Kimo

Am7 + Gm7. My submission to the two chord challenge.

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posted by micayetoca (14 comments total)

This is neat; I love the "playing-in-the-next-room" feel of the recording. (Plus the two-chord limitation works really well in-style, I think!)
posted by uncleozzy at 11:12 AM on April 8, 2009

Hey, thanks uncleozzy. In the end I didn't like the way my voice sounds (as always), so here is an instrumental version (it can be streamed or downloaded) in case anyone likes it and would prefer it without the voice.
posted by micayetoca at 2:42 PM on April 8, 2009

Hey, this is very smooth, man, and very artistic! I love it!

I do have a request though, do you mind posting the lyrics? If you do, don't worry about translating, I'll be able to read it!

Thanks for posting this!
posted by snsranch at 5:18 PM on April 8, 2009

My favorite part about this tune is the percussion. You've really put together a neat texture, that is at once distant and near. I think the vocals sound good (but could be turned up a little bit)!
posted by Corduroy at 7:46 PM on April 8, 2009

I too like the textures of the percussion here, and the break from the faster part to the kind of slowed down, clearer part. It's amazing how everyone's submissions don't seem particularly troubled by the two-chord restriction. I'm pondering how I might attempt this challenge as well...
posted by edlundart at 11:17 PM on April 8, 2009

The thing with the lyrics is that I actually made up the words, it doesn't say anything. I was having trouble coming up with good lyrics and I didn't want to make some silly lyrics just to have something to sing, so I chose to do it this way:

Kimo mane kale kamé
kuami kané
kimo kuale kale kamé

Mekane eshtane kuaré samé
mekane kuale
Mekane eshtane kualé kamé

kaese ku kodoni ashtani ru
kaese ku kami kameru

kimo kane kuale kuamé
cane kualé
kimo kuale kane kamé

Mekane eshtane kalé kuamé
mekane kalé
Mekane eshtane kuaré kamé

kaese ku kodoni ashtani ru
kaese ku kami kameru

the break from the faster part to the kind of slowed down, clearer part

What I did there in order to differentiate more between the two parts was that I inverted the order of the chords. During the rest of the song it's Am7 + Gm7 and there it is Gm7 + Am7. Small little thing, but it helps, I think.

And thanks to all for the comments.
posted by micayetoca at 12:14 AM on April 9, 2009

So great. I'm digging the percussion as well. I think I've said this before to you, but I really like the way you use space in your recordings, both in terms of room sound and movement through he stereo field.
posted by cortex at 2:45 PM on April 9, 2009

Made-up words fit well with this other-worldly song, a fuzzy transmission from who-knows-where.

Oh, man, that little bridge (?) at 2:15 is pretty great -- what is that sound?

PS -- micayetoca, I have a question for you over here.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 10:09 PM on April 9, 2009

Real nice groove here. I also would like to find out how you got that sound at the bridge. I love the opening drum fill too.

This reminded me of several Can songs both because of the groove and the made up lyrics.
posted by dagosto at 11:42 PM on April 9, 2009

Man, those lyrics and your singing them is really awesome! You sound so convincing in making some point or expressing something that even though the words are made up they aren't really meaningless. Very cool.
posted by snsranch at 2:15 PM on April 10, 2009

Great song, and I am nthing the love of the drum/percussion textures. Also, it wouldn't have occurred to me that those lyrics consisted of made-up words — as snsranch expressed, your delivery really does give them meaning.
posted by lovermont at 10:44 PM on April 10, 2009

I think I've said this before to you but I really like the way you use space in your recordings, both in terms of room sound and movement through he stereo field.

You had mentioned it indeed, but I'm glad you said it again, because sometimes I wonder if I use panning excessively and if it comes across as a one-trick-pony thing.

that little bridge (?) at 2:15 is pretty great -- what is that sound?

That was played in acoustic guitar, two different tracks, one at the top of the neck and the other an octave higher. Then I used some effect that ACID calls "tremolo wah" and I think some flanger as well. I also tweaked the EQ on the bass (which is actually not bass, it's acoustic guitar, but I dropped it an octave on the same software) in that part.

You sound so convincing in making some point or expressing something that even though the words are made up they aren't really meaningless

your delivery really does give them meaning.

Thanks for saying that. Originally I had some lyrics in English, but I didn't want it to be in English. Then when I decided I was going to make the words up I did choose specific words so that it would have some specific sound. Perhaps that is what gives them than feeling.

Thanks again to all for listening to it and commenting.
posted by micayetoca at 7:07 AM on April 11, 2009

Very mellow, the percussion conjures a slow sunset in my dusky room.
posted by freya_lamb at 11:46 AM on April 12, 2009

Ay yi yi I thought I commented on this one before. Love it.
Love the ska. I'm skanking right now. Well, in spirit I am.
posted by chococat at 3:36 PM on April 13, 2009