(...) experimental and primitive sound-activities (...) hybrid acousmatic contexts (...) neo-archaisms, Japanese Gagaku, Tibetan rituals, Pygmy music (...)
(...) everything linked to noise manufacturing, electronic manoeuvrings – including – digital percussive devices and vinyl manipulation (...)
Hieronymous Bosch (v.1450-id.1516)
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CONTACT & BOOKING:
odiolorgnette AT hotmail DOT
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Released September 2009 NEW CD
"II" by Zn'shñ
High frequency trajectories and delicate glitchy micro pulses between Japanese gagaku, digital machinery and Morton Feldman's string quartet colours. Elaborated as a peculiar ceremony for desertic places, this second opus by Zn'shñ (Elvire Bastendorff & Franck Smith) displays a suite of radical sonic manipulations.
First official cd-release. According to a fictitious etymology, the term Zn'shñ signifies: the gleam of dark colours. Deliberately antithetic and intentionally enigmatic, Zn'shñ is enthused by Butoh iconography, Japanese Gagaku aesthetic and Tibetan rituals codification. Operating as dual electronic unit (Elvire Bastendorff & Franck Smith), Zn'shñ deepens a series of very specific works around digital phonocrafting and noise-manufacturing.
In tribute to avant-garde composer Edgard Varèse (1883-1965), this new work for percussive devices and electronics presents a long posthumous march w/ dark orchestral colors and crepuscular percussion pulses. A quite mysterious funeral cortège in memory of a true sound-alchemist...
"(A) wonderful tribute to a musical hero..." John Zorn, NY, 2008
N.B. vinyl sections were made especially for this project, no external sound sources used. / No index points, only 1 track on the disc.
A surprising piece for pure electronics, mouth organ, metal string and contact microphone is gradually down-graded to reach infra-bass sound-sculpting. A work in 4 parts between noise-trajectory study and signal-loss testing.
N.B. Monolith IV cannot be heard on mediocre sound systems, if using headphones beware of high volume listening.
Hereafter: Zn'shñ plays Zn'shñ : selected electronic dual setups (2008-2009)
Selected electronic setups used by dual electronic Zn'shñ (Elvire Bastendorff & Franck Smith) for recording contexts and live performances. [Recorded 2008-2009].
If possible use headphones when viewing video material or connect your computer to quite decent sound systems.
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Released SEPTEMBER 2007
"Trompe-l'oeil & bagatelles" by Qoo-ij orium
Contains a collection of neo-archaisms (sic) conceived & directed by Franck Smith. A 24 track-suite displaying a kind of new primitive music w/ hybrid electronics and various instruments. A work around "instrumentarium geometry" close to chamber music esthetic and post-modern composition using electronics, vinyls, percussive devices, bowed-berimbau, accordion, objects, soundfields, electric guitar, e-bow, computer processing and personal archives of Pygmy polyphony.
Inspired by the book of Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682) — Hydriotaphia, urn burial — this recording is a dark ritual in three parts focusing on the «...ashes to ashes, dust to dust...» mechanisms. Maybe you should read the book before listening...
Last one of a series of three solo concerts in Montmartre Museum Garden. Extends some aspects of live manipulation expressed in "Electronic manoeuvrings". This digital melting of percussive devices, noise and turntablism is an open-form composition using Pygmy music, Japanese Noh theatre, Tibetan horns, neo-metal, Jewish traditional songs and radio inserts.
Short structures, (multi)-speed modulations and sonic crash-testing dedicated to cartoon music. A set of orgiastic and bizarre pieces using zapping, cut-ups and collage techniques. 39 bombtracks between punk-hardcore and neo-metal collapsing. Does sophistication belong to (in?) noise-(music)?
Fluxus member Milan Knizak is responsible of some of the most beautiful and inventive experiments on gramophones and vinyls with his work «Broken music» (1979) based on ruined and/or prepared records — stuck, painted, burnt, cut, glued... «Nekrob umics» (anagram for «Broken music») pays tribute to this visionary of pre-recorded supports manipulation who started making noise with discs in the early sixties.
