Examinations in Minimalism & Transgender Musicality

by Helena Ford

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1.	sne 14:05
2.	fdbck 16:32
3.	Improvisation for Mellotron and Sine Wave 11:25
4.	Regression 09:39	buy track

about

"1. Sine

Elena identifies and explores the fundamental building block of sound, patiently proliferating sine waves off silence with sublety and grace. In a world where the panoply of tools available creates terms like "muff wigglers" and "eurocrack," her production of natural and evolving timbres with analog sources is refreshing.

Achieving dissonance without using harmony, and blurring between the white and black keys, she channels Eliane Radigue's painting with shadow– an embodied form of feminine subterfuge. She pops discordant resonances like bubbles and bounces elsewhere playfully, veering into Varése territory with swooping industrial resonances like an El train hitting a curve.

Out of a minimal opening springs a miniature city of phasing resonances. Disappearing before you notice into an eddy of white bowed light. Returning to the sine. I can empathize with a piece which so happily contradicts itself, such a practice is a feature and a bug of trans-ness.

2. Fdbck

A plucking envelope is hard to resist, mature to save it for the second act. The rhythm which becomes a beat which becomes a buzz. Imparting time on the shrieks in the darkness. From a desperation emerges a synthesis appearing from a siren's register, vibrating the cerebellum like the source.

Recalling an emotion truly unique to the trans experience: bittersweet. Colors appear to colorblind people, just differently. The same to those who do not achieve some peace with killing parts of themselves on a daily basis. To laugh and cry simultaneously– an overbearing sensation.

And release.

And begin again with pupil dilated to the light. What screamed in darkness now takes a shape. A tattoo of drums in the distance? Pray not. The fire now drenched under water again, with a fuller character and an ear to apprehend it with.

Feedback can harmonize with itself and dissolve into a wave like a cherry blossom in the air.

Voices in the distance? Would so!

Just the water, soft this time. Or is it air?

3. Transgender Musicology for Mellotron

A character of machine noise, or soft air conditioning carries the gingerly held notes. Tiny buzzing intrusions pester the fundamental in stereo. Latching. Ample headroom gives unimposing voices room to play. The quiet loudness of voices singing or bickering in a boundless interiority.

And suddenly the space drains out of the room in waves.

Inhabitants test their boundaries and some pluck outside of the room.

Familiar twelve tone runs loop their presence on the space, as the sines converse.

They are speaking to one another!

Ahh, finally the gals can chat. I lost the tiny ring above it all for a moment.

Speak up?

I hope this is what estrogen brain feels like, I'm not there yet."

Sammie Veeler, 2020

credits

released July 26, 2020

Liner Notes by Sammie Veeler
All instrumentation (MS-20, SQ-1, no input mixer, field recordings): Elena Ford
Album cover: Elena Ford

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Helena Ford Chicago, Illinois

Helena is a trans musician.

The Human Veil is a dungeon synth/dark ambient project inspired by human depravity.

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