A Surrender Due in 2007

Influences

This is one of my favorite influences lists:

Genesis, “Firth of Fifth” and “Fading Lights”

Daft Punk, “Aerodynamic”

Future Sound of London, “Among Myselves”

Possibly the quarterly-reports music from the Super Nintendo game Aerobiz Supersonic

Story

This song is named for what I determined was a musical prophecy:

1987: The Outfield release “No Surrender” in A major and at 114 beats per minute
1997: Sarah McLachlan releases “Sweet Surrender” in A major and at 113 beats per minute
2007: Clearly, someone was supposed to release something with “Surrender” in the title in A major and at 112 beats per minute

I’ve filled that overdue void.  As LinkedIn influencers are always telling me, “Be the fulfillment of prophecy you want to see in the world.”

Musically, it demonstrates my love of Tony Banks chords and arpeggiated leads.  But the lead also has some Daft Punk in it, and the song goes ‘80s industrial for a minute (mastering again needs credit for bringing the kick to where it throttles the song).  Then it follows its own path through a bass solo for awhile because…why not? The song fades where it does to: A) give that feeling of an ’80s album where a long song is cut for album length constraints; and B) not give me roughly 300 more arpeggiated notes to come up with (doing that against a bass that was largely improvised was painstaking).

This is also the only time in the album I use overtly ‘80s drums.  Among albums using a lot of old synthesizers, I’m probably weird in not caring for 808 or 909 drum sounds in my music.  I’m quite down for them in others’ music, but it sounds too on-the-nose derivative when I try to use them.  So props to those who manage to make them sound fresh, but I am not skilled in that way.

For what it’s worth, I come back to this song with higher frequency than most on this album. (7+6+5+4+8)/4 time just does it for me, I suppose.

Some press about it

“‘A Surrender Due in 2007’ holds the late album[‘s] emotional weight. Isleib lets the wistful synth pads set the tone in the intro, with a multitude of digital distractions coming in to overtake the initial serenity. Frenetic arpeggiators manically flail as stadium-sized drums pound out the foundation-rumbling beat.” – Jon Ireson, music-news.com

“A Surrender Due in 2007 doubles down on those heavenly synths creating a more ethereal atmosphere akin to some of the Pet Shop Boys’ early work. It then deconstructs this sound and focuses in on a more mechanical playfulness that works well.” – Jamie Parmenter, Vinyl Chapters

Next song: Tiles on the Tiles