Michael Allison | Portfolio

Tone Poetry

Aug - Dec 2011

My Tone Poems are short works that combine field recordings, music, sound bytes and recording techniques in an effort to aurally illustrate experiences and reimagine the context for interacting with a given enviroment. These first three works reperesnt the initial experiments.

The Sneeze by michaelpallison

Garage by michaelpallison

Birds by michaelpallison

Reverse Obfuscation of Radiohead's Everything in its Right Place: An Interactive Breakdown of a Song from One of Music's Most Sonically Obscure Albums

May 2008

http://k-i-d-a.com

A web-based textual analysis of the iconic song from Radiohead's 2000 release, KID A. The analysis is staged in a complex Flash-based environment, in which the user navigates the numerous layers of "citation" in the song, peeling them back and revealing the origins of sonic techniques and the historical influence of technology on the direction of music. The song becomes a text that informs the appropriation of technology throughout music, providing significance and promoting critical listening and historical perspective.

Process: A Flash application designed in photoshop, coded in Actionscript. The intro video was made with Final Cut.

January 2010 - Present
Print Graphics for The USC Center for Excellence in Teaching
Created With: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

The below pieces represent marketing publication that were printed in quantites over 1000 and distributed on USC campus.

Interprofessional Healthcare Postcard
November 2011

Fall 2011 Events Calendar
August 2011

Front:

Back:

Branding Logotype for the Fund for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching & Print Postcard
November 2010

2011 Spring Events Calendar
January 2011

Front:

Back:

2010 Fall Events Calendar
August 2010

Front:

Back:

2011 Spring Health Sciences Postcard
March 2011

2010 Spring Health Sciences Postcard
February 2010

January 2010 - Present
Graphic Design Materials for Music Promotions and Cover Art Design
Created With: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

The below pieces represent promotional materials and cover art designs created for Random Patterns and Woolen

Random Patterns Summertime Singles Cover Art Designs
June-August 2011

Random Patterns Rich Soil Pleasures Cover Art
June 2010

Promotional Poster for Woolen
April 2010

Released June-August 2011
Summertime Singles
by Random Patterns
Contribution: Co-Song Writer|Synthesizer|Vocals
Recorded Mudrock and Chase Meyer at the Hobby Shop Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Mixed by Mudrock

Over the course of the summer of 2011 the Random Patterns boys went into the studio and knocked out four distinctly different songs, marking the transition into a newly formed sensability for songwriting and arrangement from the epic excessiveness of the Rich Soil Pleasure days. They were released everyother week for 2 months as stand alone singles and are meant to be consumed indivually.

Released July 2011
Night Dog Sun Lord EPs 35:37
by Woolen
Contribution: Co-Song Writer|Guitar|Vocals
Recorded Mudrock and Chase Meyer at the Hobby Shop Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Mixed by Mudrock

Legend has it, the hombres from Woolen ripped their music right out of the heart of the desert. They went out there and coaxed it out like rattlesnake from its den. They went on dancing into the moonlight, a fools parade--for the desert doesn't take too kindly to being stolen from. She put a curse on those boys. Yes, a curse that would ultimately destroy them all...

Released Januray 2010
Dead Horse 56:21
by Charts and Maps
Contribution: Co-Song Writer|Synthesizer|Saxophone|Vocals
Recorded by Dan Gerbarg at the Compotite Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Mixed by Andrew Maltese

Dead Horse is the only full-length record created by Charts and Maps. They recorded this syncopated noise-jazz masterpiece only months before going on indefinite hiatus. There is nothing mundane or even relaxing about this record. It will flow over you like a lead blanket and leave you gasping for air.

"I picked up Charts and Maps in a glut of free math rock, so my brain has been filled with the style for the last week or so. DEAD HORSE is one of the standouts, a record that earns its hipness more from jazz than playing the nerd card. Along with the standard math technique of intertwining clean guitar lines, C&M sport a genuinely talented lead sax player who just happens to be able to improvise in 13/8. Rather than math rock's usual jerky, quirky, and just slightly too perky mood, this record moves through many emotions, some of which are quite dark. The title track, for instance, is somewhat heavy and gloomy, while the opener begins with an almost tribal drumbeat before a trippy sax enters almost reminiscent of the late great psych trio Morphine.

