The March 2010 release, Poem by Rébus, is available on Bandcamp

Out Now! Ben Roberts – Unit Audio

Ben Roberts’ – Unit Audio is a C40 tape, recorded at original speed with a Marantz CP430 from a 4track master tape. The quality is chrome. Price is 7.00€.

Here’s the text that Ben and I wrote together.

Ben Roberts is a British expat living in Madrid. He has been fascinated by everything regarding magnetic tape since his youngest years. This resulted in building a huge archive of found tapes. As an artist Ben uses the tapes in installations and live shows. Sounds of different origins and ages are blended with (or hurled against) each other.
i. Found tapes recorded by strangers, and functioning or signifying in some bygone cultural context; surviving audio remnants of a time that doesn’t exist anymore.
ii. TV/Radio/music extracts: To introduce occasional fragments of externally-referenced meaning into the pieces.
iii. Mechanical or tape-sounds: Due to material ageing, breakdown or modification, the original functional identity of the sound is nearly or completely obscured.
The combinations produce meanings above and beyond anything the individual parts may have had. Narratives that put us in direct contact with historic events as they unfold in every day life.

In addition I say:
The precise use and choice of fragments, the delicacy and awareness in attitude towards the use of found material and most important of all, the artistic approach add a touch of ‘sehnsucht’, an almost mystic glow to the sound.

Unit Audio ignites your imagination. It makes you wander over paths that almost got covered by the forgetfulness of our times.

NEW! Audiozine#2 DIKTAT IN AMERICA

The new audiozine, #2 is a vivid account of Diktat’s visit to the United States. Conversations, snippets of performances, travelogues, americana and guest appearances by Glenn Branca and David Thomas can be found on this C60 tape. Read more …