Chiasm Studio Diary

Chiasm - "Obligatory" EP

2012-02-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

I've been working on two new tracks for an online exclusive EP, Chiasm - "Obligatory"! There will also be some awesome remixes included. :) Thanks to everyone who contributed!

"11:11" is finished!

2011-11-05T12:00:00.001-07:00

I have finished recording the new full-length Chiasm album, "11:11"! I am currently creating artwork and putting together some remix kits, so if you're interested in doing a remix, please contact me.
Release info soon!
-Emileigh

11:11

2011-01-15T10:55:00.001-08:00

Chiasm (E. Rohn) has been busy in the studio since the release of the Apple Island EP in 2009 (on iTunes) working on her next full-length album, "11:11", to be released in 2011! The goal is to have 11 new songs completed, and the finish is approaching quickly. Tentative working track names so far (in no particular order) include:

Chiasm - "11:11"
1. space
2. petals
3. i want more
4. so lost
5. answer in my mind
6. draw a house
7. reliance (revised from 1998 demo)
8. angry tree
9. sea
10. hideaway
11. obligatory

It's coming along great, and I'm having fun, so I'll keep you updated on a release!
-Emileigh

resolute

2010-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

I put together some lyrics/vocals for the :10: track, "Resolute" over the weekend. Also, the Russian band "The Asylum" has made a nice remix of the Chiasm track, "Isolated". Keep an ear out for those. :)

11:11 update

2010-02-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

I just bought some more RAM for my computer in the hope it will speed things up a bit :) Other than that, I've got about 25 songs started and have almost narrowed them down to 11 to focus on.. 11 being that nice round number for 11:11! It's really starting to come together and I'm excited about it! Fun times ahead!

CHIASM - "Apple Island" EP

2009-05-06T16:41:00.001-07:00

tracklisting:
1. Apple Island
2. Fake Smile
3. Major Tom (english version)
4. Reform (Soil & Eclipse remix)
5. Won (:10: remix)

CHIASM - Apple Island EP

With childhood memories of a building in remains, CHIASM pays tribute to the tribe of Stone-Age Native Americans that once lived on the cold terrain of Michigan's Apple Island. E. Rohn was introduced to the area when invited to contribute to an archeological dig as a student in effort to learn about the island's past. Near the location where she grew up, its history remains a mystery and represents a place of reconstructed past where any truth is possible. The song is about interpretation of your surroundings while navigating the unknown. Nothing is objective on Apple Island.

The CHIASM - "Apple Island" EP also presents the 2008 title track "Reform" remixed by Soil & Eclipse and a remix of the album's "Won" by Detroit artist, :10:. An early Chiasm track, "Fake Smile", re-emerges with credit to Detroit techno artist J. C. Slaughter, as well as Chiasm's English version cover of Peter Schilling's "Major Tom".

Apple Island EP

2009-04-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

So last night, I successfully recorded my first computer-based song, ever, "Apple Island"!! cheers to me! :) it is indeed short but i'm very happy with it!
The song will be the title of the new iTunes EP to be released this Spring 2009 along with my cover of "Major Tom" (in english) and some remixes and extras.

The story behind Apple Island is basically one of childhood mystery. It's an island on one of many lakes in Michigan, this one in particular was owned by the school system I grew up in, so once in a while we'd get to take a field trip for a nature tour or an archeological dig. But that was the only real way you could visit. And they told us it had been inhabited by American Indians perhaps 2000 years ago, and told us a story of this house way off the nature trails in the middle of the woods there that was destroyed over time, and they could only guess about their lives from what remained. Note: I did find this nice youtube video of a recent tour there, i was probably about that age when i visited 20 years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALSPnGU-0-g

So often, even as an adult, i would drive by the lake and see the island and wonder about the people that lived there long ago. It always felt especially dark and mysterious to me. So it deserved a song! And now it is. :)

I hope you enjoy it, coming soon!
-Emileigh

new stuff

2009-04-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

I have just contributed vocals and lyrics to a track called "Remorse" by the Seattle band, Anguisette, which should be released this summer 2009. There is also an upcoming compilation cd by Sinister Records planning to use my new track, "Apple Island" which I am in the process of completing now.