Fans of math rock should not be dismayed. There are plenty of odd syncopations and uneven time melodic lines. Glittery clean guitars are found throughout the album. The drumming is complex. But the jazz ideas change the overall color of everything. It's richer, bigger, more realized. I think the reason there are so many math rock EPs out there is that it's hard to make more than 20-30 minutes of this style before getting really tedious. The great bands succeed, but Chart and Maps instead have chosen to expand their palette. I think the result is superior to virtually any of their peers. The juxtaposition between a meticulously composed math line and a grooving jam works seamlessly here, with each style providing extra juice to the other.

So why not a masterpiece rating? Completely a gut judgment on my part. While I can listen to this album on repeat and continue enjoy it again and again, nothing grabs my heart and beats it for me (a tall order I know, but most of masterpiece albums do this at some point). The album does engage my mind as well as any, and certainly is an excellent addition to any prog collection."
– progarchives.com

Rich Soil Pleasures is Random Pattern's second release in one year and features further exploration of sonic depth and composition while experimenting with new methods of gesture in their practice. Thematically, this work recalls lost nostalgia for raw, earthen times with a lustfulness that is unexpectedly aloof set against the upbeat, positive compositions.

"Rich Soil Pleasures is a seven-song set of layered-yet-light tunes that find the five-piece band laying down all manner of instrumentation (is that a glockenspiel? maybe; is that a sax? definitely) in their quest to create gnarly little listenable nuggets. Sometimes we're reminded of Division Day. Sometimes the Clientele. Sometimes we have no idea, and that's probably a good thing."
– Review LA Weekly, Locals Only Blog, June 29, 2010

Random Patterns - Rich Soil Pleasures - Tiqueing

Download the Full Album - Contact for Stems

Released October 2009
Dweller on the Threshold 43:18
by Woolen
Contribution: Co-Song Writer|Guitar|Vocals
Recorded by Woolen at New Monkey Studios, Van Nuys, CA

Dweller on the Threshold is the first album released by Woolen interrelating tones of Shoegaze, Dreampop, Motown, and Americana around themes of the Jungian "Shadow Self", preoccupations with death, and sexuality.

O'Death by WOOLEN

Creatures of Teeth is Random Pattern's first release and climaxes a year's worth of experimenting with noise, jazz, pop, and retro-culture.

"[Random Pattern's Creatures of Teeth] takes to music like the first word in their name takes to the second: soaked in paradox. The whole thing speaks of late-night collisions between the Butthole Surfers and the Doors at a funk club with pink lighting."
– Review LA Record Magazine, August 24, 2009

January 2009 - Present
The Interactive Loop Machine
Contribution: Creator|Performer

Performances/Installations:

May 22 & 23, 2010 - Silverlake Jubilee Community Arts Festival: Heard of Elephants Booth, Silverlake, CA.
March 13, 2010 - Artcycle: Heard of Elephants Booth, Los Angeles, CA.
September 12,2009 - Heard of Elephants Event: Junction Block/Chiparaki Cultural Civic Computing Center, Los Angeles, CA.
January 29, 2009 - Heard of Elephants Presents: Cycles; Unknown Theater, Hollywood, CA.

Conceived as a conceptual performance-visualization of feedback loops, The Interactive Loop Machine has since evolved into a collaborative work that blurs the distinction between audience and artist.

Field Recording Sample:

October 2008 - Present
Wobbly Bones
Contribution: Creator|Composer|Visual Designer|Performer

Performances:

Swampthing Abridged
- October 31, 2009 - Private Screening
- October 31, 2008 - Private Screening
- October 18, 2008 - Heard of Elephants Presents: Mythical Beasts
March of the Penguins Abridged
- April 10, 2009 - Heard of Elephants Presents: Lo-fi Hi-Fives featuring Friends of the Family

Wobbly Bones is a Re-Mix project designed to repurpose cultural artifacts. Abridged films with newly composed soundtracks performed live.

Insert Video!

May 2007 - Present
Random Patterns
Original Music Performance
Contribution: Synthesizer|Saxophone|Bass Guitar|Vocals

Random Patterns is a five-piece ensemble currently composing, recording and performing original works in Los Angeles, CA.

"Drowning in Midgets" by Random Patterns

November 2011
Squares
Created With: Processing

Generative art piece that utilizes elements of scaling and random placement to envoke a sense of architecture.

