Friendly greetings! I’m TORLEY, and I make sonic science fiction that explores the expressive edges of electronic music, blending contemporary synthesis with classical techniques. My focus is more on the aesthetic approach behind my craft than adhering to any one “style”. That said, I have a soft spot for saturated melodies, basic chord progressions that morph into wild configurations, and glitchy drum rhythms. I’m accessibly weird!

The 4Culture Album—click through for a free download!—or “T4CA”, is inspired by my sensory experiences traveling across Seattle and King County. This project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of 4Culture — not just through the grant I received, but also through the inspiration I found in their mission to uplift the creative community and our local ecosystem. *T4CA* is about taking recurring-yet-disparate motifs and unifying them in fresh, surprising directions.

One of my keystone references is Ted Chiang, also from this area. His thought-provoking “What if?” approach in every short story and his own contributions to SAL and the writing community inspires me to bring that same level of care and creativity into my music — aiming for quality and quantity.

A quote I obsessively check is Louis Cole’s gem: “If people actually followed [their tastes more], music would be a lot better than it is. It’s purely what I’m excited about and what I’m excited to hear.” This isn’t selfish, as I find that if what you made comes from a place of undiluted YOUness, then it resonates at the right frequency for others too — it shatters the idea that art must cater to a generic formula, instead embracing individuality as a powerful social connector. Thus, we can all be ourselves together.

Thanks to 4Culture, I was able to expand my “sonic spaceship” with new virtual instruments and multi-FX tools, which allow me to experiment and randomize ideas, curating the best results. I also used some of it on AI tools to come up with never-before-heard sounds and generate variations on what I already made. My belief in AI as a tool to accelerate established processes and enhance human creativity was deeply shaped by my work on the game Proxi with Gallium Studios, led by Will Wright (The Sims) and Lauren Elliott (Carmen Sandiego).

I primarily use the Expressive E Osmose synthesizer, a multidimensional instrument that has piano-lookin’ keys but senses superfine touch, enabling subtle flute lines and horn swells and odder fare. This time around, the rich jazz foundations of this area (dating back to Ray Charles and Quincy Jones RIP) strongly influenced my tracks, a tribute to the vibrant local culture.

Again, ultra-grateful and delighted 4Culture grants even exist. If you’ve made something possible with 4Culture fueling your rocket, let’s hear about it!