A Quivering Sort of Energy: Process Philosophy and Electronic Music

A new aesthetic

"Electronic music since 1980 has splintered into a dizzying assortment of genres and subgenres, communities and subcultures. Given the ideological differences among academic, popular, and avant-garde electronic musicians, is it possible to derive an aesthetic theory that accounts for this variety? And is there even a place for aesthetics in twenty-first-century culture? This book explores genres ranging from techno to electroacoustic music, from glitch to drone music, and from dub to drones, and maintains that culturally and historically informed aesthetic theory is not only possible but indispensable for understanding electronic music.

The abilities of electronic music to use preexisting sounds and to create new sounds are widely known. This book proceeds from this starting point to consider how electronic music changes the way we listen not only to music, but to sound itself. The common trait in recent experimental electronic music is a concern with whether sound, in itself, bears meaning. The use of previously undesirable materials like noise, field recordings, and extremely quiet sounds has contributed to electronic music's destruction of the "musical frame", the conventions that used to set apart music from the outside world. In the void created by the disappearance of the musical frame, different philosophies for listening have emerged. Some electronic music genres insist upon the inscrutability and abstraction of sound. Others maintain that sound functions as a sign pointing to concepts or places beyond the work. But all share an approach towards listening that departs fundamentally from the expectations that have governed music listening in the West for the previous five centuries."

Demers, Joanna (2010-07-01). Listening through the Noise: The Aesthetics of Experimental Electronic Music (p. 5). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition

A quivering sort of energy

"We can hear both meaning and syntax simultaneously. And the experience of hearing in both ways at the same time lends electronic music a quivering sort of energy, because we will never be able to pin down its meanings decisively. This is the danger in electronic music but also its strength. We can never fully relegate it to the world of the concert hall, exhibition space, or museum, because it is already too enmeshed in the real world."

Demers, Joanna (2010-07-01). Listening through the Noise: The Aesthetics of Experimental Electronic Music (pp. 16-18). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

The ideas expressed in the description of this book can be well understood through the lens of Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy, particularly his thoughts on process, relationality, and the complexity of experience. Whitehead’s thinking posits that reality is constituted by processes rather than stable entities. Everything is in a state of becoming, including not only physical processes but also aesthetic and cultural ones.
The Variety of Genres and Aesthetic TheoriesWhitehead’s concept of process and becoming can help interpret the proliferation of electronic music genres since 1980. Each genre, according to Whitehead's process philosophy, can be seen as an unfolding process that is never static or finalized. Every artist and listener contributes to the ongoing becoming of that genre, altering its trajectory. This reflects the relational aspect of Whitehead's philosophy, where entities (or in this case, genres and subcultures) come into being through relations with others.
The ideological differences among academic, popular, and avant-garde electronic musicians also speak to the notion of complexity and plurality in Whitehead’s thought. For Whitehead, the complexity of reality does not preclude the possibility of a coherent theoretical framework. Rather, it is an invitation to develop a more nuanced and responsive theory. This seems to echo the book’s claim that a "culturally and historically informed aesthetic theory is not only possible but indispensable" for understanding the varied landscape of electronic music.
Listening to Sound ItselfWhitehead’s philosophy privileges the idea that experience is fundamentally aesthetic. In this light, the book's exploration of how electronic music changes the way we "listen not only to music, but to sound itself," resonates strongly. For Whitehead, aesthetic experience is not confined to traditionally "beautiful" or organized objects but pervades all of reality. The interest in noise, field recordings, and the dissolution of the "musical frame" is a move towards embracing a more complex, relational form of aesthetic experience that includes the entirety of our sonic environment.
Meaning in SoundThe discussion about whether sound "in itself" bears meaning can be thought of in relation to Whitehead's notion that every actual entity prehends its environment, integrating it into a unified experience that is both physical and mental. This could suggest that sound, too, is not just a passive occurrence but an active process that engages with listeners (and even non-listeners) in complex ways to generate meaning.
Different Philosophies for ListeningFinally, the emerging philosophies of listening in electronic music can be interpreted through Whitehead’s insistence on a multiplicity of perspectives. In a world that is constantly in flux, the "void created by the disappearance of the musical frame" opens up multiple avenues for engaging aesthetically with the world. Whether it is through abstraction, semiotic interpretation, or other modes, these philosophies reflect the varied ways of becoming that Whitehead’s process thought envisions.
Thus, Whitehead's philosophy offers a fertile ground for understanding the complexities and innovations in electronic music, providing both a vocabulary and a conceptual framework for interpreting its rich and varied landscape.

Aesthetic Theory and Multiple Realities

Whitehead's idea of a "fallacy of misplaced concreteness" — the mistake of taking an abstraction for the concrete reality — can be helpful in discussing the various subgenres and ideologies within electronic music. This multifaceted landscape reminds us not to fixate on a single "correct" aesthetic or listening strategy. Each genre, from techno to glitch to drone music, is a product of a complex set of processes — technological, historical, and social. By embracing a Whiteheadian perspective, one can appreciate the evolving, processual nature of electronic music, which resists a singular or static aesthetic theory.

Preexisting Sounds and New Sounds.Whitehead's notion of "prehension" — the way an entity grasps its relations to other entities — could illuminate how electronic music uses preexisting sounds. Just as every moment incorporates aspects of preceding moments, electronic music samples, modifies, and integrates preexisting sounds into new compositions, creating a dialogue between past and present. This points to the "interconnectedness of all things," a cornerstone of Whitehead's thought.

The Destruction of the Musical FrameWhitehead's metaphysics suggests that the "frame" around any experience is continuously being remade, reflecting a universe in process. In the realm of electronic music, the traditional boundaries or "frames" that separate music from ambient noise or everyday sound have been disrupted. This resonates with Whitehead's assertion that boundaries are not fixed but are part of an ongoing process. The void left by the destruction of the traditional "musical frame" could be seen as an invitation to engage in a more active, relational form of listening, akin to Whitehead’s idea of 'concrescence,' the process by which many entities are integrated into a new unity.
Philosophies for ListeningDifferent philosophies for listening have emerged in the realm of electronic music, as the passage suggests. Some of these philosophies stress the intrinsic quality of sound itself, while others view sound as referential, pointing to something beyond the music. This reflects Whitehead's concept of the "many becoming one and being increased by one." Each sound or musical piece is a gathering of many elements and influences but also points beyond itself to additional relations and future musical evolutions.
The Place of Aesthetics in 21st-century CultureGiven the increasingly fragmented and pluralistic nature of contemporary culture, Whitehead’s emphasis on process and becoming over static being could offer a foundation for an aesthetic theory that respects the variety and complexity of 21st-century electronic music. Far from dismissing aesthetics as irrelevant, a Whiteheadian approach would argue that understanding the processes behind electronic music provides crucial insights into the broader cultural, technological, and philosophical shifts of our time.
So, according to a Whiteheadian interpretation, not only is an aesthetic theory for understanding the diversity of electronic music possible, but it is also essential for grasping the relational, dynamic, and processual nature of the world as it manifests in contemporary culture.