Release

Question 1

Rhythm, Metre & Tempo

Answer 1

• free tempo –> dream-like
• repeated ostinato loops
• common time
• motor semiquavers –> drive melody forward
• syncopation
• swung rhythm –> light-hearted
• triplets –> swung rhythm
• ties –> swung rhythm
• accents –> emphasises syncopation
• riffs

Question 2

Melody

Answer 2

• spoken notes –> raw emotion
• female has small tessitura, male has large tessitura –> contrast between different influences of music
• short phrase lengths –> loops
• syllabic –> raw emotion
• repetitive falling phrases (ostinato) –> hypnotic effect
• vocalisation –> raw emotion
• ornamentation –> Celtic
• Maninka lyrics –> W African griot storytelling style
• double stopping –> thicker texture for more intimacy
• higher pitch for V3 –> climatic

Question 3

Instrumentation

Answer 3

• kora –> W African
• talking drum –> W African
• male voice (Gaelic) –> Celtic
• hurdy-gurdy –> Celtic
• uilleann pipes –> Celtic
• bodhrán –> Celtic
• sampling –> authentic and dream-like, techno
• synth pad –> establishes key, techno
• drum machine –> techno
• electric piano –> techno
• female voice (English) –> Western influence

Question 4

Harmony

Answer 4

• drone –> Celtic music
• diatonic –> Celtic music
• repetitive chord progressions
• chromaticism
• extended chords –> Western influence
• slow harmonic rhythm –> hypnotic effect
• static chords –> stationary, hypnotic effect

Question 5

Texture

Answer 5

• loops –> techno
• homophonic –> highlight influences of music
• heterophonic (outro)
• polyphonic due to layering –> techno
• polyrhythmic –> W African

Question 6

Structure

Answer 6

• 28 loops 8 bars long –> techno
• strophic –> loops

Question 7

Tonality

Answer 7

• Aeolian mode on C min –> Celtic music, minor for friend’s death
• no modulation