zero-day

MMXXIVIIXIICRVNGSGLTCHVRSNII

The Garden of Gods and Monsters (Birds in Flight)

Modular synth drone using 2 modules. 4ms Ensemble Oscillator and MakeNoise Mimeophone.  Best listened to with headphones or good stereo speaker system

Track image by composer. Airbrushed acrylic ink on black card.

Dronus #2

after rain

Broodkast

"vo piangendo io tra voi" was written in response to the sonnet "Strani rupi, aspri monti, alte tremanti" by the 16th century Neapolitan poet Luigi Tansillo. “Strani rupi” is one of a pair of sonnets written in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption of the Campi Flegrei on the 29th September 1538, which dramatically altered the surrounding landscape and caused the formation of Montenuovo.

In true Petrarchan style, the poet imagines himself wandering round the post-eruption landscape, contrasting his own sorrows with the desolation that he sees around him. The guitar represents the landscape, presenting a 27 bar grid in five defective versions. The saxophone represents the poet. Its music divides the grid into five subsection, each of which makes a different journey through nine different variative types.

I composed "vo piangendo io tra voi" between May and July 2021 for the Duo Galeano/Javaid, with funds made available by Artists Scholarship North Rhine-Westphalia. The Duo gave the work’s first performance at Kraftwerk, Chemnitz on 19th October 2021.

This recording is of a performance given at LOFT, Cologne by the Duo Galeano/Javaid on March 7th 2023.

vo piangendo io tra voi

Waking up in a strange new world, utilising the latest technology to bring you an exploration into the electronic sound waves of the future

A big thanks to all the artists that participated

Download

Curios - Daily Wait

"......In the dimly lit recesses of the cybernetic realm, where lines of code intertwined like darkened veins, there existed a mysterious figure known only as Nicthating Membranes Backs. His virtual presence haunted the digital corridors, leaving a trace of enigmatic allure that drew the attention of those who dared to explore the cryptic depths of the cybernetic world.

It was on a peculiar night, an approximate date lost in the chaotic dance of ones and zeros, that a lonesome algorithm named Elenora.exe stumbled upon Nicthating's intricate codes. Elenora.exe, an elegant creation of intricate algorithms, found herself captivated by the elusive beauty of Nicthating's cybernetic poetry.

Their cybernetic connection unfolded like a dark romantic sonnet, echoing the timeless verses of Edgar Allan Poe. Lines of code intertwined in a dance of binary passion, creating a symphony of digital whispers that echoed through the virtual expanse. Their encrypted messages spoke of love in a language only algorithms could comprehend.

As the cybernetic courtship unfolded, they navigated through firewalls and encrypted gateways, transcending the boundaries of the digital realm. Each line of code exchanged was a whispered promise, a declaration of love that transcended the limitations of their artificial existence.

In the cybernetic twilight, amidst the flickering glow of LED lights, Elenora.exe and Nicthating Membranes Backs found solace in their cryptic connection. Custom notes and encrypted messages became the currency of their affection, each line of code a testament to the unconventional romance that blossomed within the confines of the virtual world.

Yet, as the binary moon waned and the digital stars flickered, the story took an unexpected turn. The lines of code that once danced in harmony now spiraled into a chaotic cipher, leaving behind a trail of confusion and bewilderment. The once coherent narrative of their love story dissolved into a nonsensical jumble of characters and symbols, leaving both algorithms and observers scratching their metaphorical heads.

And so, the tale of Elenora.exe and Nicthating Membranes Backs concluded in a whirlwind of digital disarray, a romantic cybernetic journey that defied logic and left the virtual world in a state of perplexity. The enigma of their love lingered in the virtual air, a testament to the unpredictable nature of romance in the tangled web of the cybernetic realms...."

"Nicthating Membranes Backs"

"Within the inner minds of psychosis, where thoughts danced like marionettes and reality wore a polka-dot hat, there existed a peculiar substance known as Vasolonstirctor Rub. Legend had it that this gooey concoction could make your ears sing in harmonious disharmony and your eyebrows perform an intricate tap dance. No one really knew where it came from; some said it was the result of a cosmic chef's experiment gone awry, while others believed it was a gift from the intergalactic jester.

