MOMENTS by Sebastian Zamet

‘MOMENTS’ is a selection of three works themed around stasis and presence. These works feature prominent looping, repetition and unfold over relatively long time-spans. Each track is designed to have enough variation to be engaging and immersive, but still minimal enough for its repetition to be easily recognisable. The desired effect of this extended repetition, is that the listener will come to experience a sense that the music will not change, and that they will consequently stop anticipating, or listening for, musical development of any kind. At such a point, it is hoped that the music truly becomes a background. Almost like wallpaper, the static nature of the music makes it easier to perceive it as an object, one that ultimately belongs to the physical environment surrounding the listener. The intent of this approach is to create a work that encourages less of a focus on the syntax of the music and more of a focus on the immediate, present nature of one’s surroundings. This music can serve as a means of ‘tinting’, or conditioning a certain perception of, one’s space. This is achieved by bringing the connotations of large reverbs, sci-fi-esque synthesiser timbres, and monolithic bass gestures into the immediate experience of one’s surroundings. In keeping with the principle that the language of the music itself should not be too intrusive, the harmonic choices in these pieces are generally tonal and consonant. Contrastingly, the timbre and texture are much more pronounced, in order to convey a sense of tactility which helps the music to be felt as embodied and present.

‘INTERMISSION’, despite not being preceded by anything, was so named in order to foreground the idea of suspending one’s expectation of constant activity. It was inspired by older flash games in the ‘point-and-click’ genre, many of which use a single, endlessly-repeating audio file as a soundtrack for each separate area or room in-game. Although this practice was largely due to technical limitations in varying and interacting with audio at the time of such games’ creation, one effect of this practice is that these games often convey strong senses of place within each in-game area. The track contrasts electronic sounds that connote industry and urbanity with more distant acoustic instruments that connote personal expression, alongside bass gestures that connote scale and physical presence. The alignment of the various repeating parts also shifts over the duration of the track.

‘TAPE LOOP ACCUMULATION’ was partly inspired by Terry Riley’s drone and loop-based works as well as by Steve Roach’s album ‘Structures From Silence’ (1984). It was recorded in one take using an acoustic guitar and by layering loops in real time.

‘SHALLOWS’ was created as a reflection on the nature of urban landscapes. Higher-pitched, busier parts represent light and noise, which permeate through wind and fog, suggested by constant phasing and modulation. A repeating bass motif, in contrast, represents the larger, heavier, more grounded structures that make up the cityscape.

Sebastian Zamet, 2025.