The Darwich Fetish Edition (division of Odiolorgnette) is a collection of sound-objects made in 2 original specimens on special vinyl pressing.
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"0+0"by Franck Smith
Circular timescape in memory of John Cage (10:02)
Recorded 2002 & 15th February 2006
12"/33rpm transparent vinyl (one side only)
Collectable item, original specimen
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"IX. que ce bébé se taise crierons-nous dans nos tombes"
by Franck Smith
Music for solo percussion and siren. 70mn of orchestral composition in real-time. 9 acts of «organised sound» between the works of Edgard Varèse and John Cage.
Experimental compositions. 10 independent pieces with a versatile instrumentarium become the raw material of 1 musical superposition. Including a piece dedicated to John Zorn.
The word smith is cognate with the somewhat archaic English word, "smite", meaning "to hit" or "to strike". Originally, smiths practiced their crafts by forming metal with hammer blows. As an English suffix, -smith connotes a meaning of specialized craftsmen.
A new series of real-time electronics and mixing manipulations by Smith well-versed into turntablism adapted technics and early video-games soundtracks. [wav-sister] extends and updates what he already realized on disc with his works Cartoon cuts and The Game-Over! suites (both released as Phrenq, respectively in 2003 and 2005)...
The routines obtained here were partly inspired -- in their content and esthetic -- by turntablists Qbert and D-styles. Although nothing can rival real vinyl manipulation by experts, a personal adaptation of these techniques on Handsonic makes imagine new ways in real time electronics.
Complete [wav_sister] practice session videos :
• 1.6 Disk full! (02:20)
• 1.5 Duck call studies (02:00)
• 1.4 Vinylisms & video-games (02:22)
• 1.3 Video game routines & beats (06:03)
• 1.2 Alternative beats for vinyls (04:52)
• 1.1 Evolutive scratch-beat routines (05:24)
• 1.0 The Game-Over! studies (02:11)
• Beta bis N°2 of Scratch (basic) drumming (01:34)
• Beta Scratch (basic) drumming (05:56)
If possible use headphones when viewing video material or connect your computer to quite decent sound systems.
... this sthintosmithereens page displays noise manufacturing and phonocrafting activities of multi-instrumentalist/composer Franck Smith – collapsing the wide range of personal research on sound-esthetics developped on his private collection of recordings Odiolorgnette.
... as Qiipnm'id Yorgomnüg he conceives in 2007 a repertoire of solo rituals (or mono-rites) using self-configured digital electronics w/ analogic sound processing modules... [2008-1995] conducted/recorded w/ the "sonic formulas" Qoo-ij orium, Celluloïd, Monophoïd, Zoïkhem... [2004-2001] works/records as Ijnveïq de Ernestine, Tlü Ejtko, Phrenq...
In addition to his various electronic percussive devices expertise, Franck Smith throw himself into experimental mixing and alternative digital techniques. He creates the dual electronic unit Zn'shñ (w/ artist/sound-activist Elvire Bastendorff) for public performances and soundtrack production (N.B.— two discographic works of this project, ''++'' and ''II'', are already published on Odiolorgnette).
... as of November 2009 Franck Smith publishes "Théorème de point fixe" — a new solo album for pure electronics dedicated to Japanese sound artist Ryoji Ikeda while working on Zn'shñ's 3rd disc...
RECENT DISCOGRAPHIC PUBLICATIONS
* Franck Smith, "Théorème de point fixe" (odl.9173-658) November 2009
* Zn'shñ, "II" (odl.9173-657) September 2009
* Zn'shñ, "++" (odl.9173-656) April 2009
* Franck Smith, "Le tombeau d'Edgard Varèse" (odl.9173-655) April 2008
* Qiipnm'id Yorgomnüg, "Monolith" (odl.9173-654) January 2008
Current video works "Computer music with no computer"[...]
