Zahn, though, never lets any innovation imperative efface the musicality at the heart of the matter; his compositions lie on a cline between minimalism and sound design in a melodic ambient zone, ’scapes one might suppose to be navigable via the melodies within their micro-narratives
In the vanguard of sound innovation
“A class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules that are multiples of simpler units, making up many of the materials in living organisms, e.g. proteins, cellulose, nucleic acids.” Polymer, aptly, is the title of the latest installment in the Quiet Details series, in which each release is an individual sonification of an artist’s reading of the eponymous phrase, by electronic music/sound design veteran, Arovane.
With a catalog spanning four decades, Uwe Zahn has been at the leading edge of popular electronic music experimentation on some of the most forward-thinking labels, from early outings on the legendary DIN and CCO labels to later ones on n5MD, ASIP, 12k, et al. In the vanguard of sound innovation, rooted at the same time in a distinct musical sensibility, he mobilizes all this on Polymer, a set of hyper-detailed digital textures manipulated into pieces that seem to breathe with an organic life reflective of their titular signifier. Select tools are deployed on synthesized modulations, field captures and sundry acoustica to forge undulant drones and fractally tweak particles into larger vibrant forms.
Zahn, though, never lets any innovation imperative efface the musicality at the heart of the matter; his compositions lie on a cline between minimalism and sound design in a melodic ambient zone, ’scapes one might suppose to be navigable via the melodies within their micro-narratives. In fact, though, melody is rarely stated but rather emergent—to be revealed, unearthed even, through/from the sonic context of its emplacement, a notion that drives his best work being the finding of these often buried treasures. He has said he is “…like a seismometer for sound structures that are hidden deep under the surface. an ear on the ground, on the earth. the other ear listens to the sky, the birds, the clouds, the wind.“
Overall, Arovane’s take on the Quiet Details concept constitutes a notable addition to the imprint’s growing catalog, one solicitously curated by Alex Gold (Fields We Found), which has seen recent contributions from Luke Sanger, bvdub, The Lifted Index, and ’t Gerius.
Polymer is available on Quiet Details [Bandcamp]
