“But I don’t have enough time.”

So, get a camera crew from FACT to loom behind you and watch while you produce, all with a clever ten-minute clock ticking away for their series Against The Clock.

Actually, no. Two problems. One, the pressure might make you completely freeze up. Two, yes, you might not have FACT around.

But you could imagine a timer. Deft, the aptly-named Croydon, UK artist whose work ranges from cinematic and ambient straight through to footwork, here goes a bit modern drum and bass in a perfectly passable track that he assembles under the clock. Got to hand it to him for that.

And his tool of choice is one that gets far too little attention around these parts: ancient-in-computer-years Windows stalwart FL Studio aka “Fruity Loops.” FL gets extra points here for putting useful samplers and other instruments right front and center, building in a step sequencer, and generally getting you making music right away. Even doing it all with a mouse doesn’t look so awkward. FL users, maybe you can spot something clever in here, but mostly I think it’ll warm your hearts.

The tool:

http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/

The story:

http://www.factmag.com/2014/12/10/against-the-clock-deft/

And here’s the really beautiful material Deft makes with more time. Grimy rhythms, sophisticated grooves, set against a massively-deep soundscape – cavernous ambiences somehow never wind up getting crowded. (And if they can survive being squashed on SoundCloud, I can’t wait to hear them on vinyl and lossless digital.) From the always-smart label Project Mooncircle:

More more lo-fi, broken beat, entrancing gems from Deft are available via his Bandcamp:

Before Vol. 2 by Deft

And SoundCloud:

Thanks to Joel Bernstein, wrangler of the CDM reboot we’re wrapping over the holidays.

Yes, Virginia, kids still use Fruity Loops.

You can do anything. Whip out a track. Croydon style.