Monome-based BEAUTY PILL installation in Washington,DC: FREE

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silver sonya
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Monome-based BEAUTY PILL installation in Washington,DC: FREE

Post by silver sonya » Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:40 pm

I'm not sure what forum to present this, as it is a little unusual. So if anyone wants to move this post to a better location, please do so!

This past summer, my band conducted an unusual experiment: We recorded our new album (or two albums as it turned out) in public, as a commissioned exhibit in an art museum.

In other words, we went through the normal recording process (playing together, overdubbing, arguing, trying/failing/succeeding, etc.) any band goes through. We just did it in a museum room where people could hear and watch every moment if they wanted to. And this became a form of art, I suppose. Although I don't know what the medium would be called, exactly.

You can read more about it here on Tape Op and also here [page 18] and here and here and here.

Anyway, I wanted to make the Tape Op community aware that the installation portion of the project has just opened and is running until January 22nd. If you're in the DC area, please do stop by. And Artisphere is just a couple of blocks from the Rosslyn metro stop.

It's free and it's fun. Enjoy.

I will write a piece for Tape Op at some point about the recording techniques and technical/emotional journey of working in an unfamiliar room, in public. Many aspects of this project would appeal to Tape Op readers, I think. Including some basic revelations we came away with: Basically, always use your ears and instincts!

We made a lot of mistakes but hit upon some lovely, euphoric discoveries as well. It's been interesting.

The press has been kind to us. http://wapo.st/zIBvUC http://bit.ly/wfBF7Z

The music is difficult for me to describe, but is probably RIYL (recommended if you like, in CMJ parlance) Gorillaz, Blonde Redhead, TV On The Radio, Battles, later-period Radiohead, etc. Bands that blend organic, hand-played instrumentation with electronic textures and treatments. The way that our band does this has a different feel than any of the aforementioned bands and it feels non-"genre" to me. But if I must reluctantly concede a genre tag, that is our genre.

Will share more soon.

cheers,
Chad

p.s. The whole exhibit is controlled by the user with my monome. The big revelation from the opneing night premiere: KIDS LOVE MONOMES. :)

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weatherbox
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Post by weatherbox » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:58 pm

You really should go to this. It's well worth your time. Imagine John Vanderslice and TV on the Radio morphing into a futuristic superband, presented in glorious quad surround. I've been twice; I'll go twice more I'm sure. It's probably a little early to start saying "album of the year," but...

silver sonya
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Post by silver sonya » Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:00 pm

Thanks for the kind words!

cheers,
c

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fossiltooth
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Post by fossiltooth » Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:00 pm

Awesome. If I was going to be near DC, I'd be there.

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Post by drumsound » Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:15 pm

I'm sure I'd spend a good amount out time the if I were in the area.

Keep being unique and awesome Chad!

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Post by JGriffin » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:32 pm

Very cool. I was in DC a couple of months ago; wish the timing had worked out differently.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

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Post by losthighway » Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:46 am

I've loved Beauty Pill for years. I had wondered if there was ever going to be a new record. This is a really cool idea. Will there be a standard release (what is standard anyway cd, lp, mp3)?

silver sonya
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Post by silver sonya » Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:14 pm

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

There will be a standard release. We have been on Dischord, but decided to try something different for this release.

So we're looking for a new label. We've just begun to reach out about this... I imagine it will take a little bit of time. Ideally, we'd love to release album #1 in late Spring and album #2 in the Fall. But this is pending a label's willingness to follow that prescription, of course.

Regardless, it will be out soon in convention format.

Until then, it's available in surround-sound for a limited time at Artisphere.

Plus, the monome/photo-array thing is cool, i think.

http://bit.ly/Aucp1m

cheers,
Chad

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Post by silver sonya » Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:10 pm

NPR podcast on the project with a soundcloud premiere of a new song called "Afrikaner Barista." (This is a laptop rough mix, but the proportions are okay. Analog mix is coming in a week.)

This song has already been called "a six minute Coltranean mindfuck" by Jon Fischer, arts editor of the Washington City Paper. This characterization, while a bit misleading, suits me fine.

cheers,
Chad

p.s. All Things Considered (another NPR program) is doing another feature on the project, separate from this piece. I will publish that here when it becomes available.

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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:21 pm

that tune is BAD ASS.

silver sonya
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Post by silver sonya » Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:23 am

Thanks you! Very kind.

cheers,
c

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Post by drumsound » Mon Jan 23, 2012 5:01 pm

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:that tune is BAD ASS.
Yea it is.

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losthighway
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Post by losthighway » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:47 pm

Wow that tune is great! The horns are beautiful. Great textures. I don't think I'll be in DC in time for the exhibit but I'll be awaiting the album release.

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Post by silver sonya » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:35 pm

Thanks for the kind and encouraging words, everyone.

RE: album release: there are two albums that came from the Immersive Ideal sessions. We'd like to release them in some kind of succession. Maybe a season or two apart? I don't know.

Lots to figure out.

We're figuring out the "which label?" question now as well.

I have no cartography for this situation, so I'm just trying to rely on instinct.

cheers,
c

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Post by charmingtedious » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:39 pm

It really was a marvelous presentation, Chad. The sounds, performances, mixes, and songs were all extremely strong. Inspiring, actually--felt reminded of what magical things human ears are capable of perceiving.

Can we convince you to do a DVD release for surround nerds like me?

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