Listen to Synth Music from Whatsisname? Here’s why.

Not long ago, I met Whatsisname on BlueSky. I’m so glad I did.

What Is His Name?

I don’t know many details about the composer/recordist behind this name. They are into prog-rock and synthesizers. It would seem that his name is Tim and he’s from West Sussex. Based on one segment of his BlueSky posts, he’s a football (“soccer”) fan. He’s also a fan of Tony Levin, so I know he has to be all right.

But the real reason that I know Whatsisname is because of the music created under this moniker. Though he has a SoundCloud and YouTube presence, I really only follow his music on BandCamp.

Synthesizer Layers

I downloaded (paid for it, of course) “Abstraction Layers” after only listening to short initial segments of a few tracks. Oh my, was I in for a surprise. Those opening sections only gave a hint of what was to come.

The liner notes Whatsisname has created on BandCamp include listings of the instruments and effects used in each album. That is certainly true of Abstraction Layers. It’s an auspicious list. I’ll let you read it for yourself. If you are a musician, you’ll probably recognize at least a few.

Reasons Abound

In addition to this abundance of sound-making resources, Whatsisname has clear skills for composing. Listening to nearly all of the tracks on this album, I find what I would call a “patient” approach to composition. Whatsisname seems to always be waiting for the next shift in the piece to appear organically. And it works.

I especially appreciated the build-up in the longest of the 7 tracks on Abstraction Layers: “Descent”. I was mesmerized by the timeless development through this piece. For a while, Whatsisname lets the morphing nature of the synthesizer sounds be the movement in the piece. Even the first rhythmic theme hovers patiently above the meandering synth tones.

These subtly shifting sounds mesmerized me and led me into the labyrinth of this song. Another synth — somewhat metallic sounding — hovers above the developing composition. The rhythm evaporates momentarily.

Even Synth Dreamers

Honestly, when the repeated percussive beat started, I was not ready for it. I wanted that patience to wait even longer. But Whatsisname made a choice that I respect. In the end, it worked for me because the synthesizers hovering about the beat were moody and unassuming. They let the rhythm work magic while they morphed and shifted.

And then, as soon as the rhythm had appeared, it faded from my ears. Only the floating synthesizers remained for a moment. When the same beat returned, it felt like an old friend. I invited it in for a cup of tea.

At the 10-minute mark, the track ended. I was ready for more. Thankfully, there were still five pieces to go. And go, they did.

Compositional Truth

In a chat on BlueSky, Tim told me:

My pieces are essentially (un)fortunate accidents.
1) Pick a sound that will hopefully co-exist with others.
2) Start assembling melodies.
3) Pick a complementary/contrasting/conflicting sound
4) Go to step 2 until satisfied
5) Enhance arrangement
6) Mix

This being true makes me think even more highly of Whatsisname. The intuition that can create these pieces is impressive to me. Listen and see if you think so, too.

My pieces are essentially (un)fortunate accidents.1) Pick a sound that will hopefully co-exist with others. 2) Start assembling melodies. 3) Pick a complementary/contrasting/conflicting sound 4) Go to step 2 until satisfied 5) Enhance arrangement 6) Mix

— Whatsisname (@seismictc.bsky.social) June 9, 2025 at 12:21 PM