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Released in 1989 and composed and recorded in 1987, American composer Steve Reich's minimalist "Electric Counterpoint" has fascinated, hypnotized and inspired choreographers and musicians alike (think The Orb's "Little Fluffy Clouds").
Reich explains explains the composition as such: "In Electric Counterpoint the soloist pre-records as many as ten guitars and two electric bass parts and then plays the final 11th guitar part live against tape... Electric Counterpoint is in three movements -- fast, slow, fast -- played one after the other without pause." The first movement derives from Central African horn music.
The non-stop 15-minutes of pulsing, interlocking, and juxtaposition is an experience onto itself. Shared between two, the blissful canons and melodic patterns in a dance of human form are intense and intimate.
You can sample "Electric Counterpoint" at Reich's MySpace Music page.
Image from the album Different Trains with all music by Steve Reich. Features Pat Metheny playing Electric Counterpoint. Kronos Quartet is also on the album on a different piece.
