Memory Scale – Soft Power (Audiobulb, 2021)
Memory Scale is the project of Arnaud Castagné, from Bordeaux, France. Memory Scale is described as a cinematographic universe based on sound textures and synthetic melodies, mixing electronica and ambient soundscapes to create a hybrid and contemplative form of pop.
Arnaud Castagné describes Soft Power: “I created this musical project in 2018 with the idea of bringing together my experiences, my memories, my encounters and to feed my compositions. In addition to reorganizing my ideas, I have also reorganized my creative space by orienting myself towards tools and instruments that also represent my feelings. And I’m talking about my studio because it’s a central part of this album. This is where I went regularly for 3 years, once a week, to have a special time, time for exploration and introspection.
“The rules were not to think about the composition, on the contrary. Focusing on a single instrument, experimenting with different recording processes (even absurd, utopian, aberrant), using the cassettes of my recordings as a child, immersing myself in a modular synthesizer patch, developing a plugin, trying to play the guitar,… Each session was an opportunity to discover things, to be amazed at the result of my trial and error, to let oneself be lulled by infinite sound loops. And record. All. All the time.
“One year ago, I gathered all this sound material to compose, this time. This album is therefore special for me because it is the sum of different moments, states of mind and instruments. Part of what I compose under Memory Scale is related to rhythm, pop or rock artifacts, chords. Here, due to the nature of the recordings, I made up pieces like mixing plasticine [similar to play-doh]. Personal, contemplative, and melancholy moments. A snapshot of my studio at night, finally.”
Buy Soft Power