Is This Music?!?! – Details, episodes & analysis

Justin and Jay Afrisandotalk about how our ears are messed, and how music can still be made to accommodate that.

Like what you hear? Be sure to subscribe, like, and, above all, SHARE with your friends and enemies.

Get in touch at: isthismusicpod.gmail.com

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Season 3 is brought to you by Zeitgeist New Music! Check them out and let your ears receive weirdness:

http://www.zeitgeistnewmusic.org/

https://www.instagram.com/zeitgeistnewmusic/

Mary Ellen Childs is my guest this episode! Among the rabbit holes are: Music for the senses; structure for the sparsity; creativity for the creation.

Check out Mary Ellen's NORTH at Carleton College in Northfield, MN through November 15th, 2023!

And keep up with Mary Ellen Childs HERE

Music used in this episode (in order):

Faint Object Camera by Mary Ellen Childs; performed by Zeitgeist

Aurora from NORTH by Mary Ellen Childs; performed by Zeitgeist

II. Points from Ephemeral Geometry by Mary Ellen Childs; performed by ETHEL

Dreamy, heady, intricate pop from Liam Moore. Also rabbit holes. 

Links:

https://www.liammusicmoore.com/

https://liammoore.bandcamp.com/

Music in this episode (in order):

Lift from Visions of a Perfect Life by Liam Moore

Train Song from EXTEND by Robot Slide

Superior from Solo Duets for Guitar and Voice by Liam Moore

You seem most full- Richard Meacock, Poet; Liam Moore, Composer

32 Months from Heartsprings by Heiruspecs

Piano Sonata in C Major Op. 13, No. 1: Allegro Assai by Dmitry Kabalevsky

5 Pieces for String Orchestra by Paul Hindemith

In the lassa from Halo by Juana Molina

Crack it way open from Extraction by Greg Howe, Victor Wooten, and Dennis Chambers

Check out Sean’s stuff here: https://seanquinncomposer.com/ https://soundcloud.com/seanquinncomposer Intro: Waiting by Sean Quinn 17’46”: String Quartet No. 2 by Brian Ferneyhough 20’32”: Intermittent Breath by Sean Quinn 1’07’51”: Infinite Now by Chaya Czernowin 1’12’56”: Turangalîla-Symphonie: Mvt.5 - Olivier Messiaen 1’15’30” Voodoo Child by Liza Lim 1’24”06: Kassandra (from CONSTRUCTION) - Richard Barrett Outro:    by Rebecca Saunders

"Only Forward" by Liam Moore is out 7/8/22! Go buy it at: https://liammoore.bandcamp.com/

If you have more than a neutral feeling about this episode, leave a review, or follow me on Instagram or email me at isthismusicpod@gmail.com

And keep up with Liam at:

https://www.liammusicmoore.com/

https://soundcloud.com/liammusicmoore

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CpDk0WHLt26pWqMlXzB4D?si=Y3Wb9TZQQ_SLPfqxR8u7Vw

Recorded live 5/27/22 at Studio Z in Saint Paul!

With Nina Dante and Dalia Chin of Fonema Consort

This episode features Ryann Daisy Swimmer, and oooooo buddy was it a fun one. This conversation is pure musical journey from high school punk bands, to delay loop art song, to Sufjan Stevens. What rabbit holes do we travel down along the way? As always, listen to find out. But, I can say that Daisy is such a warm person to talk to, and can make tenuous connections with the best of them (me). Get your ears weird everyone!

Send me some feedback or connect at isthismusicpod@gmail.com

Subscribe! 

Check out Daisy's stuff here: https://www.ryanndaisyswimmer.com/

And here: https://ryanndaisyswimmer.bandcamp.com/music

Intro: Dysphoria by Ryann Daisy Swimmer: https://open.spotify.com/track/6iWjqDE2ROwCircvyMZxpp?si=6b46b818c8e84f80

Tronics by Ryann Daisy Swimmer: https://open.spotify.com/track/4jGCf4HCqupmlviMq7zCna?si=842e1e031b1e47be

Bliss by Ryann Daisy Swimmer: https://open.spotify.com/track/1cAlarqs9G7wxNO6PJktAQ?si=054eba8e035143d1

Prelude to the Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc by Julius Eastman https://open.spotify.com/track/08KFyVApzpJNqGi3TrjI6M?si=8bf64440e4124ebc

Diluted Dreams by Claire Roussay on A Softer Focus https://open.spotify.com/track/5ZbP43SVnbXcqBYKR5DOPn?si=957b0617f5ea4c0a

BUTCHER OF THE WORLD by Lingua Ignota on CALIGULA https://open.spotify.com/track/69xWltyIPMEXVzz3CcOKjq?si=7e8e0dd2f6834b6a

Outro: Evensong by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno on Evening Star https://open.spotify.com/track/3LG2OxAR616MOrTH8EQg9i?si=79e34ade38f94d83

My guest on this episode is composer and bassist, Emily Koh.

How does one get seen? A pink resume can help. Cheery color schemes and refreshing marketing help, too. But what really lands is Emily's music- a complex thread of sound that can be as broody as the next complex contemporary, yet somehow always nudges upward as if to say "look, I did that". 

Well, Emily, we see what you did there. Come enjoy a conversation that centers on expectations, approval, and creating with your own palate. 

