ABOUT “I’D RATHER BE IN SPACE“
“I’d Rather Be In Space” is a stunning collection of instrumental music from accomplished composer Marshall Watson. Falling into the broad categories of electronic and ambient, the album transcends both. The sound palate is rooted in the classic instruments of analogue sound synthesis - Korg, Juno, Moog, Prophet. Piano, guitar and field recordings were also utilized. The result is a transformative album with a timeless feel. Enjoy this future classic.
In the artist’s words: I’d Rather Be In Space is a collection of improvisational and generative music, performed and recorded in San Francisco in 2016. It is my soundtrack for ordinary days as viewed through the windows of buses, and experienced on the city’s sidewalks and alleys. For this work, I relied less on the computer, and attempted to capture the music of the moment without a lengthy editorial process (if any.) I found myself getting lost in the sound as the machines interacted with each other, and often times, I just hit record and let the sequences run, playing along and hoping for the best. The result of this vérité style approach, is an ambient, cyclical, synthesizer- heavy soundscape inspired by works of Eno, Reich, Smith, and the city of San Francisco itself.

ABOUT MARSHALL WATSON
Marshall (Shane) Watson is an accomplished electronic music producer and remixer. During the 90s, while living in New Orleans, he discovered electronic music through acts like Orbital, Rabbit in the Moon and DJs Sasha, John Digweed and Chris Fortier. During this time in New Orleans he befriended progressive house icon, Pete Lazonby and through a series of existential music conversations between the two, (and a short stint promoting a DJ night with Pete by the Mississippi River) Marshall began his production career.

In 1999 he moved to Seattle and was heavily inspired by 2000 era Morr Music artists like Herrmann & Kleine, Lali Puna and Ulrich Schnauss, and some serious rainfall. In 2004 he released his first album The Time Was Later Than He Expected, on the Sheffield label, Highpoint Lowlife. He continued to release music with Highpoint Lowlife, including one more album and several singles on various compilations before relocating again to San Francisco in 2009. Connecting with Loöq Records in 2013 at the long standing Qoöl Happy Hour, he signed his EP Do Want What You, which was supported by the likes of Sasha, Chris Fortier and Hernan Cattaneo. Since then, Marshall has remixed some of Loöq Records’ finest artists, including Jondi & Spesh, Mark Slee and MOMU.

In 2016 he released the Sitting Near Dreaming EP an ambient work on the Barcelona Label, Seven Villas Voyage, sister label to Seven Villas. HIs third album, I’d Rather Be In Space, was released on Loöq Records in early 2017, Marshall lives in San Francisco with his wife and two cats. He is the owner and Music Director of Marshall Watson Music, and a composer for Swell Music and Sound.