Category: Features

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send + receive v15 :: The Sons of God

 

Photo by Conny Fornbäck
Photo by Conny Fornbäck

by Daniel Emberg

The Sons of God, together since 1988, have a near-mythical reputation in the outsider art world. The enigmatic Swedish duo have always been interested in challenging both themselves and their audiences with wide-ranging, unpredictable, interdisciplinary art. There is a unique chance to catch the Sons of God in Winnipeg, as theirs will surely be one of the standout shows at the send + receive festival, which has them on a bill this Friday, October 11, that also includes Tony Conrad, Greenhouse, and the EVP Project. One of the members, Leif Elggren, was kind enough to give Stylus some idea of what he and Kent Tankred have in store for us. Continue reading “send + receive v15 :: The Sons of God”

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send + receive v15 :: Greenhouse

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photo by Robert Szkolnicki.

 

by Daniel Emberg

Winnipeg’s own Curran Faris has been active as Greenhouse since 2009, using guitar as the source of minimal yet engaging electronic drone soundscapes not typically associated with the instrument. He has released Greenhouse albums on Reverb Worship and Prairie Fire Tapes, and will be performing as part of the send + receive festival on Friday, October 11—sharing a bill with Tony Conrad, the Sons of God, and the EVP Project. As made evident in this e-mail exchange with Stylus, the festival has long been dear to Faris, and he is extremely excited to be playing it this year!  Continue reading “send + receive v15 :: Greenhouse”

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send + receive v15 :: Magneticring

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by Daniel Emberg

Peeled straight from his bio: “A longstanding figure in Vancouver’s underground music scene, Joshua Stevenson aka Magneticring has performed, collaborated and toured with numerous artists from around the world such as Von Bingen, Staked Plain, Kemialliset Ystävät, Jackie-O Motherfucker, Jandek and Land of Kush. Working with primarily with analog synthesizers and electrical effects Magneticring’s musical sphere ranges from 1930s Indonesia to 1970s Germany. Tones, Drones and Phase.” You can catch Magneticring in concert during the send + receive festival, as he plays a show on Wednesday, October 9 with Le Révélateur that will also feature screenings of two Jordan Belson films. Stylus recently cajoled Stevenson into spending a few minutes sharing thoughts on what will be his first-ever appearance in Winnipeg. Continue reading “send + receive v15 :: Magneticring”

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Dead Ranch :: Attack of the Noise Creatures

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 by Myke Lewis

“I’m not gonna lie, I masturbated quite a bit in that bathroom,” reveals Ryley Devine with the kind of frank openness that would otherwise have you switching seats on the bus. The man in question is the drummer in Winnipeg’s emerging noise-makers, Dead Ranch. His band-mate and front-man, Chad Alsop explains, “Jesse was even, ya know, ‘if you guys are gonna tug off, just keep it in the bathroom.'” Continue reading “Dead Ranch :: Attack of the Noise Creatures”

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send + receive 2013 :: festival preview

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by Daniel Emberg

Transcendence. That is the theme of the 15th edition of send + receive, Winnipeg’s international sound art festival. For 2013, the festival has booked some of the most exciting names in… well, a field that seems to suit the theme quite well. Sound art is conceptualized broadly enough at send + receive to transcend even a common descriptor. In speaking about send + receive, the artists variously use expressions such as “avant-garde,” “challenging,” “subversive,” and “ecstatic.” Continue reading “send + receive 2013 :: festival preview”

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Fear of Music – Jay Z, Jay G, and the New Génération Perdue

JAY-Z-100-bill

by Devin King

There was probably no musician better suited to executive produce the soundtrack to the new Baz Luhrman version of The Great Gatsby than Jay-Z. Jay Z referred to Gatsby as a “classic American story of one’s introduction to extravagance, decadence and illusion.” In a departure from hip-hop’s origins, the brand of hip-hop popularized by Jay Z, not unlike the Jazz Age depicted by Fitzgerald, is obsessed with status and wealth. When he speaks of the extravagance and decadence it shows that his understanding of Jay-G(atsby) is pretty surface level, as he found Gatsby to be an aspirational figure. Like so many university students, Shawn Carter seems to have read the first part of Gatsby and improvised his understanding of the rest of the book. Don’t worry Jay, I won’t spoil it for you. Continue reading “Fear of Music – Jay Z, Jay G, and the New Génération Perdue”

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Real Lovin’ :: Real Love Winnipeg

by Zach Fleisher

Adam Soloway looks introspectively over the recording studio for Beach Station Blues II. Photo by Laura Sexsmith.
Adam Soloway looks introspectively over the recording studio for Beach Station Blues II. Photo by Laura Sexsmith.

We’re rolling down Hazel Street in Winnipeg Beach and I can already feel it; the calm tone of an acoustic guitar, gentle laughter among close friends and the always refreshing breeze of Lake Winnipeg. As we walk up to the deck and into the sunroom of 228 Hazel, I notice folks in hushed tone of conversation; local recording artist Claire Bones is currently recording a track in the main cottage room, doubling as a makeshift recording haven and I’m told that we all need to whisper in order to continue our conversation. Continue reading “Real Lovin’ :: Real Love Winnipeg”