Questions? Feedback? Interview suggestions? Wanna be on the show? Email me at: isthismusicpod@gmail.com

Links:

www.emilykoh.net

https://soundcloud.com/emykoh

Timestamps:

Intro: esphyr (2017) for violin, piano and percussion by Emily Koh

27’46”: The Flowing Water From High Mountain by Shanghai Chinese Traditional Orchestra on Hanshan Temple

34’14”: resonate/勤 (2017) for Chinese chamber ensemble by Emily Koh

41’19”: Hammer to Fall by Queen on The Works

54’38”: Savage by aespa on Savage EP

Outro: Beseeching by Texu Kim on Primavera II: The Rabbits

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

http://www.arts.state.mn.us/images/logos/msab_logo_color_small.gif

https://www.legacy.mn.gov/sites/default/files/images/logos/legacy_logo_rgb.jpg

Note: I had a typo in my notes, and pulled a Ron Burgendy in the intro. The piece featured in the intro is Marble, Glass, and VAPOR, not Paper. What a silly goose I am. Also, kudos, Schuyler, Marble, Glass, and Vapor is a much better song name.

On this season-opening episode, I chat with Schuyler Tsuda, a sound artist, noisemaker, composer, improviser, and synth-pop concocter. We talk about styles of music that I haven’t been able to wrap my head around (don’t worry, I’m getting there). We talk about getting your hands actually on instruments and taking away the guesswork. We talk a lot about harsh noise walls and what the hell is going on there. But, ultimately, we just vibed on being good ol’ kindred spirit metalheads. I think that’s gonna come up a bunch this season. If this doesn’t get your ears weird, well, then I want to know what you’re listening to.

As always, timestamps of episode music are below, as well as links to my guest, and a Spotify playlist!

Schuyler Tsuda Website: http://schuylertsuda.com/

Music: https://schuylertsuda.bandcamp.com/

https://shieldyoureyes.bandcamp.com/

Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6T6PFVVmD6h4RuhLb6WMqv?si=a956408bb0874eea

Intro: Marble, Glass, and Vaper (2009, 2017) by Schuyler Tsuda

19’11”: In pulverem: tines/table/electronics, xOxbOx/drum machine/pedals from Three Masses, Volume 3 by Shield Your Eyes

21’07”: Part VI from Spectrum Ripper by Masona

22’06”: S.C.A.N. from Magnetostriction by Aube

26’26”: Improvisation by Shield Your Eyes

30’50”: Snakes for the Divine from Snakes for the Divine by High on Fire

32’14”: Concubine from Jane Doe by Converge

37’01”: Pierres Sacrées from Pierres Sacrées/Hazard and Tectonics EP by Iancu Dumitrescu

41’44”: Kado: The Way of Flowers by Schuyler Tsuda

49’58”: Lithium from Nevermind by Nirvana

54’25”: Come Live With Me from Dillon: Chamber Music by James Dillon

55’30”: Trilogy Suite Op: 5 from Trilogy by Yngwie Malmsteen

58’15”: …Grey from Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise by Emperor

59’08”: Concerto for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 35: IV. Allegro con brio by Dmitri Shostakovich

59’30”: Apocalypse from The Fourth Dimension/Maximum Abduction by Hypocrisy

1’01’15”: One Wish from Decade Counter by Schuyler Tsuda

1’02’10”: Sulk from TRST by TR/ST

1’02’45”: Morphine from Yr Body Is Nothing by Boy Harsher

Outro: Real Life from Decade Counter by Schuyler Tsuda

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

http://www.arts.state.mn.us/images/logos/msab_logo_color_small.gif

My guest this episode is Jeffery Kyle Hutchins, a saxophonist, creator, improviser, mover, shaker, dream breaker, and wish maker. Kyle is, thankfully, responsible for some of the weirdest things I've seen live. He's really one of the first people I saw perform experimental music, now that I think of it. There's a cool music trajectory here, so don't miss it! We talk experiments, the need for over-emoting, what to do when no one wants to jam, with some pretty cool and funny anecdotes to boot. Fun fact: since exploring some of the music we talked about during our chat, Spotify has been suggesting "Afrofuturism through a jazz lens" as a genre that I'm into.

And guess what? I'm into it.

Music timestamps:

Intro: “I” and “III” by Binary Canary on iterative systems

23’43”: “Fm” by The Slits on Cut

24’56”: “Uncontrollable Urge” by DEVO on Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

32’50”: “Sound Fishes” by Pauline Oliveros on If Tigers Were Clouds

40’43”: “Prickly Pear” by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on Rocket Science

40’43”: “Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115: III. Andantino - Presto non assai, ma con sentimento” by Johannes Brahms

40’43”: “13 Monsters” by Lightning Bolt on Ride the Skies

40’43”: “Something That Produces Results” by The Early November on The Room's Too Cold

41’02”: “We Owe This to Ourselves” by Anberlin on Dark Is the Way, Light Is a Place

44’30”: “Sunday Morning” by No Doubt on Tragic Kingdom

46’06”: “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World on Bleed American

48’15”: “Bodysnatchers” by Radiohead on In Rainbows

49’21”: “What It Is To Burn” by Finch on What It Is To Burn

54’10”: “Delta City Blues” by Michael Brecker on Two Blocks from the Edge

55’41”: “Chronology” by Ornette Coleman on The Shape of Jazz to Come

56’38”: “Jupiter” by John Coltrane on Interstellar Space

Outro: “Ptah, the El Daoud” by Alice Coltrane on Ptah, the El Daoud

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

http://www.arts.state.mn.us/images/logos/msab_logo_color_small.gif
https://www.legacy.mn.gov/sites/default/files/images/logos/legacy_logo_rgb.jpg