Snug AKA Adam McLellan

Halifax debut fo Arcadia

2012-02-12T11:16:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be debuting my new project, Arcadia, in Halifax alongside a long overdue Snug set(probably a "deep end" set with some live improv keys). Should be a good time!

Preview: Ascension

2012-01-10T17:37:00.002-04:00

Happy New Year all!

I just wanted to take a moment to share a tune I started back in December.

Ascension (clip) by Snug

You might call this a sort of tribute to ASC (hence the name), if only because I'm using several samples from his sample pack (check it out!)

Thursday Throwback - December 8, 2011

2011-12-07T18:53:00.004-04:00

Well here it is. The last throwback. I had wanted to put together a mix of all (or most) of the tracks that I had "thrown back" over the last year, but I'm out of town and the hotel wifi is so brutally slow that it probably would have taken 12 hours just to download the tracks to my laptop. I'll save this for another day.
Instead I've summoned my inner nerd (the same as my outer nerd, but slightly nerdier) to perform some data entry and mining. Here is a breakdown of throwbacks by genre:

Here's the same thing in a word cloud:

acid breakbeat demo downtempo drum & bass house pop rock scene techno tv vgm

Overall I think this is pretty indicative of where my musical interests lie, or at least did if you were to take a cross-section of what I listened to up until 2007 (the youngest throwback), with some bias towards to the latter part of this period.
Notable exceptions include metal and punk. While I did listen to these in my youth, they never really stuck with me, so I guess I felt less inclined to throw them back.
Other interesting but ultimately useless statistics:

Average throwback age: 13 years
Estimated percentage of throwbacks written in my underpants: 79
Throwbacks that I didn't feel like writing but did anyways because I felt an obligation: 5

So there you have it. If this whole exercise serves no other purpose at least Google now knows what kind of music I like (as if they didn't already). You're welcome, internet...

Thursday Throwback - December 1, 2011

2011-12-01T19:43:00.005-04:00

Happy December folks (though you wouldn't know it if you're on the East Coast - the mercury was well above zero today).

I spent the day in Centre-of-nowhere-ville again and was listening to techno and house pretty much the whole way there and back. It's been a while since I had a good listening session and it totally jogged my memory about one of my - if not my all-time - favourite deep house tracks.

When I first discovered this track I went overboard and "over"-listened to it, hence why I had totally forgotten about it until now, but I think I'm ready to start including it in my semi-regular rotation once again!

I would go so far as to call this a masterpiece of deep house. It's masterfully arranged and has pretty much everything I want to hear in a deep house track: a funky bassline, lots of space and texture, subtle rhythms, smooth transitions and a gradual build up to an excellent hook.

For me it's right up there with one of my other all-time favourites, "Deep Breath" by Nick Curly c. 2007 (perhaps a bit too new to throw-back, however).

"Le Champagne" by Trentemøller c. 2003. Enjoy!

P.S. next week is the last official throwback. I hope to prepare something special, time permitting, although I just found out I'm going to be in Tennessee for the better part of the week! Fingers crossed I can find the time.

Thursday Throwback - November 24, 2011

2011-11-24T18:22:00.003-04:00

This week's throwback goes out to my Mario Kart crew - the many adversaries I've faced off with in the original SNES Mario Kart battle mode since it was released in 1992. Just off the top of my head: Chris P, Mike P, Jordan L, Anne B, Amanda, Keri, Sasha L, Denis T, Bruno C, James B, Jamie R, James S, and many more I'm sure I'm forgetting. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing: keep on kartin', yo!

I have no idea how many hours I've listened to this track. It's gotta be in the hundreds. The great thing about the original Mario Kart soundtrack is that synth bass sample... bow bow buh-buh-buh bow... that never gets old!

Mario Kart (SNES) - battle mode, c. 1992:

And now for a sad announcement: December 9th marks the the 1 year anniversary of Thursday Throwback. It will also mark the last.

