offb007 dnasnow/mouseup – 7

I soon found out that Zan was one of the key figures in the cassette culture, and had collaborative works with more then 200 sound artists worldwide. The encounter during some sessions in a worn down roof apartment in the very heart of Barcelona resulted in the formation of a duo called dnasnow/mouseup. Our collaboration continued in Valencia, some weeks later, where we did an illegal concert in one of the cones of the Calatrava-complex. Recordings from those days came together in dnasnow/mouseup 1 – 6 which were compiled by Zan.

In the summer and autumn of the year 2001 I stayed for three months in Zan’s hometown in Louisville, Kentucky. The outcome of that visit were twelve more releases by dnasnow/mouseup, of which 7 is the first. Listening back to it, several stages in my life come to mind. The spoken word passages bear immediate links to places and persons, very dear to me, and completely unknown to those who read these lines.

But another thing occurred to me. Besides the amazing variety of sounds, and the drive behind it, I once again was struck by the uncomplicated communication between Zan and me. But 7 might also contain information for future sonic archaeologists. It was in 2001, more or less seven years ago, that the US was struck by a so-called terrorist attack. While politicians and media talked about « a world that never would be the same again » we worked on recordings and site specific performances. In 7 one could recognize the aftermath of this attack, and a visionary audio portrait of a country in transition.

I, for one, to describe 7 prefer the epic stillness of a land after the flood. Little and bigger objects slowly float by on their way to grand rapids. The roofs of houses stand praying in the mirrorlike waters. Each little thing is animated, speaks with a different voice. The big rains, the roaring of the invading waters have gone, but if you listen close enough, they are there. Of course each one of you might hear a different story. Ours is from long ago.

« We are the curators of the Natural History Museum of Sound. We will look for, involve and invite hometapers and homelabelers alike to take possesion of the rooms of the Museum. We will create sounds from nowhere, and turn the alphabet inside out, to finally find the words with those holes in them. We will find music you would not dare to call music. »

dnasnow/mouseup