Artist DIY: Vicky Clarke

FACTmagazine

"Artist DIY is a series of videos made by artists in collaboration with FACT in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FACT edits each episode remotely, while the artist shoots at their home or studio with whatever equipment they have available. In this episode, Manchester sound artist Vicky Clarke talks us through some of the DIY instruments and techniques she uses to make music.

Prior to the pandemic, Clarke worked on a project called Materiality, in which she combines physical materials and digital processes to build sound sculptures, and a collaborative project, Noise Orchestra. More recently Clarke has built an interface for Ableton Live using a revolutionary material called graphene, which she demonstrates in this episode.

Whilst in lockdown, Clarke has taken inspiration from a recent project in Russia focusing on machine learning to develop SleepStates, a browser-based artwork exploring feelings of online perpetuity and the sleep-like limbo of quarantine.

Clarke is part of Manchester’s music, art and technology scene, working to help communities and young people. She works with emerging musicians charity Brighter Sound and is part of local audiovisual community Test Card.

Clarke is also a creative associate at Future Everything, an organistion that has been exploring the intersection of technology, art and culture since 1995. She’s currently working on her first release – follow her on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

https://vickyclarke.org"

Against The Clock: Cromby

FACTmagazine

"Against The Clock is a series where we give an artist 10 minutes in the studio and see what they come up with.

Cromby is an Irish producer based in Berlin who specialises in crafting house with a classic feel, big, bold basslines and joyous melodies, skills that have seen him release records on labels including Sulta Selects Silver Service, Feel My Bicep and Unknown To The Unknown.

In the studio, he makes music with hardware such as Korg’s Minilogue, Moog Minitaur and Novation Peak, controlled via Ableton Live and Push. In this episode, he shows us how quickly he can use it all to lay down a track.

Cromby will be launching his own label later this year, which will focus on his own productions made with the dancefloor in mind. 'I have a ton of new music that I’m excited to share,' he says."

Patch Notes: JakoJako

Published on May 31, 2020 FACTmagazine

"JakoJako is a Berlin-based techno artist who primarily performs live and uses modular synthesis extensively in her music. Last year she released her debut EP on Leisure System, and she also works at SchneidersLaden, one of the world’s most famous stores for modular synth gear.

In this episode of Patch Notes, she records an emotive techno set from her home studio, using a compact Eurorack system with Elektron’s Octatrack and Analog Rytm.

https://leisuresystem.bandcamp.com/al..."

Primary Optics: How Robert Henke used five 1980s computers to create his CBM 8032 AV show

Published on Apr 29, 2020 FACTmagazine

"Primary Optics is a series that dives into the ideas and technology behind some of the world’s most innovative audiovisual shows and artists.

In this episode, filmed at Berlin’s Radialsystem during CTM Festival 2020, FACT goes behind the scenes of CBM 8032 AV, the latest show from the mind of musician and visual artist Robert Henke, aka Monolake. The show revolves around a simple but technically challenging idea: what if you could create an audiovisual show using computers and technology from 40 years ago?

'This work is about the ambivalence between a contemporary aesthetic and the usage of obsolete and limited technology from 40 years ago,' Henke says. 'Everything presented within the project could have been done already in the 1980s, but it needed the cultural backdrop of today to come up with the artistic ideas driving it.'

The computer used by Henke for the show, the Commodore CBM 8032, was originally released in 1980. For comparison, the microchip you'd find in today's average domestic washing machine would be around 100,000 times more powerful that those inside each of the five computers Henke uses live on stage.

One is used for sequencing, one for creating visuals and three for creating sounds. Although he uses hardware effects from the era for filtering, pitch-shifting, looping and reverb, and expanded the computers' capabilities with a self-produced digital to analog converter, the sonics generated are a sparse, simple combination of sine waves, clicks, bleeps and cuts.

'The sound quality on one side is very limited, it's very rough,' Henke says. 'But exactly this kind of rough, edgy sound is something that suddenly becomes interesting because we are used to perfect sound.'

The graphics evoke a nostalgia for a more primitive age of computing, yet push the visual capabilities of the machines into a more psychedelic realm. This part of the show was developed by software engineer Anna Tskhovrebov, and required some clever hardware modification to interpret the computer’s visual data for projection.

'These machines can only display green and they can only display a limited number of graphic symbols, so in 1980 this was not seen as sufficient to do a one-hour performance' Henke says. 'Nowadays we are surrounded by virtual reality, millions of colours with unlimited channels of sound and suddenly the experience of going somewhere and watching for one hour a green screen is something special.'

Directed, filmed and edited by Pedro Küster
Produced by Scott Wilson

Special thanks to:
Robert Henke and Studio Robert Henke for their contribution and archive material
CTM Festival
All at Radialsystem, Berlin
Nai Fowler
Celia Solf and Soho House Berlin

https://roberthenke.com
https://www.ctm-festival.de/
https://radialsystem.de"

Patch Notes: Paul Cousins

Published on Apr 26, 2020 FACTmagazine

"Patch Notes is a series that explores modular synthesisers and the art of making electronic music with hardware.

