Another track from the "To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars" project. Guitars left on the wall again... 
The old tape effect in the background comes from a Noire piano pre-set from Native Instruments. I spent half an hour trying to get rid of it before I realised.... By then I'd grown to like it so it's staying in!
Check out great artwork for this book at Fractalverse.net
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Kira's Lament

This remix (March 20024) removes the rim shot (which was driving me nuts) and adds a new drum section.  
The nspiration is Ann Leckie's award winning "Ancillary Justice"  epic, written back in 2014. How did I miss it? 
This is  the first track on a mini-album and is meant to reflect the overall theme: the hyper rational determination of the central character (Breq) to deliver justice against an empire bent on brutal annexations.  Hmmm.....
The cover art is from a limited edition of the book and is by Lauren Saint-Onge.

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Ancillary Justice (Remix and Remaster)

Second track from the "Ancillary Justice" project. Breq: spaceship AI, dead soldier, seeker of justice etc.
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Breq

Another track inspired by Ann Leckie's Ancillary trilogy. Take a 17 year old, fit implants and use the body to further your ambitions. Not a nice thing to do. 
Found the vocal samples in Native Instruments Evolve R2 and had to use them.

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C.I.I. (Covert Intrusive Implants)

There is something about the concept of a space station where a society and culture has evolved in a totally artificial environment. Sounds a bit claustrophobic doesn't it?
The art work is by Long-Pham and can be found on the Deviant Art website. 
Another track for the Ancillary Justice album. 


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Athoek Station

This is probably the last track for the Ancillary Justice soundtrack. It's also an alternative soundtrack for Jon Mupasi's mesmerising 8-hour video, albeit just three and half minutes...  I guess you could put it on repeat! Haha! It's on YouTube and mossandfog.com - Worth a look, I promise!
https://mossandfog.com/floating-in-space-for-eight-full-hours/

Spaced Out And Legless

I'm starting a new project inspired by the night. Must be the time of year!
The guitar is a PRS SE Custom.

The photographer for the cover art is Sarah Justine. 

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Night Moves

I've been meaning to do some tracks inspired by Martha Wells's Murderbot story, "Exit Strategy". 
GreyCris is a corporate giant; brutally ruthless. 
The cover art is by ignacio197 and can be found on deviantart.com

GreyCris

Another track inspired by "The Wake", a post apocalyptic novel by Paul Kingsnorth.

Buccmaster and his friends visit a village untouched by the Norman invasion. They participate in a village celebration, which Buccmaster looks back on as the very last joyful day. Even so, everyone there fears for the future.

I used my Flamenco guitar again... but economically, my early versions were too Iberian!

the last daeg we was yonge

Another track inspired by When The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster. 

Vashti's son is obsessed with the outside. Despite the dangers (the outside air is too strong for people who live in the machine's cells) he embarks on a training programme to increase his strength (weight lifting with pillows!).  After perilously climbing a shaft, he manages to blow the cap off and finds himself on his back, gasping for air, his respirator blown several yards away. It's both horrifying and exhilirating.

Where The Air Burns

Inspired by "Momenticon", Brian Caldecott's mind-blowing book. 
In a post-apocalyptic world, two giant corporate entities vie for digital power -  with bizarre consequences.
I don't normally advocate this but, this seems to work best LOUD....

Momenticon

Yet another instrumental inspired by a road trip. 
Can I fit another road trip in before the summer is gone?

All the guitar parts were played on my American Telecaster with Texas pickups... I aways seem to reach for this guitar when road trips are on my mind.

Open Road

Re-reading Asimov's "Foundation" trilogy. It's not how I remember it. Anyway, I've tried to conjure up a cityscape with an element of loneliness, Terminus being on the periphery of the galaxy... A bit like us, I suppose.

The smooth sounding guitar is a Gibson Memphis 335.

The artwork is by guitfiddle on DeviantArt.com

Terminus

Another track inspired by my re-reading of "Foundation" by Isaac Asimov. 
Somewhere in the remote, dark periphery of the galaxy a second empire is emerging.
I revisited this track 13.01.24 and decided to remix and remaster, mainly to add more drama to the percussion and add more punch to the production.

Periphery (Remix and Remaster)

Hober Mallow: Master Trader, Mayor of Foundation, ultimately iconic hero of the Foundation

This re-mix strengthens and simplifies the drumming, improves the compression and it's also shorter...

Hober Mallow (Remix and Remaster)

Another track inspired by Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' trilogy. Psychohistorians predict the gradual collapse of the Galactic Empire so they set up a Foundation in the periphery of the galaxy to preserve knowledge and reduce the duration of the galactic dark ages.
I used a Fender Telecaster through a modern amp to create the slightly bitter, flattened guitar tone; I'm hoping it adds drama and tension....

