The second demo song is almost complete! Actually, it’s the title track. This was a difficult one, structurally. It relies heavily on an unusual instrument and features some unusual timing, so it took a while to make the transitions work. I’m excited by the vibe of this one because it’s quite fresh, and really stretches my vocal abilities, but melodically it is recognisably ‘Wolcensmen’.
I also want to share my thoughts regarding tools and instrumentation. I have declared myself vehemently opposed to generative AI (and all forms of AI, actually), which forced me to think about where the lines between ‘human’ and ‘inhuman’ should really be drawn. All Wolcensmen recordings to date have made some use of virtual instruments; those being sampled instruments not specifically recorded for my music, like certain percussion, or synthesizers. The rhythms and melodies are always my composition, however. This is done because I don’t usually have the budget to enlist session performers for every single instrument. Yet the rise of AI tools and music in recent years has highlighted for me the profound importance of imperfect, real human performances. The result of my conviction will be a minimal use of virtual instruments on the upcoming album. Most or all synths will be analogue, and I like to think that the performances will be authentic in their imperfection.