Disquiet

Like many electronic musicians, John Kameel Farah posts MP3s of his work on his website, johnfarah.com. Unlike most, he also lists in detail the classical piano repertoire that he’s mastered, from such cornerstones as Bach’s toccatas and Beethoven sonatas, to modern works by Satie, Webern, Messiaen and Cage. Few of the Farah MP3s evidence his expertise on the piano, though “Spiral Flower” (MP3) layers keyboard lines in a manner that must be studio-aided. Many of his original compositions do share an intrinsic melodiousness in keeping with someone steeped in Debussy, Mozart and Haydn. Two key recommendations are “Bas Relief” (MP3), a mix of treated piano figures and rough-hewn field recordings that achieves an admirable measure of density and heft, and “Cells” (MP3), a lengthy drone that feels nearly sub-audial even as it consumes your peripheral hearing.

By Marc Weidenbaum