The 15th Parallel
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This means that although the album has been completed and released, it is yet to be revised & distributed globally.
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* = approximation of date or runtime.
Overview
The 15th Parallel is Exero's debut album. The album is based off of a man vs self-style story, in which an unnamed protagonist seeks existential guidance from parallel universe versions of himself. Exero's first album blends genres like ambient, trip hop, glitch, IDM, worldbeat, and space.
The 15th Parallel was inspired by british progressive rock band Genesis and their cult-classic album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Additional inspiration was derived from Rod Serling'sThe Twilight Zone and video game Yoshi's Island DS.
Background
In the fall of 2018, Exero completed his final demo album, Devastation Technique. This demo album explored the concept of dividing one's past into different versions in order to distance himself from recanted mistakes. Around this time, Exero learned about modes and odd time signatures from Genesis' albums The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Duke. Additionally, he began watching shows such as Man vs. Wild and The Twilight Zone.
The existential nature of these two shows, the complexity of Genesis' tendencies, and the previous work done for his final demo album laid the bulk of the foundations of this album. Other sources of inspiration, such as improvising in his middle school jazz club, and completing the video game Yoshi's Island DS added the final touches that made up the heart and soul of his first album.
Sound Design & Style
In previous demo albums, Exero tried designing custom virtual instruments and effects (known as presets). In an effort to create an organic & cohesive line of work, Exero also tried to establish a firm style in demo albums Oceania and Devastation Technique. Although met with mixed results, The 15th Parallel was his first concerted effort to create an unmistakable style.
Exero began to use a set collection of synths, effects, and samples. Native Instruments' Reaktor 5 (a host for various custom synths, effects, and racks) and Battery 4 were his primary selection of sound design tools. For additional inspiration, Exero selected loops from Soundtrack Loops' sample pack Warped Space 2. Reaktor 5 hosted soft synths such as Subharmonic (as heard in the beginning of "Chasm of the Visible") and Lazerbass (as heard in the main bass lead for "The 1st Parallel").
Subharmonic is a synthesizer that focuses on stacking subharmonics to build a sound. Most sound we hear are a series of sine waves tuned to a set collection of frequencies, called the overtone series. The overtone series go "forward" in pitch, while subharmonics go the opposite direction.
For drums and percussion, Exero relied on Reaktor 5 groovebox Limelite and downtempo style drum kits from Battery 4 in order to give the album an intentional, cutting-edge and modern feel. Additional percussion, such as East Asian percussion and Indian hand percussion loops were derived from these same sources.
Recording
The 15th Parallel was not only Exero's first album, but it was his first album to perform instrument parts he felt satisfied by. Exero started incorporating clarinet parts in his music as early as his demo album Alien Encounters. However, these parts were MIDI-generated and were not recorded yet. Attempts to perform and record clarinet parts were scattered around his demo albums, such as on his 2012 effort AntiDivision. Ultimately, Exero's debut recordings premiered on The 15th Parallel in the songs "A Step Beyond Yourself" and the solos in "Answers Within".
Around the end of 2013, after waiting since 2011, Exero acquired his first bass clarinet (with the monetary help of his parents). This new instrument spurned the concerted effort to both program and perform parts on the album. Exero improvised ideas on both clarinets, such as both solos in "Answers Within", and incorporated keyboard parts, such as the improvised melody in 7/4 on "Chasm of the Visible (Part 1: The Pilot)".
Release
Exero started the album in the beginning of December 2013, and completed around the advent of spring 2014. Unlike his music in recent years, the album was only available via personally distributed zip files and hand-made CDs. This album is one of four albums that make up Exero's Reconstruction Period, which is still an ongoing effort.
Credits
Exero creates the music you here via digital samplers, synthesizers, digital audio workstations, and playing various instruments.
Bb Soprano Clarinet - track 2, 14
Bb Bass Clarinet - track 2, 14
MIDI Keyboard - track 1, 4
Royalty-free loops and samples courtesy of Soundtrack Loops.