Ch.1 EP: A Snapshot of the Process
The first Simonoto EP, Ch.1, is live across streaming platforms and Bandcamp. Four tracks that started as sketches in Logic last winter became this snapshot of where I'm at creatively—sonically, arrangement-wise, and in terms of what I want my music to feel like.
The Four Tracks
The EP opens with BellDingThing, a percussive intro built around a heavily processed bell-like synth pad and live bass. It's deliberately short—a 45-second amuse-bouche that sets the texture for what follows. The goal was to intrigue before committing the listener to a longer form.
SloppyDrippy is where the groove lands. This one went through the most iterations. I wanted a funk tune that felt loose and conversational—the kind of bassline that sounds like it's talking back and forth with the drums. The mix leans into stereo width and compression to make the groove feel alive.
Sonar takes a different angle: more spacious, more about restraint. It's built on a fingerpicked bass riff (performance captured live, then processed) and lives in the interplay between what's there and what's implied. Good for headphones. Good for studying.
The closer, Tynomite!, returns to density—layered synths, live drums, and a bassline that locks into a pocket. It's the most produced track; the most intentional about creating a sense of arrival.
Gear & Workflow
Most of the EP was tracked and mixed in Logic Pro on a 2023 MacBook Pro. Bass and drums were performed live, everything else synthesized or processed. Key tools in the signal chain:
- Synthesizers: Logic stock synths (Alchemy, Sculpture) plus some sound design using Serum
- Compression: Heavy use of Logic's Compressor and sidechain routing to glue arrangements together
- EQ: Stock Logic EQ-8 with surgical high-end work and lo-mid punch
- Space: Stock reverb and delay, some Valhalla VintageVerb for texture
- Master: Mastered for Spotify, Apple Music, and CD with a focus on loudness compliance and frequency balance
Production Philosophy
"The goal was to make something that sounds intentional but not overproduced. Funk lives in pocket and feel, not in perfection."
I'm a producer and musician first, a perfectionist second. Decisions on this EP were about serving the groove and the arrangement, not chasing technical purity. If a vocal sample needed to sit slightly off-time, it stayed off-time. If the kick drum had character, I kept the character.
Next
Ch.1 is a statement: here's what I'm making, here's how I approach funk and soul music. It's a foundation for feedback, for booking, for collaborations. The next chapter begins with you—listener, collaborator, venue owner, playlist curator—deciding what this music means to you.
Stream on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and wherever else fine music is sold.
"Liked the story? Own the record."
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