Track By Track: Orson Wells – Pneumatics
We told you he'd be back… Today marks the release of the debut album from Frankfurt based producer Orson Wells, an artist who has become a favourite in recent years with releases on the likes of Innervisions, Die Orakel and more. However, it is with Live At Robert Johnson that he has found a particular affiliation and it is on this label that he delivers "Pneumatics" – his first full length project. The album is a delicate blend of club driven sounds, cinematic soundscapes and intricate flair. A strong debut indeed. He takes us through the release below…
"This album should be seen as a listening experience from start to finish. I wanted there to be different styles and tempo involved and also show in what direction my productions have developed.
It is in a way my personal soundtrack to my hometown Frankfurt am Main. I think it is obvious that my musical main influences are the 90s Technological sounds (which fit the city-centres glass and metal structures perfectly). BUT I didn’t want to just re-create it and make a nostalgic album (saying, oh this sounds exactly like this or that record). I rather tried to combine these influences with my methods of working to achieve my own (maybe newer) take on the classic sound. I don’t know if it worked though…that’s not up to me to decide.
Every track was made in my bedroom studio, mostly at night which for me is the best time to switch everything around me off and concentrate on music. When I start a track it mostly ends up in a completely different spot. To me recording is more like taking a ride and seeing where it takes me. I always chase after a specific feeling that I want to get from my music so I try out different things until I reach the point where I get it."
Welcome
With this I wanted to make a classic introduction track which let’s the listener know in what direction everything will evolve.
Gives you enough time to make yourself comfortable. Not too long, not too short.
Rise
This track gave me the initial idea to start the concept of an album format. I was trying to make everything about my tracks more complex and thought through concerning rhythm structures, arrangement, chord progressions and overall sound design. After I finished this one I knew that this was the direction I wanted to take.
A 66
A 66 is the name of an Autobahn which leads directly into Frankfurt am Main where I’m from. I once spend a weekend in Berlin and took a car ride back home driving down this route at night. While on this you can oversee the whole city and as it was dark everything was glowing, it really left an impression on me. Once I got home I did this track.
Hemisphere Pt. 2
I wanted to have at least one song that had 2 versions, a reoccurring theme. So I took a loop out of the original track Hemisphere and made a slower version of it.
Zerphyx
With this track I like the sharpness of those strings that occur every now and then. They wake you up. Combined with the soothing chords and flutes it creates an interesting atmosphere. Theres no real story behind this track.
Geodesic
I enjoy how this one morphs itself through time and space, panning from left to right with glitches being heard every once in a while. It’s got it’s very own vibe and adds more drive to the overall album.
Situation
Dreamy vibes, chords, strings…I could do this all day. This came to life pretty quickly in one go, one of the more ‚straighter’ ones. Pretty much all of my tracks have this kind of buildup-climax-decline structure and I think that with this one it is shown the clearest.
Trianon
Trianon is the name of one of my favorite overall buidlings in Frankfurt. It’s got an upside down pyramid at the top which is sometimes illuminated at night. One evening it was very foggy and the top was glowing in a bright red making it look like the sky was on fire. My girlfriend called this one a ‚happy-robodance-track‘ which fits pretty well I think.
Sincere
The inspiration for this one is the end of a track by Claude Young. The sound structure he created just blew me away (although pretty much every track by Claude Young blows my mind into outer space) – a combination of weird ambient soundscapes. I tried to create my own version of this.
Cityspeak
This was the last track I finished for this album. I used a lot of flange and phasing effects on this one. To me it has an interesting mixture of technology and acoustic sounds and a very misty atmosphere.
Multipass
I’m a fan of loungy-downtempo beats.
„Leeloo Dallas – Multipass“
Hemisphere
The outro track. A classic outro-ambient beat would have been too much. This one should lead the listener back to reality or something like this. It’s pretty dreamy but has a straight drum part, returning to it’s initial theme, ending promptly – good morning.
Buy the release HERE.
