Sometimes it’s fun just to play. Wander around aimlessly.

“Juoksentelisinkohan”. Yes, that is a word in finnish. It’s english translation is hilarious. I won’t spoil it. Try g00gl3, not translate.

So, LAZY JAKE is me playing around on a synthesizer and, you know, there’s some background stuff as well, in fact a whole song!

The keyboard part is somewhat jazzy, but I decided to put this in the RnB-category. After all, there’s the new jack swingish beat and everything.

Next week: No jazziness at all!

With this one, my influences were clear:

I was thinking of the Thelonius Monk composition “Evidence” from 1948, 1957, 1958, 1960 and 1964. (Personally I prefer the 1963 Japan version)

Fear not, nothing is being plagiarized here!

So, LOSE THE EVIDENCE, although more suitable title would be “Lose to Evidence”, ‘cos comparing these two works is like comparing the whole western literature to a big mac Dave bought last week. You can decide which is which.

Anyway, my piece also has melody with jerky rhythm, and a chord structure, which only little by little starts to make any sense.

Now that I do some rare and actual thinking… The Monk in Japan “Evidence” was probably among the very first videos I ever watched on uTub… Also Coltrane live… And Cecil Taylor in gray sweatpants playing some crazy-butt solo piano stuff…

Off to the internets!

There’s Spotlight Kid. It’s an English band. Apparently they play shoegaze music, which is like the funniest and most sincere musical genre word there is.

Then there’s The Spotlight Kid, a 1972 album by everone’s favourite captain, Captain Beefheart. It’s definitely not his most bestest album eva, but it isn’t his worst either, because our good Captain doesn’t have worst albums.

And I guess I should mention Spotlight Kid, Rainbow song from 1981. It’s a fun one. The main riff is a blast to play on the guitar. Hard on your thumb though.

Finally we got SPOTLIGHT KIDS, my humble contribution. Poppy-pop yeah.

Why using a title that’s already there?

Because it sounds fun, I like it and my tune there wanted to be called like that.

Yeah… I’m just gonna throw this out there: PANTOMIME VILLAIN SCAMBACKS COMEBACK.

Yeah… Nuff said.

Yep, I remember this one being made:

HOURS OF GLASS was constructed during the peak days of a pretty nasty common cold. I specifically remember wanting (or being forced by my condition) to make something really short, simple & sweet. Something that’s just pleasant sounds – not those dreadfully tinny ones – and being tender and happy and all bliss.

So… that’s it. We got something simple… and really very nice and good.

Little sidenote: The tune contains some extremely low frequency bass notes, which may be difficult to hear on low-end earbuds. But they’re there. And they’re meant to sound pleasant… and really, very nice and good.

After completing the tune – back in November I think – I ate like a norse and took a nap. Two best cures for common cold.

Happy new January friends!

I thought we’d start a new year by closing a book, that’s been in the works for some years now. So, SHAMELESS PART THREE. As the title suggests, it’s the third part of an prog-rock saga in Asus4. The first two parts can naturally be found in the “Rock”-category.

When producing the first part, I made some mistakes. This was caused to my inexperience with my recording sotfware & whatnot. To keep the tune in uniform, I had to keep repeating the mistakes in later parts. That’s ok. At least I now know that I’ve leveled up my producing skill several times.

Despite the productional shortcomings, I think the tune – and the whole trilogy – came out really good. It’s coherent, pretty organic and most of all, a ton of fun!

Special thanks goes to: Focus, King Crimson, Genesis, Camel, Deep Purple, Wigwam, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Kingston Wall and a gong.

Thanks guys!

Oh hey, what about what songs earwormed me in 2024?

All of ‘em.

And then something… not quite christmas themed stuff, but something along lines of the season… You know something not quite like what we had last week.

So, ONAKE. 8-bit piano meets a good bunch of people, armed with a bow and a violin. It’s pretty cute stuff.

That was the last update of the year. Phew. Now I shall remove my composers hat & arrangers badge, sit here for a couple of minutes in complete silence, and then ask Santa to beam me up.

Merry everymas! See you next year!

MASTER TERMANDO! It’s super-duper heavy metal mania in da house!

It’s loud, rude & crude and even it’s distortion has some distortion! (I don’t often add any additional distortion to the final product, but this time I did and it rocks!)

And yeah, it’s been put through the 90’s arcade video game blender. (1990’s that is. Not for example 1890’s, when a certain guy named H.P. was born in New England. I wonder what kind of games he used to play in his childhood? Or maybe his parents didn’t believe in toys)

Anyway, if MT would be a movie, it would be the compilation of all the punches & kicks in “Road House” (1989).

Watch the right boot!

If it ain’t broken, don’t’ fix it. Or in this case: If it works, don’t change it.

That’s what thought just now, while listening SAY SEA, the unchangeable element being the bass line. Yup, just three tones there, repeating over and over again. The extremely simple basis of the tune allowed me to use more daring chords, like E/C and F#/C. Just try ‘em and you’ll see.

Concerning the daring chords… This stand-up comedian fella said in one of his specials that he likes to write down absurd punch lines in a little piece of paper, put the scraps in a big bowl, and every now and then pick up one. He then has to make up the story (the joke) leading up to the previously written punch line.

I like the idea. In my case, the punch line would be for example, a really nasty pair of chords, which sounds really harsh when played on their own. I then have to build a framework to make those chords fit the tune. I’ve done exactly this in the past, and it worked great!

Another method I’ve succeessfully used is to produce two very different, even contradicting elements, and then try to combine them in some way. It may be tough, but the result is bound to be interesting.

Yeah… about the title of the tune… just learn finnish + add four dots and you’ll get the joke.

The “joke”.

Oh look, it’s december. You know what it means? (Two things)

That’s right. Räntä and sohjo.

Räntä is the heavy rain coming from the sky. It’s one part snow, one part water and one part screw you. It makes you soaking wet in a matter of seconds and if there’s any wind, it blinds you completely. You wearing a black overcoat? Not anymore! Bing, you’re a snowman now.

Sohjo is räntä’s evil counterpart. It forms when räntä hits the ground and joins hands with it’s brethren. Sohjo’s ultimate goal is to make you slip ‘n slide, although sometimes it settles for infiltrating your footwear, in case there’s any dry spots left. Sohjo + traffic = tons of fun for the whole family!

That’s december for you.

Also, SATUMAISTA. It tells a different tale, in E- and C-major.