Oscillo Scape 20 Reactions
This week I got the chance to see the latest Oscillo Scape show at Alchemix Studios in South Brisbane. I run through a play-by-play and my reactions of the event below. Apologies if you saw me in my phone during the gig, it was for good reason; writing for this.
My first reaction of the event was how extremely inclusive it was. There were people of all sorts at the event, and while that should be the norm (especially for this type of music), but I’m some of my experiences it certainly hasn’t. The backdrop of the small, but open studio added to the ambience. It had an open performance booth with retro iconic panels of science fiction shows and films (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Battlestar Galactica). It held around 30 people in the intimate space, with enough space for most to sit comfortable on the floor, with a little standing room and some chairs. There were multiple “stages” setup for the various performers, based around the gear they were using. The theme of the event was Abstract System Music.
The visuals for the first half of the sets are controlled by Andrew Gibbs. He uses visualiser software and a Novation Launch Control XL. I talk about his work throughout the individual sets below.
Overall, the performers were fantastic. Each bringing something different to the theme.
Schnauzer - Momo Hamada, Paul Francis
This duo did a performance that took on many forms. It started with a noise backing (a deep random ticking), with an emotive piano backing reminiscent of a Hayao Miyazaki film (Hamada). Layered above this is a spoken word poem about relationships (Francis). The images are geometric stones and plantation covered archways, on a moon that no one has inhabited for many years.
The next section is a noisescape of further drones, swelling guitar chords (Francis) and piano (Hamada) that provided the interest. The guitar shimmered and swelled with volume adjustment, the chords would move in and around the piano lines. Floral imagery that morphed into fog floated above the performers. The noise drones become ever so slightly more rhythmic. There is the feeling of motion, but no discernible beat. The guitar feels warm with the adjustments of the Fender floor amp. The visuals change to eyes reminiscent of Helena Papageorgiou’s, over a bulbous morphing sphere. Sometimes the piano and guitar were synchronised, sometimes they didn’t need to be.
The swells from the guitar begin to increase in frequency. They have more delay and reverb added, as bubbles float overhead. More electro-acoustic field recordings are added to the noisescape. The performers explain after the set where they were from: Beechmont cicadas, birds and traffic sounds from their house on Montague Road and water from the hills. The piano begins to feel more rhythmic, and technical towards the end.
This work is extremely poignant. The length of especially the 2nd section, gave room to think and breathe with the works. There was a feeling of nostalgia from the piano. Grace from the combination of the 2 instruments together. This was a cute sonic narrative from partners who play together in such harmony.
Unregistered Master Builder - Joseph Burgess
The second set is from Unregistered Master Builder. The familiarity they have with the space indicates some more formal relationship with the studio. They stand behind a large modular synthesis rig. Their performance includes an ebow that resonates the open piano strings beside them. It begins with lo-fi beast with harsh noise swells. They begin to soften as stones and mushrooms kaleidoscope above them. An astronaut moves past the screen on a loop as the now softer noise, morphs into a deep throbbing: filling the lower frequency spectrum. It is almost a reversed sound that plays. Lots of stuttering begins from the machine.
A LDR sensor begins to read the light from the lamp that is pushed into the back of the opened piano. This activates a lighter (higher pitched, and quieter) noise texture. Samples from a children’s carnival begin with more cymbals. Bones from various creatures move around the projection in the space. The throbbing wonderfully stutters and moves out of its rhythmic state, into a more free sense of time. This feels reactive to the other noises created. Spacey images masked with flowers swirl in at their own rate from Gibbs.
An eerie strings sound that has been sped up, wind around from a now exposed violin the performer plays. These plucked tones are looped, delayed, and smothered with reverb. It seems to generate triggers on his machine. Delayed piano tones enter the fray. The throbbing becomes more constant. A bow is produced and replaces the plucking. It is distorted, delayed, and looped. It seems to be a little dissonant and is a delightful place to be, sonically. More constant beats are discovered with reversed electronic cymbal samples. The images are distorted faces, aligned with pixelated aliens. As fire begins, strange warps are started form the machine. Everything collapses. On the screen, kingfishers, falling televisions and a pyramid signal the climax of his show with a gorgeous swelling affair. They feel like the wizard behind the curtain, keeping some secrets to themself, while showcasing others in a very utilitarian way.
