I’ve been so knee-deep in ambient Highlining that I’ve not done a ‘me’ Semiphore track for a bit. Well, here’s that issue fixed.
Firstly, that title - what now? Well, if you’re a parent of a GCSE or A Level student at the moment, you’ll be well aware that it’s results time. This cohort has lived through that horrid Covid period, and has had to work extra hard for their A** - it’s almost like part of their teenage years and growing up has been delayed a bit - so the video accompanying this new piece is that school orchestra cutting loose to celebrate getting there. You deserve it, kids.
But what exactly are they cutting loose to?
Sometimes, music comes out in one form or set from an idea you’ve had. This is one of those funny tracks that morphed over time. It originally had a completely different drum arrangement and was much more ambient. Then it just grew and grew, and spawned a New Orleans horn-ranging monster.
I’m calling it a sort of Jazz trip-hop hybrid - ‘Mingus Attack’ if you like. Or Tom Waits having a fight with Portishead. In my head, it’s probably closer to The National Anthem by Radiohead, although you might uncharitably say it’s more Lisa Simpson.
It’s certainly - for me - one of those tracks. A signpost. A cross-roads. It’s not that i’m going to go all jazz as i’ve not got the chops (man…), but the fusing of fizzing wonky electronica and soul/jazz is seductive, exciting and oddly… human.
For the audio geeks among you, drum sounds and programming are via the awesome SoulFi from Teletone, but the real stars of the show are the standard Apple Logic Horns. Yes, that’s not really a couple of drunk guys I dragged out of Ronnie Scotts on there - it’s just me with a bit of programming. Sorry to break the spell.
Right. I’m off to nod sagely in a smoke-filled den to raise a glass to the kids.
Mmm. Nice.
Orchestra Year Delayed.