FORMS Series 1 - Buchla 100
Under the name Benge, Ben Edwards has been sharing the sounds of his vast collection of vintage synths for nearly twenty years. His Twenty Systems LP (2008) charted the development of electronic music technology, with each track using a particular synthesizer.
His most recent work FORMS Series 1, is an exploration of the Buchla 100 Electronic Modular Synthesizer.
Don Buchla at his System 100
On most tracks the patches were set up and left to run by themselves, with minor human intervention other than adjusting the various potentiometers. The Buchla 100 system is very adept at producing self-perpetuating sounds and it is this aspect of it that is explored here
Mini Paper Pavilion Club
Mini Paper Pavilion Club make 1:1000 scale models of imaginary public spaces, otherwise known as Pavilions. The best of these are often found at Worlds Fairs, and some truly stunning examples can be seen at Expo 58 in Brussels, Expo 64 in New York, and Expo 67 in Montreal. These kinds of exhibitions were a huge inspiration for The Simonsound single The Beam, and through a chance Twitter interaction the MPPC have created a model inspired by our celebration of the World's Fair's favorite mode of transport, The Monorail.
The Miniature Paper Pavilion Club meets biweekly in Vancouver to build ~1:100 scale architectural marvels. We are interested in creating imaginary celebrative public spaces - miniature beacons to all humankind, elevating the wonder of innovation and excellence!
See more of these amazing models here.
The Sky Ripped Apart 2
This time by natural forces, as a thunderstorm hit Brighton over the weekend. I tried recording from my loft (which you'll hear first) and then from the front of my house. You can hear the screams of the car alarms triggered by the powerful sound waves of the thunder claps too.
Technical note - recorded with the new Zoom H6 in XY mode. I got caught out on the levels and hadn't switched on the backup mode on the Zoom, which creates a safety recording 15db lower than the primary recording.
Percussion effect sculptures
Hans Zimmer used these amazing sound sculptures, created by Chas Smith, for the upcoming Superman film. I've bowed a few things (cymbals, bells, egg slicer) but nothing this elaborate. How prominent these sounds end up in the film itself I can't say, but it's inspiring to see and hear them in action behind the scenes.
Trios - A rare live performance
Last year I helped Ian Helliwell record the EMS VCS3 (we actually used an EMS AKS) Synthesiser parts for Tristram Cary's 'chance' composition Trios. The piece, which involves 3 performers - one on synthesiser, the other 2 using dice to determine which tracks to play from 2 prerecorded vinyl records, was performed at the Hackney Picture House in March 2013. The dice in this performance were donated to Ian by Tristram Cary himself, and it is Cary's voice you hear at the start of the recording introducing Trios.
We chose to pre-record the synthesizer parts to reel to reel tape and substituted CD's for the original vinyl. Ian provided the projections and directed the video.
The sky ripped apart
Here is a recording I made of a Typhoon Jet over Shoreham in Sussex. Whilst I don't agree with everything these machines are used for, you can't deny the sky splitting barrage of sound isn't mind blowing.
Technical note - I used the new Zoom H6 handheld recorder and X/Y microphone for this recording. No compression or treatment in post.
The Beam videophonic collage
Using Monorail, Disneyworld and EPCOT archive material and some footage I shot whilst visiting Disney World in Florida last year, I have created a video for the Simonsound single 'The Beam'.
The Simonsound at Herstmonceux Observatory
Here is a recording from a live space ritual performed in Dome B at Herstmonceux Observatory in Sussex. Combining Buchla Electric Music Box, Kaleidoloop and a Yapp 36 inch refracting telescope, the aim was to summon cosmic transmissions from deep space. Over the course of the evening we picked up voices of long lost astronauts, stars being born, distant undiscovered planets with strange atmospheres, creaking relics of the space race and many more things that defy description. The sounds of these space transmissions can now be heard.
Listen below or buy here. You name the price, starting at free!
Behind The Beam
A few words on making ‘The Beam’ - a fantastical Monorail journey in sound.
As The Simonsound, we had released music that was inspired by early electronic recordings and even touched on some of the more experimental aspects of this pioneering movement. Being the ‘electronic’ half of The Simonsound, I wanted to go further and create something that was more electronic collage, or sound adventure; continuing my attempt to escape the everyday and to travel somewhere otherworldly.
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