Categories
Documentary Drone Experimental Film Synth

Eliane Radigue – IMA Fiction Portrait #04 (2006)

Fourth in the IMA Portraits series, this short introduces us to the life and work of electronic/contemporary composer Eliane Radigue. Radigue discusses methods of composition, the challenges and difficulties of live electronic music, as well as biographical episodes with Pierre Henry and her own goals in soundscape production and consumption. A lucid portrait of a dream manufacturer.

Categories
Review Software

Rob Papen – eXplorer-9

Rob Papen Inspiration Soundware has unveiled the eXplorer-9, an enhanced bundle featuring 30 plug-ins.


Notable additions include the upgraded Go2-X, an improved version of the original Go2 virtual instrument. Although this is described as having a ‘friendly’ interface, I found the colours and UI a little dated and somewhat busy personally (a visual trait that could be addressed across the entire product range). However, it’s a good sounding instrument! The upgrade introduces features like waveform drawing and morphing, expanded ARP functionality, and the inclusion of MAGIC MODE for musical variation.

The second addition is the Albino-3 Legend, a resurrection of the groundbreaking Albino-3 virtual instrument with updated features such as VST3 support and adjustable GUI sizes. I was a keen Albino user back in the day (loved the filter types!), so it’s great to see it back again for modern OS systems.

eXplorer-9 also offers nine legacy products and the PRISMA plug-in, allowing users to creatively combine up to four virtual instruments.

Overall, the bundle promises a comprehensive suite of powerful tools for music production, blending new features with nostalgic elements from the past.

Available now at Rob Papen

Categories
Ambient Live Review Synth

Polypores – Live 2023


Polypores Live 2023 showcases a departure from his previously released musical endeavors, opting for an exploratory approach rooted in improvisation and continual discovery. A patchwork quilt of modular delight, the snippets of each live performance incorporate selective repetitions, ensuring that each rendition remains a unique and distinct experience.

Categories
Documentary Event Film Synth

Synth East: Subotnick | Adam Buxton | Steve Davis | Luke Sanger

Synth East: Electronic Sound X NAC present
Subotnick film screening

Followed by Adam Buxton in conversation with Steve Davis

+ performance by Luke Sanger (BAR)

23/2/24

The all new Friday evening Synth East event is curated by Electronic Sound Magazine and the Norwich Arts Centre and kicks off with (possibly) the UK premiere of a documentary on musician Morton Subotnick, who at 90 years old, is known affectionately as the Father of Techno. It’s called Subotnick, Portrait of an Electronic Music Pioneer by Waveshaper Media who brought us the intoxicating 2014 documentary, I Dream of Wires.

Following the film we have writer, broadcaster, comedian and musician Adam Buxton chatting with Synth East alumni Steve Davis about music, life and modular synths. Finishing off the evening we have an ambient set from modular musician Luke Sanger as we relax into some beers in preparation for what’s to come for the rest of the weekend.

Tickets available now from NAC

Categories
Ambient Avant Garde Experimental Review Spoken Word

Maya Hardinge & David Louis Zuckerman – Penny (Original Soundtrack)

Very interesting spoken word narrative over synth, guitar and eastern instrumental ambient scapes. Each track on “Penny” resonates with emotional depth and musical richness, creating a compelling soundscape that captures the essence of Penny’s life.

Maya Hardinge & David Louis Zuckerman skillfully use a diverse range of minimalist arrangements to evoke the various stages of Penny’s journey, from the soulful melodies representing her introspective moments to the rhythmic beats mirroring the pulse of her adventurous encounters.

Categories
Electro-Acoustic Experimental Jazz

Cley Project – Nehalennia

Nehalennia documents the second meeting of the The Cley Project. We were able to meet and play again in the inspiring surrounds of the same artist’s house we used last year in Cley.
These tracks are a development of the music we made last year and utilise more prepared musical elements in the improvisations. More time has also been spent on producing and mixing the tracks.

Joseph Myoushin Sanger – Shakuhachi
Dave Pullin – Bass
Harralulu – Electronics

Recorded & mixed by Cley Project
Available now at Bandcamp

Categories
Drone Review

Mosaic Tapes – God Grows Bitter; Time Drowns Him

A range of heavy dronescapes from Mosiac Tapes aka Simon Thomas, which traverse from fucking intense and dark, to submersed deep underwater, to noisy industrial wastelands. The sound, often reminiscent of distant machinery and ominous rumblings, hangs in the air like a spectral presence, filling the void with a disconcerting and mysterious energy.

Out on cassette and digital, this Friday 1st December via bandcamp

Categories
Review Synth

Pulselovers – Cotswold Stone (re-issue)

Lovely golden-era synth music, with a library slant, from Pulselovers. ‘Cotswold Stone’ has just been reissued on mad multi-coloured vinyl.
Released in 2019, this album is a captivating journey filled with warm analogue sounds that seamlessly transport listeners to a picturesque countryside setting, albeit through a sepia lens. The retro-inspired beauty and traditional song structures of the music effortlessly capture the vibe of being in a truly enchanting place.

Grab the vinyl and digi here

Categories
Review Software

Fabfilter – Pro R2

You may recall we have occasionally reviewed music instruments on the blog (like the popular Ciat-Lonbarde reviews for example). But this is a first for Flatland Frequencies. We’re going to start featuring select new software that we feel fits the type of music we support and would be of interest to our readers. So what better way to start, than a extremely high end, gorgeous sounding reverb?

So what’s new over the Pro-R 1? Pro-R 2 introduces two new reverb algorithms, ‘Vintage’ and ‘Plate,’ each bringing a unique retro flavor to your mixes. ‘Vintage’ is a nod to classic digital reverb units of the ’80s and ’90s, delivering long, bright hyper-real spatial ambiences 🤤 . Meanwhile, ‘Plate’ serves up the evocative metallic sound of vintage plate reverbs, making it an ideal choice for drums and vocals. These additions expand Pro-R 2’s spatialising capabilities into more synthetic textural territory.

What caught my ear, is the fact it now supports impulse responses. Something as an Ableton Live user, I’ve never had catered for (like those lucky Logic users for example). Pro-R 2 also adds the ability to import impulse responses and have them automatically recreated as algorithmic setups — including Decay Rate and Post EQ shaping — that closely match their sonic characteristics. Whether wanting to binge on the vast array of free impulse responses available online, or capture and emulate favourite vocal booth, drum room, or hardware reverb in Pro-R 2, IR import opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

Anyway, to bring back into context, this thing did AMAZING long tails, perfect for drones and washed-out synth-scapes (which is what we’re all here for, right?)

Available now at £144 from their webshop

Categories
Avant Garde Experimental Review

Elia Piana – Sotto l​’​Albero Tutto Si CopreElia Piana –

Elia immerses listeners into a sonic odyssey, Sotto l​’​Albero Tutto Si Copre weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of avant-garde soundscapes that transcend the boundaries of conventional music. A daring fusion of esoteric instruments from makers like Ciat-Lonbarde and Monome creates an otherworldly atmosphere, transporting the audience to uncharted realms of auditory exploration. This album stands as a bold testament to the artist’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of sonic artistry, inviting us to embark on a transcendental sonic adventure.

Cassettes and digital at: Bandcamp