Psychohistory

Anther track inspired by Asimov's "Foundation" series. The Mule (a rather unkind epithet for this enigmatic character) is a mutant (aren't we all?). He's also a clown and a megalomaniac. At his core, however, he's incredibly sad and lonely.
My wah peddle isn't functioning, so I used Native Instruments samples for the guitar licks! 

The illustration is by Alexander Wells - from the now deleted Folio Society edition of the book.

The Mule

This is a companion piece to "The Mule", inspired by Asimov's Foundation series. I found the cool artwork on Pinterest, it is by Michael Whelan. 

The slide guitar was played on a Gibson Memphis 335.

Magnifico (The Clown)

Another track inspired by Asimov's Foundation trilogy. 
Arcadia: 14 years old, infuriatingly single-minded, impulsive and a stowaway. Cool character.
The artwork is from Pinterest; unfortunately, I couldn't find a credit.
I played the lead guitar parts on a PRS Santana Custom. The heavier backing is a Fender Jazz Bass through a modern amp.

Arcadia

I'm hoping this will cut it as the first track on an album inspired by Asimov's Foundation novels.
I used a Gibson 335 Memphis for all the guitar parts.
The cover is from a Catalonian edition of the book and is by Guillem H. Pongillupi; find him on Artstation and Pinterest.

Foundation (Prelude)

Going for something a bit lighter and boppy for this track, hence the retro art work. Still, I'm planning to use it on the forthcoming Foundation Soundtrack album. The inspiration was that slightly frantic searching for something you suspect is not there. Yes, a bit odd really, but it makes sense when you read the book...

The 'machine gun' and 'strangled' guitar parts were played on a Deusenberg Paloma, put through a modern amp with a fuzz distortion pedal, a quirky synth filter and a dynamic delay.

Looking In The Wrong Place (Space Bop Mix)

Still enjoying the re-read of Asimov's Foundation series. I found the cover art in the retro futuristic section of Pinterest - I'm sure it's AI generated. Love the colours!

All the guitar parts were played on a Fender Telecaster with Texas pickups.

Foundation And Empire

Another Foundation track. It was the bass synth that inspired the track, it made me think of an anti-gravity engine... 
The "machine gun" guitar is a Fender Telecaster bi-amped to give that meaty punch. The warbling guitar is a Deusenberg Paloma with a vibrato pedal, reverse delay and fuzz box put through a plexi amp.

The Edge

There's something very lonely about the vastness of empty space in the universe, and the eons of time between unimaginally violent events. And on one lonely, blue, oasis of a planet there is a species that persists in tearing itself apart. SAD.
I found the image on Pinterest but couldn't find a credit.
The guitar is a Fender Telecaster with Texas pickups - my "go-to" guitar these days. I used two amps with crunch settings in series to get the slightly electric crackle.

SAD (Remix)

Two of the main characters in Asimov's Foundation's Edge are given a state-of-the-art spaceship, Far Star, to find the mythical planet Earth... that is, if it exists at all.

Far Star

This interlude is intended for the forthcoming "Foundation" album. I was inspired by thoughts about the emptiness and loneliness of deep space. 
No guitars on this one!

Deeper

I've just about finished the Foundation project now. In the far future, humanity has forgotten the location of the "home" planet. Asimov cleverly weaves intrigue and danger into the search for an almost mythological planet.
The guitar parts were played on a Gibson Memphis 335.

(In Search of) The Lost Earth

This interlude is for the Foundation soundtrack album. I'm a bit obsessed with the very small (subatomic) and the very big (the universe) and time (the great yawning vastness of it); not to mention how it all started (the big bang) and how it might end. Doesn't our galaxy look like soap froth spiralling in a basin before it disappears down the plug hole?

Endless

Another track inspired by the Foundation SciFi books by Isaac Asimov. I love how his books pursue a mystery, only to be replaced by a new one just when you think you've got it... That's life for you. 
The guitar parts were played on a Duesenberg Paloma put through a pitch vibrato, plate reverb, a ping pong delay and a modern amp.

Approaching Gaia

Guilty pleasures:

1.  70's synth wig-outs
2.  Guitars put through modern amps with fuzz, ping-pong delay and a s**t load of reverb
3. Mellotron choirs...

ESP (Weaponised)

I've been on Soundcloud for six years now and it's been great exploring the work of other artists.  There is so much generosity of spirit on this platform, it's just what you need when most of your music is made solo. 

I started out playing classical and Spanish guitar, then took up flamenco to ease myself away from the confines of musical notation. As a result, Latin rhythms often creep into my music. 

A friend introduced me to steel string and electric guitars just a few years ago and I still find the scope they bring dizzying... but what fun!

Wayfarer DG

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