Jill Fraser uses modular synths to reimagine 1904 hymn in Beautiful Summer

Electronic music composer Jill Fraser has released a new track titled “Beautiful Summer”. This piece, originally based on a 1904 hymn, represents the second single from her upcoming album Earthly Pleasures, which is set to be released on September 27, 2024. In “Beautiful Summer,” Fraser incorporates her Serge and Prism modular synthesizers to create an arrangement featuring bell-like tones and chimes. The composition is characterized by shifts in harmonic sequences and a steady build in momentum. It is part of her project to reinterpret late 19th and early 20th-century revival hymns, transforming them while preserving their emotional essence.

Earthly Pleasures, a collection of electroacoustic music, reflects Fraser’s career in film, commercial, and game soundtracks. The album explores themes related to the cycles of life and death through immersive soundscapes. Fraser’s reinterpretation of hymns is intended to make them unrecognizable while retaining their original inspiration. Jill Fraser will perform live on September 28, 2024, as part of the Reflections event at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, where she will open for Caterina Barbieri.

Jill Fraser is an American electronic composer and sound artist with over four decades of experience in the music industry. She is known for her work on soundtracks for films, television commercials, and video games. Fraser’s career began in the late 1970s, and she became a pioneer in the use of modular synthesizers, particularly the Serge Modular Music System. Her early work in sound design and composition paved the way for her involvement in various multimedia projects. Fraser has collaborated with filmmakers, game developers, and commercial directors, contributing her distinct soundscapes to a range of media.

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