“Passeports” reviewed by Musique Machine

Passeports
2010 saw the release of Mathias Delplanques’ Passeports, a study in the sounds of transportation. Using a combination of field recordings of various transit (harbors, planes and train stations) woven together with various organic, electronic and domestic sounds; Delplanque composes a hymn to movement.
The seven pieces represented here are Passeport 1 through 7; each contains field recordings of transit from France (cities Nantes and Lille) and India (Dieppe). Bits of clicks, pops and beeps lace each piece; feelings induced range from chilling to sacred to mysterious. In fact that seems to pepper the entire release: mystery. Every bit of static and hum entwined with the sounds of wind, birds, conversations and urban sounds distorts our reality. You’re never quite sure where you are, if it’s an actual place or a fantasy. The field recordings are obviously real, but the way Delplanque constructs his compositions around them lends itself to a dream like aura.

Nowhere is that better represented on “Passeport 5” an ethereal aura is transposed over wind, static and hum. It sounds simple but the affect on the listener has a spiritual quality to it. With “Passeport 1” we are embraced in a chilling setting, not menacing but again, mysterious. A shimmering ambient sound is mixed with urban sounds giving the listener the feeling of floating.

Delplanques deft ability in composition is showcased throughout. While at times restrained there’s not a feeling of too much or too little. His subtle hand balances each sound, giving the necessary room for things to form naturally; even if they are manipulated electronically. Viktorya Kaufholz

via Musique Machine

Futurónica #26


Episode 26 of Futurónica, a broadcast in Rádio Zero (every two weeks, on Friday nights, repeating on Tuesdays at 01h) airs tomorrow, January 14th at 21h (GMT).

The playlist for Futurónica #26 is:

  • Eleh, Black Mountain 1933 (2007, Floating Frequencies / Intuitive Synthesis II, Important Records)
  • Arturas BumÅ¡teinas, Story 18:40 (2010, Stories From Organ Safari, NMKC)
  • Manu Holterbach & Julia Eckhardt, Julia’s Ecstatic Spring Phenomenon (2010, Do-Undo (in G Maze), Helen Scarsdale Agency)
  • Terre Thaemlitz, Systole 008 (2000, Interstices, Mille Plateaux)
  • Terre Thaemlitz, Systole 004 (2000, Interstices, Mille Plateaux)
  • Terre Thaemlitz, Systole 011 (2000, Interstices, Mille Plateaux)

You can hear Rádio Zero’s broadcasts at radiozero.pt/ouvir.

“strings.lines” reviewed by Vital Weekly

strings.lines
It’s only a few weeks ago that I reviewed ‘Courant.Air’ (see Vital Weekly 758) by Bernier, and while not bad, also perhaps not entirely satisfying either, and perhaps being made too quickly. Here on ‘Strings.Lines’ he moves away from the guitar, in favor of a new love (since 2007 actually) for tuning forks, of which he apparently has a large collection, which he plays in an improvised manner, then processed those recordings and in the next stage he adds the viola da gambe (played by Pierre-Yves Martel) and violin (by Chris Bartos) to that. Actually its hard to tell what these tuning forks do here, which part of the sound is the tuning forks because the two stringed instruments seem to be more present throughout these five pieces. The tuning forks present the ‘lines’ and the ‘strings’, well, that seems obviously. I must admit that ‘Strings.Lines’ did more than ‘Courant.Air’, even when it sits safely in the world of microsound: careful playing of instruments, but in a nice some what freely improvised manner, whereas below the decks obscured gliding tones take place and a more curious scratching the surface kind of rumbling. That all results in a fine album of what could be the cross road of electro-acoustic music, improvisation and modern classical. A strong new album. (FdW)

via Vital Weekly

“strings.lines” reviewed by Tapage Nocturne at Radio France Musique

strings.lines
A ne pas confondre avec le compositeur du XVIIIème du même nom. Ce musicien de musique électro acoustique québécois excèle dans les performances sonores, les installations et la vidéo. Collectionneur d’anciennes machines à écrire et de diapasons (dont certains atteignent les limites de l’oreille humaine), il a su créer son univers musical très personnel, utilisant des sonorités acoustique et électroniques générées par ces objets du passé et les technologies les plus récentes. Un matériel de création sonore représentatif des normes et des règles de nos musiques occidentales mais dont l’utilisation inventive et non conformiste donne, une fois encore, naissance à de très belles compositions intimistes et délicates. Nicolas Bernier est accompagné par Chris Bartos au violon et par pierre Yves Martel à la viole de gambe. Eric Serva

Last day to take advantage of Crónica’s winter promotion

Crónica's winter promotion 2010
Crónica’s 2010 winter promotion finishes today. Until the very end of 2010 you can order any Crónica release and choose a second one to receive free of charge! This offer is good on any available CD or DVD and includes the free “Crónica L” compilation, if you still don’t have it. Just order any release(s) and send us an email with your choice of offer(s). All orders will be dispatched asap.

Crónica wishes you a merry musical 2011!

Futurónica #25


Episode 25 of Futurónica, a broadcast in Rádio Zero (every two weeks, on Friday nights, repeating on Tuesdays at 01h) airs tomorrow, December 31st at 21h (GMT).

The playlist for Futurónica #25 is:

  • Giuseppe Ielasi, 14 (2010, 15 Tapes, Senufo editions)
  • Stephan Mathieu, To Describe George Washington Bridge (2010, To Describe George Washington Bridge, Dekorder)
  • Alva Noto, Anthem Berlin (For The Kingdom of Elgaland-Vargaland) (2010, For 2, Line)
  • @c, 76.5 (Listening to K.J.) (2010, Music For Empty Spaces, Baskaru)
  • Giuseppe Ielasi, 3 (2010, 15 Tapes, Senufo editions)
  • Marc Behrens + Cem Güney, Mouth to Mouse (2010, Crónica L, Crónica)
  • Pan Sonic, Pan Finale (2010, Gravitoni, Blast First Petite)
  • Gintas K, Untitled (2010, So On, Crónica)
  • Giuseppe Ielasi, 9 (2010, 15 Tapes, Senufo editions)
  • BJ Nilsen, Phase and Amplitude (2010, The Invisible City, Touch)
  • Robin Fox, Black (Requiem) (2010, A Handful of Automation, Editions Mego)
  • @c, 77(2) (2010, 0°-100°, Monochrome Vision)
  • Oneohtrix Point Never, Returnal (2010, Returnal, Editions Mego)
  • Kid 606, Periled Emu God (2010, Songs About Fucking Steve Albini, Important Records)

You can hear Rádio Zero’s broadcasts at radiozero.pt/ouvir.