Musical Styles

From Gothpoodle

There are thousands of musical forms in existence in 2100. New fashions in music appear and vanish as quickly as fashions in any other area. In the Fifth Wave nations, some of the more enduring forms include:

Greek Fire: A subset of world music (see below), based on traditional Greek folk music with a heavy infusion of neo-pagan and Transhumanist themes. Greek Fire was an extremely popular style throughout Europe and the Americas during the 2060s and 2070s, as part of a general surge of interest in ancient Hellenic culture. It is still heard worldwide, although it has slipped considerably in popularity.

Microtonal: The foremost new musical style of the 21st century, microtonalism makes heavy use of quartertone or even smaller intervals between notes. The style also relies on the deliberate production of overtones, and uses notes outside the range of conscious human hearing. Many younger people, especially those influenced by Transhumanist thought, have seized on the style as their own. Microtonalism had a brief “classical” era in the 2030s, centered around a school of formal composers who developed the style while collaborating across the web. Today the style has broad influence in all areas of formal and popular music.

Neoclassical: Primarily nonvocal, using classical Western instruments along with a discreet selection of synthesized sounds. Purists repeat performances of Western classical music dating back to the early 1900s or further. Some modern composers work more or less in the classical style (complete with three-part structure and polyphony) but create diverse new pieces.

Rock: The popular music of the late 20th century still survives, along with associated styles such as blues, country, and jazz. For many citizens this style derives from the “rock revival” eras of the 2020s and 2070s. Many of the super-elderly still cherish the original style, however, and sponsor its occasional reintroduction into the cultural mix.

Soft-Edge: Popular among young people, this style emphasizes fluffy ballads, subtle instrumental passages, and (in performance) sophisticated visual effects. A related style, hard-edge, uses more emphatic rhythms and incorporates elaborate dance into its performance.

World: A catch-all term for “imported” music, usually from developing nations which still have a tradition of live performance. Encompasses a whole range of substyles, each based on a specific ethnic tradition. In the United States, Maori and West African styles are popular; various Arab, East African, and South Asian styles are common in Europe.