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Re: [microsound] niblock



It's the ocassional mention of folks like Niblock, Birchville Cat Motel, Johen Fahey, and the like that keep me on this list. I am not even so fond of most stuff that is considered 'microsound' so much anymore (Richard Chartier, Bernhard Guenter, Sogar, Keith Fullerton Whitman, and Pimmon being extreme exceptions to that...okay so I do still like a lot of microsound stuff quite a bit, but the things I really like, such as the artists mentioned above, do seem to outweigh my interest in microsoundish stuff). But I know that somehow the microsound list attracts folks with a more wide ranging interest in musical matters than some other lists might, so there is always interesting and lively discussion here. I don't know how it happened given that 'microsound' is a very specific genre of music. I guess it's because microsound is just not the kind of thing that anyone can listen to exclustively, so everyone listens to all kinds of other things as well as what would be called microsound. I think this is a strength of both the post-digital milieu and this list. I hope we can keep this recent trend going and continue discussing things that, though they are clearly related, don't fit neatly under the microsound umbrella.

I highly suggest the Niblock DVD as well as A Young Person's Guide to Phill Niblock. However, I suggest most strongly that if you ever do get a chance to experience his live presentation that you do it. It is completely different than just listening to his recorded works (though what Julian suggested doing with the DVD is about as close as you can get) because (at least for the presentation I was present for) he used local musicians to play live along with the video and his recordings that he set up just for the space he was playing in. It was an intense experience that nothing outside of direct presence for it could take the place of.

Greg

http://spagirus.ivdt.net
http://www.ethedrone.com


--- Julian Knowles <julianknowles@xxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Julian Knowles <julianknowles@xxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 11 May 2005 09:24:43 +1000
To: microsound <microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [microsound] niblock

On 10/05/2005, at 11:56 PM, P. Lasell wrote:

> Can anyone recommend any works by Phil Niblock? I have 'Touch Food',
> which is slowly becoming one of my favorite ambient releases, but I
> gather that his work can be pretty diverse.
>
> Peter
>

Phill's work is very focused and consistent in it compositional
process, ie the use of long tones with transformations achieved via
layering and micro de-tuning,  but diverse in its sound sources. Phill
sometimes says that his work is essentially the same piece played by
different instruments. Whilst this is a bit of an exaggeration, there
is certainly an element of truth in what he says.

If you want to experience Niblock's work as he presents it, then you
can't do better than getting the DVD 'The Movement of People Working"
(Extreme Records)

http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/niblock.phill.html

Phill always presents his music with film/video, usually of people
engaged in repetetive manual labour.. so if you get the DVD project it
on a wall and play the music as loudly as possible, then that's as
close as you can get to the authentic Niblock experience.

The DVD is also an excellent retrospective document of his music and
films. Good to see some interest in this key figure!!

cheers

julian





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