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| Photo by Nicole Pfister |
If you want to get your hands on that vinyl, it is out via -OUS Records.
In acknowledgment of the recent repressing of Julian's album, I caught up with him via email to get some of my burning questions about his work answered. You can find his replies below:
Interview conducted on January 7, 2022 via email.
Please briefly describe the conception and execution of your latest album Locked Grooves.
Generally in my work, I am interested in exploring possibilities and finding freedom within
specifically tight frames. Locked Grooves is an album consisting of 112 beat loops cut onto a vinyl LP as locked grooves. Every beat loop is exactly 1.8 seconds long - the duration of one rotation at 33 1/3 rpm. Since the beats are cut as locked grooves, the loops can be listened to endlessly - as long as one wants. The needle of the record player has to be lifted and placed manually. For the digital release, we decided to publish the beats as one-minute tracks. The listening experience of the vinyl version can be reproduced by listening to the digital version in repeat mode.
How did you determine the parameters for this project, and why did they seem significant for you to explore?
The framework for this album was quite rigid on account of the technical specifications of the vinyl format, as I was aiming to create rhythmic figures that could be listened to endlessly. I really enjoy limitations like these, because they force you to explore in-depth. What are the elements that carry a short loop of 1.8 seconds into infinitude? What kind of rhythmical figures even fit into 1.8 seconds? How does my own perception and attention shift over time while listening to a specific loop?
What challenges did working within this framework present, and how did you address them?
I recorded an extremely high amount of material over a metronome of 33.33333 bpm. Within this, I explored various metrics: 4/4th, 3/4th, 5/4th, 6/4th, 9/8th, 11/8th, and so forth. The biggest challenge was finding the individual loops that really can be heard over a longer period of time and have the potential to ‘unfold’ themselves to the listener. I edited over 500 loops and continuously reduced them to form the final collection, which was a very extensive process. I ended up with 112 loops that I wanted to have on the album, unconditionally.
At more than 112 minutes in length, Locked Grooves is of comparable length to a feature film. Please give us an idea of how you utilize this length to develop your concept.
The length of 112 minutes only corresponds to the digital format. In the vinyl version, the album has no duration, it is potentially endless. As described above, listening to the digital versions in repeat mode is the closest a digital listener will come to the original intention of the album. The digital version of the album is not necessarily meant to be listened to as a whole - contrary to how one would watch a movie. To me, the digital format is more of a collection that needs to be explored playfully: one can listen to individual loops or certain sections, one can make use of the repeat mode or shuffle mode. The fascinating thing about this is that the album shifts its shape constantly, but at the same time there is a continuous flow that comes from the underlying limitation of the loops length. Of course, the album can also be listened to as a whole, the loops are arranged in an order that creates a flow of rhythms that morph perpetually.
Do you intend the Locked Grooves to be experienced in a single sitting, or can it be broken up into multiple listening sessions?
I intended it to be broken up into multiple listening sessions, especially the vinyl version of the record. Maybe someone would listen actively, while at the same time letting time drift away.
You had mentioned that you intend Locked Grooves to be enjoyed in a similar fashion to a painting. Are there any musical works that you personally have enjoyed in this fashion, and did those works inform this album in any way?
I compared the loops with paintings because they ‘stand still’ in a similar way. When exploring a painting, the viewers decide autonomously how long they look at a certain section or detail, the eye wanders and only over time does a viewer unlock different layers and details.
The loops can be approached in a similar way by listen to them in-depth in order to discover ‘new’ or unheard elements and textures. So for me, discovering a painting or a photograph is a very similar experience to the act of listening to loops. In this respect, the format chosen for this album invites to focus on certain layers and details.
What did your tool kit for making this album look like? Did you have to experiment with any novel materials or techniques to achieve the sounds you were looking for?
All of the beats are produced acoustically, on a prepared drum set. I use various materials - metal, wood, plastic and fabrics - to prepare my drums. By preparing a drum set you can create sounds that have unexpected timbres and resonances, some might even sound as if they were produced electronically, despite being played acoustically.
How much time did you spend just banging on things in order to get the sound right for this album?
I’ve been developing my sound vocabulary for many years, always searching for new possibilities of acoustically produced sounds. It’s a never-ending process on the basis of using any kind of material as a musical instrument. While working on the album, the process was more about focussing on a suitable setup, and then trying to capture these sounds as well as possible.
What are your top five albums or performances of 2021 so far?
I’m unable to answer this question - I often listen to music that was recorded years ago. Currently, I’m exploring the genre of Maloya, which comes from La Réunion (Réunion Island). And due to the lockdown in the first half of 2021, I’ve not seen as many shows as usual.
