[Moods] 3 Mental Models (MOD, XM, OGG)

[Sam_Zen]

Three tracker-based works from the album "Mental Models".
1) Dias Tardes - 8 Ch MOD 3:08 - Module or Production
2) The Kisser - 10 Ch XM 5:51 - Module or Production.
3) Navel Streng - 8 Ch XM 3:15 - Module or Production.

[bvanoudtshoorn]

Out of the three, I must say that my least favourite is "Dias Tardes", so I'll focus on the other two.

The Kisser: Although it does break a lot of conventions, it's probably the most "normal" of the three tracks.

Navel Streng: There are strong ties between this one and "The Kisser" in parts (they're clearly from the same album), but it's still totally unique, which is really good.

You have some really pretty melodies and motifs in these tracks, Sam_Zen. You also have some really cool sound effects happening in the two tracks. Good stuff overall!

[Harbinger]

I am absolutely convinced that Erik Satie died and was reincarnated as who we call Sam_Zen. The more i listen to anything he does, i notice that he treats music in much the same way as Satie did: unconventional. You are probably not going to find anything "traditionalist" in anything that Zen does. And that's what makes people remember composers...

[Sam_Zen]

Nice, Harbinger, but I don't agree about not being a "traditionalist".
Strictly spoken I still follow the traditional way of making electronic music, now happening to do it with a computer.
But I must admit that I like works of people like Satie, Varèse or Zappa.

[Harbinger]

Perhaps i should have used the word 'classical' instead of 'traditional'.
Sorry, Zen, my old colleague, but you're not about to convince me that you're musical style follows that of Beethoven, Debussy, or even Glass. Like you, they were also innovative, but they still used traditional rules of style and form and timbral arrangement (even for their time). But composers like you and Satie and Webern and even Zappa treat music less conventionally, departing from the school of normal voice-leading for melody and timbre, and musical form for chord progression and song style (such as the symphonic or sonata styles, for example).

I mean of course all of this as the highest compliment. In my observations of the few things i've D/L'd of yours, i have always been full of intrigue at what you do with sound and the progression of it. If you have anything 'conventional,' i'd love to hear it...

I only listened to the 2 .xm songs that you list here, and even though i'm not putting them in my listening rotation (because they can't help but take my attention when i'm trying to do something else), i won't throw them out because they serve as study lessons on electronic music compositions. (Sorry i don't mean to demean your songs to that of Clementi :!:   )

[aGIANTpupafish]

You abstract style of composing always fascinates me.  You certainly push the boundries.

This little album is quite fascinating.  Not always a 'pleasant' listen, but I don't think it is designed to be, it grabs the listener by the scruff of the neck and takes them for one hell of a ride.  Unfortunately, many would not enjoy this ride.  Personally, I do, but just occasionally find your tunes a little too experimental.

I love some of the melodies which just subletly show themselves, and also how at other times you choose to make more of them (eg instrument 6 in the kisser, which i liked the drums in btw).

Loved the sinister atmosphere at times in track 3.

[Sam_Zen]

Nice comment, aGp.
You're right. I don't make things to please the listeners. I prefer experience above entertainment.
Intrigued by your remark about 'sinister' regarding track3. Because it's about the state of mind where all is save,
when one is still attached with the navel-string, so all's taking care of, nothing to worry. About melancholy.

I'll add the remaining pieces of this album. Two of them are non-tracker, analog-based productions :

http://www.samshuijzen.nl/sam/mmodls/2distrac.ogg - Distractions

http://www.samshuijzen.nl/sam/mmodls/4wakeup1.ogg - Wake Up

Plus one I had published here before as a MOD file :

http://www.samshuijzen.nl/sam/mmodls/6klass.ogg - Klass