Review – Flowers, (Dragons’ Eye Recordings) 2010 – by Tobias Fisher, tokafi

Flowers – Compilation ( on line DER) 2010

To some, this anniversary compilation may seem like something of a premature party. While most labels typically celebrate their fifth or tenth year in action, Dragon’s Eye have confidently decided that four are quite enough to count as a milestone. They may have a point, however. When Yann Novak took over the outfit from his father in 2005 after an extensive phase of hibernation, after all, he had nothing to show for it but a tiny back catalogue and a healthy dose of determination. The latter proved to be a key factor. Especially in the early phase, when the odd unfavorable review would trickle in and the exact stylistic direction for the project was still slightly opaque, less self-assured souls would have given up or given in.

Not Novak. Slowly but very surely, he gathered a circle of like-minded composers around him, established an immediately recognizable corporate design and kept churning out material as though there were no tomorrow. If print runs were sometimes bigger than what the market could absorbe, this was not misguided ambition but a statement of intent: Dragon’s Eye was not going to be just another boutique label happy to print a few friendly-looking copies for art’s sake. It was going to be a professionally run and widely respected company which could stand on its own two feet and inspire others instead of borrowing from stale third party ideas.

Three factors were decisive in this respect. For one, Novak has astutely understood that Sound Art has a promising future if it manages to return to the one relationship that has always served it well: The bond with the visual arts. It is by no means a coincidence that Morton Feldman and John Cage were heavily influenced by befriended painters. Nor is it a secret that Philip Glass and Steve Reich kick started their careers by performing their first pieces in museums. In several respects, the advancement of music in the late 20th century has been a constant attempt at equaling the compelling power of abstract arts. With their regular multimedial events and partnerships with art galleries, Dragon’s Eye have not only made a clever marketing decision, but also built a fertile basis for a fruitful dialogue across different disciplines.

Secondly, like few other record companies out there, the outfit has established its own family of artists. Wyndell Hunt, Marc Manning, Jamie Drouin and, of course, Novak himself were virtually unknown before 2005 and their profiles have organically grown in sync with the gradual rise of Dragon’s Eye. Unlike many of their colleagues, who enjoy collecting releases with different labels like trophies, they have also remained faithful to them for the better part of these four years. Admittedly, established underground heroes like Steve Peters were equally part of the program and recently, Novak has branched out into a couple of household names on the scene, with releases by Ian Hawgood and Celer among others. But these have been exceptions and always served to sharpen the outfit’s image and take it one step further. Today, Dragon’s Eye is not just known for its uncompromising stance, but also for a particular mindset which goes way beyond the usual questions of sonic aesthetics and genre-affiliations.

This remarkably coherent, yet multifaceted approach has been the third and possibly most important aspect. Over time, Dragon’s Eye have catered to Drones, Ambient, Dark Ambient, Installation Soundtracks, conceptual soundscapes, controlled noise and silent music at the edge of perception without a single choice ever seeming random. As the stylistic associations have grown, so has the sensation that the artist roster was guided by a shared approach, a common angle at composing and sound sculpting. Significantly, this angle is related to a notion of purity, of never using more elements than absolutely necessary. But even more essentially, it has to do with considering ideas as the driving force behind music. For Dragon’s Eye, terms like beauty, darkness or estrangement can never exist without context. They come into existence through amplification, exaggeration, projection and contrast, in short: As artifice. Novak’s „The Air blowing over us“ (on Dragon’s Eye sister-label Infrequency), as just one example among many, made this amply clear: What would have ended up as a corny depictation of „one of the hottest days Seattle experienced in 2008, as well as the first weekend Novak spent with his partner“, ended up a thoughtful meditation on change and a claustrophobic, slowly moving soundscape built on the noises of a fan in the apartment.

