With tracks written during a relationship and after the guy ended with me, as well as spanning my move from west London to Erith, 2005’s autobiographical The Love EP, with me using the moniker Silko, possibly marks the all-time high point in my music-making to date … in my opinion. By the time I came to record these seven tracks, I was pretty adept with Logic – confident with use of loops, effects and filters, and also midi editing. None of the tracks felt like a copy of anyone else, so I was most definitely writing my own music. When The Love EP failed to achieve the response I was hoping for, I told myself that there was no point in continuing with the music-making, as I could do no better.
Intro – The Meeting
An optimistic jaunt to the music from a bright electric piano signifies the excitement with a relationship that gets off to a good start. This track features fine-tuned use of delay, feedback and midi editing.
Soundcloud version
Loving – edit and extended versions
This song is about the person I was in a relationship with. I think the words speak for themselves about my feelings for him. Musically, this is all about samples and filters, and a bit of William Orbit influence in the extended version. It’s an example of what could be called my patchwork style of composition and arrangement, whereby I write a number of parts that could be used in a track and then bring them in and take them out, using all the good ones by the end of the track.
Soundcloud version
Big Mistake, parts 1 and 2
Another track where the words need no explanation. Musically, this is a simple four chord sequence repeated throughout, but with musical ideas wrapped around them. Even part 2 – with few seconds’ break between it and part 1 – is exactly the same chords and exactly the same tempo, but with a very different arrangement. In my opinion this is a contender for the best piece of music I have ever written. Experimental throughout, I tried to sew together a patchwork of sonic ideas and subtle understated production values. If there is one piece of my music that you really should listen to with headphones, it is this one. I hope you like it.
Soundcloud version
I Don’t Need Anyone But Me
The title says it all in terms of what this song is about. A gentle mainly acoustic guitar number, I Don’t Need Anyone But Me showcases my characteristic style of playing acoustic guitar and a rising-falling-rising-falling chord sequence in the chorus that I really like. Without going through every last aspect of the song, there’s not much more to say about this simple and, dare I say it, beautiful little song.
Soundcloud version
Deepest Blue
A sample of the sound of the sea, a simple electric piano chord sequence and a ‘drum’ sample from the human voice, this is what I hope I can say is a delicate understated track. A few key changes hopefully keep the ear tuned. As for the lyrics, blue is my favourite colour and represents me. So Deepest Blue continues the previous track’s Brian-only-needs-Brian sentiments.
Soundcloud version
Loving – extended version
(For information, see above).
Soundcloud version
Dance
The first of two bonus tracks on The Love EP, this is an imperfectly-executed dance track. The problem is, the rhythm doesn’t quite work ands so it is not great for … dancing to! You can hear extensive use of vocoder on this track – not just the vocals, but also an instrument part. I’m just playing about throughout this track. ‘Shall I make it all go half speed for a bar?’ ‘Yeah, why not!’
Soundcloud version
Untitled improvisation
A keyboard and an effect, and eventually some drum loops. I “wrote” and recorded this in probably 20 mins and maybe two takes and a bit of editing. Sonic adventures for anyone who forgets to move on to listening to something else, or who perhaps quite likes this track.
Soundcloud version
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