7x7

the dance of the proletariat: a cultural revolutionary ballet 

reefer madness: an excerpt from “Cocaine, the Princess of Perdition” (1939)  

beef and dairy network: a 1986 board game called “Grade Up to Elite Cow” 

music to moog by: Melbourne’s Electronic instrument museum  

old growth: an anthology of the most memorable trees in the literary canon  

ambiguate: a notable lacuna, lexical gap for a word that ought to have been formed 

rhythm is a dancer: a comprehensive dance music archive covering the recent past—via Things Magazine

the original new timbral orchestra

The Expanding Head Band at the helm of TONTO, the ENIAC and ENIGMA mainframe of modular synthesisers, fronted by pioneering electronic duo Malcolm Cecil (†2021, pictured) and Robert Margouleff, as Things Magazine informs, produced few recordings themselves but widely and extensively collaborated with artists of all backgrounds and genres to help their signature psychedelic (see also) sounds gain a purchase in mainstream music. They worked with Stevie Wonder, the Isley Brothers, Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Randy Newman, Quincy Jones, Ravi Shankar and the Doobie Brothers—just to name a few. More at the link above and enjoy their 1971 album Zero Time below.

music to moog by

Originally composed and recorded by Gershon Kingsley (born Götz Gustav Ksinski, electronic music pioneer whom also wrote rock-inspired synagogue music) in 1969, the version of the staccato synth-pop standard from the eponymous album that we are most familiar with was covered by fellow quartet member Stan Free, classically-trained jazz artist and studio musician for several groups including The Four Seasons and the Monkees, for his ensemble Hot Butter, charting on this day in 1973 among West German listenership to its highest position, reaching number one.

plainsong or novum organum

Via Kottke’s Quick Links, we are invited to remix a studio session of Gregorian chant, adding hum, reverb and more church bell as well as a number of preset modes and voices.  Although traditionally credited to Gregory I, the musical style is likely a synthesis of Roman and French choral customs, evolving into an elaborate, articulated system of chords and cadences as performers and composers became more keenly aware of the numeracy of song, though assuredly championed by the music-loving Pope. Notation and scale developed from this chant tradition, with the eventual eight modes being Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian and Mixolydian and their (hypo-) subordinates.