Tag: Snug

Thursday Throwback – November 17, 2011

When I was in grade 4 or 5 I wrote a rap song about being abducted by aliens. I guess you could say it was the first song I ever wrote.


There was no music per se, only a drum beat and a little spaceship-esque sound, both courtesy of my Yamaha PSS-280. Unfortunately I can’t remember the last little bit so you’ll just have to make something up on the fly.

I really wanted to make a music video for this but it never materialized – I simply can’t imagine the amount of success and fame I would have seen if it had!

Young me, approx 1990 (imagine spaceship sounds wherever you see “…”):

I was walking one day, to get to the mall
When I looked up in the sky and saw something small
It came down low and it began to grow
And to my surprise it was a U.F.O.
U… F… O…

That night when it was all over
I went to my friend’s for a sleep-over
I saw it again that very night
It was so bright, I almost lost my sight
U… F… O…

A man came out ???
???
He gave me a tag and shoved me in a bag
And took me away to outer space
U… F… O…

If you come up with something clever for the end do let me know.

New track: Exoplanet feat. James Spray

One of my music colleagues and band-mates from The WAX (James Spray, a name you will be hearing much more often) wrote a little ambient piece a while ago. I loved the feel of the main synth pad and the sparse piano hits and immediately heard potential for a drum & bass version.

The original track was at a completely different tempo but after a bit of chopping and warping I was able to create a loop that “feels like” drum & bass speed. Using the big vocal swell was an after-thought but I feel it gels well with everything else.

My latest analog synth acquisition (DSI Tetra) also makes an appearance on this one – see if you figure out where. And if you’re curious this track was written entirely in Ableton Live using primarily native Live instruments and effects. I’ve now pretty much made a complete transition from FL Studio to Live.

Forthcoming on my next EP, “Exoplanet” featuring James Spray:

Exoplanet (feat. James Spray) by Snug

Thursday Throwback – October 20, 2011

I’m playing a Beardsley (live techno) set tonight so of course that means a dirty synthy techno throwback! This one bring me all the way back to 1999, and a now infamous venue just outside of Gatineau/Hull – Auberge des Rapides was the name if I’m not mistaken.

UK DJ Chris Liberator, one of the founders of the classic techno label Stay Up Forever, was headlining a two room party there. I remember walking upstairs at the peak of the party right in the middle of the breakdown. Hearing this massive track on a massive system is an experience on its own, but hearing it at peak time with everyone flipping out just takes it the next level. This is definitely one of a few rave memories that will remain vividly etched in my mind, and one that inspired me to put on shows, produce, DJ/perform, etc.

Magnum Force “Unlucky Punk” c. 1998:

Time Travel nominated for Electronic Recording of the Year

The Nova Scotia Music Week nominees have been announced. My album Time travel has been nominated for Electronic Recording of the year. If you haven’t heard it already you can download it or buy it here. If you’re an active member of Music Nova Scotia please consider voting for me 🙂

That is all.

New EP in the works

(Just submitted this to The Coast’s Fall Music preview and thought I should share it here too)

For immediate release:

Dartmouth-based electronic music producer Snug is planning a follow-up to his 2010 album “Time Travel”. The EP, tentatively titled “Starstruck”, will contain 6 of his strongest tracks from the last two years in his trademark style – deep, introspective, melodic and rhythmic. It will be released digitally as a free download, with CDs available for purchase.

Artist: Snug

Title: Starstruck

Genre: Electronic (drum & bass, downtempo)

Format: free digital download, limited run CD

Release date: November 15 2011

Label: Independent

Free drumstep sample pack

“Dumbstep” is a cleverly named drumstep sketch I started late last year. I’m working on a collab with shortcircuit and we’re using it as a starting point. Since I was already uploading these loops to SoundCloud anyway I figure I’d make them public and see what, if anything, comes of it.

So feel free to use them anyway you please. All I ask is that if you release something with these stems you give me credit. If you mangle them beyond recognition then whatever 😉

If you want something more specific, like individual drum hits or individual stems from the beat, just let me know and I’ll pull that together for you.

Dumbstep stems by Snug

Hoping to make this a regular thing BTW – I already have loops exported from a dozen or so tracks as a result of my live sets, so it’s only a matter of time.

Preview: Silence Farm

Here’s a preview of my remix/mash-up of Saafi Brother’s “Wellness Farm” and “Together in Silence”. Still a ways to go, but I think it’s a solid start.

As you can hear I’ve chosen to go in a completely different direction than the originals. The concept for mashing up these two tracks came to me a little while ago but I didn’t have any specific idea of what I wanted to do with it until I started working on it.

My plan for the second half is to lose the chord progression, get kinda synthy/out there for a bit, and then end with the progression/lead. I already have the second half more or less worked out, just need to refine it a bit more before sharing.

Silence Farm (clip) by Snug

As always, if you enjoy what I do please spread the word.

ECMA 2011 showcases

Two opportunities to catch yours truly at the ECMAs this year:

Thursday April 14th/Friday morning @ 1:00 AM (Snug)

I’ll be playing some solo electronic stuff in the ECMA Member’s Lounge, located in The Club at the Delta Charlottetown (18 Queen Street).

Playing alongside me that evening are Marko Simmonds, The Arka Teks, DJ KonfliKt and Coyote.

Friday April 15th @ 5:00 PM (The WAX)

My indie pop/rock band The WAX will be playing on the Discovery stage, located at Murphy’s Community Center (200 Richmond Street – 2-3 blocks from The Delta).

Also playing on the stage that day are Kristina Trites, Jason MacDonald, Katherine Moller, Back Pocket Material, The Disengagement, The Repercussionists, Big Deal, North Lakes, The Belle Comedians, Remedy, The Company, 7 Mile Stare, Arrows in the Air, Craig Mercer & The Will Be Gones and Milks & Rectangles.

New track: Capital Wasteland

Here’s a little something I’ve been working on as of late. Going forward I’m going to try to post all new stuff here with a little blurb and ideally a pretty (or in this case not so pretty) picture to accompany it.

This track draws from a whole whack of different things I’ve been listening to/playing lately, from heavy drum & bass (Quadrant, Fourward) to chill half-time/drumsteppy stuff (Command Strange, Blue Motion, Consequence), and even a certain video game I’ve been playing a lot of (see if you can guess which one 😉

If you enjoy please support my music by spreading the word and sharing this link.