I originally started doing this as a promotional tool to increase readership on my blog and ultimately get the word out about my music. From that perspective it's been largely unsuccessful. Perhaps I've not been doing enough to promote it - I am often guilty of that.

Regardless, I've enjoyed chronicling the music of my past and will continue to post old tracks as they pop into my head, just not necessarily on Thursdays.

Enter Arcadia

2011-11-20T11:40:00.007-04:00

It is with great excitement that I announce my newest project, Arcadia:

Arcadia is the brain-child of Adam McLellan (Snug) and James Spray (The WAX). Fueled by a common love of sci-fi, video games and new music the two started collaborating in 2011. Their ideas explore the collision of electronic music with the more conventional genres of rock and pop, resulting in volatile musical experimentation that is as gritty as it is easy to listen to. Watch for their debut EP in early 2012.

We’ve been exploring a lot of interesting ideas - often pushing one another to venture outside of our comfort zones which is always a good way to foster creativity.

Our debut show (as it stands) is March 22nd @ The Capital in Fredericton, NB, but we’ll likely make a debut in Halifax sometime over the Winter if we can find an appropriate venue.

We actually have enough for an EP now but want to let the material mature a little bit before releasing it officially. In the meantime you can find a couple demos on our SoundCloud page and we'll be posting more over the next couple of months.

Latest tracks by Arcadia Sound

If you like what you hear then please click the “Like” button over on our Facebook page.

Thursday Throwback - November 17, 2011

2011-11-16T20:41:00.009-04:00

When I was in grade 4 or 5 I wrote a rap song about being abducted by aliens. I guess you could say it was the first song I ever wrote.

There was no music per se, only a drum beat and a little spaceship-esque sound, both courtesy of my Yamaha PSS-280. Unfortunately I can't remember the last little bit so you'll just have to make something up on the fly.

I really wanted to make a music video for this but it never materialized - I simply can't imagine the amount of success and fame I would have seen if it had!

Young me, approx 1990 (imagine spaceship sounds wherever you see "..."):

I was walking one day, to get to the mall
When I looked up in the sky and saw something small
It came down low and it began to grow
And to my surprise it was a U.F.O.
U... F... O...

That night when it was all over
I went to my friend’s for a sleep-over
I saw it again that very night
It was so bright, I almost lost my sight
U... F... O...

A man came out ???
???
He gave me a tag and shoved me in a bag
And took me away to outer space
U... F... O...

If you come up with something clever for the end do let me know.

Thursday Throwback - November 10, 2011

2011-11-09T21:49:00.007-04:00

Going to explore some new territory this week with a TV throwback. If you don't know this one you must have been in hibernation between the years of 1988 and 1995, when this theme song was on the air. (The show itself is still on but they've changed the theme. Blasphemy!)

As far as creepy theme songs this one destroys them all, hands down. I mean this makes the X-Files theme sound like a leisurely stroll with a loved one on a brisk Fall evening. It makes the Tales The Crypt theme sound like some kind of crazy, but enjoyable, medieval circus.

As a musical piece I think this thing is just brilliant. Sure the sounds may be dated but if you can look at past that I'm sure you'll agree. I imagine this is the sort of things zombies would play if they threw parties (... who says they don't?)

To be honest I had completely forgotten about this tune until just last week. I was working on an arrangement with Mr. James Spray of The WAX and he was describing this sound that went "waaaanh eeennh", and I was like "that's so totally the sound in the Unsolved Mysteries theme song!" (and also the sound my cat just made at me)

Thursday Throwback - November 3, 2011

2011-11-03T22:22:00.003-03:00

Late throwback today and therefore a quick one. Spent the day in Centreville for work (or as I affectionately call it, Centre-of-nowhere-ville) and heading to the Valley tomorrow with my wife. Between now and then I need to bounce some stems for The WAX record, send some work e-mails, buy and mail a gift, mail another gift, do laundry, pack, and probably 7 other things that I've forgotten.

