ADFECTUS
Produced and Designed by Jonathan Aguayo
Adfectus is a short EP or mini-album that will contain three songs inspired by or based on the Hip-Hop genre. The EP aims to display different emotions using different audio cues, like tempo, melody, and instrumentation. Therefore, each song will showcase or induce a different feeling. The three different feelings/emotions are aggressiveness, melancholy, and serenity.
STRUCTURE
I will be structuring the tracks on this E.P based on the 5 Stages of Grieving. In this instance, the grieving will result from the end of a relationship. Since there are three tracks, I will be using three of the five stages of grief: anger, depression, and acceptance. In this case, track one will showcase aggressiveness, which is usually connected with or a result of anger. The second track will be based on melancholy, connecting to the depression stage. Lastly, the third track will represent serenity, which will be a part of the acceptance stage.
TRACK ONE:Â AGGRESSIVENESS
Tempo: 144 BPM
The first track of this ep is meant to showcase an aggressive nature or feeling—everything from the percussion, melody, and the 808 and kick. The tempo of this track is speedy. The thing that stands out the most from this track is the 808 and kick; they are in your face and aggressive and are instrumental parts of this track.
The melody is a dark and grimy piano that is a bit more ambient than a regular piano. The counter-melody consists of a viola sample, which is a bit harsher. It is a discordant tone that counters the softer and dark piano.
Although this track is not a complete representation of anger, it is more of a byproduct of anger and is something you will feel after becoming angry. Imagine punching a wall after someone made you mad. That is what this track envelops as a feeling.
TRACK TWO:Â MELANCHOLY
Tempo: 66 BPM
The second track expresses or invokes a sad, melancholic feeling. It is an ambient track with various synths that serve as the counter melody for the low-pitched electronic guitar.
As for tempo, it is relatively slow. Music with a slow beat evokes negative emotions, such as sadness, depression, and gravity. The kicks and the 808 are toned down from your typical modern hip-hop, which is usually harder hitting and in your face.
I would say this track is something I would listen to on a sad rainy day or after your loved one just broke up with you. This melancholic track, if you listen to it, can induce a feeling of pensive sadness; a sadness that you can't explain.
TRACK THREE:Â SERENITY
Tempo: 155 BPM
The third and final track is based on serenity. As per definition, serenity is the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. This track is also very ambient and spacey as the second track, which is a theme across most of the tracks on this ep.
The tempo is moderately fast but not too fast, and it is the perfect amount of tempo, so the listener cant view it as hectic. As for the melody, I used a very soft and gentle guitar, and as for the counter melody, I used some higher-pitched soothing sounds that harmonize well with the soft guitar.
As per the kicks and 808, they are delicate but still noticeable. Many have noted that this track gives off lo-fi hip-hop vibes, a subgenre of hip-hop music that is typically listened to when studying, hence the calm or serene feeling of the track.