Paul Cousins is a producer, engineer and ambient composer from London who uses vintage synths, reel to reel tape deck and effects units to create meditative compositions. For the past month, he’s been getting through quarantine by posting a series of ‘Isolation Loops’ to his Instagram.

In this extended session, Cousins creates a dreamy 10-minute track using a Roland SH-101, KORG Poly-800 and various hardware effects."

What to expect from KORG's new lab in Berlin

Published on Feb 25, 2020 FACTmagazine

"Tatsuya Takahashi has helped to create some of the best selling synths of the past decade, including KORG’s Volca line, Monotron and Aphex Twin-approved Monologue. This year, he’s embarking on his biggest challenge yet: heading up a Berlin-based subsidiary of KORG alongside E-RM founder Maximilian Rest.

FACT met up with Takahashi and Rest to find out more about KORG Germany and what we can expect from their new instrument lab, what the office might include and what kind of people they’re looking to hire.

To find out more about KORG Germany and to apply for a role at the company, visit https://korg.berlin/."

Cerrone on how disco classic ‘Supernature’ was made

Published on Feb 7, 2020 FACTmagazine

"Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’, released in 1977, is one of disco’s all-time great tracks, reaching number one in the US dance charts in 1978. Its iconic synth lead, created with the classic ARP Odyssey synth, remains one of the genre’s most memorable melodies.

Ahead of the release of his 31st studio album, DNA, FACT met Cerrone at his studio to find out how he made ‘Supernature’ and just how much music production techniques have changed over the past 40 years by talking us through his new track, 'The Impact'.

DNA is out now on Because Music.

Director : Samy La Famille
Camera : Alexandre Leger"

Taraval - Against The Clock

Published on Jan 15, 2020 FACTmagazine

"San Francisco-based DJ, producer and Caribou collaborator Taraval has spent the past few years developing his spry and striking sound on seminal labels such as Four Tet’s TEXT and London’s Hypercolour.

This week we join him in California at local music hub Crowbar Corner Studios where he whips some spacey modular synth loops, 808- and 909-inspired TR-8S drum pads and misshapen ’70s funk samples into a giddy and jocular groove.

Filmed by: Dor Wand"

FACTmagazine Against The Clock posts

Alessandro Cortini - In The Studio

Published on Jan 8, 2020 FACTmagazine

"Alessandro Cortini may be known to millions of fans around the world as a touring member of Nine Inch Nails, but it’s as a solo artist that the Italian musician has carved out his own space in ambient and synth music over the past decade.

In this episode of FACT’s In The Studio series, we visited Cortini at his space in Berlin, where he talked to us about his life in music and making of his recent album Volume Massimo, as well as his love of Buchla synthesizers and unusual vintage instruments.

Volume Massimo is out now on Mute Records.

Filmed and edited by Frank Zerban
Nine Inch Nails photography by Corinne Schiavone"

Barker - Against The Clock

Premiered 113 minutes ago FACTmagazine

"Against The Clock is a series where we give an artist 10 minutes in the studio and see what they come up with.

This week, we visit the Berlin studio of Ostgut Ton artist and Berghain resident Barker, whose kick drum-free techno has provided some of the best records of the past few years.

In his Against The Clock, Barker hits our pleasure centers using a version of his current live setup, which includes an Elektron Octatrack and Digitone, Nord Drum and extra plate reverb.

Barker's latest album, Utility, is out now on Ostgut Ton: https://sambarker.bandcamp.com/album/...

Filmed by: Frank Zerban"

Georgia - Against The Clock

Premiere in progress. Started 7 minutes ago FACTmagazine

10 minutes to compose a track.

"It’s been a banner 2019 for North West Londoner and multi-instrumentalist Georgia. After making her name as a session drummer for artists such as Mica Levi and Kate Tempest, her heady swerve into electro-pop this year landed her spots on BBC Radio 1’s A playlist and an appearance at Glastonbury’s Park Stage.

This week we sit in while she works magic on her beloved Dave Smith OB-6, Roland SH-101 and Nord Wave synths and layers EBow strummed sitar lines around a rousing four-on-the-floor kick drum beat.

Georgia’s Seeking Thrills LP arrives via Domino on January 10.

Filmed by Pedro Kuster and Pawel Ptak
Edited by Pawel Ptak"

Love this track from her:

Georgia - About Work The Dancefloor (Official Video)

Published on Mar 28, 2019 GEoRGiA

Georgia - "About Work The Dancefloor", from the new album 'Seeking Thrills', out 10th January 2020 on Domino Record Co.

