Lowercase (music)

Lowercase is an extreme form of ambient[1][2] minimalism where very quiet, usually unheard sounds are amplified to extreme levels. Minimal artist Steve Roden popularized the movement in 2001 with an album entitled Forms of Paper, in which he made recordings of himself handling paper in various ways. These recordings were commissioned by the Hollywood branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.[3]

Lowercase
Stylistic origins
Cultural origins1990s, Los Angeles, California, United States and Europe
Typical instrumentsElectronic processing, field recordings
Derivative formsOnkyokei

Definition

Steve Roden stated this about the lowercase tendencies in which he began to develop in his later works: “It bears a certain sense of quiet and humility; it doesn't demand attention, it must be discovered... It’s the opposite of capital letters—loud things which draw attention to themselves.”[4][5]

Examples

Artists that have contributed to the lowercase movement include Richard Chartier and Carsten Nicolai, a.k.a. Alva Noto. [6]

See also
  • John Cage - similar in content
  • Musique concrete
  • Tape music

References
  1. Cresswell, Nina (September 2, 2014). "10 Bizarrely Specific Music Genres You Won't Believe Actually Exist: 8. Lowercase". What Culture. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  2. These Are The 50 Weirdest Genres Of Music On Spotify
  3. Lowercase: The Music GenreThat Should Be a TypefaceBut is Made Out of Paper - VICE
  4. The "Lowercase Music" Genre is Ambient at Its Most Minimal -Avant Music News
  5. 15 Most Hilariously Specific (And Often Terrible) Subgenres Of Music - UPROXX
  6. 10 21st-Century Music Genres Most People Haven't Heard Of - Listverse
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