The Sound of Söftware

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Recent Shows
(all music copywrite 1981-2006 Plexus Productions, All Rights Reserved)

52 Studios Artist's Open House, 4-6 May 2006

Friday's show with Lorry Ayers on vocals, 1h22m (99Mb MP3)
> download mp3 (because of technical problems there are numerous audio dropouts in this file)

Saturday's show, 1h33m (113Mb MP3)
> download mp3 (because of technical problems there are numerous audio dropouts in this file)

October 2004, The Ambient Ping, Gladstone Hotel

Set 1, Oct 2004 61:01 (56Mb MP3)

Set 2, Oct 2004 60:04 (55Mb MP3)

Set 1, July 2003 59:52 (53Mb MP3)

July 2003 , The Ambient Ping, C'est What?

Söftware performed at The Ambient Ping in August 2003. It was an interesting show because the theme was 'period music on period instruments' - only synths and sound generators from 1985 and earlier were using including a large PAiA 4700 Modular (c. 1976) that Plexus had restored that summer. No computers were used. The setup was a Korg Rythmn 55 drum machine with its sync pulse driving the two step sequencers of the PAiA and an MC202. Plexus played a minimoog and a Roland MKS30. Of course with no computer and only step sequencers for the ostinato, nothing was preset. Paul's set up was based around a Godin and Roland GR707 guitar, into an ME-10 effects board, also an Electroharmonix Guitar Synth, not the little pedal one but a very rare rack mount. Looping was provided by an Electrix Repeater on Plexus' side syncing Paul's Lexicon Jamman. It was all very primitive but then that's the way it was 20-30 years ago.

Enjoy this MP3 of the first set. As always nothing has been edited or changed from the original performance. Toasybird did an amazing video presentation. At all Söftware shows, Toastybird performs live video mixing and projection. She uses two DVD players feeding into a video mixer and a source of hundreds of original clips of various things she shoots herself. She mixed the video which is projected over the band, live. Its very spontaneous along with the music and always a unique show.

These are excerpts from live Söftware shows from 1998 to 2003. They have not been edited in anyway from what was performed live.

A Hazy Shade of Haze 6:10
Heavy hitting tabla based rhythms set against a spooky smear of Asselin guitar.

Baby Oh Baby 9:54
Punctuated guitar loops and a piano plays overhead, looped and Frippertronics appear.

Bit 010010 3:47
Back to tablas and a thump bass backdrops a manic guitar synth.

The Cat and Mouse 2:23
A mellow organ and guitar play....

Crabs in Our Pants 8:01
Slow moving string pads and a processed guitar loop around each other... and dance.

Garage Sale 4:44
Piano loops and vintage guitar synth, together.

Genesis 1 12 3:17
This is the finale of a set: loops from other parts of the set, set loose with solos and manipulations.

Gritty Wits 6:16
Virtual analogue sequencer, half speed Repeater drum track and space guitar. Yum!

Guitar Mama 5:08
Multiple guitar looping and mean Mellotron pads makes mama happy

John s New Pillow 5:55
Another nice ambient track with lush pads, organ and sweet sweet Asselin guitar. Take a rest.

Mama's Boots 2:44
Keep relaxing to this soothing smooth move.

Orinocofuck 3:18
And that segues into this, another smooth move here by Paul with his disciplined guitar.

Zoxymoxy 7:16
We leave you with this typical Söftware live jam of loops, sequencers, Verlain like guitars and NOISE!

Epic Live Sets

Whale Part One 1:01:02
In 1982 we wrote a song called Whale. Serene the Silver Fishes Glide... we performed it at a concert where in a colleague, who had indulged in some cannabis before, suggested we create a longer version so he could enjoy his indulgences. (Sean Mallony if you are reading this, please contact us.) We sat down, before dinner, to do just that and came up with 45 minutes of Whale. Then another 45 minutes gushed forth after dinner, like a mint. Well, every year after, we recorded 90 minutes of Whale until we had 12 parts in 9 hours of music spanning some 10 years. In 1998 we decided to pay homage to this monumental work by performing Whale Live Parts One and Two. What you have here is Part One, an entire hour long, unrehearsed set of our music set in the key of Stern Lipped Pale and Wondered Eyed.

Söftware Technojazz 1

recorded live 1998, Toronto, Canada

Technojazz 1.1	15:30	14MB
Technojazz 1.2	5:00	4.5MB
Technojazz 1.4	11:22	10.4MB
Technojazz 1.6	6:45	6.1MB
Technojazz 1.7	10:22	9.4MB
Technojazz 1.8	5:22	4.9MB

There will be more sounds posted soon!

contact Söftware

Plexus Interactive Group 323-52 St. Lawrence Street Toronto, Canada M5A 3N1 Tel: +1 416 366 99 61 E-Mail: plexus@canada.com