In today’s post I have decided to announce the birth of a new genre that I’d like to name Thoughtwave. Below I will try to explain what this genre means to me and provide examples of my recent works as well as some historical analogies.
When creating complex, long-form audio works, there comes a point where traditional genre labels fail to capture the scope of what is being constructed. When an arrangement spans an extended period to develop intricate intellectual, scientific, or philosophical ideas, it requires a different structural vocabulary. To describe this specific approach to musical storytelling, I propose the term Thoughtwave.
Thoughtwave can be defined as post-progressive freeform — music for extended philosophical, scientific, and conceptual works. In this genre the narration is not merely accompanied by background audio, but is actively developed through long-form, cross-genre composition. I have recently created a number of works in this style, producing several pieces with the focus on mathematics, philosophy, and the social sciences.
The foundation of this approach is not entirely without precedent. Historically, the tradition of melodrama sought to marry spoken text with sophisticated instrumentation to enhance the theatrical experience. Works like Franz Liszt’s Lenore and Igor Stravinsky’s L'histoire d'un soldat demonstrated how powerful this combination could be when spoken narrative and music are treated as elements of a structural drama.
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Franz Liszt – Lenore (1874) – melodrama based on the poem by Gottfried August Bürger (1747–1794):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da9dsQRFnqw
- Igor Stravinsky – L'histoire d'un soldat – A Soldier’s Tale (Full dramatic performance in English):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuPxtNyhWOs
However, in Thoughtwave we can alter both the intellectual subject matter and the conventions of theatrical storytelling. Rather than focusing on traditional theatrical or folklore stories, we can work with academic and abstract concepts instead. The ambitious progressive production sustains the momentum of a complex thought over time, which places the work within the domain of "post" genres rather than standard progressive rock or metal. The freeform element refers to the deliberate freedom to mix subgenres, alter arrangements, and shift styles dynamically based entirely on what best serves the specific topic and presentation style.
Achieving the necessary theatrical dimension within this genre requires a high degree of technical synchronization. Every breakdown, downbeat, and melodic turn must be timed perfectly with the syllables of the narration across an extended, i.e. hour-long listening experience. Achieving this level of precision with a traditional human ensemble is technically possible, but it would demand months of exhaustive rehearsals and coordination.
The viability of creating such complex work as a solo project is largely a result of recent efficiency gains in production technology. From a cost- and time-efficiency standpoint, modern tools allow a single creator to manage production that would otherwise require significant financing, a large number of participants, and extensive studio time — and that with no objective guarantee that a larger ensemble would deliver a more faithful result. Even with these technological advancements, the process still remains demanding; it requires significant conceptual preparation, editing, and arrangement choices to ensure the music and text interlock seamlessly.
To see how these structural ideas translate into actual arrangements, you can listen to some of my recent pieces here:
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Prometheus by I-GOR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcrlcT12hhY&list=PLikRZd8Hb9fT-aGb4HM2VhyzsUQ1hMDof&index=91&t=498s
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Seriously About Elections by I-GOR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVd0aTj8O0g&list=PLikRZd8Hb9fT-aGb4HM2VhyzsUQ1hMDof&index=95&t=1252s
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Counting From Scratch (The Nature of Nonnegative Integers) by Math 2 Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC4ajRZvmIs&list=PLikRZd8Hb9fT-aGb4HM2VhyzsUQ1hMDof&index=97
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Math Jokes by Stand-Down Comedy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW4GDXfKe4w&list=PLikRZd8Hb9fT-aGb4HM2VhyzsUQ1hMDof&index=94
Ultimately, genres are not permanent classifications written in stone but fluid and adequate responses to new possibilities. They are invented and reinvented when new styles, evolving production technologies, and distinct philosophical ideas become available to the creator. When these elements align, they open a door to a space where we can explore these new opportunities.