Song written by Croix Baker
Website: croixbaker.bandcamp.com

Theme Interpretation: As the theme for this edition was "Vintage," I went with the most vintage electronic instrument I own, the enigmatic late '60s effects machine from Maestro called the W-1 sound system for woodwinds. All of the sounds were recorded from the W-1.
Thematically, one of the aesthetics I always found weirdly appealing is very old recordings, especially the ones that are warped or noisy; sounds that seem like they were hidden in an attic for several decades and no one knows why they were made or what for. Think Boards of Canada's "Uritual" or "The Smallest Weird Number."
I started with a simple melody that sounds like a jingle or a call to listen to the radio for an important message.
Shortly after, though, things went dark. Drones, buzzes, arpeggios, a surprise or two. All intentionally lo-fi and disturbing.
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Technically, I used the Maestro W-1, the Erica Synths' Bassline DB-01 as a signal generator, and a Keystep Pro as sequencer and MIDI controller. I spent the first hour recording into Ableton and the second hour splicing and mixing with some eq and compression, and only a Haas effect on a couple of parts.
The Maestro W-1 is a "sound system for woodwinds," presumably intended for small "big band" or jazz ensembles to add additional voices to their performance. A special barrel attached to a woodwind instrument, generally a clarinet or saxophone, would send an audio signal to the W-1, which would then play a tone in tune with the performer's instrument. There are 10 separate "instruments" that can be used in any combination, plus a "natural amp" pass-through. There's also a tremolo and 2 low-pass filters.
It requires a strong signal, and the best machine I have for that is the Bassline DB-01. Along with a choice of three very loud waveforms, it has an LFO that controls a filter and frequency modulation, as well as a parallel detuner. Already, the DB-01 can make strange FM sounds, but putting those into the W-1 makes it wild and unpredictable. The effect works best on purer tones, like the W-1's "Muted Horn" and "Bass Clarinet." Other instruments provided the more noisy elements. The Keystep Pro is self-explanatory, nothing too special.