As close to perfect execution of an idea as I’ve come so far. An exploration of a microtonal choral texture playing against the string resonance of a single soliloquizing piano line. The choral layer sounds magical and enveloping, and accurate to the inspiration of the piece: the sunken city of “Ys” comes from a French folktale, which relates that people on the shores would, on occasion, hear the music from the choirs of the city’s underwater cathedral. A gorgeous miniature which makes smart use of dynamic variation to prevent the towering and constant background layer from straining the ears. The striking sonics of the choir are my favorite thing about this recording: I’ve never heard anything that sounds quite the same way, which I take as a sign of success in a composition.

      Grade: A

The difference in audio fidelity between this piece and the Page 2 pieces is significant to say the least; a clear example of my increased expertise in production. The forward momentum around [1:45] when the drums enter fully and the piano settles into running 16ths works really well, as does the entrance of the bass shortly after which floods the mix in a satisfying way. The bass and the large splash hitting at the same time at [1:55] is a nice touch, as is the downward pitch bend with falls with the water droplets a moment after.

The rushing and splashing water sounds in this piece are beautiful against the other instruments, but I wonder if the water sounds could have been used in a more compelling way. I also think the piece could have been longer, as it feels like it rushes by without making too much of an impact. Some of the keyboard lines could have been reworked to feel more smooth.

      Grade: B

Easily the most technically difficult piece I’ve ever made. Uses an abundance of subtly treated sounds, all working together in dense layers and constantly varying, to create an intricate and expansive sound-world. The strobing section at [2:54] stands out as particularly inspired, featuring a Snowglobe-esque moment where a sung note shines out through the dense texture. A thoroughly magical recording which succeeds at presenting an avalanche ideas and sound-objects while maintaining coherence.

With these complements paid, I’m not without criticisms. I feel like the dramatic progression of the piece could be more engaging and memorable than it is. I question certain mixing decision throughout, e.g. the bass around [2:20] perhaps could have been more tightly controlled. And while the music is certainly vivid, I feel like it could be even more vivid, because there’s something slightly flat about the overall sonic character of the piece, as if a layer of sparkle and detail had been sanded off. I’m also worried that the general outlines of the material presented here are somewhat generic, i.e. not as fresh and gripping as I originally thought they were. Perhaps this is just my acclimatization to the piece though, shaped by listening to this recording, during and after its creation, countless times.

      Grade: A-

A kind of sound-collage which offers some beautiful, high-definition interplay between a few different instruments. Uses water sounds, calling back to Riverrun, and vocal snippets which are from the famous scene from Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” where the Knight meets Death on the beach for a game of chess (hence the title). The tranquil, drifting surface of the piece makes it work nicely as an interlude.

      Grade: B+

Contains some pleasant melodic ideas, but overall this piece is light on content and sounds cheaply engineered.

      Grade: C-

Similar in sonics to Hardcandy, closing the Suite as it began. Unlike Hardcandy, this piece is short and ends before it can really develop, which is sad given that the flood of arpegios, stampeding noise elements, and warm synth layers that the piece provides is really beautiful. Having worked on this recording just a couple days ago, I can speak to exactly why this was: I was dealing with a serious creative block at the time, and decided that the best strategy was to polish and release the material I currently had instead of trying to add more. This seems to have worked somewhat, but the end result leaves a lot to be desired. A compelling entry which, like many on this page, is restrained by its brevity.

      Grade: B

An atmospheric piece which features some solid piano playing and decent uses of strings and wind sounds (another echo of Snowglobe). Presents some beautiful harmonic moments, for example [0:54]. Has a somewhat flat overall character which makes it feel a bit underwhelming.

      Grade: B-

A piece whose simple exterior holds multiple meanings, this recording is a sequel to Page 2’s Not Even Past and presents similarly beautiful melodic and harmonic ideas. Ends with a series of shaded, bittersweet chords, the last of which rings out in a rich and ambiguous ambience which feels like a fitting ending to Page 3’s fluid, exploratory material.

      Grade: B+

Looking back on Page 3, I’m finding it strangely difficult to sum up my feelings on it. Perhaps I’ve now spent too much time writing about my music and can’t think clearly about it anymore. Nevertheless, this page holds what are easily some of my best pieces of music to date, like Ys and Hardcandy: recordings which spin up deeper dreams than I had been able to put together previously. Whatever its flaws may be, it seems that Sketchbook Page 3 is my most consistent, most imaginative, and best sounding collection of music to date, so, even amidst mixed emotions, I think I’ll have to call it a success. Looking forward to Page 4.