Progressive techno, trance, experimental house and other genres cannot define your EDM productions at all times. It is better to create your own aesthetic to be able to describe the type of music you produce. That’s the work done by Michael Donoghue.
Michael Donoghue is a producer and DJ based in the United States, Jersey. His most notable pieces are the Avant-Garde EP “Calm Palm,” which has been described as “leftfield” and “trancy”, or but hypinotic.
Donoghue’s music is best characterized as experimental, ambient, and electronic. His style does not fit into any one genre, but rather draws from several. He also uses elements of house and dance music in his compositions.
In addition to being an artist, Donoghue is also known for his work as a soundscape designer. He worked on his project Calm Palm which turns out as an immersive sound presentation and grabbed the attention of producers at TopMusic.News.
Michael Donoghue: “Opening track Calm Palm broke me out of a spell of writer’s block. I’d been struggling to start something new for weeks, so I decided to really focus on the palm trees at the bottom of my garden, and proceeded to start a new composition. Calm Palm was the result, and this opened a purple patch of creativity.”
The producer has provided mini mixes for BBC Introducing Channel Islands, as well as been interviewed and hosted an album listening party for the same radio show. The Overview Effect from his debut LP was featured on BBC Radio 1 as well.
There is no doubt that Michael Donoghue knows what he is doing, and he is certainly breaking new ground in terms of EDM production without following standards or copying other artists. The results have been very positive, not only for the music industry but also for the film industry, since his music makes a great soundtrack. You can listen to our full playlist which contains Michael Donoghue’s songs, and know more about the artist by scrolling down the page.
The EP Calm Palm features five tracks that showcase his talent for creating lush soundscapes. The opening track, “Calm Palm” starts with a slow beat and builds into a symphonic soundscape that’s reminiscent of an orchestral piece, but a technological one.
The multi-layered synths create a spacey atmosphere that feels like you’re floating in space. The next track, “(secrets)” continues this feel with its swelling chords and gentle melodies. It’s almost like being inside a cathedral during mass—the music feels sacred, even though it has no religious connotations.
The third track on the EP is called “Sandworm”, and that’s when we start talking seriously about an innovative way to build the structure of a techno-trance production.
Like the first two songs on the album, it starts off with a slow beat and builds as more elements are added to create layers upon layers of soundscapes that are both relaxing and stimulating at the same time—like being at the beach on a sunny day with your eyes closed while listening to classical music through headphones (except instead of classical music it’s techno). Super hypnotic and enjoyable to listen to.
Michael Donoghue says his influences are many, but mainly Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Jon Hopkins, John Carpenter, Kelly Lee Owens, and Wendy Carlos to name a few.
The artist says his influences are many, but mainly Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Jon Hopkins, John Carpenter, Kelly Lee Owens, and Wendy Carlos to name a few.
Also, the EP was recorded at his home studio. Alvinos Zavlis mixed and mastered the records, with Cyber Erotic Love Child providing the sick remix of Sandworm, which is the track that stands out as one of our favourites. This track is a piece of electronic art.
Born in Rotherham, Michael Donoghue is an independent electronic artist from Jersey who composes electronica with influences from several genres, including ambient electro, downtempo, techno, and IDM. Under the pseudonym Cosmosapien, Michael began composing in 2017 and released several singles and EPs.
Michael stepped out of his alter ego’s shadows in the summer of 2020 and started creating music under his own name. His debut album, an EP, and several singles have helped him gain traction with several independent radio shows, blogs, reviewers, and playlist curators. In December 2020, Michael’s single “Mummy” was voted onto the Fresh Faves on Fresh On The Net, and all of his tracks have been supported by BBC Music Introducing in the Channel Islands.
Michal began 2021 with the release of “Altitude”, a groovy techno tune. “Night Thoughts” was his debut EP, released in April. It includes four tracks of industrial, ambient, and minimal electro. Michael was invited onto BBC Music Introducing during the release of his album “Night Thoughts” and created a mini-mix that featured some of his own releases and a few artists who had inspired him.
A debut album called “Landing” was released in September 2021 by Michael. The artist’s inspirations of the cosmos have been highlighted in several reviews, including “a small book for astral travel”, saying “the artist brings you into an experience out of Earth”.
To understand well the kind of music Michael Donoghue is producing, we recommend you to check his previous releases and the actual too, which you can find on his Spotify profile. Don’t forget to follow the producer to support his art.
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