As such I figured it would behoove me to post something to help calm my nerves. So here's a tune off of Alaska's "Arctic Foundations" album - one out of the stand-outs for me, next to Halcyon 4.1. Love the little guitar-esque sounds, the way the bass drops in effortlessly and of course the little drum work about 3/4 of the way through.

Archaic by Alaska c. 2006:

Thursday Throwback - October 27, 2011

2011-10-26T22:56:00.005-03:00

Halloween is coming up and I couldn't think of a more fitting tune to post than this one. You gotta love the the creepy ambience and freaky noises throughout. You can tell these guys were all about experimentation when they were writing this track.

I still have my copy of this LP and it's one of a few LPs that I'd definitely hold on to even if I were to sell my record collection. My favourite tune off the LP is probably Resurrection feat. Ryme Tyme, which also has a bit of a creepy vibe ("the mind creepers, the soul seekers"), and FYI mixes perfectly into the Konflict remix of Karl K - Synapse ;)

Ed Rush & Optical "The Creeps" c. 2000:

Happy Halloween!

New track: Exoplanet feat. James Spray

2011-10-22T13:36:00.006-03:00

One of my music colleagues and band-mates from The WAX (James Spray, a name you will be hearing much more often) wrote a little ambient piece a while ago. I loved the feel of the main synth pad and the sparse piano hits and immediately heard potential for a drum & bass version.

The original track was at a completely different tempo but after a bit of chopping and warping I was able to create a loop that "feels like" drum & bass speed. Using the big vocal swell was an after-thought but I feel it gels well with everything else.

My latest analog synth acquisition (DSI Tetra) also makes an appearance on this one - see if you figure out where. And if you're curious this track was written entirely in Ableton Live using primarily native Live instruments and effects. I've now pretty much made a complete transition from FL Studio to Live.

Forthcoming on my next EP, "Exoplanet" featuring James Spray:

Exoplanet (feat. James Spray) by Snug

Thursday Throwback - October 20, 2011

2011-10-19T21:49:00.006-03:00

I'm playing a Beardsley (live techno) set tonight so of course that means a dirty synthy techno throwback! This one bring me all the way back to 1999, and a now infamous venue just outside of Gatineau/Hull - Auberge des Rapides was the name if I'm not mistaken.

UK DJ Chris Liberator, one of the founders of the classic techno label Stay Up Forever, was headlining a two room party there. I remember walking upstairs at the peak of the party right in the middle of the breakdown. Hearing this massive track on a massive system is an experience on its own, but hearing it at peak time with everyone flipping out just takes it the next level. This is definitely one of a few rave memories that will remain vividly etched in my mind, and one that inspired me to put on shows, produce, DJ/perform, etc.

Magnum Force "Unlucky Punk" c. 1998:

Thursday Throwback - October 13, 2011

2011-10-13T21:08:00.003-03:00

This Saturday is Extra Life, the 24 hour gaming marathon for Children's Miracle Network, so it seemed only fitting to post a video game throwback. (Please consider donating - it's for a good cause!)

As I've been playing mostly creepy/darker games lately I felt compelled to dig up this classic from Super Metroid. Metroid Prime 2 featured a remix of this tune but I find the instrumentation in the original a little bit better, despite having that typical "tracker music" sound I associate with SNES games.

Super Metroid, Brinstar level, c. 1994:

Okay, now I'm off to play with the copy of Donkey Kong 64 I just scored!

Thursday Throwback - October 6, 2011

2011-10-06T12:15:00.005-03:00

Quick throwback today as I get ready to hit the road with The WAX for a show in Charlottetown tonight.

This week's throwback, surprisingly, is the first track I've posted by Teebee. I'd definitely rank him towards the top as far as influential and versatile drum & bass producers go.

He's written tracks ranging from deep & soulful (Capable/Guilty) right through to creepy tech-step (Distorted Information EP, the first Teebee vinyl I owned)

Here's something that sits right in the middle, which seems to be his sweet spot.

