Audio CD
Edition of 1000
Transparency Label, LA, CA

For this audio CD project, I simulated the concept of the ascending curve based on my interpretation of the theories put forth by the Muzak Corporation. For the length of each of the ten easy listening LP’s, I discovered that the sequence of the songs can be specifically structured for either a space of leisure or labor. The LP’s that were originally pressed for leisure listening are, through a structural shift, now resequenced into background sounds intended for labor. 

For the x10R CDs, I resequenced original LP’s of ten composers who were at one time or another affiliated with Muzak. Many mood music and easy listening LP’s are arranged to be enjoyed at home and are listened to as mood music entertainment. The order of the songs on the LP might be sequenced according to the tempo and arrangements to diversify the listening experience, they were intended for the space of leisure and pleasure. 

All the newly resequenced ascending curves that I thought of as representing singular spaces, were superimposed onto two CD’s, thus causing all the sounds to be heard simultaneously. This conflict of legibility represents the audio equivalent of experiencing multiple spaces and the resulting impossibility of its intelligibility. The amount of acoustic and spatial information that is presented exceeds the human capacity. One may recognize fleeting fragments of a tune or narrative, but as they continually collide into each other, the regard for the underlying narrative is constantly in flux. I consider this audio work a sculpture and that it may challenge cognitive or emotional space and thus somehow affect the body physically or behaviorally. The legibility of the sound is partially dependent upon the gaps between the songs. x10R. 1 maintains the two second gaps between all the songs and with x10 R.2, some of the gaps are lengthened or shortened at precise moments to allow certain passages to remain legible.