Unwind, a weekly event for ambient, downtempo, experimental electronic and nujazz music, returns to the patio at CS3 for the summer, starting with a kick-off party on Friday, June 3, 2011.

Join me and fellow residents Adejai (aka Josh Helton) and Josh Elias along with occasional special guests every Friday this summer from 8 p.m. until later on the patio at CS3: Calhoun Street Soups, Salads, and Spirits.

Sponsored by Fort Wayne Electronic Music (FTWEM). Find Unwind and FTWEM on Facebook.

In preparation, I have posted 2011-05-31 Unwind practice live session for FREE download. It’s much more beat-oriented than I intend to play, but I was trying out different configs for my Ableton setup.

UPDATE: I moved the 2011-05-31 Unwind practice live session (1hr00m27s, 72.6 MB MP3) from my Soundcloud to here for posterity.

1. Beat Down v.01 (2:16)
2. Empty Nest v.01 (2:08)
3. Fraction Faction v.01 (2:13)
4. Operandi v.01 (4:48)
5. Phat Sod v.01 (2:35)
6. The Profession v.04 (5:01)
7. Toolkit v.01 (2:24)
8. Wibble Wobble v.01 (1:23)
9. Yearbook Staff v.01 (2:13)

Some of these are real gems, so please check them out. Also, don’t miss the previous collections Short Fictions and Prototypes I.

My next from-the-vaults podcast is a mix of seven tracks from Arrivals (38min, 59.3 MB MP3), a previously unreleased follow-up to 2009′s Departure Lounge. Many of these tracks had appeared in various podcast mixes and live sets and were remastered with the intent of releasing a second EP in 2009. Instead, I decided to shelve them and go in a new direction, which lead to the material for Elsewhere and Vernal. So, here they are in a spankin’ new mix.

Tracklist:

1. Chthonic(min) v.01, from 2008 Spring mix
2. Circular Object (Sunset Island dub), from 2008 Summer mix
3. 8-bitch v.02, from Free Flow Set
4. La Palama (1984 CIA Factbook mix), from 2008 Summer mix
5. Snwd_Ndr v.01, from 2007 Winter mix
6. Untitled (2007-11-25), from 2008 Winter mix
7. Aguadulce v.01, from 2008 Summer mix

As an added bonus, the complete album Arrivals is now available for purchase on Bandcamp: Immediate download of 7-track album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

NOTES: All tracks were created with Ableton Live Suite and Reaktor 4 and mastered using Sound Studio 3 and Ozone 4.

My next from-the-vault podcast is a live practice set from April, 1997 (53min:36sec, 97.4 MB MP3). I don’t recall what event this was in preparation for or have a tracklist, so I’ll just offer it without specifics.

NOTES: My gear for the set consisted of an Akai MPC-2000 sampler/sequencer, Alesis SR-16 drum machine, Novation BassStation analog monosynth, Korg Prophecy digital monosynth, Yamaha TG-33 digital synth, Tascam Porta 07 4-track/mixer, Alesis Microverb III multi-effects, Digitech RDS-4000 flanger/chorus/delay, DOD distortion and flanger pedals. I added EQ, multiband dynamics, stereo widening and loudness maximizing to clean up the mix and remaster for 2010.

My next from-the-vault podcast is a live set at a show called Reunion, from October, 2002 (46min:13sec, 83.2 MB MP3). It is similar in style to my recent podcast of Live bedroom session, 2003-04-06 (2010 Remaster). IIRC, I hadn’t had a live show for some time before this one, so it was a chance for me to pull-out all the stops. I had developed a semi-modular performance approach at the time, mixing between sequences on both the MPC and Nord Micro Modular while tweaking EQ, filters and envelopes on-the-fly.

NOTES: My gear for this session consisted of an Akai MPC-2000 sampler/sequencer, Nord Lead 2 digital synth, Nord Micro Modular synth, Mackie 1604-VLZ mixer, Digitech Studio 400 multi-effects, Alesis Microverb III multi-effects, Digitech RDS-4000, Presonus stereo compressor. I added EQ, multiband dynamics, stereo widening and loudness maximizing to clean up the mix and remaster for 2010.

My next from-the-vault podcast is a mix of six tracks from Soundtrack (37min:28sec, 56.3 MB MP3). Released in 2000 (and still available in its original form as a free download), Soundtrack was my sixth full-length release on CD-R and combined elements of acid, ambient, chill-out, downtempo, IDM, techno and trance styles. In addition to remastering these tracks for 2010, I added some 909 beats to move the mix along.

Track list:

1. Dreamy
2. Jetset Sunrise
3. Twilight
4. Suspended
5. Remembering
6. Seven Taos

As an added bonus, the complete album Soundtrack (2010 Remaster) is now available for purchase on Bandcamp. Immediate download of 9-track album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire. Album download includes a hi-res JPEG digital collage from the original artwork. One track from the original release, Patience, has been lost from its original recording and is not included. Remembered, a remix of Remembering, is included as a bonus.