Intermission and changes
The second group of musicians are accompanied by Burgess (Unregistered Master Builder) on visuals, as Gibbs takes his leave. There is the announcement that Lesbian Merzbow - Kim Day is unavailable and will be replaced by the enigmatic Dorian Dowse. The performer mentions they must leave the room to connect and prepare for their set. Murmurs from the crowd fill the room, fresh beverages are readied, and new seats filled, as the intermission closes.
Dorian Dowse
The performer has a unique spiritual look. A robe, a clean-shaven appearance and no shoes signify an image that foreshadows what is to come. They sit on the floor with a Roli Seaboard, connected to their iPad. A series of tones start resembling modelling synthesis is labelled by the performer as a false start – it incidentally creates more interest as I think “this must be the best false start ever”.
The tones begin once more. The performer sways in time as if in a transcendent state. The pulses of the synthesizer become mediative as the speed varies. They make great work of all three axis of the device. The pitch is bent and wabbled, the timbre evolves and the textures are pushed to their limits. Occasionally an unnamed percussive sound rings out that is deep and enveloping. The visuals are white distortions and looped tapes. Strings are introduced. Incredibly melodic tones of different models are brought in and out. Is that an oboe I hear? Stranger still: do I actually enjoy it? A looped breathy flute begins to take centre stage. The drums are more frequent, and quasi-melodic.
The visuals begin to show priests under stars and water. There are diving boards and other imagery from middle-American hotels. An ancient sounding flute plays and is perfectly controlled with the Seaboard. It starts discordant, but merges and fades into harmony. The mountains are shown above, statues eyes below. Trap style hi-hats beginning to play. So strange but so right. This is a mood. The cries of the flute are short and sweet. Emotive. Powerful. Their performance becomes otherworldly. The beat ramps up as the melody becomes thicker with harmonies. Australian maps are shown with what looks like nutritional yeast as a filter. A koala of stop-motion animation signifies the end. The performer bows.
Madeleine Cocolas
The voice over the speaker indicates this is the last set of the night. Cocolas emerges wearing a theatrical black dress. The golden belt buckle shines during the work. They stand before a laptop with a performative midi ring. This provides gestural information that controls filters and volumes of the various layers of the (I believe) pre-recorded sonic layers. The performative gestures are clear and “big” in the sense that it is clear what gestures are affecting which sound. While I have my guesses about how they might be controlled and what platform, I don’t think that is the point of the gestural controller. A someone who wrote their honours thesis on gestural musical performance, I am amazed at how effective this performance mode is. It is inspiring, and not added for the sake of novelty.
Waves of soft noise begin. Samples of trains play overhead. The chugging. Filtered vocal samples that sound like an AM radio begin their unintelligible communication. It is almost as if they are desperate to portray meaning. Pink and black smoke in water, against a bright white screen are the visuals. They had spoken prior with the visual controller about specific visuals they wanted during their set. The tonal and textural vocals emerge. The audience is transfixed. It is an incredibly moving point in the show, Many cameras are drawn from the crowd. More feminine vocal wails come in and out, creating a wall of sound. The bass that is faded in is wonderfully outrageous. Triangle synthesizer waves and brought around the piece, through a wave of the performer’s hand. As the climax is reached of this work, a tear forms in my eye. The white noise that cuts through is at their total control, as Cocolas closes their eyes.
The next section features percussive wind chime samples, and recordings of children playing on a porch. You can imagine the sun on the back of the homestead that this might have been taken from. The ring is switched off, as the performer moves to play piano. The room is warmed with single notes that build chords on the piano. The noise in the back is semi-discordant horns and sirens. The scape still exists. The chords on the piano are played in repetition. It builds power, the longer it is played. The soundscape is built up through reversed percussive sounds. The piano is absorbed into the soundscape. The wall grows. A spiralling, vibrating wind up of the synthesizers culminate in a stuttering timbre. An organ grows form the back with a squelchy square wave undertone of a Moog synthesizer. The deep space lift off winds down.
The performer stands once more and turns on the ring. The smoke on the visuals are all black now. The vocals are introduced into the soundscape again. They take the central focus. A warbling undertones hovers for a moment, signifying further strangeness incoming. Two-tone arpeggiated synthesizers emerge as if always there. The piano is lightly reintroduced, with the children sounds. This performance is coming full circle. A flutter from an old camera is heard. The piano performance gestures are slow and deliberate, they control the crowd to their whim. Harmonious lower notes contrast with higher chords. It is moving and emotionally potent. A percussive harpsicord fills out the background with the feminine vocals. The piano drives the scene. The soundscape slowly fades out, until piano is all that is left. After a few more chordal repetitions, the piece ends.
