Hey. Here’s “The Seventh Wave” from synth/sound effect-making pro Suzanne Ciani’s debut album Seven Waves. It’s pretty nice. Listen below and read the Ciani biography in the “About” section (and ignore the fact that it says “Deep in the Sea” – that’s not what the song is actually called. The uploader has mixed up the sixth and seventh wave titles):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sCYh2DQy74

Suzanne Ciani was an early master of the synthesizer in new wave music. Along with solo records, she apparently made sound effects that advertising companies had a difficult time recording, such as the sound of opening a Coca-Cola and pouring it into a glass. She made that sound. She also made the theme for Energizer battery commercials and (probably the old) ABC  theme. She released her debut album, Seven Waves, for the first time in 1982.

I chose this song for today because we just had Admitted Students Day here and I first heard this song during the summer between junior and senior year of high school, when I was applying for colleges. I downloaded the album before I left for the east coast to look at some of the colleges over there. The first time I heard it was in one of the hotel rooms we stayed in while we were visiting either Franklin & Marshall or Lafayette. Or maybe we stayed in the same hotel for both of those. Everything from college touring trips tends to blend together for me. My parents were out running and I didn’t want to go for a walk by myself because the area around the hotel was kind of weird, so I decided to stay in and listen to Seven Waves. 

The album is pretty good, but this song is an obvious stand out. It’s light and bouncy and has a wonderful groove. Ciani shows she has an excellent ear for textures and her variety of synths masterfully complement one another. The song begins with the sound of waves crashing and this continues throughout. The drums are subtle to keep from overpowering the rest of the music. I wonder if I would have a blog if I went to Lafayette. The campus was pretty nice, and I can’t remember why I chose not to apply. I can’t remember Franklin & Marshall at all. I’m glad that process is over.  But to those who are applying to colleges right now, hang in there – it will probably end up being worth it.

But if not then you don’t have to stay.

– DJYT

Suzanne Ciani