GELIDUS [2002/2004]
Format: CDR release
Released by: Retinascan
Running time: 44:09
About the project
"Gelidus" is a six-movement piece inspired by extremely cold temperatures. The primary sound sources for the piece include digitally manipulated field recordings of cars driving on snow outside of my apartment, cassette tape hiss manipulated by an analogue equalizer, a sample of a high-frequency test tone, and synthesis created in the program Reason.
"Gelidus" was conceived of as a series seperate movements, which I composed as individual pieces and worked on throughout the autumn of 2002. On the morning of December 25, 2002, I recorded the final version of the piece in a single take, using the structures of the movements as the foundation for the final work which exists as something between composition and improvisation. While I had mapped out the sequence of the movements as well as many of the musical elements of the movements in advance, the final piece was created spontaneously and integrates elements of chance and error into its final structure.
This piece is very much a document of my working method from this particular time. In creating pieces for live performance, I very often create a skeltal musical structure--a melody or a particular sequence of samples--and use them as raw material for a final live performance that incorporates strong elements of improvisation.
When I was offered the chance to release this piece as a CDR, I created a series of digital image compositions very similar to my stand-alone visual work. Each of the six images in the Gelidus series is meant to correspond to one of the movements in the piece, making this the first of my major works that reflects a real concern for integrating sonic and visual elements.
Production notes
Composed autumn 2002, recorded December 25, 2002
Instruments: Manipulated field recordings, tape hiss, analog equalization, synthesis in Reason 2.0 on a clamshell G3 iBook
Track Titles and Durations
- part 01 [6:51]
- part 02 [11:42]
- part 03 [6:50]
- part 04 [7:10]
- part 05 [8:43]
- part 06 [2:53]