When Daniel Menche came of age in the ’80s Portland punk scene, the goal was to be unique—“thou shalt not be like anyone else.” It’s fair to say he took this imperative further than most.

The 55-year-old Portland native claims to have never been in a band and to have no musical knowledge or training whatsoever. You’re more likely to find him, say, recording the veering of metal structures (this year’s Veer ) or running the sounds of wildlife through a vocoder (his 1993 debut album, Incineration ). And though he admits there’s almost “no demand” for the kind of music he makes, he’s amassed a considerable discography and cult following over more than 30 years as a sculptor of what he refers to as “abstract music.”

“I focus on what I love, which is very pure sound—pure, abstract sound,”

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