Isabelle Marceau

DISCONTACT! II, cd #1

1. [1] Ned Bouhalassa - Move 1 [ex] - 3'

The piece starts with bee sounds; it then follows with bird sounds, water sounds, and some sort of spinning metallic propeller sound (processed); I then identify a rooster sound (processed), the buzz of a plane, the singing of a cricket, a door slamming, and something that sounds like a spinning object inside a metallic container; then I believe I’m hearing some sort of glissando sound, and lastly, a bell ringing. Possible link : the majority of the sounds come from flying objects or animals, or are sounds that occur in the sky.

2. [2] Ian Chuprun - Duet [for headphones] - 2'45"

The piece starts with a spinning metallic sound, and a keyboard tone repeated; then we hear the sound of a speeding car from afar, a tonal pulsating sound, and voices from afar in closed space; lastly, we hear a piano note repeated) Possible link : a driver going to pick up someone at a waiting station.

3. [3] Francis Dhomont - L'électro - 1'06"

This piece starts off with cacophonic laughter, spoken words reverbed and with a play on tones and on speed (slowing down); added to those are other processed noises; the piece ends with dynamic and agitated speaking voices. Possible link: a troop of comedians rehearsing.

4. [4] Daniel Feist - Diptych: Auxferd Nightburr'd November 2 a.m.; Our Child - 2'50"

The piece starts with the sound of a bird chirping, followed by a single voice spoken (processed) commenting on the bird’s singing; processes for the voice include delay and speed change; we then hear the sound of water falling (processed) and spoken voices reverbed and with a change in tone and in speed (slowed down); the piece ends with the sound of water falling (processed) and mass voices including a child’s. Possible link: the bird has a message to give, and the end narrative states that we must face our sins; sound like a "prophetic" piece.

5. [5] Michel Frigon - Itinéraire au Crépuscule [ex] - 2'40"

The piece starts with the sound of metallic bells (being hit on), followed by a drum-like hitting sound; we then hear keyboard notes in unison, and the sound of someone walking on tree branches and dry-dead leaves. Possible link: journey, at dusk on unknown grounds, on the border of a forest, and walking on dried leaves.

6. [6] Gilles Gobeil - Le Vertige inconnu [ex] - 3'

The piece starts with the sound of a door slamming but processed/ mixed with a glissando; we then hear something that sounds like a ticking bomb, then the sound of a train in motion, followed by the sound of an engine valve releasing air; this is followed by a background whistling noise and a boiling sound/ water boiling perhaps?; the following sound is one of a cricket, and a pulsating sound becoming louder with a crashing sound (processed), the sound of shattering glass (processed), industrial basement sounds (like a heating system), a door closing again, the sound of crushing crisp material under one’s feet, a speeding crashing sound (processed) , a cracking door slowly opening, background enclosed factory sounds (repeated), and lastly a buzzing sound ending with a crash. Possible link: Dream of an escape from industrial life, mental departures from it represented by i.e. doors slamming and train in motion.

7. [7] Monique Jean - Embrace [ex] - 2'44"

Glass being filled up, boiling water (processed), billiard balls hitting each other, speeding wind (processed), glass of water being filled up (processed- gives this impression because of change of pitch/ from low to high), camera flash, whispering voices (processed- backwards), spinning sound (processed).

8. [8] Kathy Kennedy - Music Box II - 1'20"

music notes (processed/ synthesizer), "tum-tum-tum" singing voice, recorded telephone operator, "please press two", synthesizer "glitches", dialing of telephone, answering —machine message, singing voices "la-la-la" chorus; possible link between processed music and message recording devices.

9. [9] Frank Koustrup - Woodstock to Detroit - 2'53"

banging of metal bowl (delayed), volcano erupting, crackling phone static, tuning of instruments in chapel-like acoustic environment: synthesizer, horns, accordion, strings, (sounds like) scratching on chalk-board (processed).

10. [10] Daniel Leduc - Réponse impressionniste donnée par Josef K. lors d'une fin de soirée hivernale à une touriste française qui passait en face de la gare - 2'58"

The piece starts off with what sounds like a distant ringing sound, added to the roaring of a car engine, and then mass voices with different tones and speeds (reverbed) and getting louder; this is followed by a wind sound, and dissonant piano chords played in unison; we then hear some sort of metallic tone, a swinging background tonal sound (delayed), and a voice edited so that it sounds like a helicopter propeller changing in speed (slowing down); we then hear a train bell repeated and getting louder, accompanied by the sound of a train in motion; the train bell is then processed, and we also hear processed glissando rattling and buzzing sounds, wind sounds (processed), glitch (?) glissando, and layered voices with different tones (delayed). Possible link: mining industry site, carrying material on train.

