Charting Oceans (2017)

This album is an experiment in the process of composition. I drew up a set of tables containing elements (instruments, types of sounds, etc.) and characteristics to apply to those elements (frequency of occurrence, phrasing, relative volume, etc.). Each was weighted by usefulness and how much I wanted it to occur. Then came the six-sided die. After a series of rolls, I had a clear idea of what I had to work with in composing each piece. Other things like tempo, mood, treatments and everything else was my decision. What the tables, charts and chance selection provided was twofold: first, it presented limitations beyond which I was not tempted to venture (too far). This sounds creatively crippling, but the opposite is true. The more limited our options, the more creative we are forced to be. Secondly, it removed what is for me the most time-consuming phase of composition: deciding how to begin. By the time the dice were thrown and the elements and their general characteristics were established, I could get to work on my favorite part of writing: putting it all together in a musical way. There was plenty of space for creativity within those loose boundaries. The result has been a cohesive album which took roughly 5 weeks to complete (as opposed to several months or years) which is different in style from my previous work (this is ambient electronica, I think) and was an absolute joy to produce. ~Gordon (Jan. 2017) 

released January 30, 2017

guest voice talent: Rita Misun Lee

all else: Gordon Bazsali Jr. (DamnSight)