This is a slow, ethereal soundscape as a remix from
different tracks from Magic Bullet - an experimental project from my old chum,
Mick Magic over at http://www.mickmagic.net/
The finished mix was constructed from samples, loops, timestetched drones and reassembled sections made into pulses and beats, deconstructed and reincarnated by Conny Plankton into this Dark Ambient Mix.
This started off its life as an experimental night made many
years ago of a computer-based pinball machine recorded onto cassette tape. The
recordings were digitised, cut up, arranged into loops and some converted into
Midi Files to be used as different presets for the mighty Hive VST synth. The
epic mix began to develop - chilled and ambient but with a dark atonal
undercurrent running throughout: A Heart of Darkness indeed...
As Autumn Slides into Winter, a new series of recordings from Conny Plankton does emerge: Fresh from the Chrysalis, the loosely connected theme this time round is connecting up multiple VST synths to play simultaneously – a new set up for recording, which also brought in various hardware synths and other devices to join in the melee. The results are as unpredictable as ever, as the mixes evolved under their own styles and directions. Enjoy folks!
October 2022 sees a new series of recordings from Conny Plankton – continuing experiments with various instruments and VST synths played through Kontakt, Kreative Kontrol, and other goodies from the Native Instruments stable. This time round there is a lot of experimentation with midi routing and bringing in extra devices and instruments into the post-production stage. Of course, being Conny Plankton, everything is as weird, wonderful and unpredictable as always.
First Kontakt is a new series of recordings and mixes from Conny Plankton: Based around a common theme of exploring use of different synths and samples through the Kontakt series from Native Instruments, this very quickly evolved into bringing in various guest appearances from external synths, the Eurorack system, field recordings and other VST devices.
A new series of recordings from Conny Plankton: All of the source recordings here were produced while in quarantine with Covid-19. Though not in any real pain or discomfort, the isolation of quarantine allowed for investigation into different approaches and arrangements: So here have VST synth sequences working alongside abstract Eurorack electronics; heavily modulated midi files interwoven with treated samples and field recordings.
The Sweltering Days of August '22 were the breeding ground for this new series of recordings from Conny Plankton: Based around explorations with the Nifty Eurorack system, and in particular the Disting MK IV module from Expert-Sleepers (available from https://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/disting.html). The Disting allows control and modulation of other Eurorack Devices as well as sync to external synths and VSTs. The final mixes take us on a new journey into uncharted possibilities.
A Mix based loosely around voice actors from a popular video
game - there is a clue in the title. The voice samples were edited down and
rearranged with loops of 1930s and 1940s music as multi-tracked arrangement to
produce something deeply and darkly disturbing.
This mix was made from a series of home produced field recordings,
made at various times and places around the North of England. Everything was
edited down, minimal effects added, and then reassembled to produced a mix far
away from the contexts of the original recordings and to create something
altogether new and unsettling.
A Mix made from earlier recordings by Conny Plankton - but rather than just segue one track after another, stems and samples were cut from the original recordings and then reassembled into a multi-tracked monster to make something weird and wonderful.
The second in a series of mixes based around using samples
and outtakes of earlier Conny Plankton recordings: stripped down, deconstructed
and then arranged into and reincarnated into one single mix.
July 2022 sees a new series of recordings from Conny Plankton - celebrating the completion of the first version of the Nifty Eurorack system and allowing many complex routings and patchings with external sequencers, synths and VST plug ins. The final mixes range from atonal onslaughts, to hypnotic sequences to ambient soundscapes - and many places in between!
Conny Plankton releases a new album's worth of recordings - this time round, it is based around the use of the Arturia Vocoder Mic - though not for singing or capturing vocals as such. No - this had been set in such a way that external sound sources were used to trigger a series of preset sequences within the MicroFreak which were modulated in real time. Lots of additional devices also contributed, especially the Gristleism box, with its series of loops and heavily treated samples. It is not what you would expect from your usual vocoder...
Glitch Machine is a new series of recordings from the ruined Brain of Conny Plankton: loosely Unified under the common theme of all recordings incorporating an element of chaos and random. This unpredictable element was set up with different hardware effects and pedals, through VSTs, through effects applied in Ableton - and sometimes a mixture of these. The idea was to ride a wave of conflict between the chaotic and the controlled. In use almost throughout were two Bugbrand Weevil Oscillators (from the rather excellent https://www.bugbrand.co.uk) fed through a chained series of effect pedals.
Spring is in the Air - A time of verdant growth and rebirth - and a new series of recordings from Conny Plankton. The overlapping theme this time round was a series of explorations based around a new recording set up - allowing live sequences to be played through the DAW in Ableton, together with a series of external hardware and devices, and everything sent down through an Audio Interface to be recorded onto an external laptop. Lots of experimentation and permutations followed, with many devices taking part. The results take us through aetheral droneland into cozmic sequences and head-tingling soundscapes of atonality.
February 2022 heralds a new release from Conny Plankton – continuing explorations with the Arp and Sequencer possibilities of the Arturia MicroFreak hybrid synth, but now working in sync with various other synth and hardwire devices. The results take us from downright funky rhythm based mixes to atonal aural onslaughts. Expect the Unexpected!
The first Conny Plankton releases of 2022 is based around a series of new recordings made with the rather excellent Arturia Microfreak Hybrid Synth. Sequencer Patterns and Arps abound, laced heavily with treated samples, textures and loops. The recordings were edited down during a particularly debilitating bout of flu, where unusual thought processes and fever-altered mental states found their way into the final mixes!