11. [11] Robert Normandeau - Spleen [ex] - 2'24"

wind-like sound, processed thunder sounds transforming into growling-gargling sounds, cough, kiss/lip suction mixed with synthesizer notes, pump-like sound, repeated narration/ collective voices, spinning sound/flying saucer-like buzzing sound, processed helicopter sound mixed with voices, brief sound of car starting.

12. [12] Er Polen - .TRANse.SEPTem. [Machina Mundi In Septem SÊc¸lum] - 3'

child narration, processed vinyl record scratching, male recorded voice, rain falling (processed), male narration, background of buzzing incantation/voice singing, male narration (processed) "ils sont 7", thunder sounds (processed), processed synthesizer glitches (white noise?).

13. [13] Laurie Radford - enclave [ex] - 2'54"

shaking in glass container, rattling sound (processed), bird sound/whistle (processed), wind slamming a door (muffled), finger rubbing rim of glass, brushing of teeth, "hmm" voice singing, synthesizer glitches, voice processed (echoed), bell glass sound, scrubbing sounds.

14. [14] Jean Routhier en collaboration avec Christof Migone et Michel F. Côté - Sous les décombres d'une brève hémorragie champêtre - 2'58"

buzzing sound, duck quacking (processed backwards), welding sounds, drum whack, cricket sound, elephant sound, speaking voice through radio transmitter, cymbals, guitar distortion.

15. [15] Frédéric Roverselli - L'éveil de la cité - 2'30"

blow dryer sound (processed), soldiers’ steps in unison, synthesizer tone, jumbled noise/ videogame sound, water fall, light plastic object falling noise/ simulating tap dance, clapping of hands creating a beat, horn-like noise (processed), synthesizer notes in unison.

16. [16] Claude Schryer - 3 Radioludes [ex] - 3'

photocopier noise, machinery in factory, kids’ voices in playground, walk in mud and straw, wheels spinning/ speeding stationary bicycle, church bells, speeding motorcycle.

17. [17] Pascale Trudel - Le Poisson qui cache l'oiseau - 2'53"

walk on wet leaves (processed to accentuate sound of leaves), thunder, cat meows (processed- repetition), train engine, sound of a monkey in a zoo, crowd/group conversation, steam or wave-like noise (white noise?), river sounds, sneezing.

18. [18] John Winiarz - Jack in a (Music) Box - 2'55"

The piece resembles a gamelan, with its melodic layering of metallic and wooden xylophones, with the use of what sounds like a "Fisherprice" type keyboard, or probably an accordion; the notes change in pitch; changes in volume Possible link: A children’s Gamelan.

19. [19] Egils Bebris - Hockey Night In Opera - 2'26"

female opera voice, crowd roar in unison, hands clapping (segment looped), coughing, orchestra tuning their instruments, crowd roar (processed), human whistling, blowing in whistle.

20. [20] Gustav Ciamaga - Possible Spaces No. 1 - 2'42"

synthesizer notes processed differently: different tones, some notes sounding metallic, some sounding acoustic, etc. The notes consecutively played all are affected with a different sound effect/processing, giving the impression that they do not come from the same instrument.

21. [21] Janit Cross - Pleasant Tasks - 2'56"

sewing machine sounds (processed), scratching sound, metallic shaking sound, aquarium filter sound (processed), motor running (processed)- (this is a very hard one to describe…)

22. [22] Rob Cruickshank - Starting From the House, Working Outwards - 2'48"

sound of a buggy rolling on dirt road, fire crackling, vibrating/ bouncing elastic-plastic sound, galloping horses in background, processed and distorted wide area recorded sounds (i.e. airport), white noise, glitch/ jumbled noise, automatic dial (repeated), male phone operator, background tone and glitch/jumbled noise.

23. [23] Bruno Degazio - Jolly - 2'15"

The piece starts off with a melodic piano and violin, but is quickly interrupted by processed tonal sounds using a synthesizer; then the acoustic instruments merge with the sounds of an electric guitar, with a crashing sound (processed), other wave-like processed sounds, a police car siren slowly changing pitch/ going higher. Possible link: the conflicting (symbolized by a police car siren) encounter between acoustic instruments and electric instruments.

24. [24] Robert Del Buono - Harmonica - 2'51"

sound of lawnmowers (processed), sound of planes landing (processed), (sounds like) "Play School" keyboard for children/ or accordion, complex mass of synthesizer notes.

25. [25] Markos Lekkas - Chronographica Delta - 2'43"

This piece is composed of piano notes which are processed (delayed and echo), and these are played over reverbed layers of processed tones- giving the impression of engine-like wavy sounds. I believe the major processing is that of segments being played backwards. Possible link: the mix of notes being played backwards with the ones simply being echoed made me think of the pollination process of bees on flowers/ the bees flying back and forth towards the flowers- probably very far from what the composer was thinking about, but that’s what came to mind when listening to it.