Some of his fans would likely think of him as being metal-first in stylistic orientation. With the release this week of “Simple Answers,” an album recorded with a 17-piece group, fans of contemporary chamber music can claim him. The song cycle is an idea explosion: In a recent interview, Mr. Looker described a desire to reflect on “the new far-right,” “Jewish self-hatred,” and the “anti-humanist” potential of self-consciously extreme music. When his ensemble — drawn from the International Contemporary Ensemble, the Mivos Quartet and other contemporary classical groups — navigated convergences of trap-music rhythms, catchy melodies and airy gusts of dissonance, it was easy to perceive a world struggling to balance its overwhelming populations. Even when Mr. Looker wasn’t playing guitar, or singing himself, you could discern his intelligence at the center, working to hold communities of sound together.

Source: New York Times June 15, 2018 16:41 UTC