Martin Arnold. Tam Lin. Slow but dense, with ripe, colourful gestures and murky tonality, the title composition of Martin Arnold’s Tam Lin inspires a sense of bated-breath wonder, yet utter confusion. But what other results could one achieve by setting the improvisatory and vocal quirks of the Draperies[...] Read more

Recordings Nick Storring Issue 110

Martin Arnold. Aberrare. While definitely more transparent and smoother around the edges than this composer’s other recent recording, Tam Lin , this reading by Quatuor Bozzini of Martin Arnold’s work is equally brilliant, articulating his amblingly weightless melodies with clean precision. The sober[...] Read more

Recordings Nick Storring Issue 110

John Luther Adams. Four Thousand Holes. If minimalist music is like lying back in the grass, waiting and noticing as the stars appear one by one, then the titular piece of John Adam’s latest CD, Four Thousand Holes, could be said to keep rolling back that moment to the appearance of the first star, repeating richly the[...] Read more

Recordings Andrew Hamlin Issue 110

Jason Kahn / Asher. Planes, and Jason Kahn / Günter Müller / Christian Wolfarth. Limmat. These two recordings provide a chance to hear Swiss-based improviser Jason Kahn in two sets of collaborations, both of which feature him improvising on analogue synthesizer with his fellow musicians.   Planes finds Kahn in Boston in live performance with the Massachusetts-[...] Read more

Recordings Chris Kennedy Issue 110

Tara Rodgers, Editor. Pink Noises: Women On Electronic Music And Sound. Tara Rodgers, a.k.a. Analog Tara, remarks in her introduction to Pink Noises, that the world finds it all too possible to assemble “a historical narrative of electronic music” along “patrilineal” lines, where the best that a female working in the field could expect[...] Read more

Books Andrew Hamlin Issue 109

Kyle Gann. No Such Thing As Silence: John Cage’s 4'33". Cage never used absolute silence. In the beginning (his beginning, at least), such matters did not concern him—and concern with the earlier, less-notorious John Cage forms just one part of Kyle Gann’s fascinating study of Cage’s best-known composition.  [...] Read more

Books Andrew Hamlin Issue 109

Marc Battier. AudioScans: from works of Roberto Matta. The music on AudioScans is the result of an intriguing process of homage. Marc Battier took nine paintings by the Chilean surrealist painter Roberto Matta and scanned them into his computer. He processed the resulting data into music files, scoring the music by observing how his eyes moved[...] Read more

Recordings Chris Kennedy Issue 109

Various Artists. An Anthology of Noise and Electronic Music, Volume 6. With An Anthology of Noise and Electronic Music, Volume 6, curator Guy Marc Hinant continues his review of this and last century’s hard stuff. He continues his formula—a word that I’m sure would make him bristle—of assembling current artists, influential old-timers,[...] Read more

Recordings Matthew Pioro Issue 109

Rotorelief Records The flip side of the increased move towards digital distribution of music has been that boutique labels have taken up the challenge to create objects that continue to encourage record collecting. France’s Rotorelief is one such label creating beautiful keepsakes that inflame collectors[...] Read more

Recordings Chris Kennedy Issue 109

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[...] Read more

Concerts and Events Randy Raine-Reusch Issue 109

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[...] Read more

Concerts and Events Jason van Eyk Issue 109