The Microcosm Years
Still Don't Like Menus
Last week, I was watching an Instagram Reel by The OO-Ray and noticed he was using an effects box called a Microcosm for his electronics and cello. It didn’t seem to have any menus, just knobs and buttons, which is right down my alley. I’m not a fan of menus. After a couple of comments and replies, and watching some YT videos of others using it, I decided to buy a Microcosm and it arrived on Saturday, April 6th.
I do not seek out music gear. It has to come to me by chance. If I paid attention to music gear, I’d lose my mind. Most of the music gear demo videos on YT are terrible. They’re either “musicians” showing off, shilling for a VPN, or it’s 20 minutes of talking.
This video below is of me plugging my lap steel into the Microcosm and then chaining it into my Empress boxes.
For messing around, it sounds pretty good. I think the Microcosm is a keeper. I did try to read through the short manual, but for me it’s always more fun to explore what each knob and button does.
I released a bunch of new music and sounds on the first of April. A sampling can be heard in this Spotify playlist, which I update each month:
Rushton - Climb the Mountain - improvised beats and synths using apps and effects. This was recorded in one take.
Samesed - Accustomed To Inconvenience - Samesed is where I release my “defective music” - it’s a bit more experimental. There may be glitches and mistakes. I rather like this track - it has a jazzy feel to it. A lot of the other Samesed tracks released this month are ambient.
Calmer Feeling - Look of Lights - Drifting ambient, blissed out. The new album, “Cut Flowers”, is more of the this style.
The Desperation of Drowning Men - My Capacity to Surmount Obstacles - DDM is typically darker ambient, often with a hint of field recordings of rain or wind thrown in to the mix.
Saag Paneer - Pramattasamyata - Indian-style drone. Saag Paneer is where I keep refining my drones. The 14 Gunasthāna (“levels of virtue”) represent the soul's gradual manifestation of the innate qualities of knowledge, belief and conduct in a more and more perfect form. Pramattasamyata is the sixth (“slightly imperfect vows”).
Vibrating Wires - Ghosts Forever - desolate-sounding, highly processed lap steel guitar, often with extra noises and static. It’s like you’re out in the middle of the desert with nothing but the UFOs.
I should also mention that 10 pieces of my music have been accepted into an exclusive deal with a sync licensing agency’s library. It’s not completely finalized yet, but it’s happening.
This means there’s a possibility of my music being used in film, TV, commercials, corporate video, streaming, etc. No guarantee, though. I continue to seek additional deals with other agencies and libraries.
Anything else? Not much on the visual art front this week. I’ve been a little busy with the music.
Congrats on the sync licensing!