There are still things left to explore! Take the musical opportunities deriving from DeskMate, for example, an old operating system by the U.S.-based chain of electronic shops called Radio Shack, which have hardly ever been analyzed; at least not publicly. The Brooklyn-based musician Ben Zimmerman, who had been doing sample-works with records and the system as a student at home, also hesitated before introducing his works to the music world. Between 1992 and 2002, he came up with strangely raw and realistic productions, carrying a graininess typical to a low sample rate. Stakkato-melodies, rhythms between swing and machine flaps as well as short snippets of vocals have been combined to form abstract song-miniatures. These new and fragile, yet energetic, forms of computer based chamber music are between one and two minutes long and often carried by (sampled) pianos and string instruments. In between, you can even experience Zimmerman’s fascination for drum’n’bass. His debut »The Baltika Years« illustrates how he has found the way towards an idiosyncratic language of sounds through technical self-restraint. A real discovery!
Baltika Years
