Mirror Mirror (1997)

Mirror Mirror is the second single from Silonics' retrospective album: Channeling Apollo/Art Dance Classics (1989 - 2001), which releases in June 2024. It features several works created in collaboration with choreographers for contemporary dance performances, plus some other experimental art music tracks, which are yet to be choreographed. This is one of the dance tracks...

Mirror Mirror was produced in my bedroom studio in a share house in North Fitzroy and was composed for choreographer Zoe Wood's dance duet in Guild Dance Theatre's METAFORMOSIS, performed at Melbourne University in August, 1997.

The composition began with the idea of creating a lead bass melody, inspired by a vaguely remembered indie pop track on radio RRR in the late 80's. It had somehow evoked the feeling of being cosy in winter, which was coincidently the season when I was making this music. So in part, I was trying to re-create that mood and following the theme of the dance, the bass represents the lead dancer with the music evolving to explore what is seen in the mirror. This becomes an interplay between the bass and other instruments, as personal discoveries are implied between the pas de deux of self and image...

When looking into the mirror we may ask ourselves, "Is that really me?" How much of our inner self is revealed in our physical appearance? What of our hearts and minds, our personalities, our hopes and fears, our spirit and our soul? Do we have doubt or feel confident in who we believe we are? These are existential questions that we may all consider from time to time, but for now, relax and enjoy the ride.

In Mirror Mirror, the warm bass lines riff amidst energising rhythms and weave in and around multiple chordal and percussive call-and-response elements, which playfully emerge and recede, as one's self dances with one's reflection...