The possibilities are endless for interstellar synth traveler Lance Neptune
Lance Neptune makes expansive music, soundscapes that suggest endless journeys into infinite space. “I’m inspired by astronomy,” he says. “When you listen to a track, I want you to feel like the music can go on forever. The fact that the universe is never-ending inspires me every day. Every possibility, anything you can think of, can be done. There’s no ceiling, unless you’re in a house.”
As promised, the songs on Animal Eclipse, his new EP on the Magicwire label, are multidimensional, moving in all directions at the same time. Ambient washes of sound rub up against dance beats, while growling animals and other natural sounds dance hand in hand with warm, throbbing synthesizer textures. “I wanted to show o my versatility on this album,” says Neptune. “My first record, Synthesis, was dreamy and atmospheric. This one has a lot of angles. It’s still ambient, but you can dance to it, too.
“I like layering electronic and natural sounds, so I record hand percussion and patterns I tap out with drum sticks, or I put my mic up to the window and pull in the sounds of rain or birds tripping. I live in Maryland, near Washington D.C., the home of go-go music. It’s a big influence on my work. It has a bounce you don’t get anywhere else.”
Neptune created all the sounds on Animal Eclipse by himself, in an intense burst of creative energy. “I like to work alone, without any distractions or anyone interfering with the creative process,” he says. “I just buckled down for a few months and knocked it out. I do like to make music with friends and get their feedback while I’m working on tracks, but most of the time, I do it alone. I’ve always got a lot of music in my head.”
—j. poet