Code:
Target myTarget; PFont font; void setup(){ size(300, 1100); //number of squares, size myTarget = new Target(250, 4); } void draw(){ background(255); myTarget.display(); myTarget.lines(); stop(); } class Target { int num; int maxSize; int nodeSize; int randSize; int randx; int randy; int randColorR; int randColorG; int randColorB; int[][] nodeArray; Target (int tempnum, int tempsize) { num = tempnum; maxSize = tempsize; nodeArray = new int[350][6]; } void display(){ for (int i=0; i<num; i++) { randColorR = int(random(54,194)); randColorG = int(random(206,239)); randColorB = int(random(13,229)); randx = int(random(90, 190)); randy = int(random(0, 1000)); randSize = int(random(maxSize)); nodeArray[i][0] = randx; nodeArray[i][1] = randy; nodeArray[i][2] = int(random(22,57)); nodeArray[i][3] = int(random(37,72)); nodeArray[i][4] = int(random(124,168)); nodeArray[i][5] = nodeSize; for (int j=1; j<60; j=j+8) { nodeSize = randSize*j/2; ellipseMode(CENTER); stroke(50,20); //fill(255, 35+(j*.25)); //clear squares fill(randColorR+(j*.25), randColorG+(j*.25), randColorB+(j*.25), 35+(j*.25)); rect(randx, randy, nodeSize, nodeSize); } } } void lines(){ for(int j=0; j<num; j++){ stroke(nodeArray[j][2], nodeArray[j][3], nodeArray[j][4], 15); line(0, nodeArray[j][1], 55, nodeArray[j][1]); font = loadFont("National-ThinItalic-11.vlw"); textFont(font); fill(nodeArray[j][2], nodeArray[j][3], nodeArray[j][4], 35); text(nodeArray[j][1], 60, nodeArray[j][1]); } } }

November 2011
Generative Network Study #1
Created With: Processing

Generative art piece that interlinks nodes of various netowrks to a single hub, evokitive of telecommunications networking. Below are two examples of the script.

Code:
Network network1; Network network2; Network network3; void setup() { size(600,1000); //# of nodes, clusterx, clustery, max size of node network1 = new Network(35,150,450,10); network2 = new Network(15,50,170,10); network3 = new Network(12,450,550,11); } void draw(){ background(255); network1.displayNodes(); network1.displayLines(); network2.displayNodes(); network2.displayLines(); network3.displayNodes(); network3.displayLines(); network3.homeCircle(70, 600); network1.homeCircle(70, 600); network2.homeCircle(70, 600); stop(); } class Network { int locationx; int locationy; float posx; float posy; float nodesize; float homesize; float[][] nodeArray; float num; int maxSize; int homex; int homey; Network(float nodeNum, int locationTempx, int locationTempy, int maxSizeTemp) { num = nodeNum; maxSize = maxSizeTemp; locationx = locationTempx; locationy = locationTempy; nodeArray = new float[100][6]; } void displayNodes() { for (int i=0; i<num; i++) { posx = random(locationx, locationy); posy = random(locationx, locationy); nodesize = random(3, maxSize); float r = random(100, 200); float g = random(163, 288); float b = random(240, 255); ellipseMode(CENTER); noStroke(); fill(r, g, b, 100); ellipse(posx, posy, nodesize*2, nodesize*2); fill(0, 0, 0, 30); ellipse(posx, posy, nodesize, nodesize); /* if (nodesize<4||nodesize>maxSize-2) { if (nodesize>maxSize-1){ filter(BLUR,2); } else { filter(BLUR, 1); } } */ nodeArray[i][0] = posx; nodeArray[i][1] = posy; nodeArray[i][2] = random(22,57); nodeArray[i][3] = random(37,72); nodeArray[i][4] = random(124,168); nodeArray[i][5] = nodesize; } } void displayLines(){ for (int i=0; i<num; i++){ for(int j=0; j<num; j++){ stroke(nodeArray[j][2], nodeArray[j][3], nodeArray[j][4], 10); line(nodeArray[i][0], nodeArray[i][1], nodeArray[j][0], nodeArray[j][1]); /* if (nodesize<4||nodesize>maxSize-1) { filter(BLUR, 3); }*/ } } } void homeCircle(int homextemp, int homeytemp){ homex = homextemp; homey = homeytemp; homesize = random(3, maxSize); for (int t=0;t<num;t++){ float r = random(100, 200); float g = random(163, 288); float b = random(240, 255); float a = random(10); stroke(200, 100); fill(r, g, b, 50); ellipse(homex, homey, homesize*a, homesize*a); } fill(220, 239, 13, 50); noStroke(); ellipse(homex, homey, 50, 50); fill(252, 255, 225, 50); ellipse(homex, homey, 100, 100); for(int j=0; j<num; j++){ stroke(nodeArray[j][2], nodeArray[j][3], nodeArray[j][4], 10); line(homex, homey, nodeArray[j][0], nodeArray[j][1]); /* if (nodesize<4||nodesize>maxSize-1) { filter(BLUR, 3); }*/ } } }