NOTES:  My gear for these tracks consisted of an Akai MPC-2000 sampler/sequencer, Novation BassStation analog synth, Korg Prophecy digital synth, Nord Lead 2 digital synth, Mackie 1604-VLZ mixer, Digitech Studio 400 multi-effects, Alesis Microverb III multi-effects, Digitech RDS-4000, Presonus stereo compressor. I added EQ, multiband dynamics, stereo widening and loudness maximizing to clean up each track and remaster for 2010.

My next from-the-vault podcast is a mix of eight tracks from Devices (43min:04sec, 67.8 MB MP3). Released in 1999 (and still available in its original form as a free download), Devices was my fourth full-length release on CD-R and combined elements of ambient, chill-out, IDM, and techno styles. In addition to completely remastering these tracks for 2010, I added some minimal techno beats to move the mix along.

Track list:

1. Invocation (vocoder)
2. Spirus Falls
3. Wonders of Nando
4. Stance
5. Home Capsules
6. Beq Ultra Fat
7. Netro
8. Stolen

As an added bonus, the complete album Devices (2010 Remaster) is now available for purchase on Bandcamp. Immediate download of 12-track album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire. Also included are two bonus tracks of spoken word/vocoder material, a PDF of original booklet artwork and a JPEG digital collage.

NOTES: My gear for these tracks consisted of an Akai MPC-2000 sampler/sequencer, Novation BassStation analog synth, Korg Prophecy digital synth, Nord Lead 2 digital synth, Mackie 1604-VLZ mixer, Digitech Studio 400 multi-effects, Alesis Microverb III multi-effects, Digitech RDS-4000, Presonus stereo compressor. I added EQ, multiband dynamics, stereo widening and loudness maximizing to clean up each track and remaster for 2010.

NOTES: My gear for this session consisted of an Akai MPC-2000 sampler/sequencer, Nord Lead 2 digital synth, Nord Micro Modular synth, Mackie 1604-VLZ mixer, Digitech Studio 400 multi-effects, Alesis Microverb III multi-effects, Digitech RDS-4000, Presonus stereo compressor. I added EQ, multiband dynamics, stereo widening and loudness maximizing to clean up the mix and remaster for 2010.

First up is a live set recorded at Boogie Man in October, 1997 (1hr:01min, 116 MB MP3). IIRC, the event took place in a former slaughterhouse in New Haven, IN, surrounded by disused warehouses and busy railroad tracks. Musically, it sounds like I was trying to combine hard, abstract techno polyrhythms with hooky electro melodies and funky dub basslines. Parts sound a bit rigid and muddy now, but it was 13 years ago and I’ve come a long way, baby.

Tracklist (made from notes at the time; most titles likely would have changed since then):

1. 3MB
2. Beeg
3. Beg2
4. Untitled (1997-09-21)
5. Homeward, Spirus (1997-09-22)
6. Orgy
7. Beq 01
8. Dexu 01

NOTES: My gear for the show consisted of an Akai MPC-2000 sampler/sequencer, Alesis SR-16 drum machine, Novation BassStation analog monosynth, Korg Prophecy digital monosynth, Yamaha TG-33 digital synth, Fostex line mixer (it doesn’t sound like I had my Mackie yet), Alesis Microverb III multi-effects, Digitech RDS-4000 flanger/chorus/delay, DOD distortion and flanger pedals. The overdrive on the SR-16 drums is intentional, and the occasional ducking comes from the automatic limiter on the minidisc recorder. I added EQ, multiband dynamics, stereo widening and loudness maximizing to clean up the mix and remaster for 2010.

• Tracing Home v.01
• Glimminker v.01
• Datapunk v.01
• Follern v.01
• Strange Haus v.01
• Jazzy Doll v.01
• Croupier v.01
• Lowroad v.01
• Tantrum v.01
• Further v.01

In total, that’s 10 tracks / 1hr:10min / 110.4 MB of material (stream or download each track individually, or download them all in one zip archive). These tracks venture into the abstract, ambient, glitch, IDM and minimal techno realm. In the coming months, I expect to develop some of these into a proper follow-up EP. Stay tuned,

I have uploaded a recording of my recent live performance (1hr:03min, 117.7Mb MP3) for your consideration.

I’ve uploaded an archive of some recent sketches (70.4 MB zip) for your consideration. Most of these are shorter tracks, in the Short Fictions vein, along with two longer pieces. Individual files:

1. Mad house (sketch) (3:38, 5.3 MB MP3)
2. Headsville (sketch) (4:19,6.1 MB MP3)
3. Minimal (sketch) (4:00, 5.9 MB MP3)
4. Slow rave (sketch) (4:43, 6.8 MB MP3)
5. Strangler (2008 revision) (11:58, 17.1 MB MP3)
6. Untitled 2008-07-17 (sketch) (2:30, 3.7 MB MP3)
7. Broken beat box (sketch) (2:29, 3.6 MB MP3)
8. Tonglen dub (15:57, 22.9 MB MP3) – features elements made with BeatMaker