I am still composing new songs for my upcoming tentative full-length album, Chiasm - "11:11". I am planning to use mostly computer-based sequencing and virtual synths as an experiment for this one, so the transition has been interesting, I'm learning a lot and having fun with it. :)

I think that's all for now,
-Emileigh
http://www.chiasm.org

New Album, "11:11"

2009-01-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!
I wanted to assure you that since the release of "REFORM" in September 2008, I am diligently working on new material for the next full-length album, "11:11". It's a great new experience and challenge for me, since for the first time I have decided to incorporate digital synths and a computer-based sequencing program in my studio! Getting the hardware to talk to the software has been an anxious yet exciting experience, like aliens landing on a new planet for the first time, but so far all has been welcoming and full of new creative possibilites. I am indeed excited! So yes, all systems are GO!

I've also had a little time off over the holidays and decided to express myself in a few different formats just for the sake of it. I painted two matching postcards of mouse kings:

and also created a new studio journal for myself (yes Emileigh = MLE..):)

So that's where things stand at the moment. I've also introduced myself to another surprise collaborative project, I'll let you know how that goes.

Have a great 2009!!
-Emileigh

studio tear-down!

2008-10-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

I'm tearing down my studio for the show tomorrow! Always fun to see it all in disarray, Sunday is my day for reassembling. :) I also got my Reason 4 program all set up, so i'm looking forward to writing some new songs with that!
See you at the show!
-Emileigh

Reform

2008-08-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

I've been busy!

The NEW ALBUM, "REFORM" IS READY!!!!
Here's the tracklisting:
Deny
Soulprint
Unity
The Caffeine Cycle
Reform
A Section of Time
Deceivers
Won
Incubate
Extinguish

It shouldn't be long before the release now, thanks again for your support!
-Emileigh

i got my music in a dive bar jukebox!!

2008-05-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

i almost feel like a real musician now! :)

no, seriously, so visit T.C.'s Speakeasy in Ypsilanti, MI, and you will find among a variety of other Chiasm tracks and covers, TWO unreleased songs that are going on the new album, "REFORM"! (the clientelle don't know what they're missing!) So commence and infiltrate! Maybe I'll do a show there or something, or maybe you'll just run into me being amused by the jukebox.

p.s. I've been listening to Reform in the car for a few days now, a few tweaks and it's done!

p.p.s. Also, apparently my vocals are featured on the Carphax Files album, Revolutions vol. 1: Dirt, on the track, "Murder"! Go buy it! :) :)

CHIASM - "Someone" VIDEO!!!

2008-04-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm really, really excited. :DD

I just got the DVD in the mail of the , Chiasm - "Someone" Video produced by Ryan Wetherall, and I was freaking out and clutching my heart through the whole viewing, in my living room, staring at my big TV, with my eyes glued like one of those big pixar squirrels. It's so professionally done, and the imagery is incredible. I just really can't wait to share it with everyone. Wow, WOW!!! ok. i'll be fine.

Also in news, the new album is close to done, I'm in the process of making a draft version for me to personally listen to on every stereo system I can find and figure out what should be tweaked. So that's about where it is right now. I'm satisfied that the songs reflect my life for the past two-three (wow, it's been that long?) years since Relapse came out. OK, there was the Prefrontal EP, now I feel like less of a slacker. But, yes, goodness comes. sincerely. :) -e

Diverje featuring Chiasm

2007-02-26T05:08:00.000-08:00

I spent all last weekend recording vocals for the Diverje track I'd mentioned previously, and I'm finally really happy with it, a few tweaks and it's done! They'd given me an instrumental track to work with and asked me to provide vocals, and it became a much more involved project on my end..the song was a challenge in that it periodically changes keys, has several bridge/breaks to rearrange the flow, and it took me a while to figure out what was best to do with it. I started by recording simply background vocals with no lyrics, and later sampled them, added some interesting effects, loaded them into my sampler, then programmed a track and synched my sequencer back to my hard disk recorder to insert them back in the song as I saw fit. Then I proceeded to record several layers of vocals with lyrics to complete the song. The process really was kind of backwards, but I learned some new tricks and I guess that's the luxury of writing as you go. It turned out pretty great, you'll hear it soon, it's a dancy one. :)

UPDATE 8/07: Diverje - "Stitched" is now available!

