“Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.” — Aretha Franklin

See

Key 63

Perpetual Emotion Machine

from Glory

2007

See has become one of my favourite songs as the result of a very successful collaboration with Archie Macdonald.

Originally, the track was a simple psy-trance/house track based around a single sample from a popular 80’s song. I gradually added more strings and percussion and played out on the groove for a full 10 minute instrumental.

I am not sure which came first, the collaboration with Archie or the lyrics, but the next iteration had both. I had wanted him to play improv keyboard bits for one of my other songs, but he declined to work on that one, instead insisting on working on See. I played him the song a couple of times, and then played a section of it on a loop. He vamped for about 20 minutes and the best bits ended up on the track. In fact, the track is almost completely about the piano part now, including most notably, the semi-tone rise to the major chord during the middle section, entirely inspired by his piano part.

The lyrics are yet another reference to travelling (or escaping), similar in context to the EtherReal song ‘Driving‘. Although, I have never been happy with the vocal recording on this song (either version).

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See (Demo)

Perpetual Emotion Machine

The instrumental demo, first version.

Credits

written, produced and arranged by Perpetual Emotion Machine. ©2007 Woof Boom Productions.


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See

Perpetual Emotion Machine

The final album version with lyrics and the piano part added.

Credits

written, produced and arranged by Perpetual Emotion Machine and Archie Macdonald. piano by Archie Macdonald. ©2007 Woof Boom Productions.


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See (Excursion To The Version)

Perpetual Emotion Machine

This remix was done for the Excursion Ep in 2007. It was based on an unfinished track called You’re Leaving Again which just happened to be in the same key as See and at the same tempo. it also had some ad libbed vocals in it which seemed to fit, so I kept them in and used it as an excuse to re-record the vocals for See (while also adding a new bit).

Credits

written, produced and arranged by Perpetual Emotion Machine. piano by Archie Macdonald. remix by Perpetual Emotion Machine. ©2007 Woof Boom Productions.


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See (2023 Live Mix)

Perpetual Emotion Machine

This unreleased version was used for a one off live performance by Key in 2023. The piano parts were played live by Key and Archie Macdonald.

Credits

written, produced and arranged by Perpetual Emotion Machine. piano by Archie Macdonald and Key. additional production by Key. ©2007/2023 Woof Boom Productions.