Hello,
Sonic asymmetry is an attempt to share the extraordinary adventure in the holistic appreciation of the frequency, amplitude, duration and form of sound waves. For some, this will be music, for others just noise. This electronic (and mute) internet medium will occasionally share impressions from the aural confrontation with the musical output from many traditions, milieux, schools and styles. Some of the artists have functioned outside any recognizable movement, others preferred to evolve within more familiar canons. There is nothing that defines their belonging to one category, other than the capacity to surprise our auditory system.
As this site grows, I will try to help the readers in the maze of often little-known musical creativity. But all evaluation is necessarily subjective and no attempt will be made to justify the views that may be incongruent with the dominant, reputational value of the recordings. If the artistic unpredictability is the most highly prized aspect of the musical adventure, dogmatic conformism is its biggest enemy.
I encourage active listening. Only then can we experience fully the violation of our gestaltic expectations and rediscover the hidden beauty of the musical imagination. It is like taking a familiar photograph and flipping it upside down, forcing our brain to find new clues about the unexpected sensory material. The rediscovery of the aesthetic function of music is the modest ambition of this site.
Enjoy.
Sonic Asymmetry 
[…] Sonic Asymmetry provides detailed reviews of various types of creative music. In their own words: Sonic asymmetry is an attempt to share the extraordinary adventure in the holistic appreciation of the frequency, amplitude, duration and form of sound waves. For some, this will be music, for others just noise. This electronic (and mute) internet medium will occasionally share impressions from the aural confrontation with the musical output from many traditions, milieux, schools and styles. Some of the artists have functioned outside any recognizable movement, others preferred to evolve within more familiar canons. There is nothing that defines their belonging to one category, other than the capacity to surprise our auditory system. « AAJ Reviews […]
hey,
thanks for reviewing my cd kipple. i really dug it even when you weren’t being nice it still sounded like you knew what you were talking about and that you actually listened to it.
did you know i released two other records this year? a jewish strings record and a metal record. send me your address if you’d like to hear them and consider them for review. thanks again.
aaron
You can download the viral symphOny here: http://www.archive.org/details/ViralSymphony
Hi! Very interesting way of reviewing, I find diagrams especially useful as a way to give an idea of something usually so personal and hard to grasp as sensations passing through your mind while hearing music.
Do you know how to get anything by Keiichi Ohta, and/or some of the Yen Records albums? If so, you would make me a happier person.
Thanks for this quality work!
JC
Hi.
I’ve just been reading some of the reviews of music and I’m enjoying them immensely – the Shockabilly and P16D4 are great – As adventures into the covertly psychedelic go, this might tickle your fancy.
http://virb.com/kymatik/audio/albums/107783
It is one of the weirdest tonal works I’ve heard. You need a decent stereo to enjoy the subtlety and it might not hit you first time around, but to me it sounds like one of the most enchanting and effective pieces of music? I’ve ever heard. Don’t know how you’d represent it graphically though. It must sound awesome in surround sound.
Tina
hi. really fun and unique site you have going. do you have any kind of ‘recommended albums’ list to see what else that you are into? thanks for the inspired and truthful reviews keep up the good work.
I strongly object to the descriptionof my work in Afghanistan as ‘radio recordings commented by Peter ten Hoopen’. I spent weeks working with the musician and recording their music on a Uher Repory 4200, later published by Folkways and Nonesuch. Please correct. See: http://www.rovingstar.com/music
Kind regards,
Peter ten Hoopen
My, my. I just came across your Iowa Ear Music analysis. Thank you for the marvelous attention you have given it. Bill is in CA, retired, going through old tapes. We are all excited to see what he comes up with. I am still in New York and doing a lot of improvisation work. I hope you can check out my bandcamp site. http://elewhalemusic.bandcamp.com/
Lots of sonic stuff there.
Be well,
Michael Lytle
hello, thanks for your insightful comments about my music, very much appreciated
(aka c w vrtacek)
charles O’Meara
Thanks for the interesting review of ‘Egmont and the ff boom’