DIVERJE- "stitched" CD DSBP1085
-----------------------------------------
1- SMELL THE BLOOD
2- STITCHED
3- EVIL ONE
4- UNLEASHED
5- RUN LIKE HELL
6- TEAR IT DOWN
7- COME BACK (J.GEILS BAND cover)
8- HELP ME (Feat. CHIASM)
9- WRAPPED AROUND
10- HO FOR SHO
11- MAINSTREAM COLLAPSING

12- STITCHED (DEAD JUMP Remix)
13- SMELL THE BLOOD (PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE 0.1)
14- STITCHED (ALIEN PRODUKT Remix)
15- SMELL THE BLOOD (NOISE PROCESS Remix)

stationed once again

2007-01-22T16:38:00.000-08:00

i just finished recording vocals for some lyrics i wrote a few months back for a :10: project song called "Hello".

It was a brisk fall day out on Ford Lake, there were squirrels everywhere and trees broken on the ground from a recent storm, along with the first fallen leaves of the season.. there's lots of fishermen out there as well on the river, which was unusually turbulent that day. i sat in one of those park shelters for large picnic functions, etc. with a helix and a sketchpad and just wrote and wrote, the track's instrumentals were already engrained in my head. the rain kept falling as i stayed dry. it's just nice when something comes together so well.

more collaborative stuff

2006-11-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

I'm just finishing up a remix for Vigilante's sideproject, Hopeless, of a track called "Imagine" for their new release!

Also it sounds like some vocals for a Diverje track are in the pipeline, so keep an ear out for it. thanks! :)

keeping busy

2006-10-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

i'm currently working on a few things in the studio:

1) *most importantly* the next full-length album, "Reform". There are several new tracks nearly finished and you may start hearing some random previews on the myspace site soon if the songs start streaming again like they're supposed to:)

2) some vocals and collaborative work for the side project :10: from Pontiac, MI that I did the "Tso Mus" track with earlier this year.

3) "hopefully" a remix of the track "Imagine" for the sideproject of Ivan from Vigilante's called "Hopeless". You can also hear the remix I did of his track "Survive" on his Vigilante EP, "Juicio Final".

reassemble, renew

2006-09-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

i'm putting the studio back together after the teardown for the show last saturday, and i always love thinking of new creative ideas while rearranging the equipment, it just makes me happy:)

i've updated the tour diary as well!

snap crack fizzle

2006-09-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

ok, i just heard thunder. time to shut down the studio..just when i was on a roll!

here's to Michigan. ra ra..

show this saturday!

2006-09-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

So I've mostly just been getting ready for the show this Saturday, and I always have issues with deciding which tracks to play, and whether to try to finish something new up in time for the show, which usually doesn't happen yet sometimes does.

Some tracks are more fun for me to perform than others, while some songs may be crowd favorites for the music or they like it on the album, they can be less interesting to sing, which is what I'm doing most of the time on stage. Seriously, I'm trying to entertain myself up there as much as anyone watching..

Right now I'm facing a cover track I started a month ago that sounds good but maybe too "nice" for a stage show. I'm thinking about reprogramming it to make it less perfect and more chaotic and random. Funny, right? Electronic musicians face this problem all the time... how to make the music sound like 20 real instruments in front of you. So, yeah. I'm not sure yet, we'll see. Wish me luck.

Also, the Vigilante Remix I did a few months back was released on their EP, "Juicio Final", and I'm happy about it. The disc overall is a Spanish version of several of their regular tracks plus remixes by Funker Vogt, Z Prochek, me, etc, it's pretty good, you can get it on Black Rain or distributed through COP here.

