Over 45 minutes, Harvey lets the audience witness the detailed process of composing and layering instruments over the vocals for one track, titled All Near The Memorials to Vietnam and Lincoln.
By the time the need to answer "Sgt. Pepper" receded, studio craft had mutated into a virtue rather than a technique, and albums had become self-conscious statements to be labored over, layering instruments track by track and agonizing over the final mix.
So although he's realised his dream, it doesn't seem to bring him much happiness – things are tinged with regret throughout Alone In The Universe, on which both the title-track and "When The Night Comes" ("…and I'm here all alone") leave one with the impression of Lynne in his home studio, diligently layering instruments and harmonies on his own.
Their version of "Skin" sees Charnley mirroring Boucher's vaporous falsetto, elsewhere, the electronics of "Genesis" are reproduced by layering instruments.
On his 2016 debut album, Mù Chè Shān Chū, Howie layered Chinese instruments over trap beats, pairing them in his audio-visual show with 3-D video animations he'd generate with motion-capture Kinect technology.
At different points, McNew played a double bass, Kaplan and Hubley switched to a guitar or a keyboard, Kaplan played maracas; the three musicians seemed to intuit one another's actions, and the various layers, instruments, and moods all felt of a piece.
As with many great prog records, there's no shortage of musical layers, instruments and themes.
8. IMOGEN HEAP "Ellipse" (White Rabbit/RCA) Alone in her studio Imogen Heap layers on instruments (mostly keyboard controlled) and her own voice, in crisp staccato grids that revel in the pop verities, seeking hooks everywhere.
Many of his compositions are built around amorphous acoustic guitar parts; sometimes he adds cryptic lyrics, sometimes he layers other instruments, and sometimes he just keeps strumming and picking.
