By Michael H
Total: 17:48
All tracks written and composed by Michael H unless otherwise noted.
Well, here goes the first reflection on this set since it was first put together:
This EP is quite an oddity. Created in 2009, I nearly thought that I had lost all copies when I tried to play the only CD I had made and heard nothing but distorted static. Fortunately, I found a copy hidden away on on my Sony PSP Go (whoever said that device was useless?), albeit at 128kbps.
The strangest part of this compilation is its origin. I had recently acquired a copy of the KORG DS-10 software a little before this was put together. Compound this new-toy complex with a burdgeoning interest in a female classmate and the resultant force compelled me to create this EP. It was my attempt, along with a couple of poorly-done sketches, to impress her. Ultimately, I was not able to draw the courage required to deliver my offering.
I retitled the collection (but not the songs) a little afterwards to make the collection less embarassing to share with my friends and family. Now my only shame comes from the quality of the songs themselves.
I tried to create a sense of apprehension, of expectancy, in this piece. I wanted to convey the anxiety of waiting for some new experience. There's a certain sense of mystery to everyday life.
That mystery is what can make life really interesting.
In this piece, I attempted to convey the emotions I experienced returning to school after the summer break. There's a novelty and wonder as the year starts, hopeful expectations of how it will turn out.
I put a bit more thought into the construction of this piece, having a call and response structure dominate throughout.
This is a fun track, and possibly my favorite off the EP.
I attemtped to emulate the music from classic 8-bit/16-bit video games, a feat more or less accomplished by accident as I really had no idea what I was doing at the time.
Big influences on this were games on the Nintendo Entertainment System, especially Pro Wrestler and SNK's Baseball Stars. The music from games on Nintedo's GameBoy consoles also influenced this track, as well Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog.
I wanted to illustrate the driving force that infatuation could produce. I wanted to add a sense of urgency with the emphasized riffs throughout the piece.
I really like the drum break at 2:05. I thought it would be funny to throw that in there. This was probably a result of having heard Ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters" and Devo's live performance of "Peek-a-Boo!" in 1982 which featured such breaks.
This song was influenced by 70s/80s progressive rock and some New-Wave, like works by the Cars.
This song starts off with a cheery motif, set to describe a regular day in life. It progresses a bit and there's fun. Then, at about the 1:20 mark there's a shift: an encounter with an exotic presence that changes everything. This second theme is exilerating, and illustrates what I felt whenever I encountered that young lady in high school.
The interplay between the two themes is meant to follow multiple encounters, eyes meeting throughout the day as classes change, chance encounters while walking between buildings and the like.
I ended the song with the second theme, meant to convey that there has been a lasting impact that it has imparted.
Copyright © 2016—2018 Michael Hernandez