Tonality Rulz: A Review of Wear’s Sonic Experimentalism

Abstract

The artist presents a work that he claims is not ‘musical.’ In his footnote he writes: “I prefer sonic, over musical, to acknowledge that as an experimental artist, I employ very few of the aesthetic structures that are usually associated with music,” a statement that begs the question, “What is music?”

This 22-minute piece that explores sounds generated on an electronic device (musique électronique) incorporating environmental sounds (musique concrète) lacks, as the artist insists, handrails to guide our attention as we listen. There are, however, elements within the work which may give sense to our engagement.