Montreal’s Constellation Records rose to prominence around the turn of the millennium, following the explosion of Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s popularity. While it’s sometimes tempting to allow that band and similar acts on the label’s roster to sum up Constellation’s identity, a more-than-cursory glance at its lineup of artists indicates an interest in far moreContinue reading “Montreal’s Constellation Records”
Genre Archives
Tara Rodgers, Editor. Pink Noises: Women On Electronic Music And Sound.
Tara Rodgers, a.k.a. Analog Tara, remarks in her introduction to Pink Noises, that the world finds it all too possible to assemble “a historical narrative of electronic music” along “patrilineal” lines, where the best that a female working in the field could expect would be a summation as “a woman in a man’s world.” PinkContinue reading “Tara Rodgers, Editor. Pink Noises: Women On Electronic Music And Sound.”
Marc Battier. AudioScans: from works of Roberto Matta.
The music on AudioScans is the result of an intriguing process of homage. Marc Battier took nine paintings by the Chilean surrealist painter Roberto Matta and scanned them into his computer. He processed the resulting data into music files, scoring the music by observing how his eyes moved around the paintings, moving from visual clusterContinue reading “Marc Battier. AudioScans: from works of Roberto Matta.”
Various Artists. An Anthology of Noise and Electronic Music, Volume 6.
With An Anthology of Noise and Electronic Music, Volume 6, curator Guy Marc Hinant continues his review of this and last century’s hard stuff. He continues his formula—a word that I’m sure would make him bristle—of assembling current artists, influential old-timers, and poppier practitioners. In previous editions, the middle category has included Morton Subotnick, EdgardContinue reading “Various Artists. An Anthology of Noise and Electronic Music, Volume 6.”
Rotorelief Records
The flip side of the increased move towards digital distribution of music has been that boutique labels have taken up the challenge to create objects that continue to encourage record collecting. France’s Rotorelief is one such label creating beautiful keepsakes that inflame collectors’ passions. The label’s owners have the presence of mind to focus onContinue reading “Rotorelief Records”
Build Your Own Tone Generator
Flow Festival. Helsinki, Finland. August 13–15, 2010.
Since its inception in 2003, Helsinki’s Flow Festival has become a major highlight of the Finnish music calendar. This year’s seventh edition certainly didn’t disappoint. Perfect summer weather, a unique urban site, top-notch programming, and careful execution combined to create excellent reviews and a record-breaking 50,000-plus attendance. While Flow’s programming is decidedly varied—genres ranged fromContinue reading “Flow Festival. Helsinki, Finland. August 13–15, 2010.”
Electric Eclectics 5. The Funny Farm, Meaford, Ontario. July 30–August 1, 2010.
True to its moniker, Electric Eclectics is more than just a head-spinningly diverse festival of modern music. It’s also a truly eclectic experience. Equal parts experimental music festival, bush party, camping trip, participatory art happening, and gathering of lovable misfits, EE is a one-of-a-kind event. In five short years, it has become a must-see summerContinue reading “Electric Eclectics 5. The Funny Farm, Meaford, Ontario. July 30–August 1, 2010.”
How To Make A Fuzzbox
Tim Olive. The Specialist.
There are noise albums that attempt to make the biggest racket out of the most number of accessories possible and then there are those that rely on a sparse economy, choosing to pull gnarled sounds out of the smallest of setups. Tim Olive’s The Specialist is in the latter camp. Performed in real time, theContinue reading “Tim Olive. The Specialist.”