10’00”
composed 2011
commissioned and premiered by the Fresno State Wind Orchestra (Fresno, California)
Composer’s Note
The music of Braindance is inspired by Intelligent Dance Music (IDM), a sub-genre of techno that emerged in the early-to-mid 1990s. IDM is not characterized by any one specific feature or beat; rather, it is a genre that is influenced by all other genres while at the same time allowing for the maximum amount of individual experimentation by the musician. Examples of artists viewed as creators of IDM include Autechre, Atom Heart, B12, LFO, and - perhaps most famously - Aphex Twin. The name Braindance is directly attributed to Aphex Twin and is a term used by his record label to describe his official overarching genre. Aphex Twin's use of the term, rather than the more conventional label of IDM, was seen as a not-so-veiled attempt to discredit the "Intelligent" Dance Music label as condescending towards other dance music genres.
The choice to incorporate IDM-style techno into a work for wind ensemble in many ways harkens to the aforementioned definition of IDM itself. In the same way that the genre is characterized, this work is likewise influenced by several other genres while also allowing for a great degree of experimentation. Electronic music elements such as filter sweeps, CD stutters, complex electronic drum patterns, sustaining pads, and loops are emulated by the individual instruments of the ensemble, creating a sound that evokes both techno and contemporary wind literature. Specific genres - Glitch, Trance, and Trip-Hop - are each primary influences of the three corresponding movements of the work - "Glitch Switch," "Haze Phase," and "Trip-Bop."