pop star industries

mercator's world

mercator .mp3s

this discography (working backwards chronologically) is by no means a complete listing of all the tracks i've recorded... just the ones i feel like u/ling. they're all free, but if you d/l it i'd like to hear what you think. e me.

mercator.skep
dec2008

this is a sort of companion to "mkep" below, as the backing trax to most of them were done on my old pooter before it died a miserable death. the last track though is a look forward to better times with a decent pooter.

gojira (2 .8mb) uses a sample from mst3k and the intro music to "godzilla vs. the sea monster" that they riffed on.
fiaredux (7.1mb) is a totally remade version of "fiascormx" from "orange ep" below, and uses my new favorite toy, the e-Bow.
toontime (3.2mb) is a pretty straightforward song, not techno at all really, but i like it. it makes me happy.
fretless (6.2mb) is so named because i use an old bass that i ripped the frets out of and epoxied the neck.
mEnsoleillé (4.0mb) means "Mister Sunny". this is the first song i've completely created using my new pooter.

mercator.i'm not home right now
sept-nov2008

this project was recorded in some interesting locations. please see notes below. also, this project will most likely try your patience. such is the chance you take.

imnothomerightnow (2.1mb) was mostly recorded in my crappy apartment in "greater" dc, but the crowd sample at the end was recorded from within the venerable cheering section at the seibu dome in tokorozawa, saitama, japan, as i cheered on the saitama seibu lions. they went on to win that evening's game, as well as the 2008 japan series (thanks in no small part to my cheering efforts, i'm sure). that's also where i took the cover photo, flag being waved as though their very existence depended on it. granfallooning can be fun sometimes.
fbxrd (2.4mb) was recorded at 35,000 feet over western alaska on the way to japan. as i peered out the window of the plane, i swore i could see vladimir putin. maybe it was just wishful thinking.
straitbering (2.3mb) was also recorded on the way to japan, over the bering strait (duh).
wudr (2.4mb) was recorded flying over the mississippi river valley on the way back from orange county, california.
kekkou (2.8mb) was recorded on the way back from japan. uni (2.2mb) was also recorded on the way back from japan.
AnThEm (2.3mb) was recorded in orange county, a couple hours after Anthony ("An" for Anthony) and Tommy ("Th" for Thomas) were married on october 4th, 2008. (the "Em", by the way, is to complete the word "anthem", and doesn't stand for some word like "Embolism" or "Emphatically" or anything.)
overIDL (4.9mb) was recorded as i crossed the international date line for the first time.
oishi (3.7mb) was recorded after the seibu lions game in my hotel room on yokota air base.
kaliq (3.1mb) was recorded after i was awakened by a noisy baby on the way back from japan.
anago (1.9mb) was also recorded on the way back from japan.
kamLoops (2.3mb) was recorded on the way to japan, high over canada. I mean altitudinally high, not chemically, and more's the pity.
flyover (2.6mb) was recorded on the way back from orange county, somewhere over "flyover country", which is a really condescending term, but hey, that's what i was doing.

mercator.mkep
may2005

this was done after my lameass pooter got a virus and died, and i got it running again but just barely. now that i have a decent pooter i'm going to start making stuff again. fair warning.

welcomx (5.3mb) is a remix of the "welcome" tracks on "roundtrip".
findesiecle (10.3mb) has samples of professor eugen weber on it. he's cool.
aperturmx (7.2mb) is a remix of "aperture" on "dodge+burn".
i80e (5.7mb) is a remix of "i80" on "mercprojx".
bozen (12.9mb) happened when i meant to say "bought frozen," as in peas.

mercator.mercprojx
december2003

this album is a kind of housecleaning for me. way back in '93 i made trax 4 & 9, and since then i've pilfered from it for various other (what i can only assume you'd call) remixes. it's still a fairly accurate representation of where i seem to be headed musically.

