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Technology: THE FM3 BUDDHA MACHINE:
Wednesday 30th November 2011 | Osh
It might sound loopy but FM3's Buddha Machine is worth a listen...
FM3, the musical project comprised of Beijing based duo Christian Virant and Zhang Jian, is credited with being the founding band in China’s electronic music scene. They operate in the maligned realm of noise music and much like the title of their scene the press seem only capable of describing their sound in terms of juxtaposition (perhaps the most interesting review being The Village Voice’s conclusion that the band’s sound is ‘confrontationally tranquil’). Equally hard to describe is the musical gadget- The Buddha Machine- produced by the duo to spread their sound. Described as ‘beautifully useless' by the New York Times, it is essentially a digital version of the tape loops used by ambient composers like Steve Reich to create walls of sound. It’s part musical instrument and part FM3 album and has multiple issues, including a collaboration with industrial heros Throbbing Gristle. It means that by mixing and matching machines, users have a relatively large range of original sounds they can make. Each box contains nine loops so after you get a couple of boxes the combinations start to feel endless. This is essentially an elitist toy designed for those already interested in the ultra alternative realms of electronic music and it could easily be dismissed as a gimmick by many. If you choose to dismiss it we can see your point but it’s a wonderfully unaffected gimmick nonetheless.
If your interested you can pick up your own here: http://boomkat.com/stuff for £12.99. The perfect stocking filler for a sound nerd close to you.
FM3, the musical project comprised of Beijing based duo Christian Virant and Zhang Jian, is credited with being the founding band in China’s electronic music scene. They operate in the maligned realm of noise music and much like the title of their scene the press seem only capable of describing their sound in terms of juxtaposition (perhaps the most interesting review being The Village Voice’s conclusion that the band’s sound is ‘confrontationally tranquil’). Equally hard to describe is the musical gadget- The Buddha Machine- produced by the duo to spread their sound. Described as ‘beautifully useless' by the New York Times, it is essentially a digital version of the tape loops used by ambient composers like Steve Reich to create walls of sound. It’s part musical instrument and part FM3 album and has multiple issues, including a collaboration with industrial heros Throbbing Gristle. It means that by mixing and matching machines, users have a relatively large range of original sounds they can make. Each box contains nine loops so after you get a couple of boxes the combinations start to feel endless. This is essentially an elitist toy designed for those already interested in the ultra alternative realms of electronic music and it could easily be dismissed as a gimmick by many. If you choose to dismiss it we can see your point but it’s a wonderfully unaffected gimmick nonetheless.
If your interested you can pick up your own here: http://boomkat.com/stuff for £12.99. The perfect stocking filler for a sound nerd close to you.
