Flotation Device celebrates the 90th birthday of Éliane Radigue, the beloved French pioneer of synthesizer, drone and minimalist music. Listen to a custom mix of an early open-form feedback piece, a half-hour sampling of her iconic synthesizer works from the 70s, 80s and 90s, and a complete broadcast of a newly-recorded work from her post-electronic Occam Ocean series of compositions for acoustic instruments. Acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with this master of uncompromising sonic immersion, and observe how her œuvre looks back to ancient Tibetan sources and ahead to today's analog synth revival and dark ambient genres.
Plus, Melia Watras takes on the Harry Partch instruments, Cezary Duchnowski and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra carry Polish and Scandinavian experimentalism into a new decade, and a quintet of Northwest musicians explore their own brand of Radiguesque chill music. We also say farewell to Fred Van Hove (1937–2022), and sample Mariel Roberts’s edgy solo cello music.
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Flotation Device 2022-01-23: annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Fred Van Hove (1937–2022) [0:00]
1. [1:21] Fred Van Hove: Gere Bij. From Brötzmann/Van Hove/Bennink (FMP, 1973) with Peter Brötzmann (alto, tenor, baritone, bass saxophones, clarinet), Fred Van Hove (celesta, piano), Han Bennink (drums, voice, khene, percussion, homemade clarinet, tins and junk)
2. [6:47] Melia Watras: String Masks (excerpt). From String Masks (Planet M, 2022) with Michael Jinsoo Lim (violin/voice), Melia Watras (viola), Charles Corey (Harmonic Canon, Bass Marimba), David Sabee (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2017
3. [11:15] Ole Morten Vågan: AfterMath Rock. From Plastic Wave (ODIN/Grappa Musikkforlag, 2021) with Ole Morten Vågan (bass), Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Andre Viervoll, Aksel Jensen (recording engineers)
4. [17:43] Éliane Radigue: Vice Versa, etc…. From Vice Versa, etc… (Important, 2009). NOTE: Realized 1970 as a 2-track reel-to-reel tape with handwritten playback instructions. Custom Flotation Device mix by Michael Schell⠀
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SET 2: Analog Radigue [23:55]
1. [27:47] Éliane Radigue: Excerpts from Trilogie de la mort (XI, 1998), Songs of Milarepa (Lovely Music, 1983), Adnos III (Important, 1980) and Jetsun Mila (Lovely Music, 1987). With Éliane Radigue (Arp 2500 synthesizer, recording), Robert Ashley (English voice), Lama Kunga Rinpoche (Tibetan voice). NOTE: Realized 1979 to 1993
2. [58:12] Outro with monks of Nyingma monastery, Marpha (मार्फा) Nepal
3. [1:01:48] Mariel Roberts: Lock. From Armament (Figureight, 2021) with Mariel Roberts (cello, pedals), Ohad Talmor (recording engineer)⠀
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SET 3: Acoustic Radigue [1:08:52]
1. [1:10:39] Éliane Radigue: Occam VIII. From Occam Ocean 3 (Shiiin, 2021) with Deborah Walker (cello), Roberto Salvati (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2013⠀
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SET 4: Doomsday in the background [1:31:14]
1. [1:33:56] Summer of Seventeen: Chorus of the innocents. From Summer of Seventeen (Karlrecords, 2020) with Monika Khot, Daniel Menche, Faith Coloccia, Aaron Turner, William Fowler Collins (musicians), Randall Dunn (engineering). NOTE: Recorded on Vashon Island, Summer 2017
2. [1:38:06] Cezary Duchnowski: WELOVELIVE for voice, ensemble and electronics. From phonoPhantomatics (KAIROS, 2021) with Agata Zubel (voice), Andreas Harrer (technician), Klangforum Wien, Cezary Duchnowski (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2019
3. [1:54:03] Outro with Philip Glass: String Quartet No. 8
Photo credits: Cezary Duchnowski by Tomasz Kulak, Melia Watras and Cloud-Chamber Bowls by Geoffrey Wong, young Éliane Radigue by Yves Arman, monks of the Nyingma monastery of Marpha (मार्फा) Nepal by Michael Schell, Aaron Turner by Marcus Holland-Moritz, Ole Morten Vågan by Tore Sætre, Fred van Hove by Schorle, Robert Ashley by Joanne Savio, old Éliane Radigue in Eléonore Huisse/François J. Bonnet: Échos, Mariel Roberts via the artist.