With this in mind, it should surprise no one, that „Flowers“ is anything but a mere presentation of references or a lazily assembled „Best Of“. Quite on the contrary, quite a few of the musicians „Dragon’s Eye“ have become associated with are missing from this collection, while a few new names have been added to the roster. Most incisively, the collection focuses almost obsessively on a genre Novak has held dear for years, but only recently discovered as a source of inspiration for his imprint’s cover designs: Microtonal Sound Art. And so this free-to-download sampler includes luminaries like Shinkei, i8u, Tomas Phillips as well as Pierre Gerard, who also runs the highly recommended et comme le feu netlabel – while excluding a couple of mainstays. Rather than playing it safe, Novak has therefore once again made use of the opportunity to push his project beyond its existing borders and opened up yet another musical pocket for him and his artist.

This is all the more apparent as „Flowers“ manages to naturally integrate this new cosmos into the label’s body of work. Shinkei’s „Wu (for Luigi)“ is an almost programmatic effort in this respect: Subtle and crystal-clear field recordings of water, conversations and scratching noises are contrasted with discretely metallic drones and fine sheets of crackle. Short episodes are separated from each other by soundings of a prayer bell – this is a space for concentrated listening, in which every single element is to be appreciated on its own terms and the careful placing of each microscopic click suggests a conscious narrative. Meanwhile, the work of Canada’s France Jobin (aka i8u) displays unexpected similarities with Novak’s own contribution „Shortwaves to Longwaves“: Both rely on a blend of ultrahigh and extremely low frequencies, a suspenseful delineation between a highly direct foreground and a deep, atmospheric backdrop as well as a controlled friction between surgically precise material and inexplicable emotional resonances. This holds true for the compilation as a whole, which takes a turn towards more ambient-oriented pieces in the finale. Celer’s „A Lifetime of Wasted Breaths“, an endearing sequence of warm, almost spiritual chords and Wyndel Hunt’s Power-drone „Rotation“ might seem misplaced here on paper, but both turn out to make complete sense, intensifying the silence inside the listener instead of insensitively rupturing it.

Again, it is the idea of contrasts which takes hold here. By juxtaposing seemingly uncombinable material, the album as a whole is elevated to a higher plane, where these differences no longer matter. If this is where Novak wants to take the label in the future, then we’re in for a hell of an 8th birthday party.

By Tobias Fischer
tokafi

Dragon’s Eye Recording

flowers on DER (2010)

January 1.10

Various Artists | Flowers: Dragon’s Eye Fourth Anniversary
de6006 | 56:32 | MP3 | Open Edition

DOWNLOAD NOW

1. Shinkei – Wu (for Luigi)
2. i8u – Gallowalking
3. Pierre Gerard – Lines/Lignes
4. Tomas Phillips – Tablature I
5. Yann Novak – Shortwaves to Longwaves
6. Celer – A Lifetime of Wasted Breaths
7. Wyndel Hunt – Rotation

Over the past 4 years, Dragon’s Eye Recordings has come to be a trusted resource where listeners can be exposed to emerging and mid-carrier artists in the field of contemporary electronic music and sound art. Named one of Textura’s ‘Top Ten Favorite Labels of 2009,’ Dragon’s Eye is kicking off 2010 with a free downloadable compilation.

Flowers are the traditional gift for a fourth anniversary and Flowers is Dragon’s Eye Recordings fourth anniversary compilation. On Flowers, Dragon’s Eye presents new and unreleased works by the upcoming 2010 roster of artists. The 2010 roster represents both newcomers and veterans of the label that are at the forefront of contemporary electronic music and sound art.

About The Artists

David Sani (Shinkei) was born in 1968 in the heart of Tuscany, Siena. In 2000 he started Microsuoni, mail-order and distribution of sound-art, focused mainly on minimalism in all its forms. After the encounter with composer Luigi Turra in 2008, they founded the Koyuki label, devoted to publish lowercase and minimal sound compositions in limited edition cds or digital downloads.

The debut of the label coincided with the first Shinkei cd release “Binaural Beats” a split with canadian artist Philip Lemieux. Other recent works are “Biostatics” for the Transparent Radiation series on Bremsstrahlung, “Hidamari|Metrics” a split release with FOURM, and the first collaboration with Turra, YU for the austrian NonVisualObjects label.