Anything else you want to add, or that you would like people to know?
Listen.
Generally in my work, I am interested in exploring possibilities and finding freedom within
specifically tight frames. Locked Grooves is an album consisting of 112 beat loops cut onto a vinyl LP as locked grooves. Every beat loop is exactly 1.8 seconds long - the duration of one rotation at 33 1/3 rpm. Since the beats are cut as locked grooves, the loops can be listened to endlessly - as long as one wants. The needle of the record player has to be lifted and placed manually. For the digital release, we decided to publish the beats as one-minute tracks. The listening experience of the vinyl version can be reproduced by listening to the digital version in repeat mode.
How did you determine the parameters for this project, and why did they seem significant for you to explore?
The framework for this album was quite rigid on account of the technical specifications of the vinyl format, as I was aiming to create rhythmic figures that could be listened to endlessly. I really enjoy limitations like these, because they force you to explore in-depth. What are the elements that carry a short loop of 1.8 seconds into infinitude? What kind of rhythmical figures even fit into 1.8 seconds? How does my own perception and attention shift over time while listening to a specific loop?
What challenges did working within this framework present, and how did you address them?
I recorded an extremely high amount of material over a metronome of 33.33333 bpm. Within this, I explored various metrics: 4/4th, 3/4th, 5/4th, 6/4th, 9/8th, 11/8th, and so forth. The biggest challenge was finding the individual loops that really can be heard over a longer period of time and have the potential to ‘unfold’ themselves to the listener. I edited over 500 loops and continuously reduced them to form the final collection, which was a very extensive process. I ended up with 112 loops that I wanted to have on the album, unconditionally.
At more than 112 minutes in length, Locked Grooves is of comparable length to a feature film. Please give us an idea of how you utilize this length to develop your concept.
The length of 112 minutes only corresponds to the digital format. In the vinyl version, the album has no duration, it is potentially endless. As described above, listening to the digital versions in repeat mode is the closest a digital listener will come to the original intention of the album. The digital version of the album is not necessarily meant to be listened to as a whole - contrary to how one would watch a movie. To me, the digital format is more of a collection that needs to be explored playfully: one can listen to individual loops or certain sections, one can make use of the repeat mode or shuffle mode. The fascinating thing about this is that the album shifts its shape constantly, but at the same time there is a continuous flow that comes from the underlying limitation of the loops length. Of course, the album can also be listened to as a whole, the loops are arranged in an order that creates a flow of rhythms that morph perpetually.
Do you intend the Locked Grooves to be experienced in a single sitting, or can it be broken up into multiple listening sessions?
I intended it to be broken up into multiple listening sessions, especially the vinyl version of the record. Maybe someone would listen actively, while at the same time letting time drift away.
You had mentioned that you intend Locked Grooves to be enjoyed in a similar fashion to a painting. Are there any musical works that you personally have enjoyed in this fashion, and did those works inform this album in any way?
I compared the loops with paintings because they ‘stand still’ in a similar way. When exploring a painting, the viewers decide autonomously how long they look at a certain section or detail, the eye wanders and only over time does a viewer unlock different layers and details.
The loops can be approached in a similar way by listen to them in-depth in order to discover ‘new’ or unheard elements and textures. So for me, discovering a painting or a photograph is a very similar experience to the act of listening to loops. In this respect, the format chosen for this album invites to focus on certain layers and details.
What did your tool kit for making this album look like? Did you have to experiment with any novel materials or techniques to achieve the sounds you were looking for?
All of the beats are produced acoustically, on a prepared drum set. I use various materials - metal, wood, plastic and fabrics - to prepare my drums. By preparing a drum set you can create sounds that have unexpected timbres and resonances, some might even sound as if they were produced electronically, despite being played acoustically.
How much time did you spend just banging on things in order to get the sound right for this album?
I’ve been developing my sound vocabulary for many years, always searching for new possibilities of acoustically produced sounds. It’s a never-ending process on the basis of using any kind of material as a musical instrument. While working on the album, the process was more about focussing on a suitable setup, and then trying to capture these sounds as well as possible.
What are your top five albums or performances of 2021 so far?
I’m unable to answer this question - I often listen to music that was recorded years ago. Currently, I’m exploring the genre of Maloya, which comes from La Réunion (Réunion Island). And due to the lockdown in the first half of 2021, I’ve not seen as many shows as usual.
Anything else you want to add, or that you would like people to know?
Listen.
Big thanks to Tim Wilson of Unsung Hunger for making this interview possible.