The true beauty of something lies not in its bold pronouncements, but in its hidden nuances. In the almost-there, the nearly-not, the subtle friction that creates something entirely new.
We often hear music, but do we listen to its silent conversations?
Turns and Returns finds inspiration in exploring the exquisite, often overlooked drama unfolding in the fractional spaces, where a mere vibration or reflection can alter your perception. Here, the familiar is reimagined in the creative process of finding inspiration in unexpected visual and auditory landscapes where familiar daily sounds are woven into an unforeseen experience. The creation of a future-forward soundscape emerges, offering a fresh perspective beyond the surface of everyday life.
“Turns and Returns” is the forth track from Mark Howden’s Dreams EP, a 2025 release characterised by a dreamy, otherworldly aesthetic. The track is a collaboration between Howden, a music producer, and the digital artist known as Gaming.
The visual elements draw inspiration from American Realist painter Edward Hopper, emphasising realism, solitude and tension, and employing a cinematic-theatrical style to elevate common moments into poetic narratives. The choice to emulate Hopper’s focus imbues the film with a quiet drama that elevates everyday scenes.
Gaming’s contribution was influenced by a narrative writing exercise on the use of the flashback technique, which uses non-linear storytelling to add depth and suspense to the present moment. This concept aligns closely with the EPs title, as flashbacks, like dreams, transcend linear time and deepen the emotional resonance of a scene. The track incorporates voice samples from the course lecturer, weaving these into the composition to reinforce the flashback motif.
Turns and Returns elucidates how Mark Howden and Gaming’s collaboration melds sound, visual art, and narrative theory to create a richly textured emotionally resonant work that is marked by a composition of form and use of light to evoke mood, conveying a sense of narrative depth and emotional resonance. This openness fostered a unique synergy between audio and visual elements, resulting in a work that is immersive, nuanced and richly textured. The Dreams EP is set to continue with forthcoming tracks, possibly including tracks 5 and 6, expected before 2026.
Mark Howden 