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NEW CD NOVEMBER 2009
"Théorème de point fixe"by franck Smith
Influenced by algebric topology and scientific concepts on abstract spaces, this work for pure electronic drives the composer/soloist into a metaphoric piece around the ''fixed point theorems'' of Solomon Lefschetz, Bonislaw Knaster and Alfred Tarski... An amazing mental piece in 37 parts dedicated to Japanese sound artist and experimental composer Ryoji Ikeda.
Analog oscillators Glamour Box & Sleepdrone 5 (both by King Capitol Punishment) used w/ 3 Moog's Moogerfoogers. (Routing: Sleepdrone 5 into Moog Bass Murf into Glamour Box mix input / Glamour Box output into Low Pass filter into Analog Delay). Contents: minimal pulses, signal trajectory, glitch, clicks, analog oscillators, noise manufacturing, phonocrafting... [Recorded November 2009].
If possible use headphones when viewing video material or connect your computer to quite decent sound systems.
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Released FEBRUARY 2008
"Original soundtrack from 'Vision d'elles' exhibition"by Franck Smith
A 70mn track commissioned especially by graphic artist Elvire Bastendorff for her 6-months audiovisual exhibition in Luxembourg titled 'Vision d'elles'. This special soundtrack is based on 20 custom-made vinyls each one containing selected phrases and comments from the 20 women portraited in Bastendorff's work. Orchestral mixing of manipulated voices and electronic for a very strange, dirty and animal result. The final recording was played continuously, all day long, from 27th April to 28th October 2007... A document!
The Darwich Fetish Edition (division of Odiolorgnette) is a collection of sound-objects made in 2 original specimens on special vinyl pressing.
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"J'écoute les marteaux-piqueurs !"by Franck Smith
6 bagatelles from an aphorism by Edgard Varèse (09:01)
Recorded 1st—3rd February 2006
N.B. Click the picture to play this record.
12"/33rpm transparent vinyl (one side only)
Collectable item, original specimen
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"Duck-store : a tribute to John Zorn's Classic Guide To Strategy"
by Franck Smith
Inedit work recorded in February 2006, is available (May 4th 2008) for free download as a mini-EP in mp3/320kps format, from Moscow-based netlabel Clinical Archives. (N.B. No commercial usings can be made from this recording, free-downloading only. All rights belong to Franck Smith). Recorded in Paris 2nd-3rd February 2006.
The Darwich Fetish Edition (division of Odiolorgnette) is a collection of sound-objects made in 2 original specimens on special vinyl pressing.
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"Les pierres de touche"by Franck Smith
6 fragments for Butoh dance contexts (03:37)
Recorded 23rd-24th May 2008
N.B. Click the picture to play this record.
12"/33rpm black (one side only)
Collectable item, original specimen
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"La pierre de gué"by Franck Smith
1 micro-ceremony inspired by Japanese Gagaku (13:10)
Recorded 26th-27th April 2008
N.B. Click to view recording session trailer.
12"/33rpm black (one side only)
Collectable item, original specimen
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"The winter book"by Zn'shñ
Original soundtrack from the eponymous film.
Recorded in December 2008
A Free-download version of the soundtrack is available on Clinical Archives [Ref. ca.231]
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Released MARCH 2008
"Radiophonic works"by Qoo-ij orium
Sound-archives including a selection of private recording sessions, preparatory studies and the complete performance of Qoo-ij orium's radio concert at Live Stuff (Radio Campus Orléans, February 3rd 2008). A very specific disc on electro-acoustic soundcrafting and duet experiments.
Many thanks Franck, and thank you for your support ! I perform again solo concerts now, and I really plan to release solo material, and yes, your help would be welcome ! I think and hope that we'll be able to meet again soon !
Online Now!![Subterminal [new album]](http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/100/s_aa5acab129ae4c03a6e0351bbfd1427c.jpg)
