perfect, eternal machinery

This Fall, as part of the Cubelab Composition workshop, I had an original piece recorded by a unique quartet of clarinet, accordion, electric guitar and percussion. This work, perfect, eternal machinery explores the consequences of totalitarian perfection and the ideas of a fully mechanized society. The piece was inspired by works like George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's book, Brave New World revealing the facade of a so-called utopia- an endless unyielding system that over time, breaks down irreparably.


 

The music of this turbulent soundscape results in a permanent state of instability and loss, challenging the ideas of an ideal and perfect existence. I developed a feedback loop to create a more dense sound with abrupt shifts in timbre throughout the piece as the sound arc degrades. This work, perfect, eternal machinery explores the consequences of totalitarian perfection and the ideas of a fully mechanized society. The music of this turbulent soundscape results in a permanent state of instability and loss, challenging the ideas of an ideal and perfect existence.

My process with hybrid electroacoustic compositions begins with these abstract hand drawn sketches studying the narrative arc of the piece prior to any digital or hand drawn notations.

Conceptual Sketches