1. Bat for Lashes – Fur and Gold (Amazon, iTunes)
2. Belbury Poly – Farmer’s Angle (iTunes)
3. Boxcutter – Glyphic (Amazon, iTunes)
4. Burial – Untrue (Amazon, iTunes)
5. Digitalism – Idealism (Amazon, iTunes)
6. Flunk – Democracy (iTunes)
7. Geiom – Island Noise (Boomkat)
8. Kiln – Dusker (Amazon, iTunes)
9. Klimek – Dedications (Amazon)
10. Robert Rich – Illumination (iTunes)
11. Robert Rich – Music from Atlas Dei (iTunes)
12. Various Artists (Hot Flush Records) – Space & Time (Google Search)

I have uploaded a mix of recent original music (70 minutes, 117.96 MB MP3) for your consideration.

Track order:

1. Deterritories
2. nwRdrSbcltr (this.slowWater remix)
3. DBA (version)
4. Clockwork children (slowSun mix)
5. Blue Ocean Labs
6. Math art

When I was in high school, I listened to a lot of early New Order (and by extension Joy Division). The albums Unknown Pleasures, Closer, Still, Movement, Power, Corruption and Lies, Low Life and Brotherhood made up a large portion of the soundtrack of my teenage life.

At that time, finding their records (CDs had yet to become ubiquitous) and much information about them was difficult. Their cover artwork was cryptic and intriguing, and the air of mystery around them and their work gave me the sense of inclusion in some subversive, secret society. Being a fan meant playing part collector and part detective.

Recently, I watched New Order Story (their bio vid from 1993, produced in connection with Republic) to get some insight on their emergence. It’s worth watching to get the inside story but also feels dated, suffering from overproduction and hubris (possibly from their new record label).

To this day, the sinister edge of their post-punk, proto-electronic early work still takes me back to that bygone era. With that, I have uploaded my own version of one of their seminal tracks for your consideration: nwRdrSbcltr (this.slowWater remix) (11:28 minutes, 22.1 MB MP3).

I have uploaded a mix of recent unreleased music (38 minutes, 63.4 MB MP3) for your consideration. It begins with a building wall of sound and pattern before winding down to a sparse reverie. Enjoy,

Track order:

1. Wavebots Converge (alt.version)
2. Last Stretch to Gateway Two
3. Labwork I : Division
4. Chymical Comfort Farm
5. Labwork II : Learning Modules
6. Granular Winds
7. Labwork III : Clear and Exit

I have uploaded Sprt.Wys (Spirus Unites All Worlds Apart in Dub) (10:14 minutes, 19 MB MP3) for your consideration.

Back in 1997, I played around with reworking the song Joyful Girl by Ani DiFranco. I thought her sedate vocals combined with the simple acoustic guitar for a nice listen—and sample-worthy material. I also liked the ironic, trip-hop-ish version featured in this video (YouTube). I never got very far with that remix, but I’ve kept a few loops in my sample library ever since.

While testing some Audio Unit plug-ins I made with SonicBirth (it’s free and open source now, BTW), I dug out those loops from ten years ago. The result is a relaxed, ambient travelogue (slightly reminiscent of Aphex Twin’s extended remix of Journey by The Gentle People, a favorite from my ‘chill out room raver’ days).

I have uploaded Jfl_Grrl (Chill Kids Rework) (18:12 minutes, 34.5 MB MP3) for your consideration.

I have uploaded a mix of recent unreleased music (50 minutes, 87.37 MB MP3) for your enjoyment.

Track order:

1. Nerd Rock, excerpt
2. Laxometric
3. Snwd_Ndr
4. Little Book of Germs vol. III
5. Ocean Strategy, Blue
6. Slow Ghosts Rise
7. The Thaumaturgeon
8. Sector Boundary

I have uploaded a batch of short songs I recorded over the past few months. They were meant as interstitial music, but they’ve taken on a life of their own. I intended them to be exercises in brevity—hence: Nofi : Short Fictions (34.8 MB archive):

1. Delivering Parenth (3:25, 6.28 MB MP3)
2. Eternus Unveiled (0:40, 1.43 MB MP3)
3. Forgotten Fields (1:22, 2.49 MB MP3)
4. Sizenuss Chimes In (1:06, 2.09 MB MP3)
5. Somber Fungi (2:32, 4.76 MB MP3)
6. Spellbindery (1:31, 2.89 MB MP3)
7. The Epic Doctrine (0:54, 1.86 MB MP3)
8. Things Stolen and Returned (5:00, 8.52 MB MP3)
9. Thus Smote Magbra (2:08, 4.41 MB MP3)

Track order:

1. Scribnus, Fumbling
2. Code Book
3. FCPH
4. “Alright, let’s…”
5. Uke and Jack*
6. The Nibbler
7. Untitled (2006-07-17)*
8. Micro Micro
9. Highballer*
10. Dark Magus*
11. Untitled (2006-06-26)*
12. Baby Steps*
13. Untitled (2006-07-04)*
14. While We Sleep*

*=unreleased