New electronic music release featuring 17 new tracks and originally published on limited edition cassette tape. You can listen to “Near Earth” here for free from Bandcamp.com, but please consider purchasing the digital album for your own music collection, and please follow me on my Bandcamp page. The limited edition cassettes and the super deluxe cassette case with a handmade little-green-person figure are available for sale on by Bandcamp page also.
About the album:
What is the music on Near Earth like? I’d say Near Earth is a continuation of my music experimentation. Maybe it is a little more moody and glitchy than 2JustB, probably reflecting the moody and glitchy world we live in. I work in the evening almost every night creating sounds and adding them to the compositions. Soon there are enough for a new album. The process is organic, free from expectations, and full of joy because I love making music and listening to music. Instrumental music is abstract open to interpretation and expressive in subtle and dramatic ways.
Near Earth means getting closer to the planet as it is. The planet is turning in a big space with stars, suns moons and other planets. Zooming in and listening carefully there is some odd colorful music playing from a tiny speaker. Crossed wires and static, melodies and faint rhythm in a wobbly toy spaceship that is hovering and getting closer.
About the production
For “Near Earth” The instruments are Moog Subsequent 37, Teenage Engineering OP-1, Nord Lead 2 and Moog SlimPhatty. The compositions are created, recorded, mixed and mastered using Ableton Live software. Ableton also supplies electronic drum kits other synth sounds and audio effects. Also Ableton’s Push 2 controller is used to control the laptop and create live performances of the compositions. Special thanks to Jimmy Garver, my band mate in SENDING that has given me access to his sound effects archive. Many of the sound samples he has collected are on Near Earth.
About the limited edition cassettes
My long career as a visual artist and graphic designer makes it possible for me to make an endless supply of fun things. After success with the cassette version of my previous album “2JustB” I thought I would make a much more elaborate cassette edition for “Near Earth” along with a cool cassette only edition. Special thanks to my part-time assistant Gillian Miles and also Tapes.com for the excellent cassette making materials. The tape dubs were made on my vintage 1980’s Sony TC-WR11es cassette deck that was restored by Bundy’s Electronic Repairs in Catskill.
Wilson Gutierrez
h o w d y.
My name is Wilson Gutierrez and I’m doing an art project for my 8th grade art class and there’s information that my art teacher requires for the project. I would like to know, that is if it isn’t any trouble, where the artwork for this album is located at, well that is if the artwork is actually physical and not digital, and I need to know how much the artwork is worth. Not the album, the artwork used for the album. I would also like to know what inspired you (Rodney Alan Greenblat), what or who influenced your artwork. I sure hope I don’t sound too demanding with all this and that isn’t too much trouble for you, but would indeed be most grateful if you could give the information I need. Thank you, my good man.
Musho
Dear Wilson,
Thanks for contacting me. Thanks for you interest in my artwork for my music album Near Earth. The artwork is digital and I created it with Adobe Photoshop, hand drawn using a Wacom Tablet. I sometimes sell my digital artwork a 11×14 prints for between $28 to $42. My art style is inspired by the 1950’s-60’s TV show “Gumby” as well as TV animation by Jay Ward, Cubism, Alexander Calder, Pop Art, Folk Art, experimental music and Zen Buddhism.
Wilson Gutierrez
Greetings once again, dearest Rodney Alan Greenblat,
Thank you for the information, (even if I’m just a… tad.. bit late.) I actually didn’t expect you to reply, but I guess I was wrong. Thank you, once again! I really appreciate your help and I really like your artwork! Right now I’m gridding the artwork onto a chair and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I am indeed most grateful for your most indeed beneficial contribution.