MPR6C001R~001 HEA23084023 Coursework & Project Context

by

Heasman,Lucas (STUDENT)

Project Proposal

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Production Project Files (80%)

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Progress and Management Records (20%)

My project is a 28-minuteNakano, J. (2001). Phantoms. EP created for the experimental jungle duo Shotbun Gullet, which is Kelan Koenig and me. The music is designed both as a standalone listening experience and as material intended for high-energy live rave performance. The core aim of the project is to produce aggressive, fast-paced and densely layered music, while also demonstrating a strong understanding of live performance practice, irregular techniques and experimentation.

My role in the project has primarily been as a producer, including sound design, synthesis, and arrangement, while also contributing as a vocalist on some songs. The project was produced using Ableton Live, which also serves as the main platform for our live performances. The idea was to move away from the conventional DJ-based performance setup and instead create a more dynamic and engaging live experience using instruments, controllers and real-time manipulation, as this style is much more fun to watch and play.

Shotbun Gullet Timeline

September 2025

  • Wrote Shattered, Obsessed, The Jazz One and Chaching
  • Recorded Kelan on Guitar for Obsessed and Shattered using Neural DSP
  • Recorded Kurtis Scotland on the saxophone and an electronic wind instrument for The Jazz One
  • Figured out our Live Setup
  • Played Our First Gig
  • Had my first one-to-one

October 2025

  • Had my second one-to-one, where we started writing the proposal
  • Wrote Ghost
  • Recorded Vocals for Ghost (Me and Kelan)

November 2025

  • Started writing El Gullet
  • Played our second and third gigs
  • Had my third one-to-one, where Jon signed my proposal

December 2025

  • Wrote a Xmas song
  • Played our fourth gig (LCon Christmas Concert)
  • Started writing Steep
  • Started the mixing process

January 2026

  • Started a collab song with another electronic duo, Oral Fixation, for George Barker’s SS3
  • Recorded Oliver Illingworth on guitar for Steep
  • Recorded me on electric bass for The Jazz One

February 2026

  • Finished writing Steep
  • Played our fifth gig
  • Recorded a Lo-Fi Tape Demo of Shattered with Contact Buzz

March 2026

  • Finished writing El Gullet
  • Recorded vocals for Shattered
  • Recorded me on bass for Shattered

April 2026

  • Recorded vocals for El Gullet

May 2026

  • Finished mixing process
  • Finished the mastering process

The development of the EP took place gradually over the year, with ideas evolving significantly over time. Early versions of tracks often began as rhythmic sketches or sound design experiments, which were later expanded through layering, resampling and complex automation. Taking on as many live gigs as possible throughout the year proved to be one of the best ways to get us motivated for the project. Having performance deadlines gave us both a reason to focus and get the songs finished, helping us spread out the work in a way that the academic deadline probably wouldn’t have.

The UK has always been at the forefront of electronic music, with jungle being one of its biggest genres. Jungle is still very much alive today across a thriving underground scene in cities like London, Bristol and Manchester. This scene has a strong appetite for music that is experimental, aggressive and performed with huge energy – which is exactly what Shotbun Gullet offers. Rather than looking back nostalgically at classic jungle, we take its core elements and push them into much more unpredictable territory. The live performance element of the project also responds to a growing demand within the UK underground for alternatives to standard DJ sets.

Early on, the sound direction was defined as aggressive, busy and heavily rhythmic, influenced by jungle, breakcore and video game aesthetics. The intention was to create an overwhelming sonic environment that reflects the energy of rave culture while still maintaining an unusual sound across longer compositions. Several tracks on the EP fuse jungle with other genres we are heavily inspired by — Ghost blends jerk and UK underground rap with breakcore, while Shattered combines emo influences with jungle energy. For Chaching, we drew inspiration from the ragga jungle scene, particularly artists like Congo Natty and General Levy, who fuse reggae and breakbeat hardcore with jungle rhythms. We also sampled a Final Fantasy soundtrack for the main pad, reflecting our shared love of the franchise’s music and a personal connection to the game from our first year. The Jazz One was influenced by late 90s jazzstep artists such as Amon Tobin and Roni Size. El Gullet developed after our vocalist Andrea introduced us to neoperreo from artists like RIXXIA, Clara! and Ms Nina, whose swung rhythms immediately started the track’s creation. Obsessed and Steep are both rooted in the nu-jungle wave currently emerging from the UK, with artists like 4 am Kru, Tim Reaper and Sully as key reference points.

Planning for the project was relatively flexible rather than rigid. Instead of using a strict linear timetable, the project was structured around weekly working sessions. These were typically held on Thursdays when both of us were available and not experiencing creative burnout, unless we had a gig coming up, then we would both do little bits solo as much as we could on the lead-up to the gig. While this schedule lacks formal structure, it allowed for sustained creative energy over a long period of time and prevented rushed decision-making.

