cror, a mistake, the condition of being wrong in conduct or judgment, the amount
by which something is inaccurate in calculation. | opts frank gehry's
Bilbao, guggenheim in barcelona; kurt schwitter's “merz" collages; markus popp's
multimedia “oval"; jacques attali's “noise"--representing the transformation of
unstable forms and disgarded/unwanted detritus into meaningful message.

what's more useful to consider? now in recent years a discernable movement
towards process and inclusion of unintended “glitches” is on the cusp of public
awareness. for new anything to arise, change must occur--change in tuo basic
varieties: slow gradual change and rapid, highly dynamic change. the difference
really only being a matter of perspective. we can in fact see these patterns of
evolution in everyday Life. a wave created at the stern of a moving boat--a
fluctuating form generated by opposing forces--momentum, resistance, and
countless others--what architect charles jencks would identify as a “soliton”
wave. a single wave that mysteriously becomes many and then retucns to being one.
this pattern can also be found in the body of human expression--differing
individual's personal paths that suddenly find a nexus or common theme, unite,
and finally in time fall apart. the pattern is always the same yet each time
different; this is an emblem of the key mechanism of the cosmos--evolution. so
endless and transient that it seems Like nothing. but this nothing is surely
something--mayse we can at Least point to it. here we find the state of
electronic music.

to detail all of the major themes in electronica right now would surely be an

endless process in of itself, so for the purposes of this space, a brief word on
how one aspect of what is occurring Locally ties in with a much Larger picture. to
understand the motivations of abstract ambient electronica one must eventually
realize that this past century has brought about a collapse in faith of scientific
certainty as well as society's partial embrace of what can not be completely
controlled. the flux of the information age has splintered and cross-poLLinated
genres in countless unforeseen directions--some recontextualizing music and sound
from the past (sampling and turntablism), and others more recently exploring and
documenting the very processes of sound and
music production itself. for the time
being, technology and our relationship

to it is under closer scrutiny. —

fl

hall

eleciranit

with this in mind, a new Language recontextualizing
sound has emerged: vinyl end-grooves, cd skips,
jump-cuts, ungrounded wiring, circuit hum,
granular synthesis, truncated notes, mixer feedback
(onkyo), audible user interfaces, silent
punctuations, corrupted sound files, system errors
to name but a few. exactly how and why this
emerging movement has arrived is a multi-tiered,
complex discussion. in. recent years independent
record Labels such as mego, mille plateau, -~scape,
and chain reaction in coordination with artists such
as pita, vladislav delay, fennesz, oval, christian
marclay, and pole, have done much
to influence the underground

of north american ambient
electronica. the vast majority of
this music being rather dance floor un-friendly
(depending on what you would consider “dancing") but
far more suitable for philosophical discourse and
heightened awareness of a Listening environment. not
surprisingsly, these new strategies are starting to
appear in the production processes of other open-
intellected genres too ([avant-pop group stereolab's
“cobra and phases group play voltage in the milky
night" is a good example.) this new. ambience often has
the ability to transform the internal and external
urban soundscape penetrating a Living room into part of
the composition itself--due to the precision of it's
frequencies, the music becomes a process of suitching
between foreground and background in relation to the
Listener's ear.

ror, 9 mistake, the condition of being wrong in conduct or judgaent, the anount
toy Which sonething ts inaccurate in caleuLation o frank gehey's
UtUbeo, guggenteun in BarcaLona: Kurt schuttter's “aerz” colLages; narkus popp's,
fultinedia “oval”, jacques attaLt's “notse"--representing the transfernation of
Unstable forms and disgarded/anuanted detritus into meaningful. message

hats more useful to consider? now in recent years a discernable sovenent
tovards process and incLusion of unintended “gLitehes” Us on the cusp of public
fuaceness. for neu anything to arise, change must occur--change in to, baste
Varieties: slou gradual change and rapid, highly dypanie change the difference
Foally only being a matter of perspective. ue can in fact see these patterns of
evolution in everydoy Life. a uave created at the stern of a moving bont--
Fluctuating form generated by opposing forces--romentum, reststance, and
countless others--uhat architect charles Jencks would Ldentify os a “soliton”
lave. a single wave that ayster ously becoses many and then retuens to being oe
this pattern can also be found. in the body of ‘human. expression--dfFering
Undividual's personal paths that suddenly Find a nenus or conan these, unite,
and Finally Un tine Fall apart. the pattern is aluays the sane yet each tine
‘different; this (s an enblon of the ey sachanisn of the cosmas--evolution. so
fendless ond transient that it seems Like nothing. but this nothing is surely
Sonething-vaaype ue can at Least point ‘to ct here ue fund the state. of
lectronte mist

to detail alt of the major thenes in electronica right nou would surely be an
endless process in of itself, so foc the purposes of this space, a brief vord on
how one aspect of uhat ts occurring Locally tues in with a much Larger picture. to
Understand: the otivations of abstract. ambient electronics one aust. eventually
realize that this past contury has brought about a coLLapse in faith of scientifie
certainty as well. ae society's partial enbrace of uhat. can ot be completely
controlled. the flux of the infornation age has splintered. and crass-polLinated
genres in countless unforeseen directions--sone cecontentuolizing misie and sound
fron the past (samphing and turntabLisa), and others nore recently exploring. and
Gocurenting the very processes. of sound and

‘music production itself. for the tine

‘being, tecinology. and our relationship

ta it Us under closer scrutiny

0

hall

With this Un nind, a nou Unguge cecontertualizing
Sound has emerges: vinyl. end-groover, ed skips,

sump-cuts, ungrounded iring, circuit hi
{granular sinthesis, truncated notes, mixer Feedheci
Conkyo}, audible user interfaces, siLent
fpunctuations, corrupted sound Files, system errors

to name but a feu. onactly hou’ ond uy ths
fonecging_movenent_ has arrived is multi-tiered,
compton discussion. in. recent years’ independent

record Labels such as mogo, mille plateau, -scope,
‘nd chain reaction in eaordinstion with artists such
2 pite, vladisley delay, femesz, oval, christian
farclay, and pote, have ‘done much

{fo influence the vnderground

of worth american anbient

electronica. the vast majority of
this music being rather dance “floor un-friendly
(depending on what you would consider "dancing") but
Far more suitable for philosophical discourse and
heightened auareness of 2 Listening. environment not.
Surprisingsty, these neu strategies are starting to
appear in the production processes of other op
{ntelLected genres too ovant-pop group stereotab's
cobra ond phases group play voltage in the milky
right” (6 3 good example.) “this neu ambience often has
the ability. to. tronsfors the internal and external
lur¥on soundscape penetrating a Living coon into part of
the composition Utself--duo to the precision of ct's
Frequencies, the music becones 9 process oF ‘suitching
Uetueen Foreground and background in relation to the
istener's ear