artist: RONNIE SUNDIN
title: Seismo
catalog number: and/6
release year: 2002 / 2003
format: 3" CDR
status: sold out
title: Seismo
catalog number: and/6
release year: 2002 / 2003
format: 3" CDR
status: sold out
The first and/OAR 3" CDR release, of which is by Swedish sound artist Ronnie
Sundin. Seismo is supposed to be a full length version of the piece entitled
"seismo_1" which appears on the lowercase sound 2002 compilation, but in fact,
barely resembles it. Both versions are mostly quiet, slowly evolving, minimal
pieces that build to a poignant inconclusive resolve, but both are distinctly
different from one another. Packaged in a mini-dvd case.
Sundin. Seismo is supposed to be a full length version of the piece entitled
"seismo_1" which appears on the lowercase sound 2002 compilation, but in fact,
barely resembles it. Both versions are mostly quiet, slowly evolving, minimal
pieces that build to a poignant inconclusive resolve, but both are distinctly
different from one another. Packaged in a mini-dvd case.
EAR / RATIONAL (APRIL 2004)
I wasn't sure I had actually hit play on this till I noticed that after about 3 minutes,
that suddenly the room had grown quieter. Over this time, a low quiet rumble had
started so slowly I didn't even notice it till it was gone. But it didn't leave, it abated
and added a metal door closing in the building next door. Seismic activity
indeed! This is sound of the earth moving when you really try to listen to it. Over
20 minutes, a delicate snowflake of a tune develops. A nice thought piece!
(Don Poe)
I wasn't sure I had actually hit play on this till I noticed that after about 3 minutes,
that suddenly the room had grown quieter. Over this time, a low quiet rumble had
started so slowly I didn't even notice it till it was gone. But it didn't leave, it abated
and added a metal door closing in the building next door. Seismic activity
indeed! This is sound of the earth moving when you really try to listen to it. Over
20 minutes, a delicate snowflake of a tune develops. A nice thought piece!
(Don Poe)
% ARRAY | F.0015.0011 (2003)
Ronnie Sundin's minimal soundscapes have been insinuating themselves into my
consciousness more and more of late as I revisit several works that seem to be
scattered near-permanently across my desk.
Following 2002's 'Morphei' on Hapna comes this gentle excursion on US label
and/OAR; twenty minutes of typically restrained minimal soundscapes
characterised by a now familiar array of locations including, "...that beach in
Santa Monica once again".
Sundin has an ear for detail and a distinctive feel for phrasing which is seldom
matched. Contrasting elongated near-silences with moments of elegant sustained
activity, 'Seismo', despite its brevity, is the perfect balance of quiet coupled with
quivering counterpoint. (Christopher Murphy)
Ronnie Sundin's minimal soundscapes have been insinuating themselves into my
consciousness more and more of late as I revisit several works that seem to be
scattered near-permanently across my desk.
Following 2002's 'Morphei' on Hapna comes this gentle excursion on US label
and/OAR; twenty minutes of typically restrained minimal soundscapes
characterised by a now familiar array of locations including, "...that beach in
Santa Monica once again".
Sundin has an ear for detail and a distinctive feel for phrasing which is seldom
matched. Contrasting elongated near-silences with moments of elegant sustained
activity, 'Seismo', despite its brevity, is the perfect balance of quiet coupled with
quivering counterpoint. (Christopher Murphy)
ABSURD - ABSURDITITIES #9 (DECEMBER 2003)
Rsundin's "Seismo" 3" CDR is a recording that, to tell you the truth, so far must be
one of my favest of his work (or at least the few examples I've heard by now). A
recording whose lowercase atmosphere often brought in mind the later works of
Phauss (well actually, before listening to his 3" CDR I was listening to "Nothing But
The Truth", so...). A well crafted atmosphere based on various textures he has used
for this little diamond. I must admit that it was a release that made me curious to
check some of his recent stuff, this one shows a great progress in his work and is
worth to be checked, especially if you are into nice obscure atmospheres.
(Nicolas Malevitsis)
Rsundin's "Seismo" 3" CDR is a recording that, to tell you the truth, so far must be
one of my favest of his work (or at least the few examples I've heard by now). A
recording whose lowercase atmosphere often brought in mind the later works of
Phauss (well actually, before listening to his 3" CDR I was listening to "Nothing But
The Truth", so...). A well crafted atmosphere based on various textures he has used
for this little diamond. I must admit that it was a release that made me curious to
check some of his recent stuff, this one shows a great progress in his work and is
worth to be checked, especially if you are into nice obscure atmospheres.
