Welcome to Section 4 of my Module 3 Pilot Project featuring the Camden Highline.
This is the final section and week of the Highline Pilot project. Thanks to everyone who’s taken part, lent their time and added some feedback - it’s truly appreciated. If you’ve not given any feedback on Sections 1, 2 and 3 yet, please have a go!
This week, we’ve reached the The Wilds section of the Highline — full context with brief and music piece below.
Just a reminder that whilst I have my lovely Focus Group, I’d love to hear thoughts from everyone. Get involved!
If you’re not part of the Focus Group, and would like to have your say, then click here.
Section 4 - The Wilds.
Background and Brief.
The Wilds Zone Context.
The easternmost segment of the Highline project is also the longest. The existing trees to the north provide shade and privacy. The planting theme in this section embraces the existing natural character, and ecology platforms dot the route, providing habitats for birds, insects, bats and butterflies. The Highline ends with the York Way courtyard and entrance, a five-minute walk to the new King’s Cross district.
Brief.
Objective:
Compose original ambient tracks, pieces or themes inspired by The Wilds personality of zonal pockets of wildlife, plus the separate York Way entrance with courtyard, stairs and lift.
Creative:
Modal Interchange: Borrow chords from parallel modes.
Song Form: Use more obvious structures (e.g., verse-chorus, AABA, through-composed).
Technical:
Consistency: Maintaining a steady time signature to avoid jarring transitions.
Hit Points: Aligning musical changes with key visual or emotional moments.
Theme guide.
To grasp where the music and sounds ‘live’ on-site, please refer to the diagram above.
A: Ecology Platform Avian Hub (Birds)
B: Ecology Platform Insect Station (Insects)
C: Ecology Platform Health Land (Bats)
D: York Way Entrance
Section 4 The Wilds Main Theme.
Due to the extended physical length of The Wilds and its episodic nature, I’ve adopted an almost-song structure. As you can see from the diagram above, along this stretch of the Highline, various Ecology Platforms burst into life.
There are several of these, but for the purposes of the Pilot, I’ve picked 3 areas to represent in music and sound - The Bird, Insect and Bat sections as I’m calling them. These are represented by A, B and C on the diagram.
These pop out of a C major-based ‘verse’ section which comes and goes between each Platform Section - this verse section also features a receeded repetition of the Highline theme which you’ll be really familiar with by now.
So, basically in this example, you’re hearing:
Verse Section
Chorus A: Birds
Verse Section
Chorus B: Insects
Verse Section
Chorus C: Bats
Verse Section to end.
Chorus A: Birds
At -6:42 you’ll hear the piano figure which heralds the Birds section. This melody (believe it or not!) is a relative of the main theme. There’s also a background flute sample, along with a ‘fluttering’ synth line. At -5:48, a full synth pad is brought in to add texture and suggest clouds, birds in flight etc. The piano and flute melodies wrap around this sustained texture.
Chorus B: Insects
At -4:51 the Insects appear. This is suggested by a glitchy synth line. At -4:23, more of these patterns and a bass tone are introduced to ground the section. At-3:55, an arpeggiated analogue synth tone is brought in to suggest movement. Various delay and sound effects have been added to suggest insects merrily going around their business. The Insect section ends at -3:00
Chorus C: Bats
At -2:32, the final Bat sequence appears with a slightly dark synth line using a modal interchange to introduce minor keys into the mix. At -2:16, a rhythmic device is introduced to suggest bat radar bouncing off the walls - this rhythmic device moves in and out and changes randomly. Then at -2:03 a high effected organ tone is brought in to add movement. The Bats section ends at -0:36.
Section 4 York Way.
The York Way exit - is the end (or start, depending on your viewpoint) of the Highline.
This image shows the old Maiden Lane Station, which closed down many years ago and was on this part of the site. Only a small ruin remains of the former station and it’s overgrown with buddleia and other wild plants and is derelict and unused. The plan is to open this up and add both a courtyard garden area and possibly a kiosk area at the entrance before visitors climb the stairs to the Highline.
Sound design-wise, I’d imagine in a kiosk area there would be a lot of noise, radios etc so music here could be a negative, so I would anticipate directional Highline-specific sonics would be used on the stairs, and lift areas.
For this, I’ve reintroduced (or introduced depending on where you’re coming in) the main Highline theme this time using a Rhodes-type piano with added tape effects to add a slightly wobbly otherworldly feel. This is supported by various quiet synth lines appearing at -3:40. At -3:16 a secondary Rhodes melody is introduced as well as a subtle bass melody.
At -2:23, I’ve introduced various lines of melody and texture to bring in the modal interchange (A minor), to add a slight dissonance along with a shuffling trainlike rhythm. Then at -1:26 there’s a resolution of the modal dissonance with the introduction of the texture very similar to the wildlife one that people have heard or will be about to hear. This section is very much designed to get an ascending/descending feel.
Finally, there’s a true resolution to C Major at -0:30 ending the Highline experience.
That’s it, everyone! Please let me know what you think by filling in the form, leaving a direct message or a comment below — huge thanks for taking part, and I’ll be back in a few weeks with a set of updated pieces based on feedback.
Incredible work across this project, G. I have adored going on this journey with you. What a privilege!!
Love the York Way piece - very uplifting