Junky is ‘electroacoustic ambient.’ The few discernible sound sources were quickly processed to form pitch and rhythmic motives in simple melodic and harmonic structures.

The work has three main sections — A (slow), B (fast), and A+B — with a coda and a more detailed structure of introductions leading to static passages, developments and returns in each of the primary sections.

The opening minute introduces the gesture-types and the pitch center of the work.

Many sound events appear, accelerate towards the ear and recede into the distance. One such event cascades into the first real occurrence of the dominant drone that contributes towards its ambient feel. As the drone becomes lighter section A proper begins.

Sweeping drone-like gestures act as cadence points for the essentially static experience of section A and pave the way for section B with its more aggressive material and continual stretching and compressing of a rhythmic device, into and out of drone. There is a clear pitch outline and a sense of stability remains.

A falling drone heralds the return section A+B where, through pitch alignment, both sound-types (drone and rhythm) merge, either sequentially or through mixing.

A coda ends the work.

[ix-00]

Junky was realized between April and June of 1996 in the Electroacoustic Music Studios of the University of Birmingham (UK) and premiered at the 1996 Dartington Summer School and Festival. Junky received a Mention in the Musica Nova 1996 International Competition of Electroacoustic Music (Prague, Czech Republic).

Premiere

• August 1996, Dartington Summer School and Festival Concert, Dartington Estate – The Barn, Totnes (England, UK)

Awards

• Honorable Mention, Category A (fixed medium), Musica Nova 1996, Prague (Czech Republic)