I’ve been generally inactive here in the Lounge (and with new recordings) for much of 2021. Lots going on personally and professionally, which was generally good, but some deep problems with the computer I use with Cubase. Since that has resolved, here’s my first new recording since the early part of the year.
This song was done in Cubase 11 Pro and the softynths I used here are from Halion and Retrologue. Halion is responsible for a lot of the percussion too, along with a very simple pattern played live in Groove Agent. That said, it’s built around the (real) guitars here.
They are a PRS through an Electro Harmonix Ravish Sitar into the Line 6 Helix Native plug-in, and an Ibanez Artcore AG95 into a different Helix patch. The bass is real too. It’s a Sire Marcus Miller 5 String into yet another Line 6 Helix patch.
Mes Aynak is a place in Afghanistan that I’ve recently read about. It’s been settled for thousands of years and was once a center of trade and Buddhist activities. China got interested in Copper deposits there in the last decade or 2, and the Taliban is now back, so its cultural and historical heritage may very well be “nearing midnight”. I’ve tried to make this happier than that sounds. I thought the feel of the song and “loose” groove of the percussion evoked something along the lines of what might’ve once been heard as those in Mes Aynak got together with each other and neared Midnight a millennium or 2 ago.
Thanks for listening, and for any constructive comments you might have. I’ve put the links here for the song in both bandcamp and soundcloud. I think bandcamp sounds a little better, but some people are scared off through believing there’s a download fee (there isn’t-it only kicks in after listening to a track for a 3rd time).
This is now a different mix than what was originally upped, and what a few of the comments below referred to.