DARN.
for solo violin, pre-recorded spoken voice, and live electronics
Luke Fitzpatrick, violin
Ibidunni Ojikutu, spoken voice
DARN. exhibits a counterpoint of evolving structures. Perhaps the most prominent of these structures is the spoken part that contains a number of reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Music achievement, collected from various online sources. The reactions are integrated into the piece in a particular order, ranging from seemingly naïve questions about what qualifies Lamar’s album DAMN. for the award, to bursts of blatant racism.
The piece is also a study on Roland TR-808, a classic drum machine that has shaped the soundscapes of numerous hip-hop beats. The electronic layer of the piece heavily relies on a digital emulation of the bass drum circuit of TR-808.