Motorelektrik is an EP from Breakage Music, the name I use for my music projects.
I wrote three new songs and two remixes, all in a motorik style, with a limited palette of instruments and sounds.
The new songs were written and produced during a 12-ish week project using a methodology that was supposed to help keep creative work on track but, lol, methodologies, am I right?
I love using dogma as an excuse for building good habits (my vegan years were great for this) but the truth is that a lot of my creative work often happens in uncontrolled bursts of energy at the beginning and ending of projects.
The remixes are from the album of ten original songs made during my 2023 sabbatical.
I’m particularly proud of the endings of these songs, so even if you fast-forward through some parts, try to listen to the endings. They’re fun.
LISTEN
INSPIRATIONS AND INFLUENCES
Here’s the rather specific list I made at the beginning of the project.
- Stereolab (the song “Emperor Tomato Ketchup” for drum buildup, fills leading to the chorus, rhythm guitar)
- Moon Duo “Eye 2 Eye” vocals, drones, lead guitar tone, vocal harmonies
- Jeff Rosenstock (whole Hellmode album production, especially vocals and overall mix, so clean)
- Minami Deutsch “Tunnel” (pace and bass)
- Follakzoid (whole album II, but especially baselines and cymbals/hats)
- White Hills “Run-A-Round” fuzz guitar
- Can “Vitamin C” snare drums
- Neu “Hallogallo” of course, pace, rhythm guitars, drone line on top
I’m not sure how many of these I internalized enough to think about while I chose sounds and played, except for Stereolab, which is always what I imagine sounding like in my head, until I remember I literally don’t have the (vocal) range to sound the way they sound, aside from other minor differences in our musical capabilities and experience. (I obviously recommend listening to all these bands if you like any part of what I did here. They are professionals.)
Colophon
Motorelektrik was made with these tools…
- Korg Minilogue
- Korg Volca Beats
- Ableton Live
- Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
- Arturia Keylab 49
- Novation Launchpad
- Zvex Fuzz Factory
- NUX Atlantic Reverb & Delay
- NUX Analog Delay
- Arturia Analog Lab
- OSX and iOS Notes for easy synchronized lyric writing while dog walking or in various youth soccer parking lots in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
- A new set of speakers so I could hear how the songs sound on something other than nice headphones, or an iPhone speaker, or a car stereo.
constraints
Motorelektrik is an experiment in healthy constraints. When I started the project, I made some rules…
- Use the same drum kit or machine on every song.
- Use the same clean guitar tone on every song.
- Limit guitar processing to physical gear.
- Warm up before recording vocals.
- No official Autotune.
- Journal every day.
- Use only one type of organ, probably Farfisa, though tone and effects may vary.
- Try the Minilogue for additional sounds before trying MIDI instruments.
It went OK! I successfully limited myself to a mostly consistent short list of digital instruments and physical equipment, avoiding the perils of infinite choice. I did not spend any hours trying to “find the right kick” and I even replaced the drums and some other parts of the two existing songs. I rerecorded some or all of the vocals for the 2023 songs, too. I changed some lyrics. And then I changed them back. And then I changed them back again.
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