Episode 178

Chapter 37, Contemporary Software and Synthesis. Works Recommended from my book, Electronic and Experimental Music 

Welcome to the Archive of Electronic Music. This is Thom Holmes.

This podcast is produced as a companion to my book, Electronic and Experimental Music, published by Routledge. Each of these episodes corresponds to a chapter in the text and an associated list of recommended works, also called Listen in the text. They provide listening examples of vintage electronic works featured in the text.

The works themselves can be enjoyed without the book and I hope that they stand as a chronological survey of important works in the history of electronic music. Be sure to tune-in to other episodes of the podcast where we explore a wide range of electronic music in many styles and genres, all drawn from my archive of vintage recordings.

There is a complete playlist for this episode on the website for the podcast.

Let’s get started with the listening guide to Chapter 37, Contemporary Software and Synthesis from my book Electronic and Experimental music.

Playlist: CONTEMPORARY SOFTWARE AND SYNTHESIS

Time

Track Time

Start

Introduction –Thom Holmes

01:32

00:00

1.     Barry Truax, “Sonic Landscapes No. 3” (1977 revision). From the album Sonic Landscapes: Electronic and Computer Music (Melbourne Records, Canada). “A spatial environment for four computer synthesized soundtracks.”

15:16

01:36

2.     Robert Hood. “Spirit Levels” (1994) from Internal Empire. Written, performed, and produced by Robert Hood.

05:06

16:50

3.     Ikue Mori, “Abacus—Blue Parrot” (1996) from Garden. Composed, performed, produced, drum Machines, effects, Ikue Mori. 10:57

10:57

21:56

4.     Ghost, “Aramaic Barbarous Dawn” (2004) from Hypnotic Underworld.

03:15

32:52

5.     Outputmessage (Bernard Farley), “REM State” (2004) from Oneiros. Written, performed, and produced by Bernard Farley.

04:33

36:08

6.     TOKiMONSTA, “Let Me Trick You” (2010) from Cosmic Intoxication EP. Jennifer Lee is a producer from Los Angeles, California, USA.

03:27

40:40

7.     TOKiMONSTA, “Line to Dot” (2010) from Cosmic Intoxication EP. Jennifer Lee is a producer from Los Angeles, California, USA.

02:50

44:06

8.     Harold Budd, “Jane 1” (2014) from Jane 1-11. Composed, performed, produced by, Harold

07:42

47:00

9.     Sophie, “Elle” (2013) from Bipp/Elle. Electronics, vocals, composed and performed by Sophie Xeon. Sophie was primarily known for electronica dance music.

03:39

54:42

10.   William Basinski & Richard Chartier, “Divertissement” excerpt (2015). Composition and computer synthesis, Richard Chartier and William Basinski.

08:36

58:20

11.   Thom Holmes, “Numbers” (2017) from Intervals. A composition using recordings of numbers stations as the primary source, combined with audio processing and software synthesis.

05:57

01:06:54

12.   Ami Dang, “Conch and Crow” (2019) from Parted Plains. Sitar, electronics, audio processing, voice, Ami Dang.

06:00

01:12:50

13.   Jeff Mills, “Canis Major Overdensity” (2020) from The Universe: Galaxy 1. Written, performed, and produced by Jeff Mills.

07:42

01:18:48

14.   Pamela Z, “Ink” (2021). Commissioned and presented by VOLTI, artistic director Robert Geary; executive producer Barbara Heroux; performed by VOLTI. Music by Pamela Z.

18:08

01:26:32

15.   Ryuichi Sakamoto, “20220214” (2022) from 12. Composed, produced, performed by Ryuichi Sakamoto. In answer to a question about how these recordings were done, Sakamoto replied: “They were all recorded in the small studio that was in my temporary abode in Tokyo. Depending on the piece, two or four mics were used to record the piano.”

09:10

01:44:38

16.   QOA (Nina Corti), “Sauco” (2022) (04:22), “Liquen” (2022) (02:50), “Yatei” (2022) (03:04), “Muitu” (2022) (03:16) from SAUCO. Side 1 of this release from this Argentinian composer-performer. “Sonic journey crafted to cultivate poetic gestures amidst Fauna, Flora, Fungi, Mineral Waters, Wind, and Earth. Each track is an exploration of sound's constant transformation, akin to dragonfly particles swimming in the air. Like waves occupying a space in the spectrum, the compositions work with the movement, condensation, and lightness of the air.”

13:33

01:53:50

Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.

My Books/eBooks: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020. Also, Sound Art: Concepts and Practices, first edition, Routledge 2022.

See my companion blog that I write for the Bob Moog Foundation.

For a transcript, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.

Original music by Thom Holmes can be found on iTunes and Bandcamp.