Tycho Sets The Mood

Here's a song by Tycho, my current electronic addiction:

Tycho - PBS
iTunes / Amazon

Known by his friends as Scott Hansen, this San Fransisco based electronic musician is a new addition to my music library. What does his music sound like? His work sounds like a huge painting, with each song a new color and with each color a new feeling. The album I got my hands on is called Past Is Prologue. The songs are all technically instrumental; however, what I love about Tycho is the way he uses spoken word samples, things like automated weather reports that in many ways convey more than vocals would.


By definition, Tycho is a passive listening experience. It's music that creates a mood, the kind of music I find most enjoyable when playing in the background while I'm busy with work or otherwise preoccupied. I feel like often times, instrumental electronic music is quickly pushed aside after one or two listens, because people get bored or because they can't find some sort of immediate satisfaction from it. If I could give any advice to someone listening to music like Tycho for the first time, it would be this: Don't put too much pressure on the music, take your time in deciding whether or not you like it. Sit with the music, take some time to explore all of the tiny parts that the musician crafted into the song. Listen to it while you're reading or writing, or talking a walk. Eventually, the music may find its way into your brain.

Electronic music is in many ways a completely different experience than pop or rock or hip hop. With any type of music, you have to approach it in a certain way in order for it to be an enjoyable. I hope that you take the time to give Tycho a shot, and let me know what you think.

Here's another song from Past is Prologue, called "A Circular Reeducation."Enjoy.

A Circular Reeducation
iTunes / Amazon

-Chris