A. Campbell Payne – Flow Control CS

The term “flow control” comes from the glossary of computer terminal protocol. I first came across it while configuring the terminal emulator software I was running on my Apple //e to control my sequencer. The maximum baud rate of that software ended up limiting the tempo that I could use, to the point where anything above 100 beats per minute or overly-complex started to jitter and break down. This led to me writing the first few pieces of music within that constraint, and the rest of the material followed suit, with simple underlying structures, deliberate pacing, and minimal instrumentation.

The phrase "flow control" may be borrowed from earlier usage by engineers of water control systems. This loose connection tied back nicely to my ever-present source of inspiration in writing music, which is the natural world around me. The track names are all taken from various places that have human-made features surrounded by nature and flowing water.

These human landmarks entered the landscape at a specific moment in time. Likewise, they became places of interest where the public is invited to visit at a certain time in history. I began to think about the span of years between when these places were built, when they fell into disuse, when they were officially recognized as public space, and when I began to visit them. This led me to think of another connection to "flow control", which was the flow of time. We often use water allegories when describing the passage of time, and even the initial inspiration of "flow control" in the context of telecommunications has to do with a technologically-pertinent framing of the passage of time.

From there, I considered the equipment I was using in my studio. I like to design systems that I call "Possible Computers" - hybrid assemblages culled together from individual devices spanning many decades. Virtual analog machines from the 2000s, FM and NCO-voiced synthesizers from the 1980s, and low pass gates and complex oscillators based on designs from the 1960s all coexist here with modern computers (and an Apple //e terminal emulator) running software from the 2020s.  – Oxtail Recordings