Released three years to the day after work began on the Inner Spectrum project, this reimagined and expanded version of Inner Spectrum completes the cycle.
What began as a simple idea to do a fun '80s-sounding remix of 2022's Inner Spectrum album turned into a larger, in-depth project to return to the initial vision I had when I began the project over the course of a week in August 2020.
Initially conceived in 2020 as an eclectic mix of dense, difficult jazz and rock improvisation, Inner Spectrum went on a wild creative journey before emerging in February 2022 as a more organic, friendlier piece that could appeal to a wider audience. Beneath the surface, though, what really happened is that I lacked the production skills (and some of the tools) to make my original vision come to life the way I wanted.
Over the course of the last year and a half, I acquired those skills and tools and now present the Alternate Reality version of Inner Spectrum!
It includes two additional pieces unfinished or left off of the original album ("Bird Metal" and "Space Daze"), as well as a transformation of the original last piece, "Better Days Ahead," into something completely different and extended as "The Big Finally." Also, three pieces on the 2022 version of the album were recombined into their original format (and playing) as the 12-minute title track that opens Alternate Reality.
Even the tracks that kept their form from last year's release have been reimagined with new and different drum and guitar sounds, as well as a bit of new recording here and there. "Evolution of the Solution" goes back entirely to the original version recorded on 8/18/20.
The result is a much punchier, rock-ish album compared to last year's laid-back release. I want to emphasize, however, that Alternate Reality does not replace the original release in any way. The two complement each other and suit different moods and interests.
Purchasers get a bonus track: a wacky psychedelic remix of "Thankfulness Suite" I made back in 2022, full of questionable 1960s-style production choices!
Enjoy!
Chris Oberst
August 17, 2023
credits
released August 17, 2023
Chris Oberst: guitar, bass, keyboards, drum programming, production, engineering, endless mixing and remixing.
Re-amped, remixed and mastered at Halcyon Studio, Herndon, VA.
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