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GJ 006LP
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A strange confluence of sound that sounds part krautrock synth label Brain records, part Hyperdub techno haze and synth wormholes, with spectacular sound design that has banged at Berghain and sound-tracked winter night drives. Jeremy Greenspan is known mainly for his work with Junior Boys and Jessy Lanza. Taraval is a longtime touring member of Caribou, but both have released several 12" and EPs of electronic exploration over the past few years. Inspired by synthesizer minimalists like JD Emmanuel, Cluster, and John Carpenter, the two attempted to create a type of dance music with hardware that was indebted to their influences, but did not feel intrinsically retrogressive. The idea was to make a type of raw synthesizer and drum machine music that could be listened to beside the hypermodern techno of Pearson Sound or Actress. The cover art is a tribute to a mysterious mural that looms over the Hamilton, Ontario area where the album was recorded. Each of the five tracks were edited down from much longer recording jams which were done with hardware sequencers in real time. The recording was done completely off-the-floor with no overdubs or added material after the fact. As this release might appeal to synthesizer hobbyists and enthusiasts, it seemed appropriate to compile a list of the instruments used in the original recordings: ARP Odyssey, Pioneer Toraiz SP-16, Eurorack Modular System, Roland JX8P, DSI Tempest, Simmons SDS-8, Roland SH101, Roland Jupiter 6 Yamaha CS50, Oberheim OB-XA.
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LP
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GJ 004LP
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Geej Recordings is Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys and Ryan Smith of Caribou/Taraval/Jiaolong. Previously operating solely as the Canadian home for Jessy Lanza and Junior Boys, it is now prepping a number of original releases to startle and delight. First up is Tactus Tempus - a recording of two live performances of a graphic-based score from 1973 by a temporary "synth supergroup" featuring members of Caribou, Floating Points, Hot Chip, Junior Boys, and Simian Mobile Disco. Following shortly in no particular order is a conceptual LP of contemporary Canadian sound art, an EP of hardware based techno tools that hybridize the Canadian tundra and Detroit, in equal measure, and an album of modern healing gong music, recorded in one of the world's most advanced audio research laboratories. Tactus Tempus is a lost, graphic-based, experimental score by prolific composer Frank McCarty. The piece was originally conceived and performed in 1973 by McCarty's group Biome on five EMS Synthi synthesizers. By following a set of simple, yet subjective instructions the piece begins as a sparse moire pattern of bursts and tones before evolving in density and intensity as the players symbiotically interact guided only by the illustrated curve found on the score. This album features two new performances of the score featuring members of Caribou, Floating Points, Hot Chip, Junior Boys, Simian Mobile Disco, and friends. Gathering in a rare moment of collective down time in London in July 2016, spontaneously the group formed to perform the piece at Joe Goddard's basement studio. Each participant used a separate synthesizer or modular synthesizer system, and while the original slides were projected on the wall, the ensemble recorded two versions of the piece, each one recorded live in one take, lasting 15 minutes. One version is tonal, the other one of percussive timbre.
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