Theorist Johnathan Kramer.

Media Theorist Jonathan Kramer says "the idea that postmodernism is less a surface style or historical period than an attitude. Kramer goes on to say 16 "characteristics of postmodern music, by which I mean music that is understood in a postmodern manner, or that calls forth postmodern listening strategies, or that provides postmodern listening experiences, or that exhibits postmodern compositional practices." 
According to Kramer (Kramer 2002, 16–17), postmodern music":

1. is not simply a repudiation of modernism or its continuation, but has aspects of both a break and an extension - This means not rejecting modernism, but building on what has gone before, this could link to how 'Postmodern & Modern are natural extensions of eachother'.
2. is, on some level and in some way, ironic - This is sort of a mocking humour, a knowing sense of playfullness and irony.
3. does not respect boundaries between sonorities and procedures of the past and of the present - This means the knowledge of there being no boundaries and not repecting the differences in genre and time.
4. challenges barriers between 'high' and 'low' styles - This relates to using an unusual cultural 'blur' that you would not expect to hear together or see together, for example, mixing classical music with pop music.
5. shows disdain for the often unquestioned value of structural unity - This releates to how songs traditionally have a set order of a verse chorus format, however, a postmodern artist may ignore this traditional order and produyce a song with a different structure for example, 'the Foals' sample alot of this mixed structure in their music.
6. questions the mutual exclusivity of elitist and populist values - In the case of music, the 'elist' would be considered to be classical music possibly and the 'populist' could be seen as a more commercial type of music such as pop. By questioning the exclusivity of the classical music and merging the two genres together, anything can work. For example, the Beastie Boys track 'Intergalactic'.
7. avoids totalizing forms (e.g., does not want entire pieces to be tonal or serial or cast in a prescribed formal mold) - This involves a piece of music hosting multiple sounds.
8. considers music not as autonomous but as relevant to cultural, social, and political contexts - This means to consider 'pop' usic especially as defining an era.
9. includes quotations of or references to music of many traditions and cultures - Sampling different styles of music from different cultures and traditions and merging them as one.
10. considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music - This is a link to how we listen to music, re-defining how we listen to it.
11. embraces contradictions - this means to involve anything unusual on a track for example, a strange acompaniment to the vocals.
12. distrusts binary oppositions - This means to go against the norm of binary pposites, possibly merging the two together or just sampling one of the two so there is no equal balance and thetrack may be sided more to a particular instrument for example.
13. includes fragmentations and discontinuities - this means to include anything that has a stuttery or broken sound to it, for example, in today's music industry, the effects that 'autotune' give to an artists voice can be used for artistical effects.
14. encompasses pluralism and eclecticism - This means for a piece to be eclectic and embracing that individualism.
15. presents multiple meanings and multiple temporalities - This means involving references to todays society that are temporary, for example, a link to a political leader in a rap song that may not be relevant in five years time and also involving references and different intercontextual links.
16. locates meaning and even structure in listeners, more than in scores, performances, or composers
Jonathan Donald Kramer (December 7, 1942, Hartford, Connecticut – June 3, 2004, New York City), was a U.S. composer and music theorist. 

Active as a music theorist, Kramer published primarily on theories of musical time and postmodernism. At the time of his death he had just completed a book on postmodern music and a cello composition for the American Holocaust Museum.

Johnathan Kramer: Postmodern Music Theory

A very interesting aspect of postmodern music theory. This will help you with your next essay.

Media Theorist Jonathan Kramer says "the idea that postmodernism is less a surface style or historical period than an attitude. Kramer goes on to say 16 "characteristics of postmodern music, by which I mean music that is understood in a postmodern manner, or that calls forth postmodern listening strategies, or that provides postmodern listening experiences, or that exhibits postmodern compositional practices."
According to Kramer (Kramer 2002, 16–17), postmodern music":

1. is not simply a repudiation of modernism or its continuation, but has aspects of both a break and an extension
2. is, on some level and in some way, ironic
3. does not respect boundaries between sonorities and procedures of the past and of the present
4. challenges barriers between 'high' and 'low' styles
5. shows disdain for the often unquestioned value of structural unity
6. questions the mutual exclusivity of elitist and populist values
7. avoids totalizing forms (e.g., does not want entire pieces to be tonal or serial or cast in a prescribed formal mold)
8. considers music not as autonomous but as relevant to cultural, social, and political contexts
9. includes quotations of or references to music of many traditions and cultures
10. considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music
11. embraces contradictions
12. distrusts binary oppositions
13. includes fragmentations and discontinuities
14. encompasses pluralism and eclecticism
15. presents multiple meanings and multiple temporalities
16. locates meaning and even structure in listeners, more than in scores, performances, or composers

Jonathan Donald Kramer (December 7, 1942, Hartford, Connecticut – June 3, 2004, New York City), was a U.S. composer and music theorist.

Active as a music theorist, Kramer published primarily on theories of musical time and postmodernism. At the time of his death he had just completed a book on postmodern music and a cello composition for the American Holocaust Museum.

Source:Ford Media

Bricolage: The 2 Bears - Church

The video for The 2 Bears track Church utilises clips from the Care Bears cartoons. The Care Bears were a 1980s phenomenon, particularly popular with young girls. The 2 Bears are a London-based musical duo formed in 2009 composed of Joe Goddard (of electronic band Hot Chip) and Raf Rundell. The duo produces original material amalgamating various styles including 2-step, house, hip-hop and soul and also host a radio show on Ministry of Sound Radio entitled "Follow the Bears".



The Bears – Raf Rundell and Joe Goddard – first began crossing paths in DJ Booths. Straight Outta Brompton (well, Putney) Joe spends his time away from The 2 Bears as a producer, remixer, solo-artist and one fifth of an obscure outfit called Hot Chip; fellow Sarf Londoner Raf divides his time between club promotion, DJ outings as Greco-Roman Soundsystem, radio show hosting and artiste management.
The pairs DJ booth banter, soon led to a shared enthusiasm for house music and vague plans for a musical collaboration. Raf’s existence at the music industry coal face and first hand experience of the business’ financial travails, would make Sade’s When Am I Going To Make A Living a suitably irreverent subject for their first musical foray. So began several months of hanging out, making music ‘for the fun of it’ and ‘portamental’ arguments about obscure synths, that would wind up forming the 'Follow The Bears EP'.
Characterised by the hitherto untapped vocal stylings of Raf himself (Joe: ‘I didn’t know Raf could actually sing!’), the Bears have already received radio support from Annie Mac, Rob da Bank, Giles Peterson and Toddla T, drawn towards The 2 Bears 21st Century take on house, disco and everything in between.

Source: http://www.southernfriedrecords.com/artists/the-2-bears/