The Ascension cover

The Ascension

Glenn Branca · 1981

42 min · 5 tracks · symphony

A dense tapestry of dissonant guitar harmonies intertwines with rhythmic pulses, creating an immersive avant-garde soundscape.

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Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Lesson No. 2 — This track exemplifies Branca's minimalist approach, utilizing layered guitar patterns that create a hypnotic and immersive listening experience.
  • →
    The Spectacular Commodity — At over twelve minutes long, this piece showcases Branca's ability to blend complex structures with raw noise, pushing the boundaries of traditional music.
  • →
    The Ascension — The title track encapsulates the album's themes of transformation and experimentation, featuring expansive dynamics and intricate guitar interplay that challenge conventional musical forms.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental
69 /100
Alpine
Higher than 94% of albums we've rated

The album's complex guitar textures and avant-garde approach create a unique sound that has influenced future experimental music.

What we noticed

  • The album consists of five lengthy tracks, each featuring dense layers of guitar harmonies that create a wall of sound.
  • Rhythmic pulses underpin the dissonant guitar work, often shifting in intensity and complexity throughout each piece.
  • The use of unconventional structures means that traditional verse-chorus forms are absent, focusing instead on texture and atmosphere.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
7/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
6/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
9/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
8/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Lesson No. 2 4:59
  • 2 The Spectacular Commodity 12:41
  • 3 Structure 3:00
  • 4 Light Field (In Consonance) 8:17
  • 5 The Ascension 13:10

What to play next

Who You Staring At?
Listen next

Who You Staring At?

1982
Lesson No. 1
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Lesson No. 1

1980
Full Glenn Branca discography Artists like Glenn Branca
avant-garde music noise music symphony

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