In this paper, I use the 20th-century method of dissonant counterpoint as the basis for a broader exploration of a new polyphony, identified here as perceptual plurality or diaphony. This method, as theorized by Charles Seeger, affords an opportunity for treating the materials of musical composition in terms of their perceptual function instead of any independent qualities. Unpacking this brings attention to the significant similarities with the perceptual theory of James Tenney first developed in his 1961 book Meta⌿Hodos which identifies the equal functional potentiality for all sounds. This equality does not mean that all sounds work in the same manner, but that they all have equal potential for shaping the perceptual experience—specifically in causing sounds to cohere together and form higher-level sound structures or to sound apart from each other in diffuse and simultaneous streams of sound. This shift in understanding compositional materials makes it possible to analyze a diverse array of sound practices and how they operate in perception to create multi-layered experiences beyond the typical symphonic experience of passive immersion. I specifically look at the works of Annea Lockwood, Michael Pisaro-Liu, and Charles Gaines and analyze their compositional methods and the diverse perceptual experiences they make possible due to their employment of dissonance as a means of organizing sound materials.