Une rencontre symbolique entre deux générations de créateurs, Télépathie fait le pont entre le cercle d’Ambiances Magnétiques et la culture mp3 de l’étiquette No Type. Diane Labrosse manie l’échantillonneur comme un poème: identifiables ou non, ses sons nous arrivent métamorphosés. Aimé Dontigny (du duo morceaux_de_machines) a une approche plus bruitiste, carrée. Son ordinateur crache plus qu’il ne susurre. Et ce disque voyage entre ces deux pôles. Atmosphérique, truffé de textures crépitantes au début, il se laisse pervertir par le bruit blanc et les hurlements numériques vers la fin. Dénué de rythmes et de mélodies, ce disque est néanmoins captivant, grâce à la télépathie des improvisateurs. 8/10

The complete Intransitive Recordings catalogue (wild electroacoustic label based in Cambridge, Massachussetts) is now available on electrocd.com. Featuring Nerve Net Noise, Gal, Loren Boyer and the all-star compilation Variious.

In Ottawa, starting July 11, 2003, Electric Fields (Saw Gallery, Ottawa) will present Epsilon Lab, Helvetica, Arturo Parra, Jean Piché, Monique Jean, and Louis Dufort.

Fresh out of the factory, three new releases by No Type: Hey Typical! (blue 10” LP) by flamboyant Books on Tape, May ’68 (clear 10” LP) from the enigmatic Claudia Bonarelli and finally We Remain Faded (CD) strait from the lab of Headphone Science.

It’s not easy reviewing a record by one of the very fathers of acousmatic music: any word is useless in front of sound juxtapositions that cross boundaries through heart, brain and studio mastery, reaching for a pure beauty that’s just visible in front of you, almost tangible. Such is the case of Jalons, the newest collection of Francis Dhomont who — at 77 years of age — can still compete and dominate among the electroacoustic composers of our time. This work is made of tracks from various years, going all the way from concrete sounds to pure electronics (Drôles d’oiseaux). I particularly love Dhomont’s use of animal voices amidst the orchestral samples, for example the dog bark coupled with a string with arco in a marvellous piece — maybe the top of the CD — called Un autre printemps. The whole release is full of splendid moments and catching audio images; in a time where any young turk with a buzzing laptop is labelled “genius” I’m honoured to listen to Francis Dhomont and watch wonderful sunlight refractions through the diamond that’s his art.

This is part of the No Type single series (and the difference in numbering places them in sequence with the on-line offerings) some of which will be 10” vinyl, though this is full length, at EP price.

Dontigny (computers) is a founder member of Napalm Jazz, half of morceaux_de_machines which has a No Type release and appears across the web-based catalogue, while Labrosse (samplers) has been in bands and is part of the Montréal music scene. This disk was recorded live at Casa del Popolo — the club reflected in the Montréal Free set.

The sound is what you would expect from the listed instrumentation — shifting moving comprised of generally small elements manipulated and modulated. And thus it is in t.s.f. where scrabbles whooshes blurt over a base of looped/slowed/sped musical samples. There are lots of echoes and it is as if we are adrift in a sea of sounds. A rhythm enters midway through and settles the music down somewhat but movement is the focus.

The second track antenne parabolique is in similar territory, with a soft thuddering, chittering, machine rumbles, squeaky scrapes with the tonal computer providing a basal stability. It continues with more elements — clattering percussive, computer music, long tones, whippoorwills and squeaky hiss. I was listening to this coming from the car where our horses are agisted and in the distance I could hear a wind pump creaking — and it fitted in beautifully.

There is a lighter more immediately ambient feel to photo satellite with a hissing that has notes and tones through, a musicality. This sequence lasts for some minutes — a greater stability. Spirals emerge, whoozy whoops, a brief wind storm and deep music. Mechanical waves crash — or it could be a train — and a lovely long slowly changing period ensues, gradually building but never exceeding.

Finally a more electroacoustic directness in média tactique as an extended vocal sample speaks through metal wash and deep throbs and bangs. Then choppy samples are woven together — disco beats, music fragments, some reggae dub — to create a dramatic rhythmic energy, over which some squeaky door electronics and growls swirl.

I was impressed by the variety across this album — there was much more than I expected. This makes it an interesting album to listen to, and also one which can form surprising backdrops to the world around us in a lowercase manner.