CNV16
release date: 22.May.2005

THANOS CHRYSAKIS - Inscapes

Vital Weekly 506

Two releases up there for free download by Thanos Chrysakis, who, judging by his name is a Greek, but apparently living in London. 'Inscapes is a series of compositions based on the timbral affinities of the sounds. The articulated micro-sonorities and their modulations within the textural counterpoint create a dynamic aural space' he writes. Three (or four, but '1-2' are cut together) of them are to be found on a MP3 release by Con-V. These are created by electronic, acoustic and environmental sounds. Although it may seem to be the usual ingredients of micro-sound, and the results sound very much like 'ambient glitch', it's very nice material all along. Especially the lengthy 'Inscape 1-2' has a beautiful mellow flow to it, and even when things are quite minimal, the material shifts back and forth all the time. This is not unlike some of Stephan Mathieu's work along similar lines.

[ Frans de Waard ]

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Paris Transatlantic // April 2006

Not to be confused with Aaron Copland's magnificent, craggy orchestral work of the same name from 1967, "Inscape" is the title London-based sound artist Thanos Chrysakis has chosen for his electronic works. On the Conv CDR, also available as a free download at http://www.con-v.org/cnv16.htm, you'll find numbers 1-2, 3 and 9, and the Stasisfield release, also available at http://www.stasisfield.com/releases/year04/sf-4004.html contains Inscapes 4, 5 and 6 (FYI, seven more are available at http://www.monocromatica.com/netlabel/releases/tube029.htm). They're delicate and microsonic explorations of state-of-the-art granular synthesis, but if that sounds off-putting, you should also know that they're amongst the most impressively musical and quietly moving pieces of electronic music I've come across in recent months. "Inscape 5" on the Stasisfield disc was also selected for the prestigious Bourges International Competition de Musique et d'Art Sonore, which is a clear indication that we're talking composition here, carefully structured and sequenced works that richly reward repeated listening.
There's been much talk in recent years of the barriers coming down between styles and genres of music: there's the long-running composition / improvisation debate, of course, and the thorny question of where to draw the line between free jazz and improv, but the most problematic area seems to be electronic music. I've tended to adopt the blanket term "electronica" on this site to refer to the kind of composed electronic music (as opposed to EAI, which is made in real time) that evolved out of far leftfield techno, retaining "contemporary" for more (ahem) traditional composed – though not necessarily fully notated – pieces, but it doesn't take a PhD to see the problems inherent in those definitions. At least I haven't yet got myself caught in the terminological snares that dog The Wire magazine (where would you draw the line between "Critical Beats", "Electronica" and "Outer Limits"?), but I'm still dissatisfied. The work of sound artists like Chrysakis seems to me to be much closer in aesthetic to contemporary classical music – I consider him to be a composer in the same way that Bernhard Günter considers himself to be a composer – than the music of, say, Peter Rehberg, which has clearer origins in (experimental) DJ culture. It's no surprise at all that Chrysakis's work has been selected for performance (whatever that means.. how do you perform a piece of electronic music? just press "play" I imagine..) at Bourges, as it can stand its ground perfectly well against more conservatory-oriented GRM-style musique concrète. In any case, whether you're hidden away in the academic ivory tower, stuck in an art gallery doing an installation or tearing up the dance floor, the chances are you're all using the same software these days. Anyway, do yourselves a big favour and get hold of these Inscapes and Enchanted Mountains, and decide for yourself which shelf you want to put them on. As mentioned above, they're all available as free download, and the fact that a composer as meticulous as Chrysakis is happy to have his music released in mp3 format should be sufficient proof that it's a worthwhile venture – so here's a big middle finger to those hi-fi snobs who complain that they're losing quality. Stop looking at the graphic equalizer and start listening to the music instead.

[ Dan Warburton ]

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Tranzistor - summer.2006

Απ?ψε τ?ποτα δεν ?χει με?νει να θυμ?ζει τη χθεσιν? ν?χτα. Ο ουραν?ς δε φτ?νει φωτι?ς και η γη σταμ?τησε να καταπ?νει ανθρ?πους. Μ?νο μ?α απ?κοσμη ηρεμ?α κυριαρχε?. Η ιστορ?α μας ξεκιν?ει με απαλ?ς τονικ?ς διαβαθμ?σεις ?χων και το Χ?ος δ?νει π?λι τη θ?ση του στην Τ?ξη. Αναλογικ?ς γενν?τριες διαμορφωμ?νων σημ?των γαργαλ?νε τα αυτι? μου δημιουργ?ντας συχν?τητες εν?ς παρ?λληλου κ?σμου. Το πριν κανε?ς δεν το θυμ?ται. ?λα δημιουργο?ν το μετ?.

Συνεχ?ζουμε με ιδια?τερη ambient για να καταλ?ξουμε σε αναλογικ? φ?σημα λαμπ?του ενισχυτ?. Η ισχ?ς εξ?δου ε?ναι στο τ?ρμα αλλ? ?χουμε μηδενικ? σ?μα εισ?δου. Αυτ? μας επιτρ?πει να ακο?σουμε αλλ?κοτους διαλ?γους και απαγγελ?ες καλ? κρυμμ?νες π?σω απ? πινελι?ς πλ?κτρων σε αποσ?νθεση. Αυτ? ε?ναι η ν?α δουλει? του Θ?νου Χρυσ?κη που τιτλοφορε?ται “inscapes” και σ?γουρα αποτελε? ?να απ? τα ομορφ?τερα πειραματικ? ?ργα που ?χουν κυκλοφορ?σει τον τελευτα?ο καιρ?. Ο Θ?νος ?χοντας αφ?σει την Ελλ?δα και διαμ?νοντας στο Λονδ?νο παρακολουθε? απ? κοντ? τις σ?γχρονες πειραματικ?ς τ?σεις εν? μεταξ? ?λλων ασχολε?ται και με την πο?ηση. Το δισκ?κι μπορε?τε να το βρε?τε και να το κατεβ?σετε μαζ? με τα εξ?φυλλα του δωρε?ν απ? το πολ? συμπαθητικ? online label της Conv.

[ Garden in Black ]

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Earlabs.org // 31.05.2005

I first found Thanos from his Stasisfield release. I was drawn to the artist due to his tracks ("Transparent Geometries & Close-Ups") reminded me of the suttle drones from Stephen King's movie "Storm of the Century". Inscapes is equally great. Soft drones, tones and scapes creeping about. Field recording; hisses and static followed by minimal tones and hi-end frequencies but always pleasant! Nice Work! Burn it to your IPod!.

[ Phoenelai ]

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