I HEAR A PERCUSSIVE THUD. SOMETHING IS HITTING THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF ME REPEATEDLY. It’s reverberating (I’m in a large room, I guess) and the rhythm is punctuated by frenzied bursts of high-pitched squeaks nearby. In the distance, I hear shuffling and the murmur of voices. I open my eyes. I’m standing in aContinue reading “The Sound Future of Virtual Reality”
Genre Archives
The Retro Aesthetic of Le Révélateur
THE OCEAN RECEDES INTO THE DISTANCE, awash in thick bands of golden-purple sunset hues. Its surface ripples in loose synchronization with a burbling synthesizer score. Suddenly, a shimmering plane materializes and obliquely bisects the scene; the plane spins and the textures of the two surfaces soak into one another. The projection of these abstract seascapesContinue reading “The Retro Aesthetic of Le Révélateur”
Nicolas Bernier and Martin Messier
“La chambre des machines is a project where two electronic musicians are driven by the desire to be involved, as physically as they can be, in a performance context,” explains Nicolas Bernier, discussing his ongoing collaborative work with Martin Messier. “It’s not a conceptual piece; it was made in action, from day one.” The actionContinue reading “Nicolas Bernier and Martin Messier”
Rose Bolton
Rose Bolton speaks clearly about what she wants. “I think clever would be the word that I would not want to hear people use when speaking about my music—regardless of whether it actually is or not. Ultimately, it’s not music about music; there has to be a bigger purpose.” Bolton didn’t always think this way.Continue reading “Rose Bolton”
Olivia Block
FULL-TEXT AVAILABLE IN PRINT EDITION ONLY The sound of a clarinet passage emerges from a quiet section and is punctuated by a series of minute electronic tones. Accompanying the clarinet is a recording of the wind, but the sound is more than just that of a rush of wind; it is the sound ofContinue reading “Olivia Block”
Thierry Gauthier
FULL-TEXT AVAILABLE IN PRINT EDITION ONLY “My artistic evolution,” Thierry Gauthier writes, “has been characterized by the intensity of impulse, immediacy, and the urgency to create; the quest for a paroxysm and the absolute; the same sense of urgency as found in the punk movement.” This is still true, he maintains, after two decades ofContinue reading “Thierry Gauthier”
Summer 2012
Montreal New Music International Festival: 5th Edition. Montreal, Canada. February 18–26, 2011.
Being assigned to cover a new music festival such as Montréal/Nouvelles Musiques is somewhat like being thrown into a different space-time (and sound) continuum—one suddenly has the impression that new music is all there is to be heard all over the city, with ensembles, performances, and venues filled with enthusiastic audiences experiencing nothing but newContinue reading “Montreal New Music International Festival: 5th Edition. Montreal, Canada. February 18–26, 2011.”
Vancouver New Music Festival. Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C. October 21–23
The Vancouver New Music Festival, under the artistic direction of Giorgio Magnanensi, is known for inviting performers from the breadth of the contemporary art world, featuring emerging artists alongside international celebrities, the whole lot unapologetically challenging the audience with demanding performances. In presenting such a wide range of artists, the festival often evokes controversy. “IContinue reading “Vancouver New Music Festival. Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C. October 21–23”
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.”