France Jobin aka i8u (b. 1958) is a sound / installation / web artist residing in Montreal, Canada. i8u’s audio art can be qualified as “sound-sculpture”. It reveals powerful, opaque and complex sound environments where analog and digital meet. Her installation/web art can be said to follow a parallel path, incorporating both musical and visual elements.

i8u has created solo recordings for ROOM40 (Australia), bake/staalplaat (Netherlands), as well as many collaborations notably with Goem, Martin Tétreault, David Kristian and recently the album “ligne” with Tomas Phillips, on the Japanese label, ATAK. She produced compilations tracks for ATAK (Japan), bremsstrahlung (USA), Mutek (Canada) and Extract,Portraits of Soundartists (book + 2 cd) on the label nonvisualobjects (Austria).

She has participated in various music and new technology festivals Canada, Europe and the United States such as such as Silophone (Montréal, 2000), Mutek (Montréal, 2001, 2004, 2005,2007, 2008, 2009), Le Festival de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (2002), Ver Uit de Maat (Rotterdam, 2002), SEND + RECEIVE (Winnipeg, 2003, 2005), Les Digitales (Bruxelles, 2004 ), Club Transmediale (Berlin, 2004), V’elak (Vienna, 2008), Shut up and Listen (Vienna 2009) as well as a soundtrack by Bubblyfish and i8u for the movie Swordswoman of Huangjiang / Huangjiang Nuxia presented at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater Festival : Heroic Grace : The Chinese Martial Arts Film.

She collaborates with New York visual artist CHiKA, “Infinity”, an audio/video piece was performed live at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles and a screening was shown at the San Francisco Art Institute Lecture Hall, both events were curated by VOLUME. A façade projection also showcased this work at the MenschMeerMedien in Nordwolle, Germany. A recent new collaboration with artist and musician Cédrick Eymenier (France), has produced the work “event horizon”.

i8u’s web work/installations have been shown at Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Toronto’s Images independent film festival at MIVEAM 06. The AIR Artist-In- Residence program in Krems Austria enabled her to create “und transit”, a sound installation set in the cloister of MinoritenKirche in Stein, Austria.

Her work continues to evolve as technologies enable her to create in new environments.

Pierre Gerard (b.1966)
High School of Art (1985-1989), studied in particular the drawing and the engraving on copper and zinc.
(1995) A great interest for contemporary art, initially making research in figurative painting.
(1998) Abstract research in sculpture with materials of daily life.
(2000) Interest in the video and furniture.
(2003) After long research, I am finally able to approach my desire to make music,
a new step towards work without palpable matter, firstly with objects and field recording.
Since (2006) I returned to my first research by using the instruments.
In october (2009), began a new research work on abstract painting.

Tomas Phillips (b. 1969) is a composer, novelist, and teacher whose sound work focuses on improvisational performance and minimalist through-composition. He began composing electronic music in the early 1990s, releasing limited edition cd-rs, most notably under the moniker Eto Ami (with Dean King), and has since created music for installations and collaborations in dance and theatre. Labels to release his music include Trente Oiseaux, Line, Non Visual Objects, and Koyuki. Tomas has taught in the disciplines of literature and fine arts at various universities in the US, Québec, and Finland. Having completed an interdisciplinary PhD at Concordia University in Montréal, he currently lives in the US, where he teaches literature at North Carolina State University.

Yann Novak (b. 1979 Madison, WI) is a sound artist, composer and designer based in Los Angeles. His compositions have been published by Dragon’s Eye Recordings (US), Dulcett Records (US), The Henry Art Gallery (US), Infrequency (CA), Mandorla (MX) and smlEditions (US). His work utilizes different forms of digital documentation as a point of departure. Through the digital manipulation of these sound and image files, his works serve as a translation from documents of personal experiences into new compositions fueled by the original experience.

Novak’s installations and performances have been presented internationally at prestigious events and venues including American Academy in Rome (Rome, Italy), Blim (Vancouver, BC), Decibel Festival (WA), Ersta Konsthall (Stokholm, Sweden), Fiske Planitarium (CO), Henry Art Gallery (WA), Hit Art Space (Gothenburg, Sweden), Kasini House (VT), Las Cienegas Project (CA), Lawrimore Project (WA), Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (CA), Mutek Festival (Montreal, QB), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (CA), Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (WA), Soundwalk (CA), Suyama Space (WA), TBA Festival (OR) and Western Bridge (WA).