Thanks for your interest!
-Emileigh

new song

2006-08-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

i wrote one of the catchiest tracks ever today, i can't believe it.

now if i could actually finish all these tracks i've started, i'd be getting somewhere:)

p.s. i bought tons of black and white film yesterday, i was feeling nostalgic.
p.p.s. and also the remix i just did is on my myspace site as well as cf's myspace site for the moment, enjoy!

one down, twenty thousand to go..?

2006-08-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

Carphax Files remix finished and sent. (yay!)
his lyrics were quite inspiring, i enjoyed them.
on to the next project.

hey, don't throw me away, don't throw me away, don't throw me away now...

also more new stuff in the works, it just keeps comin'.

oh, my..

2006-08-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

..do i have lyrics to write today. they're flowing like a steady, turbulent stream.
i'll probably start putting music to them tonight, at least two new songs for Reform are now in the works. funny how it comes so much easier when there's something urgent to say.

:)

I am the mousie!

2006-08-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

This reminds me, there are stories on past songs I've written available on my website: Chiasm Stories. Many of them are about personal experiences that may not be obvious out of context or at first listen. It seems everyone gets something different out of my music, which I appreciate. The idea is to stimulate people to become more introspective while opening their mind and acknowledging the variety of interpretations that can result from a single source based on personal experience. Or, to just enjoy listening:)

I'm finishing up the remix of labelmate, "Carphax Files"'s track, "Murder", am bouncing around the studio singing along, and am happy with it..although it's at the same as the original tempo, I shifted the timing, converting this very industrial sounding track to some form of angsty electronica funk, it's making me shake about quite sporadically, here's to living in Detroit. :)

I also have a few extra things to work on today, some extra vox for another project and I'm working on a new cover track for the show coming up in September, you can find info on that on my shows page as well: Chiasm Shows

wee!
-Emileigh

the maushaus : my studio

2006-07-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

So in case any of you were wondering, i refer to my studio as the maushaus and pretty much always have, just because I had several pet mice when I began building it, and it's also my home, so it just made sense.

I've been working on the remix of Carphax Files "Murder" today, he's got some really crazy vocals going on in this one, so i'm enjoying it a lot. Also in the process i managed to create a set of drum beats for a new track, it's really crunchy and kind of throws you around internally, so i'm excited. i think that's all for now:)

currently in the studio:

2006-07-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

I've finished writing lyrics for an instrumental track originally titled "Heartpulp" for a friend's project. His inspiration for the name came from the idea of a tree being overgrown by its own roots, but in relation to my own experience, I found it more about an individual being ripped apart by her own reoccuring analysis of her experiences. You can find what I've written on the lyrics page renamed as "Pieces".

I'm also working on a remix of the Carphax Files track, "Murder", hopefully to be completed very soon.

Chiasm Studio Diary

2006-07-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

I've created this studio diary to give people a glimpse into what goes through my head while composing, as well as some insight into what inspires me. It also helps me to sort out my thought process by putting what I'm feeling into words.

I've always felt that writing music is more about the process than the result, but it's difficult to explain to someone that only knows the finished product in their hands. So enjoy reading, live through my experimental ups and downs, and see why I approach music as art, experiencing its many textures and combinations as an emotional masterpiece is created. Through it all I discover that what I'm exploring is what I feel, and that means something to me, truly what counts in the end.

Chiasm Studio Diary

Chiasm - "Obligatory" EP

"11:11" is finished!

11:11

resolute

11:11 update

CHIASM - "Apple Island" EP

Apple Island EP

new stuff

New Album, "11:11"

studio tear-down!

Reform

i got my music in a dive bar jukebox!!

CHIASM - "Someone" VIDEO!!!

Diverje featuring Chiasm

stationed once again

more collaborative stuff

keeping busy

reassemble, renew

*snap crack fizzle*

show this saturday!

new song

one down, twenty thousand to go..?

oh, my..

I am the mousie!

the maushaus : my studio

currently in the studio:

Chiasm Studio Diary

snap crack fizzle