Composing Experimental Pop

This course will analyze the rhythmic, harmonic,
melodic, timbral, and lyrical content of
experimental pop and encourage students to
perceive and describe its organization.

Deconstructing compositions from a diverse range
of artists including David Bowie, Grace Jones,
Yoko Ono, Sly Stone, Kate Bush, Prince, Sparks,
Brain Eno, Cocteau Twins, The Knife, MGMT, MIA,
Mdou Moctar, SOPHIE and others, students will
explore hooks, topline melodies, richly-layered
vocal harmonies, dynamic instrumental
arrangements, and infectious grooves and then
reconstruct these compositions in a Digital Audio
Workstation.

Students will also create original compositions
while exploring experimental strategies: from
deploying William Burroughs' cut-up techniques to
generate lyrics, to transforming melodic and
harmonic patterns into both Minimalist and Baroque
renderings, to alchemizing fissions and fusions of
rhythms from heterogeneous cultural and technical
origins.