Thursday, December 20, 2012

We are the MODulars, or are we?

Laurie Spiegel is an American composer. She played a large role in the New York "New Music" Scene. Primarily know for her electronic music compositions, she first started working with Buchla and EML synthesizers, as well as moving into more digital based prototype music generating systems(the first Max programs). Most of her work was based on interactive algorithmic compositions. She created her most famous software, Music Mouse(1986),which the program's built-in knowledge of chord and scale convention and stylistic constraints would be automated, allowing the user to focus on other aspects of the music in real time. Anyways, she is one amazing individual in the digital music world. Totes to her!
From the album "The Expanding Universe" (1980)


Live Performance of the piece "Improvisations on a 'Concerto Generator'"

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Shibuya-kei! RnJR

Starting in the early nineties, Shibuya-kei was a Japanese music style from the Shibuya district in Tokyo, Japan. The style is a mix of Japanese pop, electronic, jazz and general goofs. I will mention one of my favorites of the bands in the style, that being Buffalo Daughter. They make you want to drive in most hustle and bustle of traffic.
Other bands in the genre include:
Cornelius, Cibbo Matto, Yukari Fresh, Takako Minekawa, Fantastic Plastic Machine, among many others...

From the album "New Rock"