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INQ: You've just released Autumn Breeze, which is the sixth release under the Altus name. How do you feel about this one?
MC: I'm happy I've finally been able to finish an album. It's been a year since the release of Black Hole, and after that I'd lost any drive to make music. I wanted to very much... But I'd load up some software, play with some sounds, and come back with nothing I was happy with. Talk about aggravating.
Last August, I discovered StillStream.com and the excellent community there. They played a big part in the creation of Autumn Breeze with their positive comments on my other works, as well as hearing other artists' music who share their works for free like I do. With the fall season around the corner, I decided on the concept for my next album, which finally kick-started me back into the groove.
I'm very happy with the new album, especially the second track "Falling" which had been in my head since last winter. Of course it didn't come out exactly as I wanted, but until I get a brain-to-midi connection going, I'll always have that problem. ;)
INQ: Compared to your other works, Autumn Breeze is much shorter. Any reason for this?
MC: Multiple reasons. This album was much darker than I had planned, and I felt it was riding the edge of depressing. Sure, my stuff is melodramatic and I enjoy creating darker emotional journeys to accompany the visual ones... but I felt a fifth track would be too much to take in one sitting. Also, the last song I wrote was to be the ending track for the album. After finishing it, I couldn't bring myself to continue. It was done, my story was told, even if it was only 45 minutes in length.
I've always aimed at making an album at least 60 minutes, to the point of creating filler tracks to make the time. Two good examples would be "Hadopelagic" from Water and "Vale" from Earth. Listen to them, they're so pointless. (Although I did end up liking Vale afterwards.)
After deciding to say "fuck it, it's 45 minutes long", I questioned myself on why I felt the need to force 60 minutes on a given idea. Sure, if someone had bought Autumn Breeze and then found out it was 45 minutes, they'd feel gypped. But I'm giving this stuff away, who cares if it's shorter than your standard release. So, expect to see future releases with not-very-standard running times. ;)
INQ: Your albums reflect a deep respect for nature. Is this intentional for Altus' overriding theme, or do you have different concepts up your sleeve for the future?
MC: Part of me is anti-technology and anti-society, even though I love technology and can't live alone. Writing this music is my escape from the civilized world that I love and hate so much. Except for a few instances, I've no interest in writing music based on something humans are involved in. So yes, writing music based on nature is very intentional. I find lots of people don't truly appreciate what the natural world has to offer, and that's a shame. Every morning, we are treated to a beautiful sunrise... but most are staring at the car bumper in front of them in traffic.
At this point, I don't have any surprises under my sleeve. Aside from the usual nature-based themes, you can expect to hear more space and time related albums in the coming years. But who knows what the future holds.
INQ: The Elements was a four album cycle, then you wrote the six-track Black Hole album, and now you're doing albums based on the seasons. Why do you feel the need to have a theme for each album, or indeed, series of albums?
MC: My albums before 2001 (non-released stuff) used to be just a string of songs until I filled a CD. Then I wrote 24hrs, four tracks based on periods of time in a day. I loved the fact that I wrote a CD worth of music based on one theme. When listening to it, it felt like a journey instead of just a bunch of tracks put together. This also has to do with my love for long-play albums.
Creating a theme for a series of tracks gives me the push to start writing. It excites me to see the path laid before me, and to write music to what I see. I don't think I could ever go back to writing single, non-related tracks ever again.
INQ: You were originally making music under the name "Goon," and only recently changed to "Altus." Why did you change names, and did any of your Goon fans wonder where you went?
MC: I was known as Goon when I was making my techno stuff. In 2000, I began playing with slower tracks and melodies, and the songs with beats became fewer and fewer. 24hrs was the beginning of my change in music and way of life. The first track has special meaning, and tells of my finding myself and my place in the world. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. Even to this day, people who have heard this album still talk about it, and that's why I'm re-mastering and re-releasing it in January. So here I am, making this beautiful music and I'm known as Goon. Umm... WTF?! So I chose a new moniker that was much more fitting of the music I was writing.
INQ: You've been making electronic music for a long time. When did you start and what hardware/software have you used over the years?
MC: This whole thing started in 1993 on my 286 PC. Four-channel MODs baby! Yeah! I was slow to build up my style, and even some of the music I was writing in 2000 was questionable to my ears. The problem, I found out, wasn't lack of skill... it was lack of resources, namely decent samples and instruments.
24hrs and half the tracks in the original release of Fire were written using old sample sets I had built myself. After getting some new tools and sample sets, I wrote the second Elements CD: Water. Suddenly, the stuff I was writing was blowing me away. This had never happened to me before.
I always have and always will use a PC to write my music. I've no use for expensive hardware that can, in most cases, be emulated on a PC. FruityLoops is my weapon of choice, as odd as it may sound... but as a host for my various VSTs, it works perfectly.
INQ: You had a brief pairing with Blair Vermette under the name Obtuse-Idiom. What happened to that project? Do you like working with others?
MC: Obtuse-Idiom was lots of fun, and wow, we wrote some insane techno. I think the slowest BPM we used was in the 140s. We made one full-length CD together and was in the process of another, but our ideas of what we wanted to try started to clash... especially since I was getting bored of beats altogether.
As much fun as Blair and I had, I always felt a little pressured. In trying different ideas together, I felt like I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I'm very selfish in that respect, and that's another reason I decided to cut myself loose of Obtuse-Idiom. Sorry Blair!
INQ: What kind of musical training do you have?
MC: None whatsoever. Everything is written by ear, and I like it that way.
INQ: I've already heard Winter Embrace, the next season album. It's so sleepy! Do any of your fans use your music for meditation or sleep therapy? (I'm only teasing you a little here) :)
MC: I know a few people who have used Winter Embrace to help them fall asleep, and most ambient artists would agree: If someone falls asleep to your music, it's a compliment. My music can be listened to directly or indirectly, but is meant to be in the background. I think my music is too active to meditate to, but it will definitely help you if you're stressed out.
INQ: What do you like or dislike about the ambient music scene?
MC: Out of all the different genres of music and the associated scenes connected to them, I'm glad to be part of the ambient scene. Obviously, everyone is pretty easy-going and mellow... these are my kind of people, they know how to relax. The other thing I love about this scene, in the people I've met so far, there's no big egos. Everyone treats everyone else with respect, and that's always nice to see.
INQ: Would you ever consider doing a live performance?
MC: Considering all my music is sequenced and not played live (due to my inability to play it live), I don't think it would be a possibility.
INQ: Would you like to hear your music performed by an orchestra? Would you compose something designed for that setting if given the opportunity?
MC: That's the huge yes! To hear some of my music played by a living orchestra would be a dream. So of course, if the opportunity arose, I'd jump at the chance.
INQ: What do you do in your spare time, other than write beautiful music?
MC: Games games games! Oh, and movies. I'm just a nature-loving computer geek. I don't have a big social life, don't like loud music, don't like the bar scene, don't smoke or do drugs... most people would call me boring, I'd call them annoying. ;)
INQ: Ambient artists use slow tempos and penetrating melodies. Does this carry over into other areas of your life? I guess what I'm asking is, are you good in bed?
MC: Why don't you come over to my place, and you can answer that yourself. *play 70s porn music*
...ahem! What?
INQ: Thanks Mike! Any parting thoughts?
MC: I love the Internet. We underground artists finally have a way of spreading our love of music to everyone around the world. You couldn't do that on a BBS!
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You can download Mike's music for free at http://www.altusmusic.ca/
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