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Liquified Sky
An audio-visual collaboration featuring Evelina Domnitch, Francisco López, COH, and Asmus Tietchens (amongst others), Liquifed Sky is truly a synthesis of audio and visual, emphasizing the indisputably organic connection between fluid and light, as well as the physical effect of sound waves upon both. It might not be the most convenient release, being a data DVD, but is well worth the effort.
Half of this release is made up of a two part visual piece titled "Mucilaginous Omniverse" by Domnitch and Dmitry Gelfand, the first half scored by COH and the second by Domnitch and Gelfand.The visual component of both is a series of colorized video recordings of drops of silicone oil being propelled by the sound waves of the audio accompaniment, with the droplets merging together into natural geometric shapes and then dissipating.For the first part, COH's shimmering noise and radio-like static create a sense of cohesion as synth bell tones and fluttering electronics keep things flowing.It may seem abstract at first, but there is a surprising amount of structure and organization to it.The audio portion contributed by Domnitch and Gelfand on the second half has less musicality to it and instead a cold, clinical sound that works quite well on its own.Oscillating between delicate microsounds and deep, heavy passages of menacing electronics, the piece closes on a rather soft note.
"Hydro Acoustic Study," visualized by Paul Prudence and scored by Francisco López is a different experience entirely.The video component is heavily digital, consisting of patterns and shapes modeled to match the properties of water and shaped by the sound that propels it.Using generative strategies to visually animate, López' sound is at times more aggressive and forward than I usually expect from him.His penchant for quiet, near silent moments are interrupted violently, eventually locking into a mechanical rhythm that causes digital interference in the visual proportion.
Finally, Domnitch and Gelfand present "Memory Vapor," made up of a cloud chamber and particle accelerator illuminated by a white laser that becomes a spiraling, neon tinted prism of particulate matter.The audio portion by Asmus Tietchens is shrill and somewhat sparse in nature compared to his other work, but is completely effective, with its dirty, grimy hue acting as a perfect counterpoint to the fragmented visuals.
Authored as a data DVD, rather than a traditional video disc, the highest resolution playback of these videos (in 1080p) is allowed.However, that means that it is unlikely to play in most standard DVD players, and given the significant bitrate of each video, streaming it off the disc is not the smoothest experience.For that reason it is best copied to a hard disk before playing (each video is between 1 and 2.5 gb), and thus it is not necessarily the easiest thing to just throw on.In some ways it makes for the perfect antithesis of the prevailing lower fidelity, digital download culture that has gripped most forms of music.I watched it via a PC connected to my TV and audio receiver, but I would have preferred if it had been presented as a BluRay disc instead for the sake of convenience.However it is presented, both the visual and audio portions match each other perfectly, with neither overshadowing the other in significance, resulting in an experience that is worth the effort.
