The Longcore Manifesto

 

Longcore is not so much a genre as it is an aesthetic, where the length of the work and varied repetitions/patterns are elements of emphasis.

 

This quote by John Cage is central to the longcore aesthetic: ““If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.”

 

This quote by Morton Feldman is also pivitol: ““My whole generation was hung up on the 20- to 25-minute piece. It was our clock. We all got to know it, and how to handle it. As soon as you leave the 20- to 25-minute piece behind, in a one-movement work, different problems arise. Up to one hour you think about form, but after an hour and a half its scale. Form is easy: just the division of things into parts. But scale is another matter.”

 

Though visual art will surely have a place, the origins and main protagonists of longcore are in the time-based arts; music, film, dance, performance. The influence of Morton Feldman, Bela Tarr, Stan Brackage, the 60s minimalists and the 12k label of artists cannot be understated. They were the originators of this form (no pun intended) and will forever be a crucial stepping stone to learn about time, along with concepts of abstraction in different forms.

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Things have changed since Feldman’s time though. Technology has progressed considerably, as has the pace of the world. Our attention spans are shorter and our patience is thinner. Convincing somebody to watch a movie that is over 90-120 minutes or listen to a song more than 5 min is a struggle, let alone asking someone to sit down and listen to all of a six-hour string quartet. So Longcore works can be of any length! While extended lengths may be the norm, I can foresee Longcore works under ten minutes if it fits in with the aesthetic.

 

So what is that aesthetic? What IS Longcore? What Longcore is NOT is a binding genre with rules that need to be adhered to. Longcore is merely a mindset that I, as a composer and artist, use to guide me in decision making and in creative assembly.

 

I will not speak to other people’s work, especially since all of them creat(ed) works without any knowledge of my own personal principles. But as examples of the forms, I would point to three of my works from the last few years (2020-2024).

 

The Gauze Eyed Gaze of Bracketed Air

 

little.jewel

 

Longcore: Black Madonna Flower, Pt. 1

 

Though there are many more in my catalog that would fall into this category (there are many that do that as well), these three pieces share a lot in common. Their commonalities are what I consider the overarching process and mood of Longcore.

 

• They are longer than what we many people consider “normal” (this one is obvious and not at all unique to me). The longer lengths though, along with the repetitive nature of it, can also be trance-like (the state of mind, not the genre of EDM), sinking the listener deeper and deeper as the piece goes on. Therefore, I tend to think of people listening to with headphones before bed, though I don't think it should be considered "sleep music". I think of the pre-sleep listening session in terms of how the piece should pay-out. Predominantly, this experience should have nuances, subtle shifts, and reward the deep listener, but it should never shock or surprise. If your eyes are closed and you are listening intently, the last thing you want is to be startled or shocked.

• The length of the piece is a pivotal aspect of it. This is especially true with Gauze Eyed, as the entire work is based on 16 pieces of exactly 16 minutes. It could be obvious or subtle or not clear at all, but the time needed to experience the piece as a whole (or in parts) is not an element that is secondary. “Good Time Bad Times” is 2:43, but you don’t think consciously about that fact. “Stairway to Heaven” on the other hand is 7:55, which you immediately remember. This is also true of Genesis’ “Follow You, Follow Me” vs. “Supper’s Ready” and the Allman Brothers “Jessica” vs. “Whipping Post.” Examples are abound and, of course, these instances would not be considered Longcore, but are mainstream samples of how time CAN be a prominent feature in a work.

• Repetition is a dominant aspect of the works, but not to the point of minimalism. More akin to the “patterns” that Feldman discusses, the repetition is as pure as Glass or Reich, but more varied. Yes, theme and variations could be a parallel, but the theme is apparent throughout, not lost or hidden in variations. Variations are typically very subtle. 

 

Very important: This is a work in progress. I am actively writing music, making films, and conceptualizing the Longcore concept.