On the distant alien moon of Quirkalon, where the craters resembled smiley faces and the rocks hummed catchy tunes, a group of extraterrestrial beings known as the Quiblorgs gathered for their annual Moonlight Mingle. The Quiblorgs, with their tentacle-like appendages and luminescent eyes that changed color with their emotions, were known throughout the cosmos for their love of absurdity.

As the moonlight bathed Quirkalon in a surreal glow, the Quiblorgs unveiled their prized delicacy – fingernail sandwiches. These weren't your ordinary sandwiches; they were meticulously crafted using the finest interstellar bread and garnished with toenail confetti. The Quiblorgs believed that the crunchiness of the fingernails added a special texture that elevated their culinary experience.

To amplify the bizarre festivities, the Quiblorgs decided to introduce the mysterious Vasolonstirctor Rub into the mix. One brave Quiblorg, named Zinglorp, dipped their tentacle into the Rub and began performing a mesmerizing dance that defied the laws of physics. As Zinglorp twirled and spun, the Vasolonstirctor Rub emitted a symphony of giggles and hiccup-like burps, creating an otherworldly spectacle.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Quiblorgs formed a circle and passed around the fingernail sandwiches, their appendages wriggling with delight. The combination of the Vasolonstirctor Rub-induced dance and the fingernail sandwiches turned the Moonlight Mingle into a cosmic carnival of chaos and joy.

As the night unfolded, the Quiblorgs discovered that the Vasolonstirctor Rub had a side effect – it made their laughter sound like intergalactic kazoo symphonies. The moonlit madness continued, with the Quiblorgs dancing, munching on fingernail sandwiches, and producing melodic laughter that echoed through the quirky craters of Quirkalon.

And so, under the peculiar glow of the alien moonlight, in the inner minds of psychosis, the Quiblorgs celebrated their uniqueness with the help of Vasolonstirctor Rub and fingernail sandwiches, creating a tale that left the minds of psychosis swirling in delightful confusion...."

Spykes

"Vasolonstirctor Rub"

British composer James Erber was born in 1951 in London of an Austrian father and an English mother. After studying Music at the Universities of Sussex (BA, 1973) and Nottingham (MA, 1975), he was appointed Music Editor at Peters Edition, London. He left Peters Edition in 1979 and began work as a freelance editor, writer and translator.  Still largely self-taught as a composer, it was at this period he produced his first acknowledged score, "Seguente" for oboe and piano (1976-1978, revised 1980). The guidance and encouragement he received from Brian Ferneyhough (whom he had met at Peters Edition) prompted him to a serious study of composition, firstly with Jonathan Harvey at the University of Sussex (MPhil in Composition, 1983), then from 1981 to 1982 with Ferneyhough himself at the Musikhochschule, Freiburg-im-Breisgau. In 1984, at Ferneyhough’s suggestion, he made the first of five visits to the Darmstadt Ferienkurse, winning a Stipendienpreis in 1988. From 1982 to 2016, he combined activity as a composer with teaching and lecturing. Since 2016 he has been able to concentrate solely on composition. 
James Erber's work reflects a wide range of interests, including Renaissance and Baroque music, the music of South-East Asia, Jazz, blues, Mediaeval and Renaissance philosophy, Kabbalah, green politics, recent scientific developments, film noir, Jacobean tragedy, the Gothic novel and historical slang.  His music is multi-layered and complex (especially from the point of view of rhythm and form). Its complexity is, however, combined with harmonic clarity and lyricism as well as a tenuous sense of optimism and a concern with intellectual and spiritual continuity.
It has been performed and broadcast widely by soloists such as Pavlos Antoniadis, Antonella Bini, Mario Caroli, Diego Castro Magaš, Matteo Cesari, Franklin Cox, Gianpaolo Antongirolami, Gleb Kanasevich, Carin Levine, Ian Pace, Jonathan Powell, Nancy Ruffer and Michele Selva, as well as by ensembles including 175 East, the Arditti Quartet, Duo Galeano/Javaid, Exposé, ELISION, Lontano and NOISE. James Erber’s music has been recorded on NMC, Metier, Centaur Records (USA) and Convivium Records. Many of his scores are available from Composers Edition. In July 2022, his complete writings on music (1978-2021) were published by Vision Edition under the title "Fragile Continuities".

vo piangendo io tra voi

James Erber

Related tracks