In sound performance projects and audio storage Skagen works with an analogue and digital environment, generative software Reaktor, enables Skagen to combine and construct custom tools to generate sound and visuals in realtime processes, where he is searching to find new sonic expressions and complex sound structures.
By using his sonic perception Skagen constructs a metaphysical and phenomenological sonic world where cuts and bursts are layered to form an imaginary landscape. A physical place in the imagination of the audience, where sound is changed and evolved into time and space, where glitch, error and numeric code take on new forms and shapes.
video.documentation
A/V concert at Nymusikk
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New free downloadable album By [concept.virus]
Click image to go to Plasticstrip.no
Årabrot [concept.virus]
THE ABSOLUTENEGATIVISM PROJECT
“The Haugesund trio Årabrot in their recent Dagbladet feature, claim that, ‘90% of all the Norwegian rock bands either don’t have the ability or don’t have the guts to create anything at all.’-- a weighty declaration perhaps only more pronounced by the band’s upcoming collaborative effort with noise aficionado [concept.virus], entitled ‘ABSOLUTENEGAVITISM’ to be released in 2008. As outrageous this claim may seem, it bears a cynical attitude that for me at least, is astoundingly reminiscent of the post-war musicologist, German-Jewish philosopher and cultural critic Theodor Adorno. Many characterize his harsh critiques on popular society, right down to his inherent writing-style, as a struggle against being readily consumed by it, by the passively satisfied, repressive society he so willfully fought against. But if pure subversion is dead and gone like he believed (as even the Sex Pistols proved that a mere “Fuck You” could be taken by the capitalist machine)-- music needed other means to be truly subversive. This he theorized, could be found in its inner musical language, a language that not only responds to its (metal) or (noise) or (rock) history, but one that is imbued by it, however difficultly. It is Prickly. Harsh. A cause for discomfort.
The ABSOLUTENEGATIVISM EP is precisely that, it is a sweeping objection to generic metal-noise-rock; rather, it criss-crosses between black-blasting verses, to wailing choruses of rampant Melvins-esque sludge that concludes only by reinstating its original intention. But before it risks becoming a noise epic thinly disguised as your average rock song, a Burzum-like interlude breaks loose into [concept.virus]’s earth-shaking 2cents to complete the whole matter...
As Adorno would say, systematic philosophy and generic thinking share a predilection for reaching conclusions that too often only confirm whatever presuppositions are embedded in their premises. But if you’re like me and have a distaste for simply reconfiguring styles dead and old, I suggest you go pay witness to these two powerful acts as they converge to create something that is truly, wonderfully distressing.
-Ann Sung-an Lee”
NERNES/SKAGEN
Ad undas
In 2006 Kjetil Nernes and Stian Skagen started collaborating, their aim was to bring Nernes’ noiserock band Årabrot further into the experimental Noise genre, looking for a unifying sonic expression between hard Melvins like riffing and Burzum wise structures, layered upon Skagen’s drones and electronic soundscapes. The result became an Årabrot [concept.virus] ABS.NEG EP.
As a side project, NERNES/SKAGEN started to develop and shape the sound of what was to come in future releases by the collaboration Årabrot [concept.virus]. Inspired by artists such as Glenn Branca, Tony Conrad and Pauline Oliveros, the song Ad undas took shape.
On the West-coast of Norway, Ad undas is referred to as a state beyond. Out of memory. Where the self is controlled by the drift of primal human behavior. Unpredictable. Logical paradoxes. And this is what NERNES/SKAGEN wants to pull in under their control, a sound phenomenon, rising from the depths of minds beyond. A glimpse into a world forgotten, or not yet discovered. A sacrifice in the cave of darkness. Reaching for truth outside logic.Ad undas is a one take recording, in search of an authentic quality. Where the core riffing evolves with time and the introduction of sonic layers. From a long repetitive state, to a palpable feeling of composed music.
In between understanding structure, and the liberation from the rational. A sonic dualism. Challenging the sonic perception
and time based compositions as it lingers and fades with memory.
What did I hear? A shape, a sonic hallucination.
Or the pure and raw sound of 8*12, 2*15, Sunn 300T and two Hiwatt 100, Fulltone OCD and a Buzzbox DOD. Digital feedback and processes from a programed environment, analogue filters and
synthesis.
Titan and Y.E.Z
titan and Y.E.Z is morten norby "themnh" halvorsen and stian skagen.
said about Titan and Y.E.Z ;
titan and yez are two norwegian artists, who did an eight hour live improvisation from which they selected eight tracks. four of them are presented in the form of a cut from the original session recordings and four others are edits. they too have a background in rock music, but their release is entirely made with computers and analogue equipment of an electronic nature. titan and yez play with minimal dance rhythms, that are monochrome in approach. in the music of titan and yez the rhythm section is the most important thing. here too the main objection might be that the music is not always the most danceable thing, despite the fact that 4/4 rhythms are used, but when it does, those pieces are the best. throughout quite a nice release!
by frans de waard @ vital weekly
audio.storage mp3's
Lfo coordinates
get the us out of here
imagecode in a candel
more on Titan and the Y.E.Z ;
minusn
is Erik McKenzie and stian skagen
Spilderhaug was a studio appartment at the westcoast of noway.
this is some of the work that materialized between 99-01.
audio.storage mp3's
toke
together monster
oppe i
ema
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In 2003 skagen constituted Ryfylke with Sten Ove Toft. Ryfylke is now one of Norways leading experimental sound duos, and have established themselves on the national and international scene for electronic music.
Said about Ryfylke;
From their digital and analog environment , a complex soundscape of drones, glitches and detailed space opens a dream like atmosphere. Seducing the audience, taking them on a shaking tour through subtile textures that explodes in digital crackles and electric out bursts. A Ryfylke concert is a physical experience where the listener is challenged to experience a room in constant movement.
“Named after a region deep in the fjords of southwest Norway, Ryfylke is dedicated to creating slow erosions of sound, the gradual scaping away of a solid landscape by wind and rain, ice and seawater. Sten Ove Toft collects sounds, dirtying them up on old cassette machines and processing equipment, while Stian Skagen breaks them down into scintillating digital forms. Taking up a side of this 12” vinyl piece, “Nuema Brister” and “Morild” are two starkly protracted geological eruptions that seem to bring with them the resonating fury of the earth beneath our feet. Glowing pillars of lava rise up, geysers of boiling white water tear up the rock. What’s remarkable, however, is the level of controlwith which such effects have been brought about.”
By Ken Hollings
THE WIRE ADVENTURES IN MODEREN MUSIC
“The previous release by Ryfylke, ‘Boknafjord’ (see Vital Weekly 463) was hailed by me as a fine cross-over between the Merzbowian noise and the world of electro-acoustics. Now Stian Skagen and Sten Ove Toft come up with a new work, this time on LP, and me wonders if that would go well , considering the wide dynamics their music has. Both musicians play around with laptops, filling it with field recordings, of whatever nature and create from scratch, from zero, from silence a long storm of drones. Apparently unnoted things built up until they fly away and you’ll find yourself in a hurricane of sound, but just as easily, they take matters back in control and everything is quiet again. Perhaps a CD release would have been a better idea, but maybe it works well, who knows. This is nevertheless some dam fine music. Very intelligent noise!”
By Frans’d Ward VITAL WEEKLY
video.documentation
for more on Ryfylke ;
roggbif.records