This track is my sonic interpretation of Armonía (Autorretrato Sugerente) by Remedios Varo. I wanted to capture that feeling of floating between reality and illusion, between control and chaos. The painting inspired me to create a shifting structure, where elements emerge and fade away like fragments of musical memory.
Nerf is built around tension, contained energy ready to explode. I played with gritty textures, unpredictable rhythms, and a dynamic oscillation between organic and mechanical sounds, like the fusion of a creative mind with its environment. The melodies, sometimes muffled, sometimes striking, reflect this inner struggle between control and surrender.
Hope you enjoy it! Looking forward to your thoughts.
definitely doesn’t fit under the dnb or breaks genres for me, but that’s just one insight. genres don’t really matter.
i really love the disjunct percussive element, kinda sounds like a woodblock or rim shot with the verb and delay. that’s probably my fave part, oddly enough because the synths are so dry and front facing… but that little strike kinda opens the space up. this track is so weird in a GOOD way, i listened to this a few times and didn’t notice that syncopated woodblock element till like the 3rd time through. I’m like, why do I like this track so much?
this is such a WEIRD (again, in a good way – to me) track. I checked out the art you were inspired by and… love that i was able to put a visual to this, it kinda gave me insight to you and why you wrote the piece.
did you release this though? this thread is in member releases. kinda feels like a WIP so should be in the LB?
Thanks for the deep dive into the track, really appreciate it!
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about it not fitting strictly under DnB or Breaks—it leans more into the experimental and abstract side of things, but those influences are definitely in there, especially in the percussive work. That syncopated woodblock/rim shot element was something I played around with a lot, trying to create that odd tension against the more rigid, upfront synths. Glad you picked up on that!
And yeah, the inspiration from the painting really shaped the way I approached the track. It felt like capturing something fragmented, evolving, almost unstable in structure but still cohesive in emotion.
As for the release, this is not a WIP, it’s a finished piece, though I totally get why it might feel like one since it plays with that sense of unpredictability and movement. But I’ll make sure to clarify that in the thread!
About the name Nerf, it’s a bit of a double meaning. On one side, it reflects a sense of softening or muting certain elements, almost like “nerfing” them in a game, holding back intensity in some places to create contrast. On the other hand, it’s got this raw, instinctive energy, like something that’s both playful and disorienting at the same time.
Glad you enjoyed it! Curious to hear more of your thoughts if you listen again.
thanks for the response @johnmusichead yes I am def going to revisit this again with fresh ears mañana.
saying it felt WIP wasnt intended to come across like "this doesn’t feel finished. the SC upload you have here just cuts off a little abruptly. was that intentional?
are you going to make more music like this? i’m interested in it. It’s “jazzy” in a way… again (fuckin) genres… I mean jazzy as in this is very freeform. I like it. make more stuff like this! might follow in your footsteps.
visual art and paintings definitely inspire my music (Rothko is the first that comes to mind). I’m curious what other visual art you are looking at these days.
Yeah, the abrupt ending was actually a happy accident, when I exported from Ableton, I forgot to add two extra beats at the end. But when I played it back, I kind of liked that sudden cut-off; it adds this unexpected jolt, like the track just gets pulled away mid-thought. So I decided to keep it. Glad you noticed that!
And yeah, I’m definitely going to make more music like this. This freeform, textural approach just feels right, like letting the sound evolve on its own terms rather than forcing it into a rigid structure. Love that you called it “jazzy” in that sense, totally resonates with how I want to approach composition going forward.
As for visual inspirations, lately I’ve been diving into Remedios Varo, Max Ernst, and some of Zdzisław Beksiński’s surreal nightmare worlds. Also, some abstract contemporary stuff, there’s something about chaotic yet intentional brush strokes that mirrors what I want to do sonically. Rothko is a great reference too, his work has this immersive depth that you kind of feel rather than see.
Would love to hear how visual art influences your music too! What is it about Rothko that speaks to you in a musical sense?
I’d love to give you early access to my latest track from my upcoming album! It’s not out yet, so please keep the link private. Here it is; I hope you enjoy it!
Curious to hear more of your thoughts if you listen again.
