Gintas K // Variations In A-Moll For A Granular Synthesis CD

1994年から活動しているリトアニアの大御所サウンドアーティストGintas Kが、2019年12月にCronicaからリリースしたCD。

タイトルの通り、グラニュラーシンセシスでのイ短調6曲を収録。デジパック、シュリンク仕様です。

レーベルその他作品はこちら /// Click here to see more Esc.rec. releases available at Tobira.

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Edition of 300.

Description and bio by Esc.rec.:

"Variations in a-moll for a granular synthesis' was created by Gintas K in 2016, during an art residency in MoKS, Estonia. The album uses a classical variation form in a-moll and is an extremely overpowering listening experience. Stunning and surprisingly melodic harmonies keep emerging from the granulated and continuously shifting computer generated sounds.

Gintas K (Gintas Kraptavičius) is a Lithuanian sound artist and composer living and working in Lithuania. He has been a part of the Lithuanian experimental music scene since 1994 and was a core member of the first Lithuanian industrial electronic music band 'Modus'. Later Kraptavičius became known for his sound actions, theatrical performances and conceptual art in the manner of Fluxus.

Nowadays Gintas K is exploring experimental, electroacoustic, electronic, computer music aesthetics: from overloaded massive structures, static and physically overwhelming frequencies to melodic ambiences, voice and field recordings. His compositions are based on granulated sounds, improv, new hard digital computer music and small melodies.

Gintas K has released numerous records on other labels such as Cronica, Baskaru, Con-v, Copy for Your Records, Bolt, Creative Sources and Sub Rosa. He took part in various international festivals and symposiums of new media art and sound art (Transmediale, ISEA, ISSTA, IRCAM, xCoAx, ICMC, ICMC-NYCEMF). Winner of the International Sound-Art Contest Broadcasting Art 2010 in Spain and the USF New-Music Consortium International Call for Scores / electronic composition category, 2019 USA."

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Review by SSK in Vital Weekly:

"Two things before we dive into the musical subject matter at hand. First: the stellar cover art by Harco Rutgers featuring a deftly shimmering glissando of muted but brightly shining pink into greenish hues cut through with subtle white wave form-like lines. With the inner panels and the disc itself following this tone of visuals closely, Variations... is one heck of a CD with quite the luxurious feel to it, a must-have you want to hold and cherish and give prime place of pride on display in your collection, around the stereo.

And secondly, come to speak of stereo: on the sleeve, it doesn't say so, but this album needs to be cranked up to be fully appreciated in all nuance. Just so you know. Often ambient-esque synthesizer experimentation tends to be all hush-hush Feldman volume, but no way with this one, please. The granular synthesis opens up the full level of intensity on myriads of layers of sound processing when the amp gets a thorough workout and the speakers are fed with all the right power to project the microscopic detail(s) across the room. Also: I tried, but cannot think this is supposed to work with headphones, for some reason I prefer the room filling up with sound matter, instead of the head alone and boy does Gintas K deliver here.

Estonian composer Gintas Kraptavičius presents his variations on the classical form in a-moll not to showcase the possibilities of his machines in this most classical of forms and formats per se, but to take the concept and push beyond with the help of intense granular synthesis; beyond that is, into the realm of deeply immerse en impressive listening experiences. Gintas K doesn't let up, doesn't do a second of ease or peace: his granulated fragments and shifting patterns divide, merge, splinter, coalesce with an unrelenting forward and deep-diving motion, although he manages to keep overpowering blunt force trauma at bay, in fact: Variations... turns out to be – above all – surprisingly melodic and harmonic.

Variations... is massive – feels like a ton of steel or concrete in a way, but then again, it is light and airy... maybe best described as sweltering heat mixed with a punishing downpour of torrential rains with rather heavy winds too... While that doesn't sound too appealing, it's exactly the push-back from the music, the up-front an centre stage of the forceful projections of exquisite tones that makes for a wall-like focal point against which the listener can lean as we came to know from the best practices from My Bloody Valentine back in the shoegaze days of yonder. Far from unpleasant, that is, in fact: you're hit with blast after blast and still there is air to breathe, moving air that is sound-pressured.

Gintas K doesn't do easy listening, but his Variations... is one of those CD's that keeps rewarding the listener spin after spin. It's not as 'wild' as Mark Fell and/or Gabór Lazar, but you'd be hard-pressed to remember melodic lines or phrases. This CD doesn't do comfort zone – doesn't allow for the newspaper to be read alongside or a novel. This a full-on attention-grabbing beast, but when you let yourself be hauled into its filigree maelstrom the aural vistas Gintas presents left, right, centre, above as below are all sparkling gems of unfiltered but extremely detailed brilliance. One album not to forget, to be put on the Long List for the 2020 Year lists."

Artist : Gintas K

Label : Esc.rec.