ACSS- Release

• 4/4 metre.
• Afro Celt Sound System - 'Release' from the album Release was released in 1999 and is a fusion of African, Irish (Celtic/Folk) and Electronic Dance music (EDM).
• The main verse of 'Release' is syllabic (one note per syllable).
• The melody of the first verse uses a pentatonic scale (a set of 5 notes only).
• The use of glissando (sliding from one note to another) is present in 'Release'.
• Ornamentation is used to decorate the melodies and the instrumental solos in 'Release'.
• The harmony in 'Release' is diatonic - the notes fit, there are no clashes.
• Chord sequences in 'Release' are repetitive.
• Some use of extended chords (7th, 9th) is present in 'Release'.
• A drone at the beginning (repeated/sustained note like a pedal note) is used in 'Release'.
• The key of 'Release' is in C minor.
• Modes aeolian mode and dorian modes are used in 'Release'.
• The structure of 'Release' is in verse form, containing: intro, solos, breaks and an outro.
• The actual structure of 'Release' is: Intro, verse 1, verse 2, solos, verse 3, build, outro.
• Much of 'Release' is made from looping (repeating short sections of music).
• The African influence in 'Release' includes kora (harp-like), talking drum (drum that changes pitch).
• The Irish (Celtic) influence in 'Release' includes hurdy-gurdy (mechanical violin), uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes), bodhrán (hand held drum), fiddle (violin), tin whistle, accordian.
• Reverb is an effect that can be used for the whole track, creating an echo effect.
• Stylistic features of 'Release' also include the use of the Talking Drum and Kora, ostinatos, cross rhythms and syncopation, polyrhythms, and the use of effects such as panning and reverb.
• Static harmony, limited number of chords or repeated chord progression, slow harmonic rhythm is a feature of 'Release'.
• Rhythmic ostinatos are repeated patterns.
• Metre in music is the time signature, and 'Release' is in 4/4 time, with 4 crotchet beats in a bar.
• Layering is a technique where repeated patterns or loops are layered on top of each other.
• Panning changes the position of sound, moving it from left to right speakers.
• Accents are used to put emphasis on particular beats.
• Homophonic texture is a melody and accompaniment, polyphonic is two or more melodies at the same time, and heterophonic is different melodies.
• Texture refers to the layers in a piece of music, and 'Release' uses lots of loops, changing the texture a lot.
• Polyrhythmic music features a lot of rhythms heard at once.
• Stylistic features of 'Release' include the use of the Fiddle, Accordion, Bodhran, Hurdy-Gurdy, Uilleann Pipes and Tin Whistle, as well as ornamentation and glissando in the melodies, improvised melodies, limited range, repetition, and a melody and accompaniment texture.
• Rhythm refers to the length or type of note, and 'Release' features some complex rhythms, using syncopation and triplets.
• Tempo in music is the speed, and 'Release' starts in free tempo, where the tempo is pulled around freely and it is hard to recognise a pulse.
• The Western/Electronic Dance Music influence in 'Release' includes male vocals, female vocals, synthesisers, breath samples, drum machine, electric piano, shaker and tambourine.
• The use of double stopping by the fiddle (playing 2 notes at once) is present in 'Release'.