Echolalia was an live investigation into cassette culture led by Adam Thomas (Preslav Literary School). Involving public submissions of audio material, a workshop and a publication, the project will climax in a vast tape orchestra concert exploring obsolete technologies, lost performance techniques and underground artist networks.
Live recordings from the event, commissioned photography by Marion Auburtin, speculative fiction and critical writing on cassette culture will be released in 2010 by experimental UK label NO-FI (home of Sir Richard Bishop, Yellow Swans, Burning Star Core, Emeralds) as a limited edition CD and publication (designed by Supanaught).
Introducing the players...
1. Machinefabriek (Rutger Zuydervelt) is one of the most exciting, diverse and prolific artists working in experimental music today. With over 100 multi-format releases in the last five years for labels such as Type Records, Lampse, Digitalis, Staalplaat (Mort Aux Vaches) and 12K, his resonant work has amassed a dedicated audience all over the world. [http://www.machinefabriek.nu/]
"His work nestles tantalising between genres, counterbalancing immersive swathes of ambient sound with astringent textural challenges and offsetting a predominantly electronic mode of production with an emotionally-charged smattering of found sounds and naked instrumentation." (The Wire)
2. Preslav Literary School (Adam Thomas) makes live tape collages using sounds drawn from an ever-growing archive of self-generated or discovered outsider noise, found sound and spoken word cassettes. A process of transference, overdubbing and live manipulation reworks these source materials into compelling, ambient broadcasts. Adam has released three albums, numerous live CDrs and played at venues and festivals throughout Europe.[http://www.preslavliteraryschool.co.uk]
"Like William Basinski's Disintegration Loops, Preslav Literary School focuses on creating something new and personal out of found sounds and dull, everyday happenings... wonder and amazement is conveyed through the sounds and a sense of otherworldly significance is given to the simplest of actions." (Sputnik Music)
3. Since visual artist and experimental musician Poldr (Benjamin Laurent Aman) relocated from France to Berlin, he has become one of the rising stars of the capital's established underground scene, marking himself out as a performer who deals with texture, frequency and field recordings with a distinct and unafraid ear. Founder of the cult Razzle Dazzle label, Benjamin is also one half of the French/US improv-duo Crystal Plumage. [http://www.benjaminlaurentaman.com/]
"Drawing equally from a contemporary droned madness and a hypnotizing minimalism.... A dense and harrowing musical experience." (Tomentosa Records)
4. Newcastle-upon-Tyne's Posset redefines cassette-based music for a new century. Freely releasing CD-Rs and tapes of sonic experiments, magnetic interruption and dislocated environmental recordings, Posset filters everything through a C60 haze that transforms the listening experience into something fragile and compelling. [http://www.myspace.com/iamposset]
"An impressive combination of hands-on tape manipulation and outsider guitar self struggle, leaden chime, bursts of tape movement and strung-out muzzled feedback." (Rock-A-Rolla)
5. Jamie Charlton is interested in all areas of sound manipulation but has a particular interest in analogue sound. His experiments with four-track tape recorders and cassette manipulation attempt to remove sounds from their original contexts and turn them into something different. Recently, he has been collecting field-recordings of everyday things and juxtaposing these sounds with instrumentation. [ www.myspace.com/jamiecharlton]
6. Benjamin Freeth's artistic practice explores the themes of movement, desire, the infinite and the finite, intimacy, emotions, ritual, delay, drone and significant memory. He performs with Helictite and has played alongside Faust, La Foxe, Aki Onda and Sunn O))). Ben is currently studying an MRes. Digital Media at Culture Lab, Newcastle University. [ http://www.filmmustburn.com]
7. WAMA is a multi-media collaboration between artists Bethan Maddocks and Steven Walker. Working together they share a desire to embrace concept and ethos over discipline. WAMA explore multiple artforms, creating new relationships between text, psychology and contemporary art production, with the aim to produce audience interventionist artworks. [http://www.50ftlonghorse.com]
6. Nick Williams completed a BA in Music and the Creative Arts with Performance Technology in 2001 and is currently researching electronic music in cross-
disciplinary performance for his PhD at Newcastle University. Nick has been co-
director of the interdisciplinary performance group theybreakinpieces since its formation in 2004. [ www.virb.com/njw]
The Workshop
In workshops held before the performance on 11th December 2009, the artists and a limited number of selected workshop participants created a series of unique, tape-based compositions from an archive of rare cassette material. On 12th December, these collaborations were realised in front of a live audience, culminating in a vast tape orchestra concert exploring obsolete technologies, lost performance techniques and underground artist networks.
Participants had the chance to:
- learn how to make tape-loops using ordinary cassettes
- construct hand-held tape-readers
- collaborate with known experimental artists
- construct an original composition using the tape archive
- contribute to a live record release
Other projects...
Listen to Preslav Literary School...
Echolalia is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
In workshops held before the performance on 11th December 2009, the artists and a limited number of selected workshop participants created a series of unique, tape-based compositions from an archive of rare cassette material. On 12th December, these collaborations were realised in front of a live audience, culminating in a vast tape orchestra concert exploring obsolete technologies, lost performance techniques and underground artist networks.
Participants had the chance to:
- learn how to make tape-loops using ordinary cassettes
- construct hand-held tape-readers
- collaborate with known experimental artists
- construct an original composition using the tape archive
- contribute to a live record release
Other projects...
Listen to Preslav Literary School...
Echolalia is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