version (2.75mb) was made in sept01. the last blast of drums was a happy accident.
bloopy (6.26mb) was made in nov03. i almost named it "cluckbloop."
excathedra (4.97mb) was made in aug93. excathedra means "from the chair." yep.
origin2 (4.83mb) was made in dec93, but i added the sinewave bassline in dec03.
projexp (5.00mb) was nade in nov93, and i used a sample from mid93. that weird squealey bit.
i80 (3.52mb) was a bassline i wrote in oct02, finally committed to hd nov03. better have your paxil handy.
ocathedra (1.88mb) is a remix of 3 i did in nov03. geddit? ex and o? you know, like naughts and crosses? har.
oranjeepy (6.33mb) was made in oct00. very clubby.
origin (6.04mb) was made in dec93, but i added the sinewave bassline in sept01. gel-sol would like a cleaned-up guitar version, but i'm not sure i'm going to get around to it.
goodnight (6.22mb) was made in nov03. gel-sol said it reminded him of the flaming lips. i don't see it.

mercator.dodge+burn
september2002

all these trax are very minimal (for me). i consciously attempted not to show a wide range here, which was extremely difficult, as i am given to making albums sound more like compilations from many different artists. this, in my opinion, has been a hindrance in the rarified atmosphere of genrefication so prevalent in the music 'biz.' very few are permitted to run the gamut on the same pressing, and more's the pity. anyway, despite that, this album wasn't intended to be shopped around to labels. i just wanted some acidy trancey stuff to drive to.

collodion (7.79mb) uses a piano riff i wrote for howie's masters project.
diopter (4.62mb) is some good ol' aceeeed.
fstop (8.33mb) goes "tink-tink!"
aberration (5.13mb) is chock full o' knobtwiddling nougaty goodness.
heliograph (4.26mb) utilizes one of my fave fx: "a record that's been used as a frisbee in a sandbox."
tintype (6.05mb) sounds like popcorn.
emulsion (5.31mb) is a threat to our vital national security interests and must be stopped at all costs.
halftone (5.99mb) reminds me of the old atari 'dolphin' game. if you remember it, you might see why. then again, maybe not.
aperture (5.73mb) uhoh! a semblance of a chord progression! heavens! what shall we do? maybe enjoy it?

mercator.syllogy
december2001

this album, however, is another fair indication of my musical range. i can't help but make songs musical. con sarn it.

rapidcycler (4.33mb) was made on my laptop whilst waiting for my marxian economics course to start on several consecutive weeks.
ffneffer (3.35mb) was my first attempt at using acid (the program, not the drug, lubejob).
organge (6.80mb) is named after organge high school. btw, no one who has ever lived in oc calls it "the oc." it's just "oc." but yes, it is that vacuous. for the most part.
sft1rmx1 (1.58mb) is a rmx of the very beginning of sft1, strangely edited out (see 'extras').
four (2.13mb) is in 4/4 time. fancy that.
compx (2.91mb) breeds ferrets for extra income.
thirteenb (1.86mb) is a silly housemusic romp. sounds kinda like the queer-eye theme.
xericprog (7.56mb) was made in 1996 or thereabouts, but i always thought it could do with some guitar noodling. ah yeah, smoooooove, baby.
unagitrip (5.31mb) even more smoooooooove. and more gtrs.
hamburgefon (3.87mb) is named after a word that you can use to get a good look at what some typefaces will look like.
inotice (5.97mb) was originally writ in '94 but i redid it.
smallpleasures (2.15mb) is named after a kandinsky painting that i like.
unagifunk (4.32mb) is even more smooooooove, with gtrs and bass even.
(originally also featured "version" and "origin" from "mercprojx" above)

mercator.presents+extras
november2001

WARNING! this album is NOT an accurate representation of my musical direction. this was a gift to my extended family for xmas '93. however, if you can put aside the fact that this is what amounts to mostly newagey easy-on-the-ears pabulum, it's still fun to listen to. i guess.

