Monkeys in Space

In 2012 I attempted Nasoalmo for the first time while simultaneously writing a novel for Nanowrimo. To make it slightly easier on myself the album was a concept album based on the novel and they’re both called Monkeys in Space.

Though they were meant to be the same, the album and novel tell a slightly different story. The album is much more direct and hopefully the story can be understood through the music and the track titles. If I find time between the other writing I’m doing I may try and release the novel at some point.

I’ve remixed the album into a shorter EP. One track didn’t make the cut and the rest have been cleaned up and remixed. While they still have a few warts, they sound a lot better than they did, and I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.

I’ve made the remixed version of Monkeys in Space available for free on Bandcamp. Of course, you can pay for it if you want!

Music Style

For the music I wanted to emphasise the two cultures clashing aspect of the novel. I’d planned to have two unique music styles which would merge later on in the album. I feel I was partially successful with this. The two unique styles is immediately apparent between Specimen and At the Court of the King, for example. I don’t think I really got the merging of styles the way I wanted it. There’s some reuse of melody lines in Relentless but that’s about as far as I got.

What I was most pleased with is the tribal style of music used for In the Night Sky, Hunter of Men and At the Court of the King. I struggled to get the mix right for Heliosphere during Naso, and it shows on the original version, but the three tribal tracks came together easily.

Don’t forget to have a listen to Monkeys in Space!