Circles

Concept: A vibrant pop single with a retro twist and vocal effects

Track Length: 2:39

Tempo: 128 BPM

Release Date: October 6, 2023

Featuring: Scarlett Quinn, Brighton, UK

ISRC: cbdl32300001

Listen here: Spotify  ⏺  Youtube  ⏺  Apple Music

Context and thoughts on production:

In a nutshell, I would describe "Circles" as an enchanting and dynamic pop song, adorned with vibrant pop melodies that exude a rather retro charm and an energetic vibe. This musical gem was conceived during an audio production course at Musitechnic Montreal back in 2015. "Circles" emerges as the outcome of a prescribed exercise in orchestration and arrangements, utilizing an a cappella vocal excerpt from Loopmasters (Iconical Vocals Acapellas). Remarkably, all students in the course were tasked with working from the same vocal foundation, yielding surprisingly diverse results.

The fusion of vintage synthesizer sounds, warm bass tones, and vocal effects reminiscent of "stutter" techniques crafts a sonic experience that harkens back to the 80's, while maintaining a modern pop sensibility. The cavernous bass draws inspiration from the 80's and rhythm & blues double bass, while the soaring synthesizer passages channels influences from iconic bands like The Doors or even Supertramp immortal Wurlitzer candies.

An array of software programs, including Cubase, Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, and Pro Tools, lent their prowess to the composition and mixing process. Vocal effects found life through the ingenious application of Izotope Stutter Edit, while vocal harmonies were meticulously fine-tuned with Celemony Melodyne and Apple Logic Pro's Flex Pitch.

As I endeavoured to fathom the narrative behind the lyrics prenned by Scarlett Quinn, I envisioned the tale of a young woman infatuated with an unattainable « rockstar », wrestling with her unfulfilled dreams. This led to the inclusion of certain phrases that did not exist in the original text, ingeniouwly woven from the existing lyrics, a rather tantalizing challenge for my neurons. Substantial sound editing was applied to her voice, along with an array of effects, to ensure seamlessness and believability.

The song's vocalist, Scarlett Quinn, a talented artist hailing from Brighton, UK, brings her soulful voice and emotive delivery to breathe life into "Circles." So compelling is Scarlett's rendition that there are now dozens, if not hundreds, of remixes of the song. Her journey in the music industry began with her participation in the 2014 season of "X Factor".

The song, released on October 6, 2023, is the original 2015 rendition.

The announcement of this delightful pop song's release was first unveiled in a blog article on August 27, 2023.

What they say: