• Entertainment Column Music You need to listen to Laurie Spiegel’s masterpiece of early ambient music The Expanding Universe is as approachable as it is experimental. • The Expanding Universe is as approachable as it is experimental. • Link Share Gift I recently had the pleasure of interviewingLaurie Spiegelfor the site. • As preparation for the interview, I spent a lot of time over the last couple of weeks revisiting Spiegel’s records, most notablyThe Expanding Universe, her 1980 masterpiece that blends synth experimentalism with early examples of what would eventually be calledambient music, and algorithmic composition techniques. • It’s a marvel that sounds both nostalgic and cutting-edge at the same time. • Tracks like “Patchwork” and “A Folk Study” dabble in the sort of bouncy arpeggios that beg comparisons to The Who’s “Baba O’Riley,” while “Old Wave” and “East River Dawn” conjureearly M83or Boards of Canada.
Article Summaries:
- Laurie Spiegel’s 1980 album The Expanding Universe is highlighted in a recent interview, underscoring its role as a foundational work in early ambient and algorithmic music. The review notes the album’s blend of experimental synth textures with accessible melodies, citing tracks such as “Patchwork,” “Old Wave,” and the polyrhythmic “Clockworks.” The 2012 reissue adds over 100 minutes of previously unreleased material, expanding Spiegel’s legacy. While the collection lacks a single cohesive theme, it showcases her peak creative period and continues to influence modern ambient and modular synth scenes. The album is now widely available on streaming platforms and Bandcamp.
Sources: