Published
Fri, Aug 31, 2012, 12:25
- The computer music innovator's first LP will be re-released in September.
This September, Unseen Worlds will release New York composer Laurie Spiegel's first album, The Expanding Universe.
Part composer, part software developer, Spiegel is considered one of the most important early figures in computer music. Throughout the '70s and '80s, she forged new territory in using algorithms and automation as part of the composition process, arguably laying the groundwork for today's production software. She's quoted as saying: "I automate whatever can be automated to be freer to focus on those aspects of music that can't be automated. The challenge is to figure out which is which."
Spiegel composed The Expanding Universe between '74 and '77 and released it in 1980, just before taking a step back from New York's avant-garde scene. The new reissue includes all of the album's original compositions, plus an additional 15 pieces, including significant works like "Kepler's Harmony of the Worlds," which was included in the Golden Record onboard the Voyager spacecraft. It will be available digitally, as a double CD or a limited edition vinyl package complete with lossless download codes. You can hear the opening track, "Patchwork," right here.
Tracklist
CD1
01. Patchwork
02. Old Wave
03. Pentachrome
04. A Folk Study
05. Drums
06. Appalachian Grove I
07. Appalachian Grove II
08. Appalachian Grove III
09. The Expanding Universe
CD2
01. East River Dawn
02. The Unquestioned Answer
03. The Orient Express
04. Clockworks
05. Dirge I
06. Dirge II
07. Music for Dance I
08. Music for Dance II
09. Kepler's Harmony of the Worlds
10. Wandering in Our Times
Unseen Worlds will release The Expanding Universe in September 2012.