dieb13.klingt.org : records/anchortronic.html

v/a "anchortronic" staalplaat 2002

reviews:
camera
incursion
skug
synrecords

camera review:

Anchortronic - 5.1 laboratory for updating experimental sound
Time's Up and various artists : 2003
Anchortronic is a Time's Up audio project in cooperation with Staalplaat. It is dedicated to experimental music, in particular the process oriented techniques which in their attitude and technique imply and even demand a radical DIY aesthetic. A two year plan to research the capacity and possibilities of Surround Sound was set up and realized by inviting musicians, sound and video artists to a basic 5.1 audio studio at Time�s Up in Linz/Austria. The resulting 18 tracks examine the process of expanding from stereo to 6 audio channels, a process that does not simply satisfy itself with effect-mashing like one might know from various Hollywood Soundtracks or Music/Video DVD�s which succumb to a simply upscaled stereo idea.
http://www.timesup.org/anchortronic/
http://www.staalplaat.com/anchor.html

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incursion review:

VARIOUS: Anchortronic: 5.1 laboratory for updating experimental sound
Staalplaat | STDVD 001 | DVD

Anchortronic is an audio project by Time's Up, a self-professed "laboratory for the construction of experimental situations," in co-operation with Staalplaat. The project's mandate, inherent in the title of this new DVD (the first ever produced by Staalplaat), is to move experimental music from the two channels of stereo to the six channels of 5.1 surround sound. They invited a number of artists, among them Andreas Berthling, TV Pow, Efzeg, Goem and Golden Tone, to a basic 5.1 audio studio at Time's Up headquarters in Linz, Austria. The result has been documented here, a collection of 18 tracks in about 3 hours total running time, all snugly pressed onto a single DVD. The DVD format is perfect for such a project, being able to utilize the AC-3 surround sound mix (as well as an optional binaural headphone mix for those who, like me, do not possess a home theatre setup), but also because most of these tracks have an integral visual element as well, involving collaborations with various video and graphic artists (among them Cecile Babiole, Xabi Erkizia, Lillev�n and Markus Decker). Some contributors, like Stilluppsteypa or Chris Fortescue, have developed their own visual components.

Although the visual component was not integral to the Anchortronic project in itself, it plays a central role in many of the pieces. Consider Michael Strohmann's "cassation," with a video component by Strohmann, Petra Z�pnek and Manfred Karrer, or "carefullcarelesness" by nt with a video component by joreg. Both of these pieces achieve intriguing connections between the audio and visual elements, providing immersive environments for the listener-viewer to lose himself in, if only for a short time. And these two examples are not alone. Other strong contributions are by Stilluppsteypa, who seem to never be at a loss for how to have some fun with their projects while continuing to create compelling works (their video component could have been called "Stilluppsteypa go out for sandwiches, and later, drinks"), Goem, who create another excellent track exploring the tensions of simple loop structures (I'd love to experience this one with full surround sound), and Efzeg, the electroacoustic improv quintet of Boris Hauf, Billy Roisz, Martin Siewert, Burkhard Stangl and Dieb13 who developed their own visual component for this project. Golden Tone, the ongoing collaboration between Fennesz and Zeitblom, contribute the longest track here: with its running time of 40 minutes, "wernichth�renwillmussf�hlen" is a potent and ever-evolving mix of laptop processing, moving through abrasive and ambient sections, in turn restless and calm, frantic and tranquil, but always complex, with a beautiful synergy arising from the sum of its parts.

As with any compilation, Anchortronic has its high and low points, featuring projects that surprise the listener and surpass expectations, and still others that fail to capture much interest. Some pieces, as the web collaboration CTL \x{2013} Net.Loop, seem less about composition and sound exploration than they do the exploration of the technology that allows for such experiments to take place. Some of the video components also fail to inspire interest; the usual video filters, cutups, pixellations or interferences sometimes create visual textures that seem all too familiar. And yet I should also be quick to point out that the weaker points in this release are few and far between, and on the whole the compilation is as strong as it is engaging. The Anchortronic series might be a continuing one (the instalments to date run from 2000 to 2002), and if this is the case I'm very curious about a follow-up release in the same format. [Richard di Santo]

+ staalplaat.com
+ timesup.org/anchortronic

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skug review:

Various Artists (DVD) Anchortronic 5.1 Laboratory For Upgrading Experimental Sound Staalplaat Die Compilation �Anchortronic� ist eine Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Amsterdamer Label Staalplaat und der Band/Organisatoren Time's Up aus Linz. Nach einer rund zweij�hrigen Sound-Expedition in die bisher wei�en Flecken auf den audiovisuellen Landkarten kommt das Projekt �Anchortronic� nach Linz zur�ck und pr�sentiert den momentanen Forschungsstand. �Anchortronic� versammelt auf einer DVD eine repr�sentative Bandbreite der elektronisch/ experimentell/elektroakustisch arbeitenden Bands/Formationen als audiovisuelles Glanzst�ck. Als da w�ren: Michael Strohmann mit Petra Z�pnek/Manfred Karrer, TV Pow vs. Xabi Erkizia, Efzeg, Electronicat vs. Cecile Babiole, Alex Davies, Stillupsteypa, Golden Tone, Gloom (Alex J�chtl/Barbara Neureiter/Didi Bruckmayer) ... F�r den Sound wurde eine 6-kanalige �AC-3 Surround�-Matrix geschaffen, die den in den Installationsmusikkontext gehenden Musikst�cken optimale Bedingungen liefert und das Raumgef�hl des H�rers aus den Angeln hebt. Zu den meisten der 18 St�cke, die zwischen acht und 40 (!) Minuten lang sind, gibt es Videoclips, die zwischen abstrakt und bildhaft changieren. Alle Tracks wurden ausschlie�lich f�r dieses Format gemacht, wodurch sich mal erahnen l�sst, wozu das Medium DVD noch in der Lage ist. F�r weiterf�hrende Infos: www.timesup.org/anchortronic
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synrecords review:

VARIOUS Anchortronic - 5.1 (STCD 001) DVD
... Laboratory For Updatin Experimental Sound. "Anchortronic is a Time's Up audio project in cooperation with Staalplaat. It is dedicated to experimental music, in particular the process oriented techniques which in their attitude and technique imply and even demand a radical DIY aesthetic. A two year plan to research the capacity and possibilities of Surround Sound was set up and realized by inviting musicians, sound and video artists to a basic 5.1 audio studio at Time�s Up in Linz/Austria. The resulting 18 tracks examine the process of expanding from stereo to 6 audio channels, a process that does not simply satisfy itself with effect-mashing like one might know from various Hollywood Soundtracks or Music/Video DVD�s which succumb to a simply upscaled stereo idea. All tracks are uniquely composed for this format and take full advantage of the challenging situation of having 4 additional speakers to develop soundscapes, cutups, rock songs and electroschnitzels that live and breathe from the expanded technical structure. Most of the tracks are visualized." Artists include: Michael Strohmann, TV Pow, Alex Davies, nt, Electronicat, Stilluppssteypa, Efzeg, Andreas Berthling, GOEM, Egotrip, Gloom, Alex J�chtl, Chris Fortescue, m9, Golden Tone, CTL01.

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