- original music and arrangements -
Gotham

Gotham Groans...

New York strong...

May 2020 - The city that never sleeps has been restless. Quarantined and in shock as the death toll from the pandemic emptied its busy streets, pent-up energy has been building. Long overdue for something a little more hard-edged during this unprecedented era of uncertainty, this tune was birthed. A (1) powerful D-50 synth patch called "Gotham Chords" and (2) the repeated mantra of "New York tough" both contributed to the title and concept of this arrangement/recording.


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Gotham groans... Gotham moans...
Folks are angry and feel alone
Gotham heaves and Gotham sighs
As more and more people die

Concrete canyons echo back
A lonely cry, a bitter fact
Tiny droplets in the air
Bring death to Anubis' private lair

But from the ashes, filled with grim
The city will rise up once again
Gotham streets are empty now
But they'll find a way someday somehow

About the Music
Electric trombone coupled with an overdrive monster guitar patch on the Oberheim share the lead. A drum groove from Looperman.com1 was integral to kicking this up a notch. The intro features a bit of multiphoncs2 on the trombone. The short second B section has an ensemble of three trombones. The vamp out at the end builds to a collective frenzy yet the trombone persists against the chaotic elements, like the fighting spirit of New Yorkers...

1 - Metal Drums 6 by kittybiscuits
2 - Multiphonics are made by singing into the instrument while playing it, enabling the creation of chords.