On the Other Ocean explained

On the Other Ocean is the debut studio album by American composer David Behrman, released in 1978 by Lovely Music.^[1] Considered a pioneering work of computer music, the album pairs electronics controlled by a KIM-1 computer with live players.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Background and recording

"On the Other Ocean" was recorded on September 18, 1977, at the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College in Oakland, California.

"Figure in a Clearing" was recorded on June 9, 1977, at the Electronic Music Studio at the State University of New York at Albany in Albany, New York.

Release

The album was reissued by Lovely Music in 1996 on CD and again on vinyl on February 1, 2019.^[6]

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, Andy Beta of Pitchfork said, "Over 40 years after its initial release, [Behrman's] pioneering work pairing computers with live players feels not only prescient but also refreshingly optimistic." Nilan Perera of Exclaim! praised the record, saying, "What both pieces excel in is a rich, organic, complexity that on the surface may be considered "ambient," but eschews that convention in the most artful way. This recording has achieved landmark status in New Music and it's easy to hear why."

Accolades

Legacy and influence

An excerpt of "On the Other Ocean" was featured on . a 2012 DJ mix compilation album by Belle and Sebastian.^[8]

In 2017, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes selected "On the Other Ocean" in his "Bedtime Mix" for Phil Taggart on BBC Radio 1.^[9]

American choreographer Molissa Fenley has used "On the Other Ocean" and "Figure in a Clearing" in her work.^[10]

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.^[11]

• David Behrman – composition, KIM-1 computer, electronics
• Arthur Stidfole – bassoon
• Maggi Payne – flute
• "Blue" Gene Tyranny – engineering
• David Gibson – cello
• Richard Lainhart – engineering
• Ariel Peeri – jacket design

Notes and References

1. Web site: Album Notes: On the Other Ocean . February 16, 2019 . Lovely Music.
2. Web site: Trends in New Music on Disks. Rockwell. John. John Rockwell. March 12, 1978. The New York Times. February 16, 2019.
3. Book: Jennie Gottschalk. Experimental Music Since 1970. 11 August 2016. Bloomsbury Publishing. 978-1-62892-251-6. 74–.
4. Book: Alvin Lucier. Music 109: Notes on Experimental Music. 10 September 2012. Wesleyan University Press. 978-0-8195-7298-1. 82–.
5. Book: Thom Holmes. Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture. 31 March 2008. Routledge. 978-1-135-90617-7. 430–.
6. Web site: Lovely Music reissues Robert Ashley's Private Parts and David Behrman's On the Other Ocean on vinyl. Fitzgerald. Colin. November 30, 2018. Tiny Mix Tapes. February 16, 2019.
7. Web site: The 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time. September 26, 2016. Pitchfork. February 16, 2019.
8. Web site: Belle & Sebastian compile another Late Night Tales. March 2, 2012. Fact. February 16, 2019.
9. Web site: Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold's Bedtime Mix . BBC Radio 1, Bedtime Mix . April 16, 2017 . June 27, 2017.
10. Web site: molissafenley.com - Works. molissafenley.com.
11. On the Other Ocean . David Behrman . 1978 . Lovely Music, Ltd. . Liner notes . LML 1041.