As a result of these endeavors, Novak had been invited to numerous Residencies including Environmental Aesthetics Residency (WA), Espy Foundation Residency (WA), and Kasini House Studio A Residency (VT).

In 2005, Novak re-launched his father’s Dragon’s Eye Recordings imprint with a new focus on limited edition releases by emerging and mid-carrier sound artists, composers and producers. Since its re-launch, Dragon’s Eye Recordings has published over 25 releases and has received critical acclaim.

In recent years Novak has collaborated through select installation, performance and recorded work with Gretchen Bennett, Brittle Stars, Crispin Spaeth Dance Group, Jamie Drouin, Marc Manning, Brian Murphy, Alex Schweder and Tiny Vipers.

Celer is the sound, visual, literary, and artistic endeavor of the husband and wife duo of Will Long and Danielle Baquet-Long. Danielle was a teacher of special education and music therapy, a seasoned and published writer of poetry and prose, a painter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist, also recording as Chubby Wolf. She had an extensive background in Gender Studies, Education, Basque History, Photography, and Tibetan Studies, as well as having lived in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the United States. She passed away on July 8, 2009 of heart failure.

Will is a published writer of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, having studied English, History, Creative Writing, Philosophy, and Literature, with a basic background in music. Will and Dani met each other in 2001, and remained close friends until 2006, when they became a couple. At this time they also began Celer, which had been up until this time a constant exchange of letters, music, and love. They were married in March of 2007.

In Will and Dani’s time together, they produced numerous custom, handmade self-releases, sound for installations and art exhibitions, as well as creating works for independent labels in North America, Japan, and Europe. Their intent was producing works that reflect the sincere nature and importance of love, the impermanence of life, and the spirit of togetherness, through a relative and absolute symposium of expression.

As of July 2009, all production of new works is ended. However, works completed before this time will continued to be published, as of which there are many, and will appear on many labels worldwide, as well as some to be self-published in the future. While an end to new production of works was not wished, it was necessary, as Celer was, and will always be Dani and Will.

Wyndel Hunt integrates melody and noise using electronics, acoustic instruments, field recordings, and the occasional piece of amplified trash. His recent work focuses on conceiving narrative, painting, and sculpture as analogues for structuring composition and shaping sound. Since 2005 he has presented his work in galleries, public spaces, and live venues alone and in collaboration with visual artists. He currently lives in Seattle.

About Dragon’s Eye Recordings

Dragon’s Eye Recordings is the imprint run by sound artist Yann Novak. Focusing on limited edition releases by emerging and mid-carrier sound artists, composers and producers, Dragon’s Eye’s goal is to foster personal and artistic relationships with its artists and to function as a meeting ground for its artists to further develop relationships with one another. The curation of the imprint by Novak is done primarily through real world relationships, with some virtual exceptions. By focusing on human interactions and talent, rather than style or genre, Dragon’s Eye’s catalogue has slowly become a melting pot of sounds, processes and practices.

Dragon’s Eye values interconnectedness and encourages it by offering its artists a chance to showcase their own visual concepts, commission artists they have worked with, or recruit Dragon’s Eye’s partners to help create the visual representations for their releases. Through these practices, Dragon’s Eye offers a more personal presentation of its artists for their audience and creates a catalogue that is diverse yet bonded through human collaboration.

Dragon’s Eye Recordings was originally founded by Paul Novak, (Yann Novak’s father), in 1989 as the audio/visual arm of Only Connect…Publications.  Paul was and still is a bread baker and avid record collector. Only Connect…Publications was his first venture to self-publish his bread recipes. Through his new publishing company, Paul designed his book on a Apple Plus computer, commissioned a friend and artist to create the painting for the cover, and recruited a musician to compose an original work to accompany bread making.  Due to his love and passion for both music and record collecting, Paul created Dragon’s Eye Recordings to compliment his publishing company. All of these pursuits had a strong impact on his son who would later relaunch the label in 2005 and try to stay true to these communal values endowed in the label.