William Basinski (b. 1958)
The Disintegration Loops (2004)
The Disintegration Loops is a series of four albums by American avant-garde composer William Basinski released in 2002 and 2003. The recordings consist of tape loops that gradually deteriorated each time they passed the tape head, the unexpected result of Basinski's attempt to transfer his earlier recordings to digital format.

The completion of the recording coincided with the 9/11 attacks, which Basinski witnessed from his rooftop in Brooklyn; the artwork features Basinski's footage of the New York City skyline in the aftermath of the World Trade Center's collapse. He dedicated the music to the victims of the attacks.

The Disintegration Loops gathered critical acclaim. It was initially released in four parts, and was reissued in 2012 on its tenth anniversary as a nine-LP box set. Two orchestral renditions have also been performed, and were included in the album's reissue.