Signal Path: Logos

Published on Jun 14, 2019 FACTmagazine

Playlist:
Signal Path: Logos – Processing strings
Signal Path: Logos – Nord Micro Modular acid
Signal Path: Logos – Roland JP-8000 arpeggiator
Signal Path: Logos – Max/MSP

Leafcutter John - Against The Clock

Published on Apr 17, 2019 FACTmagazine

"For the past 20 years, John Burton – aka Leafcutter John – has been at the forefront of experimental composition, constructing his own technological systems out of hardware and software to make ornate, complex electronica.

Ahead of the release of his seventh album on Border Community this week, we visited Burton at his studio to see what he could create with his one-of-a-kind setup in just 10 minutes, using Max, a home-made light interface and modular system to manipulate a collection of field recordings. The result – beautiful chaos.

Yes! Come Parade With Us is released on Border Community on April 19."

Check out more posts featuring Leafcutter John here.

Against The Clock - Tukico (Hoshiko Yamane)

Published on Mar 27, 2019 FACTmagazine

"Japanese violinist and composer Hoshiko Yamane met legendary German synth masters Tangerine Dream in 2011 and has performed and toured with them ever since. In 2013, however, she launched her own experimental side-project, Tukico.

For this week's Against The Clock, Yamane gave us an exclusive look at this project's live iteration, delivering a hypnotic improvisation in just 10 minutes using a loop pedal, a Moog synthesiser and her five-string electric Viola.

Filmed by Frank Zerban"

Redlight - Against The Clock

Published on Jan 30, 2019 FACTmagazine

"Hugh Pescod has been producing as Redlight since 2009, incorporating the sounds of the British underground into productions featuring artists including Shy FX, Ms Dynamite, Raekwon and Mobb Deep, whilst embracing his love of bass, house, jungle and grime on his own label, Lobster Boy.

For this week's Against The Clock session the producer took a different approach. Using a vintage Yamaha SU700 sampler he found on eBay a few weeks before the session, he was able to build a vibe from scratch in one of the most impressive ATCs we've seen in ages - as Redlight himself says: 'All good ideas are made in 10 minutes'."

Watch Rival Consoles cover Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' - RE:COVER

Published on Jan 11, 2019 FACTmagazine

Featuring the DSI / Sequential Prophet Rev 2

"For RE:COVER's fourth episode, we visited Erased Tapes mainstay Rival Consoles, in his studio to capture his stunning interpretation of Kate Bush's anthemic ‘Running Up That Hill’.

Focusing on the similarities between his intricate electronica and the pop icon's unique approach to bold and emotive songwriting, the artist delivers a shimmering ambient take on the classic track.

Last year, Rival Consoles released Persona, his fifth studio album with Erased Tapes."

Julia Govor - Against The Clock

Published on Jan 2, 2019 FACTmagazine

"Julia Govor has lived many musical lives. Starting out as a singer in a well-known military band in Russia, she then spent time as music journalist, before ultimately settling on music production.

After many years playing underground institutions in Moscow, such as the now-closed Arma17, she made her way to New York, where she can now be found billed next to techno legends such as Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin and Sven Väth.

Even though according to Govor, 'for music, there is never enough time', we visited her Brooklyn studio to put her Against The Clock. Using just a synthesizer and a Tempest drum machine, she was able to put together a gorgeous slice of whiplash-inducing techno in just 10 minutes."

Orbital - Against The Clock

Published on Dec 19, 2018 FACTmagazine

"Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll went against the clock to see if he could make something beautiful out of vocal samples from a variety of British politicians. Why? He says it best himself: 'Why not make some sense out of a load of old rubbish?'

Using a couple of samplers and a drum machine, the rave pioneer had just ten minutes to build a track from a variety of manipulated samples, including a ‘Boris Johnson kick drum’ and a ‘Theresa May lead’, in the hope that the resulting sounds are at least 'prettier than when they went in'."

Orbital's Paul Hartnoll shows us how he keeps the classic sound of rave alive

Published on Dec 3, 2018 FACTmagazine

"Earlier this year rave pioneers Orbital - the British electronic duo made up of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll - returned with their first studio album in six years, Monsters Exist.

Whilst preparing for a string of live dates in the US and UK, Paul took the time to show us how he keeps the classic sound of rave alive with a combination of state-of-the-art samplers, classic synths and vintage gear."

Synths featured in order: Waldorf Quantum, Sequential Prophet X, EMS VC3S Putney, Roland Jupiter-6, Arturia MatrixBrute, Sequential Prophet-6, Access Virus, Novation Bass Station II, Novation Peak, MacBeth M5N.

UNO Synth hands-on: Patch editing

Published on Oct 27, 2018 FACTmagazine

"Patch editing with IK Multimedia's UNO synth."

UNO Synth hands-on: Performing and sequencing

Published on Oct 27, 2018 FACTmagazine