Eye of the Microphone

Coins and Bones

The Invisible City

The Short Night

Black Light

Pole of Inaccessibility

Finisterre

Front

Released with the publication The Geologic Imagination on a USB-device, accompanied by a text written by Karl Lemieux and BJ Nilsen and images by Karl Lemieux.

unearthed

Line Valley

BJ Nilsen & Stilluppsteypa
Vikinga Brennivin
CD HMS 004

Paris Transatlantic
by Dan Warburton
April 2005

The first edition of this album is already something of a collectors' item, as Helen Scarsdale's in-house designer (and frequent Wire contributor) Jim Haynes prepared just 300 handmade copper foil inserts with the album title and track info silk-screened on them. They look very nice indeed, even if they're stuck in a standard jewel box, but to be honest I'd have preferred a free bottle of Brennevin myself, Brennevin being a seriously headfucking potato alcohol normally bottled in suspicious-looking black glass and highly popular in Iceland, which is where electronicians Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson and Helgi Thorsson aka Stilluppsteypa come from. They're joined by BJ Nilsen, who hails from Sweden – where they also produce some pretty wicked liquor, but that's probably beside the point – on five (there only seem to be four marked on the copper plate) tracks of utter majesty. Don't you dare say electronic music can't move you to tears; these huge, spacious glowing structures are sombre, magnificent and exquisitely constructed (and I haven't got the faintest idea what their titles mean.. something to do with the booze, who knows?). And I thought that irr. app. (ext.)'s Ozeanische Gefühle was a hard act for Helen Scarsdale to follow. Like Matt Waldron (irr. app. (ext.) to you), our three protagonists here have something that's all too often lacking in today's boot-the-Mac-click-open-soundfile-and-let-it-rip-and-while-it's-playing-I-can-answer-email (just joking) electronic music culture: damn good ears. They probably don't have much liver left if the press release is to be believed, so make sure you get your copy of Vikinga Brennevin before stocks dry up altogether. (If you miss out on Jim's copper plate, don't worry – the music will be the same on the second edition.)

BJ Nilsen, Stilluppsteypa Heilir, Thorn Eirs Hlyddu - Lycklige De, Som Lyssnat

Dam Square, April 1, 2020

Steiger 18, IJ, Amsterdam at 16:36.
Underwater recording by the pier where the European river cruises departures. Sounds of the GVB ferries, freight ships and local boats can be heard. 

East-northeast wind, Passing clouds 
+19˙C

May 18 - Vessels - Steiger 18, IJ

Amsterdam forest at 14:33. Sitting in the shade on a bench. Occationally bicycles and walkers are passing by. I spot two persons on horseback but can not hear them on the recording. Busy birdlife, No aeroplanes!

East-northeast wind, passing clouds
 +20˙C

May 19 - Cyclists & Walkers - Amsterdamse Bos

Dam at 21:46. A performance is happening on the square. Streetcleaners are cleaning. a homeless man asked for money.

South-west wind, passing clouds +17˙C

May 22 - Streetsweeper - Dam

Vondelpark at 19:11. On a sidepath in between two tennis courts.

West-northwest wind, broken clouds +14˙C

May 24 - In between courts - Vondelpark

Ketelmakerstraat at 17:29

Standing between the arches. Trains are moving to and from the Centraal. 
Bikes and pedestrians are rushing through the tunnel. 
Boats passing from the Osterdok. Distant conversation, pigeon is cleaning itself.  

Quadraphonic microphone downmixed to stereo

North-east wind Passing clouds +17˙C

May 28 - Underpass - Ketelmakerstraat

Baarsjes at 4:50
Dawn chorus.
Woke up early by cats fighting so I put the microphone on the balcony hoping to catch their noise again but no luck.

Quadraphonic recording downmixed to stereo

East-northeast wind, Clear +13˙C

June 1 - A New Day - Jan Evertsenstraat

Amsterdam central station at 18:25

Few people around.

Quadraphonic recording downmixed to stereo

North-west wind, sprinkles, scattered clouds +13˙C

June 4 - Station - Amsterdam Centraal

Marco Polostraat at 23:42

Sound of the rain, under the white noise there's people talking.

South-southwest wind. Rain showers. Passing clouds  +16 °C

June 12 - Soaked - Marco Polostraat

Extra | ? 290520

Extra | Albert Cuypstraat 300520

Extra | Veemkade 020620

Extra | Vondelpark 060520

Extra | Marco Polostraat 140620

Extra | Strandvliet 100620

composer and sound artist based in Amsterdam. His work primarily focuses on the sounds of nature and how they affect humans. Recent work has explored the urban acoustic realm and industrial geography and mining in the Arctic region of Norway and Russia. His original scores and soundtracks have featured in theatre, dance performances and film.

BJ Nilsen

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