and (4.14mb) was originally writ in 1989 on my bass. eventually i may do another version using only bass, and tone down the anthemic grandiosity a smidge.
expansion (5.71mb) was writ way back in '88. this version predates track 7 of adinterim (below) by a few years.
babymobile (5.29mb) is about as passive as they come. elevators only wish they could have this song.
getting on with pipe organ, string quartet and orchestra pit (4.61mb) isn't afraid of death.
springwind atlantic (4.52mb) was writ in '89 on guitar. it was also the inspiration for track 23 of metempsychosis (below).
duet for piano and flute in e minor (4.35mb) was performed by my me and my niece at my dad's funeral. it was my least enjoyable public performance. i wonder why.
point of last environment (4.10mb) was writ in 1990.
adrift (4.73mb) is when "smooth jazz" decides that it's too cutting-edge.
turning house (4.12mb) is paul-shafferesque.
recreation (4.12mb) was writ by matt terry and me. er, and i. me. hmm... i haven't heard from matt for yonks. i bought the korg 01w from him that i did most of these songs on.
pine trails piano version (2.01mb) was writ in houston in 1992.
b'roke (2.10mb) is pompous and self-aggrandizing, and deserves to be slapped with an halibut.
powder shuffle (3.46mb) is part one.
powder montage (3.44mb) is part two.
powder slow (3.49mb) is part three.
desolate (6.74mb) was writ in '88. i really like this track, and peradventure i may see my way clear to reprising it in some form or other.

mercator.orange ep
february2001



also named after my hometown.

(originally commenced with "oranjeepy" above)
pilkmink (4.99mb) is this what the young hipsters are calling "drill-n-bass" nowadays? dunno.
lupinex (7.34mb) was a halfhearted attempt at creating an actual "club dance" track. sure.
fiascormx (4.59mb) is a violently remixed version of a song from the punk/ska/core band i used to play bass with.
ouest (3.06mb) is french for "west."
iest (2.52mb) is a fictional land in the "cerebus" comic.
hitandrun (6.73mb) was made in 1994.

mercator.metempsychosis
february2000



this album was named after a word that means... er, well, look it up. it's a bit difficult to sum up. i got the idea from reading james joyce's "ulysses" though, where it's one of the running themes. met him pike hoses indeed. all these trax were conceived in rebirth 2.0. fun program. still a good album imho. give it a chance.

aard (3.09mb) promises much, but offers only a place to die. kinda like hollywood.
abeyance (2.40mb) accidentally cut off on me, which explains the weird ending.
antigen (3.18mb) spanks you and makes you cry.
capstan (3.06mb) is sorta like jungle, and sorta not. okay, very much not.
chiaroscuro (2.35mb) utilizes a casio sk1. yay!
mustermark (2.64mb) is named after the line "three quarks for muster mark" from james joyce's "finnegans wake." gee, it's almost like i'm a fan or something. which reminds me, i had to wear an eyepatch too when i was a kid. arrrrr.
chipsystem (4.25mb) predates glitch by several years. it is also not glitch at all. eerie!
dirslashp (4.50mb) tells you, with a smirk, "bad command or file name." you grab your 286 and chuck it down the hall.
fizzix (3.15mb) is a newtonian construct. with the advent of quantum mechanics and relativity, we have thankfully moved past that. science marches on.
snufkin (2.37mb) is a character from jove jansson's 'moomintroll' books. enchanting tales. the most hardhearted, if given half a chance, would get lost in her wonderful world.
hokn (3.78mb) is not mean-spirited. i promise.
icecram (1.89mb) was coined by adam. also 'bloots.'
inversion (3.56mb) will kick you to the kerb, yo.
melisma (1.66mb) i think i was reading a gore vidal book into the mic. could have been "dinky hocker shoots smack" though.
oddiker (2.99mb) is an alternate pronunciation, i suppose.
phunq (2.68mb) has been a bad little boy and needs a spanking.
plangency (2.11mb) "okay."
scatter (3.17mb) yeah boyeee! on the dance floor! everybody! w00t w00t! and stuff.
schf (2.51mb) 2-part bass. something about that sound sends me.
wurmbot (0.99mb) was named after a fun java program that i can't find on the web anymore. more later.
smoovie (2.62mb) may eventually be the background for an a/v project. we'll see.
threefour (4.11mb) is in 3/4 time. huzzah!
spindling (3.72mb) was inspired by "springwind atlantic" above, but has a really cool tweakish bass hit. i be hipmotized.