Lost Hold - Produced by Geoff Strasser

Lost Hold - by rioux, produced by Geoff Strasser




Here's a new track called "Lost Hold". It's a collaboration between myself and DJ/progammer, Geoff Strasser. For the most part he engineered and produced the track, and I can't speak highly enough of him. I'm sure we'll be working together in the future. You can check out his label, Purple Bird Music here!

CMJ

So it's been a long long time since the last post. CMJ week has come to a close here in NYC. After performing on Day 1 of the festival, here's what some nice people had to say about the live show (which for the first time included visuals by Josh Cabrido):

"Rioux, of NYU's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, showcased his talent in the Kimmel Center's Eisner & Lubin Auditorium. With the help of video projections tangentially related to his songs, the one-man band delivered a strong debut. Rioux's music transitioned from drone pop to danceable rhythms within a single drumbeat. Many of the songs in the short set had eight-bit backbones with subtle African polyrhythms. On top of that, they combined pre-recorded harmonies and samples with Rioux's live guitar and trumpet skills. Various symphonic trills added texture to the already dense arrangements. By the end of the set, Rioux was sweating profusely. The eclectic and animated performance earned him many new fans; he ran out of his free CDs. Free or not, his music is definitely worth the attention."

—Aaron Gonsher of Washinton Square News

"Using a floor tom, guitar, trumpet, electronic drum pad and a MacBook, Rioux demonstrated how technology has drastically changed the concept of a one-man band "

–The HiFi Cartel

To finish up CMJ week, I got hit by a car going down third ave on my bike. Four stitches and a concussion, but last Tuesday's show has made it all seem worth it.

-rioux.

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On Returning

Hello. I finished a new suite of instrumental compositions. It's called On Returning and it will in time be released as an EP. You can stream each of its four tracks below.

Warm regards from the Mitten State,

rioux.

On Returning

Detroit

729 Dressler Ln.

And Being There It Struck Me

newsss

Well here are some updates---

(one) the rioux blog now has a new domain on the world-wide-web: www.riouxnyc.com

(two) a new song titled "Rain" has been posted---this brings me to the next update---

(three) on the new audio streaming section of the blog. Enjoy!

Alright, here's something to listen to several times over with the accompaniment of some fun stock footage. As always really great work from Michigan pal Jon Visger (aka Bug Lung Baby).

Bug Lung Baby - The Stupidest Things from Monami Class on Vimeo.

This pretty weirdobscurejapanese guitar with bizarre intonation now has the look to match: spraypainted pickups and headstock with decals. This is about as craftsy as I'll get.
And finally, I've put all my pedals onto a board. Can't wait to gig with it. I suppose the long delay was due to my prolonged search for the perfect looper. I bought an Echoplex (Gibson/Oberheim) a couple years back and was - though thoroughly impressed - a little put off by its lack of intuitiveness. I'm sure this comment would garner some harsh words from the gear sluts out there and perhaps Battles hoho! Let's just say I wasn't able to master the echoplex like they did. and boy, did they ever... Anyways I digress. Leave it to Electro Harmonix to come out with the ideal looper. No, it doesn't support MIDI clock syncing or that wonderful UNDO function of the Echoplex, but the ability to alter playback speed and overdub on top brings me closer to real tape looping than Gibson/Oberheim ever did. Right now I have it at the end of my signal chain, with the short ambient loops Danelectro ReverseDelay running through the other effects, allowing me to blend two loops. Works like a charm! The tech-dork in me is revealed.