Al Ritchie - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Short answer: Al Ritchie is about yay tall, semi-reclusive, not currently deceased, and happier than his songs might imply.
Long answer: Al Ritchie has been active in the world of music for over a decade and a half: as the longtime host of Madison, Wisconsin’s first weekly electronic dance-music radio show; as owner of an independent record store; as a music journalist with unmistakable flair; as a club DJ who tried (too hard, probably) to push boundaries. Now (finally) setting all that aside to focus on serving his own muse, he melds sample-based sequencing with organic sounds and dark, often literary lyrics to create emotionally resonant music with an epic feel. He’s also built a diverse body of non-vocal work ranging from melodic electronica to ambient material.
More Songs for Free Download
Unlikely Love Letter - My grandest and perhaps most personal musical statement. At 20 minutes, this ever-morphing "electro-ambient symphony" wields a lasting emotional impact.
Dotted All Over This Fair City - Don’t bother trying to assign meaning to this piece, just relax and let it flow through you.
Sex With the Hostages - Deviant rhythms with a devious story.
Colder on the Lake - Colder than the February air... Colder than the human heart...
Battery Killer - Spellbinding minimalist headphone techno--propulsive yet ambient at the same time. An earlier version of this track did indeed kill my car battery once.
I’m Bob Boxbody - Tuneful, mildly dark instrumental techno. I’m not really sure how else to describe it.
Winds of October - Mesmerizing. Music for a haunted soul.
::painting by emily steigerwald::

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 8/18/2006
Band Members:
...our understanding of the world rests essentially
on noticing absences as well as presences

Influences:

In theory: I like to envision an equilateral triangle, with differing musical styles/philosophies at each corner. In the lower left corner is the jittery pulsation of modern electronica; to its right the amorphous realm of ambient music, minimalism and experimentalism. In the upper corner is the essential spectrum of pop songwriting, encompassing everything from folk traditionalism to indie-rock subversion. I'd like to believe I position my music at the pinpoint center of this triangle.

In reality: My geometry is a bit dodgy. I probably sound more like Smashmouth than I'd care to admit.

Seriously, though: Most people, I assume, would slot my music somewhere along the vast spectrum of electronic pop music--somewhere between Cabaret Voltaire and the Postal Service (though I sound like neither). When I write, though, I often find myself inspired more by the likes of David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel or Brian Eno (realizing that I sound even less like them).

Actually, the one artist most responsible for inspiring me to write songs would have to be Bobby Wratten of Trembling Blue Stars. Once again, I don't sound much like him at all. But influence, to me, is less about emulation and more about the selective reprocessing and recontextualizing of familiar concepts that have ingrained themselves into my psyche over the years. If that makes any sense.

Sounds Like: Varies from song to song. I used to be really into the concept of genre. Now I’ve come to realize it just doesn’t matter. I don’t feel or think the same way all the time, so why would I confine my music to any preset design?

* more original images on my ’pics’ page *

My Blog

Kickstarting 2008 with loads of new stuff

Dear friends,Please take a few minutes and bear witness to two new issues for the new year:Lost-Endured-Lightnessdeepsensualfoggyyour adjective herea heartfelt pleasure to write and performand already...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:44:00 PST

Two new songs posted: one pop, one ambient

Peoples of MyScape,There are two things that I know for sure.One: It will never, ever be October, 2007 again.andTwo: If you've ever enjoyed my music before, you're almost certain to enjoy at least one...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:14:00 PST

Happy "Winds of October" month!

Yes, it's that time of year again. And to celebrate, I've reposted the song "Winds of October" to my player. Written and recorded in 2005, "Winds of October" is perhaps my somberest--and yet most bea...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:30:00 PST

THE band of 2007: Vib Gyor

Because good news is worth sharing, here's a heartfelt tip for music lovers:They're still on the ground floor of their career, but Leeds, UK's Vib Gyor are making some of the most captivating and unfo...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:33:00 PST

Keith Olbermann detonates!

Friends,I promise you I have no plans to begin using this MyScape account to advance or promote my personal political beliefs. But some things are too remarkable, too eye-opening, too damn impressive...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Thu, 24 May 2007 10:34:00 PST

Dotted All Over This Fair City

Brand new piece of music on my page... pure emotion... one of my best.Don't bother trying to assign meaning to it. Just relax and let it flow through you.Al.
Posted by Al Ritchie on Sun, 20 May 2007 06:49:00 PST

Core beliefs

They say it's impossible to sum up the essence of a person in just a few words. That is most likely true. On the other hand, I believe there's a fairly simple method to summing up wha...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Thu, 10 May 2007 02:04:00 PST

Everything's new [5/4-5/18(ish?)]

For the next two weeks or so, everything is all-new on my page. Four new tracks have been posted on my player -- two are truly new, the other two were achieved last year but haven't been posted here ...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Fri, 04 May 2007 01:01:00 PST

I Have Only Anger In My Heart

I Have Only Anger In My Heart...That was to have been the title of this track when I began writing it. When it was done, I had to admit there was not a damn thing angry-sounding about it.What it does...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:32:00 PST

I Will Always Hate Bowling Green [new song]

One night last year, after listening to a Hefty Records compilation CD for two straight days, I challenged myself to complete a short, minimal, IDM-style instrumental in a single evening. Many months...
Posted by Al Ritchie on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 04:25:00 PST