is cinematic electronica driven by evocative melodies. Tokyo-based electronic musician Anders Lenart has created a sound that is atmospheric and epic, merging lush synth textures, Kraftwerkian blips, old-school electro bass, cinematic strings and, on some tracks, Spanish guitar.
Crafting the melody always comes first, with beats and atmospherics added to carry it forward. Add to that Anders’ insistence that each separate track be recorded live, never step-programmed with a computer mouse, and the result is a sound that is distinctly electronic, yet human.
I was born in the early 1970s, and my musically formative years were heavily influenced by the synthesizer-based music of the -80s. On the radio were Howard Jones, Soft Cell and Eurhythmics; on TV, the scores of Jean-Michel Jarre, Jan Hammer and others underpinned dramas and documentaries; on the silver screen, Eddie Murphy chased bad guys to Harold Faltemeyer's , while Vangelis' haunting score carried Harrison Ford over mile-tall buildings in .
All this music was heavily melody-based and this, more than anything, is what has formed my approach to electronic music. Now, I draw inspiration from a wide variety of sources. Early Vangelis, Tangerine Dream and Jean-Michel Jarre (particularly the and era) tickle my imagination, as do the distinct sounds of Simple Minds, Peter Gabriel and Depeche Mode.
I also enjoy the more intricate arrangements of acts like Earth, Wind & Fire, Weather Report, (early) Stevie Wonder and the Police, to mention a few. These influences are perhaps not so apparent in my music, but they inspire me to try and inject "human feel," subtle (and not so subtle) variations and varied chord progressions. They also sometimes give me a much-needed reminder of how much can be achieved with a small track count.
Korg Triton Extreme, fully expanded
Yamaha TX81z (This is gem! Go buy one, now!)
Roland JD-990 with Vintage Card expansion
Ableton Live 7 with Sampler
Fabfilter One
TC Electronic M-One multi-fx
TC Electronic C-300 compressor
Edirol M-16DX digital mixer
Tapco S5 monitors
Love, affection, energy and, when necessary, a much-needed reality check from my wife. Thank you!