Unrealfish Music

Music to relax too

Unrealfish Music is all about combining processed ambient guitar, down-temp chilled electronic instrumentation, found sounds and the occasional sample. Music created to wash over you, inspire or just perplex.

Melding together physical studio hardware recordings with in-the-box arrangements, soft-synths, sample based instruments with effects processing. No two compositions are the same.

Latest album release (1 Dec -2024)

Rewired Memories

Released: Nov 2024

1. Rythmic Nostalgia

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Rythic, pulsing guitar backing that gives way to a vintage style synth with a touch of sequencing with delay repeats for added goodness. Nice

Lo-Fi Relaxation

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Lo-fi, it's in the name of the track. it came out of an experiment with a Chase Bliss Blooper, a very quirky pedal that imparts a wonderful degraded and analogue sound. A degraded and distorted guitar loop forms the back-bone of the track with guitar lead that plays whistfully on top. Basic percussion from Korg sample synced to Drumbrute Impact.

3. 56 bpm

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The tempo is 56 bpm, quite a pop-y track. The lead synth loop was created using a Korg Minilogue that was synced to a Korg Sample for percussive duties set to the minimum internal tempo of 56 bpm.

4. Unearthly Interlude

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Melodic staggered guitar with a processed guitar drone / chord sequence making use of granular effects. A delicate uplifting guitar lead come in about half-away through.

5. What Memory

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Starts with a swirling sound with a sound reminiscent of a clanging bell and then a clattering sound which sounds like rigging slapping in the wind.

6. In the Shadows

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The metallic intro plucking was recorded from what I can only describe as a home made instrument with small metal bars of various lengths. It was a present form an old friend. I believe it may have been tuned to the ket of C. I record the sound using a tiny clip on microphone that was intended for tuning string instruments. The rest of the track was inspired by the intro with instruments selected to fit-in with this sound.

7. Song for a Lost Memory

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Drifting guitar underpinned by a Moog Subharmonicon wash to create a moving backdrop. Staccato percussio creating a contrast to the other instrumentation.

8. DNA (parts 1 - 3)

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A track in 3 parts, the longest track I have created to date, It came together very quickly and I had a lot of fun making it. Makes use of 3 recordings all recorded locally of a Zoom Hn4Pro. Also features a Strymon Cloudburst effects pedal for the first time, its a awesome pedal for ambient music along with my trusty Chass Bliss Mood and Blooper.

9. Entropy

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The concept for this track arouse from an experiment with a degrading guitar loop, with lo-fi sound gritty cut-up processed beats and noisy percussion. All sounds created in-house with Drumbrute Impact and Moog DFAM.

Total running time: 101 mins

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Ambient, chill, low-fi or just down tempo, who knows

For the sake of pigeonholing and categorising on music streaming services, I regard my music as ambient. This covers a lot of ground, to paraphrase Brian Eno's definition, its music you can either listen too, or ignore. Nearly* all of my tracks only have one thing in common, the tempo is set to 40 bpm (beats per minute) in music speak that could be Andante, Lento or Grave. Take your pick, Its slow and that’s the point. There are of course, exceptions to the rule.

*The exception is one track (so far) using at 56 bpm, I did it for technical reasons and I point the finger-of-shame at Korg*.

Inspirations

What inspired me to create slow tempo music? Good question (that I am actaully asking myself), maybe a combination of many things. There was probably a defining moment that I realised I wanted to write ambient guitar based music. I was searching, as you do, on YouTube for ambient guitarists and I discovered a video of Perry Frank, he was performing a composition outside, building up the music with layers (washes). I loved the sound he was making and what an impressive guitar effects peddleboard, its was awesome, so many devices. I thought, I want some of that. What sealed the way forward was visiting the Youtube channel Chords of Orien, ambient music and equipment reviews.

Evolving sounds

Experimentation in intrinsic to ambient music creation, which brings us to sound design. The ongoing search to discover a sound that inspires and has the right atmosphere. Doctor Johnson had a saying about London, I can apply it to my fascination of creating ambient guitar tones, washes and drones. I will never tire of experimentation and searching for the perfect evolving soundscape.

On the subject of sound design, I cannot see myself become board with buying guitar effects peddles, there are some many I simply must have! In the pursuit of art, of course. My long suffering wife sadly, doesn't see it the same way, just as well she is unaware of how much some of them cost! Just as well really and I hope she see this.

*My Korg external hardware devices have a minimum tempo of 56bpm.

Unrealfish

Ambient and down-tempo music

Music to relax too

Latest album release (1 Dec -2024)

Rewired Memories

Ambient, chill, low-fi or just down tempo, who knows

Inspirations

Evolving sounds