And here are the songs I was posting about the other day… I am still shocked at this, and they really bring back memories of my old studio, as well as the countless hours spent trying to get a sound *just* right.

The demos are the original arrangements, with very few FXs. While most of the content was found in the final version there were tweaks here and there. None of these were mastered, they are as raw as you can get.

First up, Afterglow.

The demo captures the “thick” phaser sound I wanted on the high hats. It also creates a very big head space, almost giving the impression that this is taking place in a large hall… I remember playing this over and over and over in  my car late one evening.

Download the Afterglow demo here.  (The final version can be found here)

Next up, Morning After.

Little did I know what this song was going to become to me, and so many other people. The main structure is there but the strings are different, the kick is different, all of the FXs are missing, and the tempo is a wee bit slower….

Download the Morning After demo here.  (The final version can be found here)

And finally, the classic Naked.

The programming of the beat took me FOREVER.  This was, actually, the first demo in the entire ArS session and set everything in motion.  The piano arrangement is slightly different, a slightly thinner choice of high hats, a totally different set of strings was used and the bassline was really set to stick out in this…

Download the Naked demo here.  (The final version can be found here)

Now… this is where things get interesting.

I did a number of tracks that didn’t make it into the final release of the EP, here are two that – for whatever reason – I thought were not worth refining/developing into full tracks.

Now, looking back, I have NO CLUE as to what I was thinking.  Both would have ended up as strong songs….

Here is the unfinished Next To You… and the soft, atmospheric, potential filled Your Soft Touch.

Really, no clue what I was thinking with these two.

Thanks to solipsistic NATION we have a new Live recording of The Orb at AB Brussels.  Check out the site, and the live show can be downloaded here.

The really cool thing about the concert list is it highlights the full touring group (not the Alex and Thomas Fehlmann tour).  Live drum. Live singer. Interesting a mainly ambient take on Little Fluffy Clouds is included here.. except when the group decides to take advantage of the live drums. A must have for any fan.

Have fun.

And here we have another demo from the “Arrangements For Sex, Vol 2″.

Up this time is ‘I love you’… a song that seems to float in the background, with an almost hypnotizing bassline, that draws enough attention to the music bu not distract the listener from any other activities they may be involved with.

Here you go.  You can download the demo for the song here: I love you (Demo) <– click there

Yet another reason as to why I enjoy Erasure  - the group has provided a free download of A Little Respect for the Holiday season.

I just get the feeling Vince and Andy ‘get it’ when it comes to fans.

Thanks for this!

Part of the reason I really haven’t had any significant updates in the last week is due to work, part due to my writing for Yes, We Cook!, and part to the fact that I have finished off Demo track number three for “Arrangements for Sex, Vol 2″

I finished off “In Your Arms (Hold Me)” late yesterday evening, and with a few minor tweaks this evening, I’m ready to call it “go” for the official demo.

So, here you go: In Your Arms (Hold Me) <—- the bold is a link, if you didn’t know

And here we have the 4th demo from the Enhanced series.  This track makes me want to continue down the “Enhanced” series. As there were only expected to be 4 tracks with a general production theme, this one put a bump in that plan.  I think this has turned into something greater than the original plan.

I’m actually quite happy with the way this has turned out…what started as a mistake turned into something that really puts a smile on my face.  A few things to note – as always, this is not EQed/mastered.  There is a bit of time displacement on the crash symbols due to reverb but that will be fixed in the final recording.

So… that said…

Download Enhanced (track 4 demo)

or take a listen

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Here it is, the 3rd demo in the Enhanced series.  This one is an ambient venture that is intended as a break between the first two demos and the final track that I am currently working on… kinda like a quick breather before one has desert.  

This track was completed with all analog gear – all monosythings – which was a fun experiment and is WONDERFUL for background music and relaxing…

Download Enhanced (Unenhanced)

or take a listen

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Back in December I started to do some tracks that were a bit more dark and aggressive than I had in the past.  I lost the desire to do anything ambient and went full bore into a new style for me.  

The first track, Enhanced, was done over a short period of time.  Then life got in the way, I simply didn’t have time or motivation.  Finally, I got back into the studio and re-started my production efforts and the next demo just came out…

As always, this is purely a demo.  Nothing mastered, sound levels are off, the full FX were not applied to the mix.  If I ever actually do record this for some type of release, it would end up sounding significantly different… much more polished.

So, here you go, the demo for Enhanced.2 

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And you can download it from here (right click and save as…)

Well, with the things I have experienced the last few days I took my energy and focused on a new track – but it is for another project, not the one I had been working on the the last month.

Here you go: JP/VMS – Enhanced (Demo)

As with all other Demos this is not mastered and is in no way the final product. Rather, this is 6 hours of getting the form and structure down for the rewrite.   Some studio notes…

1) Need to change the lead guitar (maybe)
2) Remove the reverb/echo on backing hit
3) Rearrange lead synth, keep pattern
4) Shorten the high hats echo
5) Remove 32 beats from break, 32 beat from second lead, remove 32 beats from end

All things considered, for just sitting down in a few hours and putting something together, this is not bad at all.  With some polish this has a lot of potential.

I just couldn’t focus on track number four because of this track, so I decided to add a few more things and call this one “done” for the demo, so here you go…

EDP/VMS Demo #3

So, a few notes from the studio note pad.

• the samples fit perfectly, but I need a bit more atmosphere
• I am doctor up the sitar a bit more
• the bass hit may continue a few more times (maybe 1)
• depending on a few other minor changes I may make – after listening to this over and over – this may easily be the intro track to the rest of the album