Sonic Bed_Scotland plays Omnht (1970) by Eliane Radigue

Fabulous video by Claudia Casaola. Sonic Bed_Scotland installation,

TRIPTYCH, Sound and Music festival, London, June 2011.

This visitor has something to smile about. Even though café noise upstairs gets intense at resting times, Omnht now really performs. Proof. The physics is correct and the bass cabinets do need to be built like this. This change of subs has also caused me to remix and I’m learning again what can be done with stereo. Undulating vibrations slide sinusoidal underneath and horizontal and vertical ellipses of corkscrew highs over me. I call Eliane. Sadly she has been too sick through most of the fest to come try either Bed, so I attempt to tell her what’s going on. She is delighted, and proposes that from now on Omnht be performed by a Bed. Nice. Sub box perversion had a purpose.

I am heading to Essex to collect the stored Sonic Bed_London v.o. subs. Sonic Bed_Scotland’s install on Monday answered the mysterious sensation that that Bed’s bass end had never really performed before. Subs and amps top tech spec… curious. Answer; turn over the boxes and it was revealed that the Scottish maker had lifted the floor of the cabinet by 11cm so reducing box’s internal air space thus cancelling any possibility of sub. AH.!@*****^*!!. Today is the 1st moment I have to do anything about it, but hey, great to have chance be able to do a real test of the physics.

Sonic Bed_Scotland install at Rich Mix. The last time I was here was for six months, 2006/7 in the early days of movement and frequency exploration for composition with SB_London. This is now 4 years and 5 Beds later and this Radigue work, Omnht (1970), is one of her early tape feedback works. It veritably throbs next to yesterday’s install of Transamorem_transmortem but again needs to be quiet, and with the café now moved up the stairs from the Bed here its not an ideal location. I suggest the café run a ..” come and have your lunch in silence hour”, but its enough apparently to get the super bad radio turned off.

Today began the installation work for the upcoming TRIPTYCH:RADIGUE festival with Sonic Bed_London install at Watermans. DETAILS. Revisiting the stereo landscape within the Bed and through the body with Eliane’s work is intriguing. Kailasha in SB_Marfa at ISSUE in October was sensuous. Transamorem_transmortem here now is delicate yet it creates a space of absolute stasis. Time stands utterly still and the surface beneath is a flat plain.

Sonic Bed_Marfa appears on TV and in the New York Times in BIORHYTHM: MUSIC AND THE BODY, the World Science Festival, New York.
DETAILS.

We are installed. Sonic Bed_Marfa ‘s music spreads a greater sensitivity of bass vibration with the new firm mattress. We open tomorrow, and apart from how to solve dirty summer feet climbing in and out for the next month, ready for the World Science Festival 2011.

The simplicity. A single strand of copper wire has caused a short and there is no power to the amps. With a faulty multimeter, it takes a while to troubleshoot. Thank you Marco and TeZ, the inside of the transformers is intriguing. Assessment: all 5 amps and 2 x transformers fully functioning. (memory nudge: the careful tech spec on the Bed was done for a reason KM.) Has to be a short. We track it down to one amp which I rewire and yes easy, we are in action. The Bed sits well in the concrete space of Eyebeam. Good to have it not just sounding but really visible once more.

We are upstairs at ISSUE breaking down SB_Marfa to move to Eyebeam. Great timing again. Alex who oversaw build of bed in Marfa back in 2008 last night moved to NYC so he’s here to direct and instruct. Perfect. Essential too for bed life as Marfa bed is built with reclaimed timber from empty buildings which have been put together in some special way we need to learn for future movings. It’s very hot.

Sonic Bed_London MkII is finally home from Dublin having been waiting there since the 2010 show for its US debut this month. However, ISSUE project room have new neighbours meaning that Sonic Bed_Marfa, resident there since 2009, can no longer stay, so it will be crossing New York and performing instead. Some neat timing on all fronts. Not only has it saved on shipping but Marfa Bed’s bright yellow will add an interesting twist to the dangerously pink BIORHYTHM: MUSIC AND THE BODY show, opening at Eyebeam , June 2nd – August 6th.
Also means that we are packed and ready to go across town with Sonic Bed_Scotland for the Radigue Tryptich which begins 13th June. Yes it’s all go here.