Liquid Light by Teebee c. 2004:

Thursday Throwback - September 29, 2011

2011-09-29T17:25:00.004-03:00

Though I was never really a fan of vocal house this week's throwback is a bit of an exception.

As I've mentioned before I was a fan of Esthero's early work and I immediately fell in love with this song when I heard first heard it. It's got a warm summery vibe to it and it seems fitting for this dreary Fall day. Hopefully it brightens your day a little bit!

Ian Pooley feat. Esthero - Balmes (A Better Life) c. 2001:

Thursday Throwback - September 22, 2011

2011-09-22T20:13:00.002-03:00

Going to keep it on the chill side again this week.

I've always been a big fan of Looking Good/Good Looking/etc. (LTJ Bukem's labels) and while they're not nearly as prolific these days a lot of the releases have stood the test of time quite well in my opinion.

I remember when I first discovered intelligent/atmospheric drum & bass - probably one of the first genres of drum & bass that I got into, and heavily. Hell I used to listen to the stuff when going to sleep, heh.

I listen to a track like this and it still gives me the same feeling that it did 15 years. And every time that pad sweeps across the frequency range it still sends chills down my spine!

"Tokyo Dawn" by Doc Scott c. 1996:

Extra Life: Play Games. Heal Kids.

2011-09-19T11:38:00.008-03:00

Dear Friends,

I'm raising money and awareness for my local Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

On Oct. 15, 2011, I'll attempt to play video games for 24 hours straight in hopes you'll support me by giving just $1 per hour ($24 total).

Your donation is tax-deductible and 100 percent of your gift goes to help kids.

My fellow Extra Life gamers and I are going to make miracles happen for kids. I can't reach my goal without your support. Any contribution will help, and all donations are tax deductible. Donating online is safe and easy! To make an online donation please click the "Make a Donation" button below.

Thank you for your time, support and participation.

Make a Donation!

Update: you can track what I'm up to throughout the event on this Facebook group

Thursday Throwback - September 15, 2011

2011-09-15T13:52:00.001-03:00

So this will be the last throwback before I officially start my new job. I've been with my current employer, Lixar, for almost 8 years now. When I started it was maybe a dozen or so people in a smallish office in Westboro (Ottawa). It's now quadruple that with a satellite office in Halifax and key clients in the US and UK.

As I said in my letter of notice I've learned a lot over the past nearly 8 years. I've also made a lot of friends. It's funny how leaving a job after this long feels a lot like moving away. The only difference being that you're still in the same city! Hopefully I'm able to keep in touch with everyone.

This week's throwback is a tune that brings back a lot of memories of my first summer at Lixar. I vividly remember listening to it on a sunny summer day - blue sky, the sunlight streaming in. I remember feeling comfortable; at ease. This track still gives me that feeling and also fills me with positive vibes for the future.

This is also the tune that really hooked me on Sonic & Silver (AKA Accidental Heroes) and I've loved just about everything they've done in this style since.

Sonic & Silver "Space Cadet" c. 2003:

FYI if you're curious the company I'm going to is Livelenz. I've been appointed the new Director of Software Development. I think it's a great opportunity and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Thursday Throwback - September 8, 2011

2011-09-08T13:17:00.003-03:00

As I've mentioned a couple times over the past month or so my wife and I are celebrating our first wedding anniversary this weekend. I thought it would be only fitting to post something that might bring back some memories of our first year together.

Dom & Roland "Can't Punish Me" c. 2000:

While she listens to this I just want to tell her that I love her. I know I don't say it often enough.

Time Travel nominated for Electronic Recording of the Year

2011-09-06T18:44:00.008-03:00

The Nova Scotia Music Week nominees have been announced. My album Time travel has been nominated for Electronic Recording of the year. If you haven't heard it already you can download it or buy it here. If you're an active member of Music Nova Scotia please consider voting for me :)

That is all.