A defining characteristic of the project is a strong emphasis on sampling and micro-layered detail. A significant amount of the production process involved collecting, manipulating, and placing small sound fragments throughout the mix to create continuous movement and textural depth. These “ear candy” elements were intentionally added to keep the listener engaged in what often is a dense and fast-moving sonic environment. Rather than relying solely on core drum patterns and basslines, the tracks are built from constantly shifting micro details. This approach was heavily inspired by artists such as Food House and Galen Tipton, both of whom use intricate sampling and detailed rhythmic layering to create complex, evolving compositions. In this project, sampling is not just a structural tool, but a core aesthetic principle that shapes the identity of the EP.

Alongside digital production techniques, the project also incorporates a strong focus on hybrid instrumentation, blending electronic and live-recorded sound sources. In addition to synthesis and sampling, live recordings of saxophone, electric and bass guitar and EWI were integrated into the compositions. These elements were processed and manipulated within Ableton Live to ensure they sit cohesively within the heavily electronic texture of the music. There was a deliberate effort to avoid conventional 8-bar phrasing structures commonly found in mainstream dance music. Instead of relying on predictable looping patterns and standard build-drop formats, arrangements were designed to feel more fluid, unpredictable, and evolving. Sections often transition in non-linear ways, with rhythmic ideas mutating gradually rather than repeating in fixed cycles.

One of the main challenges throughout the project was maintaining clarity within an extremely dense mix environment. Due to the project’s emphasis on aggressive sound design, heavy sampling, and layered rhythmic structures, early versions of tracks often became overcrowded. Multiple drum layers, synth textures, and sampled fragments would compete for frequency space, resulting in a lack of definition in the low-mid range. This required repeated critical listening and refinement using EQ, filtering, and strategic removal of unnecessary layers. Over time, this process improved the overall clarity of the EP while still maintaining its intended chaotic energy.

Another significant challenge was managing the balance between experimentation and structure. While the intention was to avoid conventional 8-bar loop-based composition, this sometimes led to arrangements becoming directionless or lacking clear progression. In some sections, ideas would evolve too gradually or without sufficient contrast, making it difficult to maintain listener engagement over longer passages. This was addressed by reintroducing controlled structural markers such as rhythmic resets, bassline changes, or abrupt textural shifts, which helped give each track a more intentional sense of movement without reverting to formulaic arrangement styles.

The final EP successfully achieves its intended goal of creating a chaotic, high-energy listening experience that reflects the core identity of Shotbun Gullet. The strongest aspect of the work is the sound design and synthesis, which provides a distinct sonic identity and demonstrates strong technical control over electronic production techniques. Overall, this project demonstrates strong development in both our creative production and successful project management. Through this project, I have developed a deeper understanding of electronic music production, live performance integration, and adaptive project management strategies. If developed further, the project could benefit from more structured planning and increased dynamic variation, but overall, it represents a successful and coherent creative outcome.

Me experimenting with creating sounds using my voice and the Voicelive Touch 2 Vocal Transformer

Our standard live setup

Where we arranged most of our tunes (my home setup)

Recording Andrea Suarez Vargas for the vocals on El Gullet

Shotbun Gullet early rehearsal of Obsessed

Kelan writing the guitar for Shattered

Experimenting with the Behringer 2600

Shattered Lo-fi Demo with Contact Buzz

Samples

Chaching

Nakano, Junya. (2001). Phantoms (FINAL FANTASY X Original Soundtrack). SQUARE ENIX.

General, Bunny. (2000). Weh dem a Do. Lloyd Dennis.

Johnson, Nathan. (2019). Knives Out! (String Quartet in G Minor). Cut Narrative Records.

Uematsu, Nobuo. (1997). Final Fantasy VII – Victory Fanfare. SQUARE ENIX.

Shattered

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2007). 19 Oct.

Steep

Final Fantasy X, (2001). SQUARE ENIX

Vsauce (2013). Is Anything Real? Available at: https://youtu.be/L45Q1_psDqk?si=tj554Ykm1BQidxJ-.

SleepyRatchet (2013). Ratchet & Clank – Cutscene 16 – Hey, you’re that robot guy right? Available at: https://youtu.be/Ff91ZLZC6eo?si=7Cp5fIv7kYrcJ4Lo.

The Jazz One

Shorter, Wayne (1975). Beauty and the Beast. Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Martino, Pat. (1975). Footprints. Savoy Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.

IntricationZ (2011). Cave Johnson – When Life Gives You Lemons ( GLaDOS Orgasm ) [ Portal 2 Valve ] Don’t Make Lemonade. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELkgiJD9KuM.

Weedy Shaggy (2020). Benson’s Drum Solo. Available at: https://youtu.be/0jRRkYmk6hU?si=ZSdGmh8sKH0n4yCd.

Obsessed

phreshboyswag (2025). obsessed. SyntherIQ, LLC.

Mariah Carey (2009). Obsessed.

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