(Nicolas Malevitsis)
VITAL WEEKLY #361 WEEK 9 (2003)
Sundin's sound explorations are getting more subtle with every release. This disc
contains one track of twenty one and a half minutes, most of which is at very low
volume and could slide by without being noticed. But of course, once attention is
focused, a world appears, a world of microscopic events that defies description.
Hence the release. This is sheer listening material. Sit down, take your time and
just listen and enjoy. That's really all there is to it; and that's basically all I can
say, except maybe that the effort will certainly be rewarding! (Roel Meelkop)
Sundin's sound explorations are getting more subtle with every release. This disc
contains one track of twenty one and a half minutes, most of which is at very low
volume and could slide by without being noticed. But of course, once attention is
focused, a world appears, a world of microscopic events that defies description.
Hence the release. This is sheer listening material. Sit down, take your time and
just listen and enjoy. That's really all there is to it; and that's basically all I can
say, except maybe that the effort will certainly be rewarding! (Roel Meelkop)
CISZA #02 (2003)
Not many romances of music with nature have such a delicate and minimalistic
finale. Rsundin (aka Ronnie Sundin, whose recent album released on the Hapna
label we already reviewed in Cisza.art.pl) gives it (i.e. the romance - KA) a
completely new form, forcing us to maximize our attention. Such a state is well
known among the lovers of nature.
The time in which geological phenomena lives, is counted in millions of years -
far too much for us to observe growing mountains or the forming of meandering
rivers, but even when we follow everyday "banal" events which are easier to
observe than the ones which nature has to offer, they require a completely
different perception - slowing down the rhythm of our everyday living, even
stopping it via concentration.
Among sound sources used by Rsundin are anthills and ocean waves breaking at
the shore. Here they were presented in a very reductionist way; we can hardly
recognize hums of insects' legs or that which is often abused by many field
recorders, the sea's hum. Associations automatically lead to Francisco Lopez,
Bernhard Gunter or Toy Bizarre - musicians who transform the sound of the
surrounding environment until it's completely unrecognizable.
The listener might feel like he's the butt of the artist's joke (not everybody will stay
concentrated in front of the speakers when the amount of sound oozing out of the
speakers is reduced to a minimum), but listening to this album will satisfy more
than the die-hard connoisseurs of modern minimalism located in a spectrum
between -100 to -50 db. Ronnie Sundin has more to offer. It's much more than just
a nice concept-art project. The 20 something minutes, despite being severe and
lacking of musical events, will appear beautiful to everyone who's holding their
breath while waiting for a fish to appear under the surface of the water, or those
patient enough to wait until a spider catches a fly in it's net. (Kamil Antosiewicz)
Not many romances of music with nature have such a delicate and minimalistic
finale. Rsundin (aka Ronnie Sundin, whose recent album released on the Hapna
label we already reviewed in Cisza.art.pl) gives it (i.e. the romance - KA) a
completely new form, forcing us to maximize our attention. Such a state is well
known among the lovers of nature.
The time in which geological phenomena lives, is counted in millions of years -
far too much for us to observe growing mountains or the forming of meandering
rivers, but even when we follow everyday "banal" events which are easier to
observe than the ones which nature has to offer, they require a completely
different perception - slowing down the rhythm of our everyday living, even
stopping it via concentration.
Among sound sources used by Rsundin are anthills and ocean waves breaking at
the shore. Here they were presented in a very reductionist way; we can hardly
recognize hums of insects' legs or that which is often abused by many field
recorders, the sea's hum. Associations automatically lead to Francisco Lopez,
Bernhard Gunter or Toy Bizarre - musicians who transform the sound of the
surrounding environment until it's completely unrecognizable.
The listener might feel like he's the butt of the artist's joke (not everybody will stay
concentrated in front of the speakers when the amount of sound oozing out of the
speakers is reduced to a minimum), but listening to this album will satisfy more
than the die-hard connoisseurs of modern minimalism located in a spectrum
between -100 to -50 db. Ronnie Sundin has more to offer. It's much more than just
a nice concept-art project. The 20 something minutes, despite being severe and
lacking of musical events, will appear beautiful to everyone who's holding their
breath while waiting for a fish to appear under the surface of the water, or those
patient enough to wait until a spider catches a fly in it's net. (Kamil Antosiewicz)
