Canon Chops by David Curington

https://difficultartandmusic.bandcamp.com/album/canon-chops

Genre: Contemporary

Rating: Very Highly Recommended

released February 15, 2023

Canon Chops starts with a tape manipulation musique concrete electroacoustic reinterpretation of Schumann and Chopin. The style is somewhat reminiscent of Vladimir Ussachevsky but, in my opinion, it’s more rewarding to listen to because it’s not just deconstructed but it’s also reconstructed. It builds not only on the ideas of the early electronic pioneers but also on the spirit of the original composers. The beauty isn’t destroyed but rather offered up at another angle.

The second track, Bach Strips, pays an even deeper homage to the original composer. Although it’s still very abstract, if you’ve spent time with both Bach and contemporary experimental music you’ll be able to hear how much of the ghost lives in this composition. It’s a great achievement.

The third track, Squalls, is the most traditionally experimental track of the four and hangs its hat entirely on the abstract. I fell in love with this type of sound listening to the Destroy All Music radio show on WREK (Georgia Tech student run radio) when I was peculiar and often very high high school boy. It’s done really well and I love that this is a road some composers are still willing to walk down. It still pushes boundaries that need to be pushed.

The final track, Not Sheffield Market, is the most 21st century pioneering track on the record and lands squarely in the field recording ambient domain. It’s a crowded field but this track captures the ambiance of everyday sound and recreates it into music at an extraordinary level. It’s a top tier venture into that arena.

Curington successfully demonstrates his ability to explore four distinct branches of the avant garde on this record. There aren’t any weaknesses. The entire project is immaculate and beautiful.