Kwik Picks 02

Some Recent Additions to Sonus.ca

By Kevin Austin
Concordia University, Montréal

Daniel Blinkhorn

Up close – from further away (2004) — 10:11

Keyword(s): acousmatic, exploration of the object

High acousmatics. Layers of flowed textures and transformations in the new digital transformation mode. Surfaces of sounds pull and baffle. Moderately dense throughout, the ear follows sinewed layers through simultaneous layers. The gestures imply change and stasis – voices not quite heard, not quite realized. In continuous evolution.

Dominique Bassal

L'inénarrable nout (2002) — 17:47

Keyword(s): sonic transformation, acousmatics without the acoustic

Pay attention! The surface is part of the receding background. Sounds transform and reveal details, and the details transform into new views. This extended work blurs the distinction between texture and gesture as sound objects draw attention to themselves to reveal that behind is … Pay attention, there is so much to be heard! And the sound quality sets standards.

Noyade-en-magma (2001) — 10:07

Keyword(s): sonic transformation, voices?

Are these the voices of ancient and distant aliens thrown about in spheres within spheres? A select pallet of sounds of shifting densities and perspectives. Listen closely as the one voice is the many, and the many are just one. A quasi-narrative is revealed, and its meaning is …

Martin John Callanan

041209-03 / 05 / 07 / 09 (2004) — 4:14, 8:43, 2:53, 2:58
Callanan_041209_03.mp3
Callanan_041209_05.mp3
Callanan_041209_07.mp3
Callanan_041209_09.mp3

Keywords: ambient, drone, installation

Settle in. Be wary of level jumps between pieces

03: setting the tone; dronebuzzflutter; slow change; grryyyzyzyzzryryyyzry
05: light - high, wooooa-wind and sissssle … quiet processes of microscopic and unpredictable change … sometimes winds, sometimes tiny insects, sometimes my tinnitus
07: the sawmill
09: grrzzzzzrzrrzzzgrggrgzrgzggrgzrzzrzrzrgrgzgrgzrgz

Tim Reed

"...calling to pump you up" (2004) — 4:31

Keywords: text, social commentary

As if from some other planet (the USA??) as if from some unknowable time in the future when a muscle-bound California movie star (no, not Regan!) will call you at home, leave a message and wish you to “Have a nice day.”

Invisible Vectors (2005) — 6:03

Keywords: programatic

Portraying ADD (attention deficit disorder), the harmonica sounds wander into becoming a mind-pulling train, and the sudden shifts restart the fascination again. Each pull back to temporal reality is but the resetting of the process of inner play.

Josh Goldman

Language (2003) — 6:27

Keywords: vocal, exploration of the object

Vocal sounds, of all types and forms, fun for the whole family! Think of the kids' drinks and straws, gross me out!, gran'ma’s wet kisses, Donald Duck imitations and a plethora of cartoon-like situations.

By Rote (2005) — 40:00

Keywords: improvisation, collage, softrock/jazz, sectional

Mixed electronic / instrumental semi-minimalist improvisations, quietly (a)live. Somewhat soft rock / jazz based interludes, or are they the main sections?

James Bentley

Bruit (1998) — 10:02

Short Wave Fantasy (1999) — 17:08

double exposure (2001) — 9:00

In Broken Images (2004) — 17:22

Trace Element (2004) — 14:52

Keywords: texture, layers, glitch / noise, installation

Five movements from a six part Cycle of Noise (1995-2004), the first is for solo violin. Textural washes and broad frescos, movements have their own densities and gestural types. Try playing 2, 3 or more together for a broad collage of shifting panoramas. While braid in conception, gesture and scope, there is continuing attention to detail and microstructure. The sounds continually draw the ear inwards. Lyric more than narrative.

Mark Parker

my definition of power/intro remix (2005) — 2:59

Keyword(s): remix, collage, text, scenario

It’s the beat, there’s a story assembled from others’ words; a social statement at many levels.

Stephen Lategan

Grip Radio: A Specific Scandal (2000) — 31:42

Keyword(s): radiophonic, text, scenario, radio dramatization

Recorded live, a pun-filled, loosely satirical (re)view of parts of Canadian history (and the present). Sit back for a giggle or two.

James Wyness

Help Children if Necessary (2005) — 13:41

Keyword(s): text, textsound

At the crossroads of textsound composition and the worlds of sonic arts, a linear-type montage. The strength lies in the range and subtlety of processing, combined with a decisive sensitivity to timing and microgesture built around exiting (english) language and text

Jayson Ellerbeck

Killing Fields (2005) — 5:16

Keyword(s): audio documentary, radiophonic, text, narrative

The primacy of the word, text in the central role of communication. Thick words with simple layers of guitar picking, which act as bones and connective tissue. A simple response to incomprehensibility.

Keith De Mendonca

Electromagnetic Journey (2005) — 3:03

Keyword(s): sonification of physical activity

I am sitting in a subway, not like the one you are sitting in. I have a coil in my hand that picks up the electrical variations from the electric motors. These ‘sounds’ are all around us, waiting to be brought into hearing. One thinks of shortwaves and Northern Lights.

Sarah Boothroyd

Some Sort of Dark Force (2005) — 4:59

Keywords: radiophonic, text

The word is the center, the verbal message is the muscle. Linear narrative; personal social commentary. Basic manipulations, but never loose the word. the word is the center.

Penn Kemp; Bill Gilliam et al

Night Orchestra (2000) — 3:23

Keywords: radiophonic, textsound composition

Playing words, playing sounds, a hectic nightscape. Poet as soundpoet. >From concrete to abstract, with pacing and form driven by textual considerations. First is the word, with sonic decoratives.

Kevin Austin
Montréal, 2006–II–18; V-30