To better connect you with the talent behind the music, we're proudly spotlighting artists, composers, and producers on the Megatrax roster and their work. It is a treat to hear composer Little Tide discuss the inspiration behind tracks written for Weird, Wired & Whimsical, an album of quirky and strange electronic musings tailored for branding and advertising, released last fall on the Megatrax label. 

Hi Little Tide! Could you talk us through the recording process of these tracks?

A lot of early synthesizer music feels like it’s infused with a sense of earnest exploration, and enchantment with the possibilities offered by these (at that time) new instruments. Those sounds, of course, are no longer so new anymore, and we’re quite used to hearing all kinds of synths all over the place these days.

With that in mind, I really tried to keep an open, playful mindset while recording. I limited myself to a (comparatively) reduced set of tools: a few synth voices, some simple sequences and arpeggiator patterns, some old drum machines. I just played around a bunch, watching what emerged and seeing what made me curious. From there it was just a matter of helping the different bits along to see how they might develop into complete tracks. 

Photo courtesy of Little Tide

What were your musical influences in the making of this music?

We had the Wendy Carlos Switched-On Bach LP around the house when I was young so that certainly ended up being a point of contact. We also listened to the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album every year on Christmas day, and now I can’t touch a monophonic synth without thinking of the tune “Deck the Halls” from that album and being tempted to turn up the portamento. Truly a blessing and a curse.

Also, it’s a bit of a different angle, but I’d be remiss not to call out some of the classic Japanese ambient and new age composers like Midori Takada and Hiroshi Yoshimura, too. Really timeless and beautiful stuff!

How do you envision these tracks being used in media?

These obviously won’t work for every spot, but I think for concepts in search of a unique, striking sonic character, they could be just the thing. I feel like they’d go great with anything that has a strongly defined visual aesthetic, a good sense of humor and wonder, and that’s populated with vibrant personalities. 

Listen to Weird, Wired & Whimsical.

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