About Theories Of
Theories Of is the artist name of multi-instrumentalist and producer Graeme Ginsberg.
Ginsberg draws on a wide range of genres, including tech house and techno, electronic indie, new wave, off-kilter cinematic, post-rock, experimental, rock, P-Funk and rare groove, dub and world music, to produce music that is as fresh as it is familiar. His approach to composition is that nothing should be out of bounds.
“I grew up with different kinds of music and I try to keep my mind as free of assumptions as possible when writing and arranging,” he says. “If I hear it in my head, I’ll try to find a way to create it.”
Ginsberg is an obsessive synth sound developer and designer, constantly searching for emotive and thought-provoking tones and textures. He uses both keyboard and MIDI guitar when playing synths, to achieve the widest range of dynamics.
“Using a guitar MIDI setup allows me to create synth lines and textures that are totally different to a keyboard. Meanwhile, keyboards allow stacked chords, subtle pressure variations and intervals that just aren’t possible with a guitar.”
Although methodical and precise when it comes to arrangement and production, he prefers to develop and capture instrumental parts through series of improvisation.
“I’ve never liked rehearsals – for anything! – and I find that playing live in the moment encourages more emotion, energy and urgency. At the same time, I want to make sure the direction and context of the whole piece remain clear – and I think this requires a precise overall architecture. So, there’s freedom and there’s discipline, preparation and spontaneity.
My way of working is: Structure, Experiment, Improvise / Record, Edit; then Edit, Improvise / Record, Experiment, Structure; and Repeat; and Repeat; until it all sounds complete.
The name ‘Theories Of’ sums up the possibilities and ambiguities Ginsberg likes to work across – complexity and simplicity, freedom and constraint, harmony and dissonance. Rules defined by their possibilities, possibilities defined by their rules.
Theories Of released hi-energy first single “Excite” on 7th October 2022. It is the first in a set of 12 tracks dropping as singles / EPs between October and January.
