Astounding Stories, Vol. 1, by Robert Peckyno (@streamingkeys)

Astounding Stories, Vol. 1

by Robert Peckyno (@streamingkeys)

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1.	the Cave of Horror 06:47	info	buy track
2.	Mad Music 09:09	info	buy track
3.	Phantoms of Reality 06:18	info	buy track
4.	the Beetle Horde 09:48	info	buy track
5.	the Cave of Horror (instrumental) 06:44	info	buy track
6.	Mad Music (instrumental) 09:41	info	buy track
7.	Phantoms of Reality (instrumental) 06:18	info	buy track
8.	the Beetle Horde (instrumental) 09:15	info	buy track

about

Astounding Stories, Vol.1 is inspired by stories from the 1930s magazine Astounding Stories of Super-Science. This project grew out of a series of Twitch streams where I read stories from the first two issues and improvised soundtrack themes on the fly. Bits of these themes were taken back into the studio and the fully produced result is part sci-fi audiobook, part soundtrack, and part electronic prog rock.

I’ve always been part classical (my training) and part rock / electro (my essence). My rock half grew up listening to concept records like Alan Parsons’ “Tales of Mystery and Imagination,” Marillion’s “Grendel,” and Rick Wakeman’s “Journey to the Centre of the Earth.” Each taking established literary works and riffing on them through music. Of course, my style is quite different, but the concept is very much down the same road.

My classical half wanted to approach it like a soundtrack, where the instruments themselves often become characters – evoking the emotion of the story versus simply accompanying it… It was great fun to score very soundtrack-y elements like a chase scene, a murder scene, a love scene, etc. and put them into the song. Even without a visual, I think the idea/emotion behind these scenes still comes through in the music.

To that soup, I added in occasional bits of narration to orient the listener and some sound effects help to bring each story to life – and before I knew it, I had stumbled across something that I had never heard before… A bite-sized ‘sound-story’ … A 30 minute adventure comic for the mind.

I know it’s trite to say your project is ‘unique,’ but you’ll be hard pressed to find another one like this…

The four stories I interpreted in V1 are:

the Cave of Horror by Sterner St. Paul Meek
(Something has been eating tourists in Mammoth Cave…! Only Dr. Bird and Agent Carnes can solve the mystery.)

Mad Music by Anthony Pelcher
(When the skyscraper Colossus suddenly collapses, suspicion falls on an eccentric violin player...)

Phantoms of Reality by Ray Cummings
(Revolution is brewing in the Fourth Dimension. Help King Alexandre retake the throne!)

the Beetle Horde by Victor Rousseau
(A swarm of prehistoric beetles is on the attack!!! Can it be stopped before all life is eaten??)

Side A (1-4) are the fully produced stories with narration and sound effects.
Side B (5-8) are instrumental (music only) versions for a more open ended story...

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released November 1, 2020

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about

streamingkeys Seattle, Washington

Robert Peckyno (@streamingkeys) is a synth composer and producer focused on progressive electronic rock, future ambient soundscape, and sunset lounge... sometimes solo piano... you just never know... ;)

I have released 11 albums and 2 EPs to date. ... more

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