In this week’s workshop, Kabir and I explored the production process of Moor Mother’s work through various techniques. Key features across her discography include improvisation, genre fusion, lyricism, experimental soundscapes, and rhythmic complexity. To achieve this, we began by laying down an interesting drum pattern. I selected an electronic 808 drum kit within Logic so Kabir could record a one-take, as we wanted the percussion to be as natural and improvisatory as possible. We then found a protest rally clip on YouTube and extracted the audio to use as a continuous layer of sound to mimic Moor Mother’s soundscaping. The drums from the protest audio added another textural layer to the beat. Using the same recording technique, we added an electric piano playing continuous chords with a steady harmonic rhythm, avoiding repetition and keeping it harmonically ambiguous. We then inserted the speech recordings for the task, altering them by laying down three copies, offsetting them slightly, panning two left and right, while applying echo and reverb to one, and pitching another 12 semitones down for added textural interest. All recordings had the lower EQs removed and mid-to-high frequencies slightly increased for clarity. To give the main vocal recording more bite, we added bitcrusher and increased the attack. Still, I felt the woman’s voice was getting lost, so I shortened the delay’s cutoff, which helped. It was important to get the vocals right, as Moor Mother places emphasis on lyrics as part of her political activism. I also added a trumpet part, which was re-recorded a few times, as creating a melody against off-key chords proved challenging. I suggested adding the sound of mourning women, so we found a recording off YouTube and Kabir began cutting up and reverbing the recording. My final contribution was a bass synth playing long sustained notes to fill any textural gaps and add an ominous edge. Kabir’s final idea was to insert Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” at the end of the piece as he felt he had heard similar elements in Moor Mother’s work. Johnson, a key figure in the American blues tradition, reflects the cultural reclamation in Moor Mother’s work.