boomerang

From Mission of Burma to one-man guitar orchestra, Roger Clark Miller remains one of the most quietly influential guitarists of the post-punk era, working to the calendar of his own creative impulses.

Photo by Jesse Kreizer

The post-punk 6-string hero takes a deep dive into sonic surrealism with his new album, a loop-driven collection of riveting soundscapes called Eight Dream Interpretations for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble.

If you ever find the opening to ask a composer or producer what it means to ā€œpaint with sound,ā€ be prepared to frame the question in as many different ways as there are colors in the visible spectrum. Inspired by synaesthesis? Could be. Maybe a deep dive into abstract free-form improv? Sure, always worth a shot. What if you commit to exotic tunings or unconventional music theory? Or how about a mash-up of prepared instruments with some radical effects processing and tape manipulation?

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"I donā€™t like any type of art that has to be explained."

Photo by Scott Friedlander

The profoundly prolific guitarist leads his band of tricksters through a surrealist sonic exploration of deep, esoteric rhythms and intricate interplay on Thisness.

On his new album Thisness, Miles Okazaki is credited as playing guitar, voice, and robots. If you imagine that the reference to robots is some sort of artsy kitschā€”like trapping a Roomba Robot Vacuum into a tight space to sample its struggles as it percussively barrels into the four wallsā€”youā€™re very far off the mark. Okazakiā€”who has an elite academic pedigree with degrees from Harvard, Manhattan School of Music, and Julliard, and currently holds a faculty position at Princeton University (after leaving a post at the University of Michigan, to which he commuted weekly from his home in Brooklyn for eight years)ā€”wasnā€™t kidding.

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Rig Rundown: El Ten Eleven

Three abnormal basses, two loopers, and a few warping stomps help Kristian Dunn morph and multiply his buoyant post-rock tones.


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