Listening report – William Basinski

 

Prof. Dr. Herzogenrath

The Future of Avantgarde-Music

Blaha, Malte C.

Matrikelnummer 7509502

 

Listening report – William Basinski

William Basinski's "Disintegration Loops" is a musical piece that captures the process of decay. It is inspired by the events of 9/11 and the collapsing twin towers, which deepened his fascination with the decay of music. The combination of fading music and the imagery of the towers collapsing makes time feel irrelevant, and the pressure in the surroundings is palpable. The music repeats itself, but it tells a story that has changed through endless variations of narration. The sound fabricates a message that the listener wants to hear, and it feels like an eternity hearing it while witnessing a catastrophic event.

As the music continues to decay, the scratching vinyl sound becomes one with the imagery and fills the room with a mystical, hidden power. It is thought-provoking and encourages reflection on mortality and impermanence. The desire to know, how the decay affects the original song is strong, but one can only hear the broken mood in the present moment. The music is tragic and reminiscent of a title track for a war video game. The rhythm changes slowly, and the decay leaves the impression that it's okay to let go and accept the fate.

The decay of the music creates new scenes to be heard or seen, composition and change are interrelated. Even the unintentional change creates a narrative, and the memory of the music at a certain point is what counts. Ultimately, every living cell, regardless of the organism, will die. The music may survive time, but only if it is preserved. For me, “Disintegration Loops" is a poignant reflection on the impermanence of life and the power of decay in music.