Mighty Mighty Boosh Tones: Julian Barratt's Favourite LPs | Page 14 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

13. Steve ReichElectric Counterpoint

Minimalism? I don’t really want to say much about it… No, I first stumbled across this because of the sample used on The Orb’s Little Fluffy Clouds. I knew Pat Methany’s early albums like Bright Size Life – and have always loved his playing.

On this, I was amazed to hear the electric guitar in a classical setting where it didn’t sound cheesy. The strange, bell-like quality of that undistorted electric guitar building up chords track by track in a way I’d never heard before. I still love the record.

I don’t know much about Steve Reich, but there are conceptual ideas are going on throughout his work, repeated phrases that become musical. I don’t want to denigrate it, but I can have this music on when I am working and writing. It gets into my brain in a meditative way. It aids that state of mind.

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