November 17, 2006

MENOIR :: abstract idm/ambient/sound collage

BEN FLEURY-STEINER :: dark atmospheric electronics

SYNTHETIC BLOCK (with special guest Dave Fulton) :: progressive ambient music

THE GREAT QUENTINI :: homemade instruments & performance art

THEATRE OF THE MIND :: live visuals

MENOIR: Jeff Bechtel has been performing with various ensembles in the Philadelphia area for more than 10 years. Menoir pieces are mostly live, real time performances. They use live and prerecorded sonic elements that are triggered and manipulated in real time through a large variety of digital processes. Even though a particular set of sounds or processes might be associated with a given piece, a very large array of vastly different versions are possible. Sound sources often consist of homebuilt electronics and instruments, and custom software. A significant portion of his recent performances are built around the PureData audio programming language, which allows some wildly biomorphic and complex composition. The music has foundations in IDM / ambient / abstract / noise aesthetics, but doesn't rely heavily on any particular style.

BEN FLEURY-STEINER has been making atmospheric music for well over a decade. After years of tape recorded experiments, computers have enabled him to extend his sound experiments into a strange hybrid of musique concrete; combining samples, found sounds, and processing using Audiomulch software. In recent years, Fleury-Steiner has expanded his musique concrete vocabulary with midi-driven ambient elements, organic drone and feedback created with electric guitar played with ebow, a hardware looper, and numerous pedal effects. In addition to running and releasing music on his Wilmington, Delaware based label, Gears of Sand, Fleury-Steiner has released music on Dissonance (U.S.), Umbra (Italy), and the Mystery Sea (Belgium) labels. A forthcoming release, "He Dreams in Rivers" will be released early next year by Taalem Records (Paris, France).

SYNTHETIC BLOCK: Jonathan Block has been recording and releasing electronic music for over 20 years. He created the term “progressive ambient music” to describe his explorations of the ambient, space and progressive domains. Block’s latest CD, Escape Velocity, is available on the Gears of Sand label. Other CDs have been released on labels such as Hypnos and Mindspore. Block's next CD, Means of Ascent, will be released on Gears of Sand in 2007.

Dave Fulton is a founding member of Portland Oregon's Dweller at the Threshold. He has done several solo and side projects that have included two CDs with Hypnos recording artist Mike Griffin and another with Holland's Free System Project. Dave is currently finishing work with Giles Reaves on a soon to be released project.

This show marks the debut live performance of Fulton and Block together.