Browse by Artist: SCHAEFER, JANEK

Artist:	SCHAEFER, JANEK
Title:	Out
Label:	K-RAA-K 3 (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	K3 017

"Janek Schaefer is an architect. This might explain his vision on his music. A good building closes up into your memory without you even noticing it. The same goes for Schaefer's soundsculptures. Clearly structured soundloops baffling their way into perception. You can use his music in art-galleries, train-stations, living-rooms: anywhere really. Each time/place conducts his work to a different perception. Even a high volume or low volume defines another way in the listening experience which unfolds upon your ears. Janek Schaefer is one of the leading persons in the Turntable Terrorist wave nowadays. He only works with one sound-source, namely The Triphonic turntable, which he invented. The manipulations that he causes, create a spectacular result: sounds coincide, clash together and fade away. This CD collects two live concerts: one during the Fat Cat evening in Zaal België, Hasselt and one performance recorded during a session in a nuclear bunker in Scotland. But Schaefer doesn't see those two long pieces as just two live pieces -- they are his two best performances and he cares about them. And it is the only recording that he wants to release to represent his public work. So this CD doesn't belongs at all in the compartment of cheap live recordings pushed by the fucking music industry. The two sound-spheres are at the razor's edge, and very enjoyable to listen to."

Artist:	SCHAEFER, JANEK
Title:	Extended Play
Label:	LINE
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	LINE 036CD

"Line is proud to release the latest audio work from British composer and installation artist Janek Schaefer, based on his installation of the same title. 'Red is the color of Life, of Death, and of Love. Scarlett, my first child, was born in 2005, and since then I have been very aware of how lucky we all are. I have been constantly comparing this to the fact that my mother was born in Warsaw in 1942 -- the epicenter of World War II. How opposite can two beginnings be? This inspired me to produce the Extended Play installation, which continuously and positively celebrates hope and new beginnings, for child survivors in all situations around the world. The original idea for the composition, came from learning about the 'Jodoform' system of secret musical messages, that were broadcast by the BBC World Service, during World War II. The music they played was given a particular meaning, which was interpreted by The Polish Underground. I discovered from the original Jodoform log book that the lovely Polish folk song 'Tango Łyczakowskie' was broadcast on the day my mother was born. The song describes how children in 1918, had been forced to take up arms, in defense of their town. From this tune, I chose a short rising musical phrase, and with my arranger Michael Jennings, developed a 10-minute score. Each of the three solo parts was then recorded separately, edited, and cut onto vinyl. In the gallery, 3 x Cello EPs, 3 x Piano EPs, and 3 x Violin EPs are played at either 33, 45, or 78rpm using nine retro record players. These play continuously, and each was modified to stop playing briefly in response to the audience moving around the exhibition. This has the effect of changing and extending the composition, so that it is never the same again." Last copies, deleted edition.

Artist:	SCHAEFER, JANEK
Title:	Black Immure(Music from the Casa de Serralves in 12 phases)
Label:	SIRR.ECORDS (PORTUGAL)
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SIRR 2010CD

"Janek Schaeffer is a London based sound artist, known for his innovative turntablism (his triphonic turntable being the most famous) but also for his interest in audio architectural research, concerned by relationships with a built environment such as bringing live sounds into buildings from outside through hidden microphones. His recent works combine in a delicate and masterful way vinyl manipulation techniques with field recordings and electronics. Janek spent 3 days collecting, manipulating and editing sounds found in and around the Casa de Serralves in Porto, Portugal. The Casa is located in the museum landscaped gardens and had a superb natural reverb. For the resulting concert this prepared material was improvised and combined with locally purchased 'Portuguese' vinyl and recordings he made using their Steinway piano. During the performance Janek physically 'played' the building by slowly winding down the enormous shutters and windows to envelop the audience in darkness. 'Immure' means to enclose within walls, to incarcerate. Towards the end of the concert Janek opened the terrace shutters and doors behind him as a sound reactive light installation cast shadows and light into the interior. The performance ended as he ran out into the moonlit garden away from the villa and audience as the final sounds flickered and faded away, leaving them in silence, alone."

Artist:	SCHAEFER, JANEK
Title:	Early Electronic Compositions
Label:	TONSCHACHT (GERMANY)
Format:	7"
Price:	$8.50
Catalog #:	TONS 016

"Both of these compositions were produced while I was working freelance for de Rijke Marsh Morgan architects in London. One afternoon I had a message to call a guy named 'Jet Mistry' who worked for the lift company Thyssen. He was a chatty guy so we talked about names etc, and I decided to dedicate a track to his as I liked it so much. This was produced using an 'RS Integrator' analog patch bay synthesizer that I'd bought around then with the profits of working a 96 hours week on a new London park competition. Another project we produced at the practice was a quirky, live, stop frame short video showcasing various projects for a touring architecture exhibition. I was asked to edit and produce the sound. Side B is a 7" mix with the spoken sections removed."

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