a-sketch toy after the TV is taken away by the police....)
its mad. it's too long. it's epic. it's beautiful.  thank you to anyone who listens and loves it too!

Happy Face (Close Your Eyes)

I've just posted Slide (Green) - the slower version of this track.  Slide (Blue) is the same manic tempo as the original from 1996/97.  though I do slow it down a bit in the middle.


Slide (Blue)

VIOLENT. RAW. LIVE

This track was started in 2020 during Covid.  The title refers to the fact that I was down to my last few weeks before I wouldn't have any money or be able technically to stay living in Singapore as i hadn't worked for more than 6 months.  And then I got a contract, about a week before my time was up.  and then another one, another one, and thankfully now in 2025 I've been working since.  but it took a while to come back to a track called last legs.
i'd left it in 2020 as an instrumental, and put it on the album Press Pause as it was pretty much finished.  Now in 2025 it's taken a different shape with epic building vocals and a driving, if frenetic drum beat.  for some reason it reminds me of Arcade Fire, even though it doesn't really sound anything like them. some in the end finale that echoes the original take of No Cars Go.

Last Legs II

You didn't think I'd let the last track posted stay as an instrumental did you?!  one of those times when you very quickly find a vocal sample that fits just perfectly.  even more so because it actually sings the title of the song (which was originally from 2006).

After a week of global brand strategy workshops... contrary to the lyrics, not everything falls down.  Thank every deity in every faith for that....

Keep Moving On Again

This is a remake of a track from the 2007 album 'Switching You On'.  machines booting up and shutting is a common theme it seems.
this one's quite dub  / dubstep in style.  just with quite poppy singing!!
guitar and bass guitar was recorded live back in 2007.
Cover art is an AI engine hallucinating from a description of the track.!!!

Happy Days Are Here Again II

The now customary reworking (in 2025) with vocals and better instruments of an old track (from 2004).  From a jamming session when Dave and I played together for the first time since we splut the band before any success...  we were trying to be the stone roses.  this remake takes the track further away from the origins of the 'homage'.  but it's sill there.  channelling our inner mani, reni, squire and brown.  boys - you burnt bright for a short time, but still lighten up my days most months.  i even love second coming,  thank you for playing Singapore c2013.  you were bloody brilliant.  everythin tight, and in tune and on the groove.  
New Order played the following week.  and they weren't good at all.  1-0 to the Roses.

Homage (To A Life Lost To Interference)

Well, here’s a little number for the lovers on the dance floor…. 

Originally the track ‘Galling’ from 2009’s ‘it’s always a bit more work…’ - this was an awkward track.  Never knowing whether it was in A minor, A major, D minor or D major. Some nice little guitar parts though. 

Race forward 16 years and with a trashy male vocal sample from loopcloud, it’s turned into some sort of electroclash party. 
We all just want to party? 

Cover art by AI. Check out the unfolding threesome on the right. 

You Just Came To Party Too

30+ years of writing music.  now back to lots of hardware to complement the soft synths.  And of course, the compulsion to add the kitchen sink, fridge and oven is still there!

Kit:
Logic 
Cubase
Ableton Live
Reason
Expose
Loopcloud
Arturia V collection, Pigments
Arturia microfreak, minifreak, matrixbrute, minibrute, Spark 
Roland boutique Juno, Jupiter, JP3, 808 and 909
Arturia Audiofuse
Focusrite Scarlett
Roland Jupiter Xm, JD-Xi, Gaia SH-01 MDC-1 Dance Module
Korg Modwave, microKorg, MicroKorg XL, korg ER-1, korg 05RW, kaoss pad
Novation ultranova, mininova, a-station, Circuit Tracks
Access Virus-b
Beringher Deep Mind 12, UB-Xa, TD-3, Crave, MS-1
Nord Stage EX
Sequential Prophet 2000
Waldorf Pulse
M-audio Venom
Native instruments kontakt, massive, reaktor, FM8, battery, guitar rig, traktor, maschine, absynth, and the rest of the ultimate collection 
Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Spitfire Albion 
Aria orchestra 
Softube Parallels
Waves Gold and a lot of their plug ins. Abbey Road TG, brauer motion, butch vig vocals, ovox, flow motion
Isotope ozone
Sugar Bytes effectrix, looperator, turnado, factory, cyclop, obscurium 
Audio damage dubstation, panstation
AAS lounge lizard, strum, chromophone
UVI relay 
Fender Stratocaster 
Schecfer Diamond Electric 
Line6 Pod Guitar Mukti Effects 
Boss guitar multi effects and various other pedals 
Peavey Bass 
Yamaha DTX electronic drum kit 
Alesia drum pads 
Stanton turntables

New tracks tagged #audio damage