Exoticamusicmusic beyond the familiar

An independent magazine about unusual music. It is not a record label, production company or shop and has no connection with the former website on this domain; we do not sell or distribute recordings.

Analysis

Analysis

An analysis is not a review or a verdict. It is a way of slowing down your listening and noticing what the music is made of. We split the sound into four layers (timbre, rhythm, structure and the recording itself) and illustrate each with hypothetical examples: invented but typical tracks, similar to what you might come across in a collection of unusual music.

If a track seems like chaos, look for the repetition. It is almost always there, just not where you expected.

— Editor's thought

How to break down a track

  1. Name the timbres

    List everything you hear: instruments, voices, noises, electronic sounds. Don't worry about exact names; "ringing", "humming" and "rustling" will do.

    A hypothetical exotica-style track: vibraphone, soft double bass, bongos, birdcalls in the background and a distant gong at the start.

  2. Find the pulse

    Is there a steady beat you could tap your foot to? If not, notice how the density of events changes: sounds thicken, then thin out.

  3. Follow the form

    Mark the moments where something changes: a new timbre enters, the rhythm drops out, the opening theme returns. This reveals the structure even of a piece without verses and choruses.

    A hypothetical electronic piece: a long drone, a gradual layering of clicks, an abrupt cut and a quiet coda on a single tone.

  4. Listen to the recording itself

    Where is the sound: near or far, left or right? Can you hear the room, tape hiss, wind? The recording is part of the work too.

  5. Check the credits

    The booklet will tell you where and how the recording was made, which instruments were used and who did what. It is a check on your guesses, not a substitute for your ears.

    A hypothetical field recording: the notes say it was recorded outdoors, so the dog barking in the background is not a mistake but part of the document.

  6. Form your impression last

    Only after all the steps should you say what you liked or didn't. That way your judgement rests on what you heard, not on your first surprise.

Four layers of sound

LayerWhat to listen forWhere it stands out most
TimbreThe colour of the sound: metallic, wooden, electronic, noisyExotica with its percussion, and electronic music built on synthesised sounds
RhythmWhether there is a pulse, whether it is steady or floating, how the density of sounds changesMusic of other cultures, where the count may differ from what you are used to, and free improvisation
StructureRepetitions, contrasts, returns, gradual changesLong experimental pieces whose form is built on slow development
RecordingDistance to the sound, space, noise from the medium and the surroundingsField recordings, where the space and incidental sounds are part of the content
  • People

    Roles in music, from composer to cover artist, and how to check facts about a musician for yourself.

  • Collections

    Themed collections of directions for a first encounter with unusual music.

  • Events

    How to choose a concert or festival of unusual music and what to bring along.

Sources

  • Music encyclopedias and reference works
  • Release credits: booklets and sleeves

Historical information is based on music encyclopedias and reference works. Details of releases, concerts and venues change, so check them with publishers and organisers.