Thursday Throwback - September 1, 2011

2011-09-01T20:16:00.005-03:00

Okay so it's Thursday, and it's my birthday, so I'm going to do something different, perhaps slightly predictable, and use a lot of commas in the process.

So first, the #1 song on my date of birth:

Meh, okay.

Next, some other interesting facts about this day in 1980:

The average cost of a new house was $68,700.00
Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada
Jimmy Carter was President of the United States
Terry Fox abandoned the Marathon of Hope 135 days and over 5,000 km after it started at St. John's, Newfoundland, on April 12; cancer had returned and spread to his lungs.

Something very interesting, perhaps a bit dark and depressing, that my wife and I have in common on that last point: Terry Fox died the following year, on her birthday. So I made him stop and she finished him off! Damn.

Thursday Throwback - August 25, 2011

2011-08-24T21:13:00.004-03:00

I just realized I have yet to post any ASC, so I'll do one better: ASC & Subwave "Bio-rhythm" c. 2006

This is pretty much the epitome of "techmospheric" drum & bass, at least in my opinion.

ASC has been a huge influence on me and this is one track that's stuck with me through the years. For any producers out there, he's recently released a sample pack available on LoopMasters. And if you want to hear (lots) more ASC check out this mix by one of my favourite DJs at the moment, Mav. (Check check... yes yes! )

Thursday Throwback - August 18, 2011

2011-08-18T13:13:00.005-03:00

Busy, busy so a quick one today - working on The WAX's album, a couple new solo EPs and a few other miscellaneous collabs and projects. Definitely at capacity in terms of how much I'm able to take on without getting divorced! (ANGIE IF YOU'RE READING THIS THAT'S A JOKE!)

I had completely forgotten about this track until just recently so of course it prompted me to go back and listen to a bunch of old Ill.Skillz (D.kay & Rawfull) tracks. They're all pretty solid but for me this one captures their sound best and most tastefully.

The second half feels sort of half-baked but I think it's just the synth tone that's not doing it for me, Overall, a great track though. If you like this sound also check out Bowser and Be There 4 U by these guys for some more classic throwback action (or Never See The Sun for something instrumental)

Ill.Skillz remix of Sunchase & Yana Kay's "Remember Me" c. 2004:

Thursday Throwback - August 11, 2011

2011-08-11T20:52:00.003-03:00

So I'm playing a live techno set this Saturday under the monicker "Dr. Beardsley". It's all very bass/synth-heavy techno so I figured it was only fitting to post a classic track with a big bassline. As the majority of older techno I know doesn't actually have big basslines we'll have to go with a minimal bassline...

I really wanted to post Henrik B's "Stuntman" but was unable to find it online and unfortunately didn't have the time to upload it. Just going through my techno crates now I came across something similar though, and something much more significant and relevant.

Relevant because I played a show with this guy in 99, around the time the track was released. Not only that, but my set was.... yup... live techno!

Significant because it was at this show that I started dating my wife. (Aww, young raver love!) What really brings it all full circle is that we got married on that same day 11 years later, and will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary in exactly one month from today.

So there you have it, a story of love and techno. And quite understandably, this track always sends chills down my spine.

D.A.V.E. the Drummer Hydraulix 2 side A c. 1999:

Now back to work preparing for the show!

New EP in the works

2011-08-10T14:34:00.003-03:00

(Just submitted this to The Coast's Fall Music preview and thought I should share it here too)

For immediate release:

Dartmouth-based electronic music producer Snug is planning a follow-up to his 2010 album “Time Travel”. The EP, tentatively titled “Starstruck”, will contain 6 of his strongest tracks from the last two years in his trademark style – deep, introspective, melodic and rhythmic. It will be released digitally as a free download, with CDs available for purchase.

Artist: Snug
Title: Starstruck
Genre: Electronic (drum & bass, downtempo)
Format: free digital download, limited run CD
Release date: November 15 2011
Label: Independent