Eric Whitacre prompts 80s pop download sensation

28 November 2012, 11:20 | Updated: 28 November 2012, 15:56

The choral composer revealed his penchant for pop after publishing his own synthesiser track, written and recorded in 1986.

Fans of Eric Whitacre will be familiar with his striking cluster harmonies and lyrical melodies, but last night the composer unveiled a slightly more unusual side of his compositional persona. To celebrate reaching 100,000 fans on Facebook, Whitacre uploaded a piece he wrote in 1986 at the age of 16, Trust Me. 

Musicians expecting his trademark choral music might be surprised to hear the piece, recorded on a four track recorder with a synthesiser and drum machine, but there is still an element of Whitacre in the composition. The lyrics include the words: "Let's run away through the cloudburst, get drenched by the night," calling to mind his 1995 piece, Cloudburst.

The music has only been online since last night, but has already been played more than 18,000 times. It is available to download, free of charge, from Eric's website.