Social Death Mixtape

There aren't many contemporary composers who choose to present their works in the form of a mixtape, but Patrick Higgins is one of them. The cassette (issued by Burlington, Vermont's NNA Tapes) consists of a variety of pieces ranging from pointillist harpsichord compositions to abrasive string ensemble works that wring frightening sounds and textures out of acoustic instruments and computer processing. The most electronic piece is the 11-minute musique concrete work "Erotic Apocalypse," which builds heavy drones, mangles them, and pulverizes them into dust. "Nightwalker, Deerstalker" is dedicated to Conlon Nancarrow, and suitably pays homage to his impossibly complex player piano compositions. Closing piece "The Language of Flowers" pits battering, ring-modulated electronic percussion against Higgins' always-impressive guitar work. The rough sound quality of the cassette format benefits these recordings, as they contribute to the dissonant, challenging attributes of the music itself.