Created December 2011

Interprofessional Healthcare: Preparing Health Professionals for 21st Century Practice, An Overvew 2:50
Contribution: Director|Music|Graphic Design|Editor|Motion Graphics

Created for the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching, this video is part of a larger resource that can be accessed here. I shot this video in HD with a Canon 5D MK II and edited with Final Cut. I created the animated title sequence in motion.

Created October 2011

Regulating Laptops in the Classroom, An Overvew 5:23
Contribution: Director|Music|Graphic Design|Editor|Motion Graphics

Created for the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching, this video is part of a larger resource that can be accessed here. I shot this video in HD with a Canon 5D MK II and edited with Final Cut. I created the animated title sequence in motion.

Created September 2011

Strategies for the 21st Century: Innovative Presentation Techniques, An Overview 6:16
Contribution: Director|Music|Graphic Design|Editor

Created for the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching, this video is part of a larger resource that can be accessed here. I shot this video in HD with a Canon 5D MK II and edited with Final Cut.

Screened September 2008

SPACE 8:22
Contribution: Producer|Score Composer|Visual Designer|Editor

Screening:

September 20, 2008 - Heard of Elephants Presents: SPACE, Mr. T's Bowl, Highland Park, CA.

SPACE is an art video featuring DIY, Handmade speial effects and an orginal score.

http://hnklaw.com

Custom Wordpress Theme
Custom built theme on the Wordpress framework, design made with Adobe Photoshop.

http://randompatternsmusic.com

Custom Wordpress Theme
Custom built side-scrolling theme on the Wordpress framework, design made with Adobe Photoshop.

http://swingflingLA.com

Front End Development
Implemented a pre-designed graphic layout with XHTML and CSS.

http://jeffturmes.com

Custom Wordpress Theme
Custom build theme on the Wordpress framework, design made with Adobe Photoshop.

http://randompatternsmusic.com/oldsite

This website is no longer in use
Graphic Design, Custom CMS, & Interactive Flash Components
Original Graphic Design and front end/administration panel design butilt with XHTML, PHP, CSS and Flash (AS3). Original content management system scripted in PHP utilizing open source applications and MySQL Database interfacing. Original Comment administration/archiving system and AJAX photo gallery.

Visit the Admin Panel:

Username: username
Password: password

http://sedonaplasticsurgery.com

Web Implementation, Custom CMS, & Video Production
Web Implementation of pre-constructed design and front end/administration panel design in XHTML, PHP and CSS. Original conent mamagement system scripted in PHP utilizing open source scripts and MySQL Database interfacing. I filmed and produced the homepage introduction video as well.

http://southwestfg.com

Complete Design, Custom CMS & Business Management Solution (Information Architecture)
Original Graphic Design and front end/administration panel design in XHTML, PHP and CSS. Logotype and brand identity design. Original content management system scripted in PHP utilizing open source applications and MySQL Database interfacing. The company requested a Buiness Management Solution for managing sub-contractors. I developed a submission and archive system that manages over 1000 individual insurance producer accounts and affiliated paperwork which I developed as a PHP/MySQL application.

http://craigbirch.com

Complete Design & Custom CMS
Original Graphic Design and front end/administration panel design in XHTML, PHP and CSS. Original content management system scripted in PHP utilizing open source applications and MySQL Database interfacing. I designed the AJAX photo gallery that is the centerpiece of the site.