Marcus Amaker

Author archive

empath (variations) – electronic music + spoken word

I can honestly say this is the electronic album I was born to make. Why? Because, finally, I feel like everything came together much better than any other of my solo releases. empath (variations) feels … complete. Everything I’ve learned about music production, design, publishing, mastering, song structure, looping and more is all here. I […]

Photos from the empath book tour

The tour is going well! Here’s some photos from Columbia, Sumter and Greenville. Audiences have been great and I’ve connected with a lot of wonderful souls. More coming …

I opened up for Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the UNITED STATES

I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE IT. Tracy K. Smith, the poet laureate of the US, is on a tour of small towns. She made her way to Adams Run, SC, and I was asked to read poetry before her performance. I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE IT. So, yes, Marjory and I were the special guests for Tracy. […]

Electronic music, in my backyard

it’s totally normal to play meditative electronic music in your backyard, right? open is a 21-minute collage of music, recorded live. It’s a warmup for a full-length release, later this year. gear used: Elektron Digitakt, Moog DFAM, Teenage Engineering’s OP-1, Folktek Nano Garden, Teenage Engineering’s PO-16. the free download is here: https://tapeloop.bandcamp.com/album/open-2018 and the video:

empath book tour: Halsey Institute, Charleston, SC

I asked some students from Burke High School to open up for me at a recent show. It was a proud moment for me to have these young voices amplified in Charleston. Much more shows like this will happen in the future …  

Two new interviews …

I was interviewed by Quintin Washington on Quintin’s Close-Ups and Leyla Gulen of Fox 24. Watch them both below! Let the media blitz for “empath” begin …

empath (book + journal) is here!

Happy new year, happy new book. empath is available NOW! the album version is up next. This book has my best work and my best design. I’m excited to share this experience with you. The book has six parts: Part 1: habit creature (love poems, a return to the style of my earlier work) Part […]

My favorite albums of 2017

37. The National – Sleep Well Beast: Their best album since 2010’s masterpiece, High Violet. I dig it when the band gets experimental – electronic touches are all over this moody and brilliant record. 36. Jay-Z – 4:44: No I.D.’s production is perfect and Jay-Z’s lyrics are on point and personal. (kudos to speaking the […]

wordplay

a poem about … poetry. i read this in classrooms to get students excited about the art form. filmed at burke high school.

(… and you will be beautiful)

There will be a day when I won’t need mirrors because looking into your eyes will be the only reflection I’ll need to see myself.