Out of the Silent Planet

Background - A Retrospective

This retrospective album (c. 1984) is named after the famous novel by C. S. Lewis, the first part of a trilogy including Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.

Produced mostly during the early 1980’s, these pieces were created without any computer involvement (no sequencing), by performing live into a multi-track recorder, adding one track at a time. Consequently, they reflect a purely improvisational approach to composition, and are limited by the sonic values afforded by the equipment available at that time. Most work was done with a Rhodes Chroma, with some early drum machines and reverb modules. A few pieces were created later, using a Korg Wavestation, but they are included here because they represent the conclusion of this phase of composition. It should be noted that the technical challenge of getting a usable "composite" recording often overshadowed the artistic components.


Arcturus (4:47) — A star, a fake Latin word, a state of mind. Very nearly the brightest star, actually. OK, in fact, the brightest star in the Northern hemisphere. Named after Arktos (Greek for “bear”) because the star follows Ursa (Latin for “bear”) Major around the Northern sky in spring. But what, out of the silent planetoid, is it — a flying saucer? You earthlings are stupid, stupid, stupid.

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Sequinsulator (2:37) - Percolations of primitive sequencer, plus evaporations, and an abrupt resonance. Nice as alternate backing for short Gene Kelly dance bits (e.g., Brigadoon?).

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Strato Nimbus (8:46) - Country Joe guitar atop free-range drums meets Angelo Badalamenti. Perhaps this is Section 44; if not, it coulda woulda. Thanks, Joe.

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Starred Wreck (5:17) - Orbital detritus. Some of these structures, though huge, have evaporated most of their substance over the millennia, becoming delicate crystalline frameworks of unimaginable fragility. Other remain simply huge.

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Tuberosities (14:01) - Time has not stopped; it has run amok. What is amok? What is updok? If you have the time, these osities will take you there, and back. Probably. But don’t tap your foot -- this ain’t your daddy’s metric system. (One of several compositions in the Igorian Mode, which was discovered in the early 1960’s.)

During the 1980’s, most of my work was focused on timbre, but not to the exclusion of some pitch and meter. The problem of meter, however, had become obvious, since it tends to obliterate our awareness of timbre, by grabbing our most elemental pattern-recognition sensors and monopolizing the rest of our auditory discrimination faculties. This prevents all but the most simplistic perception of timbre dynamics, reducing the tonality dimension to little more than voicing. In Tuberosities, I attempted to invoke meter only in contexts where it could be alternately asserted and then violated.

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Pagoda: Arrive (4:03) - The Pagoda pieces are in two parts (Arrive and Ascend). In Arrive, a small set of motifs establishes a lacquered harmonic context -- the initial impression of this newly discovered edifice of established spiritual direction. (Pardon the old-tech glitches here and there.)

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Pagoda: Ascend (10:20) - Now we can finally settle down. The practice gradually takes hold. Eventually, transcendence coexists with change, and revelatory celebration. (Ew wow.)

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Igor Interval (4:30) - Subversive submetric sojourne in the Igorian Mode. Perhaps the trolls are dancing. Perhaps the current political situation is a coincidence.

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Ice King Recessional (2:52) - Yowza, de froze dude he self be a-risin’ up and a-steppin’ out. We be bowin’ and cheerin’ and feelin’ real satisfied. It be time fo’ lunch!

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