William Basinski is an avant-garde composer and multimedia artist whose work is synonymous with the exploration of the sonic texture and the beauty of decay. Born in 1958 in Houston, Texas, Basinski has been developing his unique approach to composition since the 1970s. He has become especially renowned for his tape loop projects, which capture the gradual disintegration of magnetic sound. One of his most acclaimed works, "The Disintegration Loops," emanated from his attempts to transfer old recordings to digital format, only to find the tapes physically crumbling as they played, resulting in hauntingly beautiful, elegiac music that served as an unintentional requiem for the post-9/11 world.

With an extensive oeuvre that spans several decades, Basinski's works often reflect themes of temporality and the sublime. His catalog includes pieces such as "Lamentations" and "On Time Out of Time," which showcase his talent for creating deep, immersive soundscapes through the manipulation of tape loops and other media. His approach produces music that burns slowly, coaxing listeners into reflective states of mind as it layers time upon itself. Basinski's contributions to contemporary music have carved out a unique niche in the world of experimental and electronic music, influencing a range of artists and listeners searching for transcendence through sound.

Genres

Ambient

Compositional Ambient

Drone

Fourth World

Hauntology

Intelligent Dance Music

Sound Art

Tape Music

Related Artists

Brian Eno

Max Richter

Tim Hecker

Ólafur Arnalds

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Stars Of The Lid

Grouper

Harold Budd

Eluvium

Fennesz

James Blake

Jóhann Jóhannsson

Latest Release

September 23rd

William Basinski

Album - 13 Tracks - Released September 27, 2024