A post-apocalyptic future using a couple of interactive control MIDI softwares. This is a work originally released with a CD-ROM in 1997 by Belle Antique. I have remastered this music.
(1) I played this music live in the studio several times in front of my friends since 1995 & gradually developed its final form. I used Jam Factory (Macintosh's software) for the ethnic percussion sequence, and I also used software called 'M' for the other parts, which is also Macintosh's MIDI software and as 3D sound processing, I used Berringer's EDISON (Hardware 3D sound processor) for this recording.
My guitar solo from 11-16 minutes uses a delay loop in real time playing as backing, then I played the guitar solo. This solo was an improvisation with a very Japanese feeling that could be called 'Zen Electronics'. I think it's the final goal of my guitar playing.
The 2-chord rock format part that starts at 19 minutes was originally by 'Astral Tempel : Shadow Illusion'. You can listen to this live performance in 'Astral Tempel - Live' in Requiem's bonus track. Also, we played in 'Do Heretick Session (1987-10-18)' of 'Escape Sequence' bonus track. Here I was in charge of a short effective solo part and a mellotron performance in the middle, and most of the guitar solo was played by a guest.
At final part, the Theremin sound and the mysterious sounds made with 'M' (Macintosh's MIDI software) continues to the end.
Overall, I think this music was one of Heretic's final goals for me. You may not be able to understand this from the music itself, but at that time, the performance of composing in real time/interactively using Macintosh computer was a very interesting experience for me.
Furthermore, in the liner notes of the CD at the time, Nigel Harris wrote, "Their paradoxical fusion of clinical detachment and emotive unbalance makes Drugging For M stand apart from the mediocre, soporific mainstream of generic synth music. Drugging For M is not nihilistic like 'Japanoise', but is more profound. Drugging For M seems to reflect the disquiet of a post-cold-war world fearful of an uncertain future filled with unknown dangers, real and imagined."
I would like to modestly add that the total image of this work, including the jacket design, was a premonition of the COVID-19 global pandemic that began several years ago.
(2) is a record of a jam session with Robbin.
Hiro Kawahara 2023
credits
released August 25, 2023
Heretic - Drugging For M (CD:1997)
1 Drugging For M 2022 Remaster (34:05)
bonus track
2 TD-7 with Robbin Lloyd (elc-per) (1997) (2:25)
(Total time 36:30 : 1 unreleased track )
Lineup:
Kohzi Ishii : Chapman Stick
Masahiro Noda : Electric Guitar
Robbin Lloyd : Electric Percussion
Hiro Kawahara : Electric Guitar, Theremin, Synthesizer, Sampler, Electronics, Effects, Computer Programming
All composed, arranged, played by Heretic
Recorded at Atelier Infortecture between December 29, 1996 and January 2nd 1997.
Mix down : January 3rd 1997
Produced by Hiro Kawahara
Remastered by Hiro Kawahara, 2022
Copyright Hiro Kawahara 2023