Work of the Month #7: Biosphere & Higher Intelligence Agency - "Polar Sequences"

cornbb

Review by The Milk Factory:

Sequences and Birmingham Frequencies are two parts of a same project. Polar Sequences, released in 1996, was recorded two years earlier, during Tromso’s Polar Music Festival. Tromso, hometown of Biosphere’s Geir Jenssen, is situated 70 degrees north, above the Arctic Circle, in Norway.

In 1995, the organisers of the festival commissioned Geir Jenssen and Higher Intelligence Agency’s Bobby Bird, a series of three concerts, using environmental sounds recorded in the area. The concerts were given on top of a mountain, where the audience was brought to in turn by cable car.

The second part of this project was put together by Bird and Jenssen, using a similar approach, this time set in Bobby Bird’s native Birmingham. The chosen venue was on the twelfth floor of the Rotunda, situated in the heart of the city. The one off event also featured videos and digital images, as well as a café and one of the best views over Birmingham.

The music created for the two events is very similar in form, the two artists creating a slow moving, chilled soundtrack. But where Polar Sequences feels very natural, using sounds of snow and melting ice, the only human interaction being the cable car, Birmingham Frequencies is definitely more urban. Voices of children playing in a park or a pelican crossing alarm are amongst the sounds used as the basis for the creation.
These two records are complementary, and Jenssen and Bird both bring their own creativity and technology to a very interesting project. Absolutely unmissable.

Can be purchased here:

BIOSPHERE & HIA: POLAR SEQUENCES
Headphone Records (UK) is pleased to announce the long awaited re-release of the first HIA/Biosphere live collaboration Polar Sequences, first released in 1996 as a limited edition on Beyond Records it rapidly sold out and has been unavailable for many years. Critically acclaimed and voted as one of the best all time ambient releases by fans at Hyperreal.org, Polar Sequences stands out from other releases in this genre in being taken from one unedited live performance.

Kieran Wyatt, Muzik Magazine:"Recorded live at the 1995 Polar Music Festival up in the wilds of Norway, Polar Sequences is the sound of what must have been one hell of a gig. At a mountain site accessible only by cable cars and caught in a violent snowstorm in darkest midwinter, Biosphere´s Geir Jenssen and Higher Intelligence Agency´s Bobby Bird sampled glacial streams and snowfalls to use in a hyper-intense electronic jam. Jenssen´s arctic moods and Bird´s keen ear for understated melodies are to the fore. A dark and minimalist composition, it will no doubt prompt comparisons with the baroque dronescapes of Dr. Atmo and Fax boss Pete Namlook, but drawing a parallel with guitar-wielding isolationists like Main, Loop and Seefeel is probably even closer to the mark.

There are plenty of brooding industrial undertones, partly as a result of sampling the clink and clank of the cable cars which transported the audience to the show. If you could record God´s brainwaves, the result would sound not unlike Polar Sequences. Chilling to the (ice)core.

Some samples:
http://www.ambient-music.com/mp3s/biospherepolar2.mp3
http://www.ambient-music.com/mp3s/biospherepolar5.mp3

(thanks to c_o_ck p_i_ss chillage)

I don't know this album so if someone could get the ball rolling by talking about it, that would be awesome

Anima

Definitely gonna give it a listen. I have Substrata by Biosphere and its absolute quality. I'll report back.

John

I don't know this one either but will give it a listen as soon as I locate a copy.

Setun

Got both a few months ago, and my first impressions were in preference of Birmingham Frequencies - want to go back to listen to Polar Sequences now though :rolleyes:. It's beautiful music indeed: slow to evolve, but precise and haunting. The use of found sounds is not really a novelty but more about complementing the ghostly melodies and minimal beats.

Actually to share an unamusing anecdote - I was walking through Dublin city one quiet evening listening to Birmingham Frequencies, and the sounds that were happening around me on the streets (trucks backing up, man sweeping pathway, some children running ahead of their parents etc) became indistinguishable from the music playing on my mp3 player. Weird experience, not knowing where these sounds were coming from. Both albums are almost welcoming in external noises to become part of their compositions.

Great records, and should be a part of a good ambient/electronic collection imo.

Scubadevils

Yeah this is a really great album... just stuck it on again now to have a listen and it really does conjure up a feeling of a cold place. As Daddio said, it is slow to evolve but I reckon it's worth it and adds to the brilliance of the album. I think for anyone that has enjoyed/loved Substrata, this is a must.

As an aside, 'Environments' from FSOL is a definite worthy purchase... took a bit to get used to but a real grower for me.

http://www.discogs.com/release/1387853

ANarcho-Munk

I'm really liking the samples. I must defineatly search this out.

Daddio wrote: »

Actually to share an unamusing anecdote - I was walking through Dublin city one quiet evening listening to Birmingham Frequencies, and the sounds that were happening around me on the streets (trucks backing up, man sweeping pathway, some children running ahead of their parents etc) became indistinguishable from the music playing on my mp3 player. Weird experience, not knowing where these sounds were coming from. Both albums are almost welcoming in external noises to become part of their compositions.

I had a sort of similiar experience. I was just after finishing school and had my earphones on listening to 'Blown A Wish' by My Bloody Valentine. As I walked past the cathedral really loud weddin bells started ringing. It was amazing. The fun thing is though, that I get to do it every Friday evening.

Scubadevils

No excuses lads, buy it... :pac:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Sequences-Higher-Intelligence-Agency/dp/B0000AJ5SN/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222118033&sr=8-17

John

Felixdhc wrote: »

No excuses lads, buy it... :pac:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Sequences-Higher-Intelligence-Agency/dp/B0000AJ5SN/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222118033&sr=8-17

Cheers Felix, ordered that and the Birmingham Frequencies disc, looking forward to listening.

Setun

The first track on Birmingham Frequencies takes its time - building with children playing in a park, then a slow, almost tempoless melody with heavy delay comes in. About half way through there's this great release where this unusual electronic circuit 'beat' takes over, locking the piece in a sort of groove. It's a fantastic moment on the record - the kind where you'd stop your friend talking mid-sentence - "Wait... THAT BIT! Great stuff! Sorry, continue..."

I'll listen to Polar Sequences more, I don't know it as well as BF. Had a listen properly yesterday and my initial reaction is that it is a lot darker in mood.

Scubadevils

I got a 'digital' version of Birmingham Frequencies a while ago which was the type that I can't listen to now without feeling guilty if you catch my drift! - have now ordered from Amazon as I'm keen to hear a more light-hearted approach to a similar theme... also very keen to hear the more 'local' feeling aspect. I am actually going to make a point of walking through Dublin with that on the headphones too, sounds a nice experience alright!

Spunge

substrata is still my fave

Scubadevils

Yeah hard to top Substrata for ambience, but the HIA collaborations are very different so I wouldn't really compare them.

Just got Birmingham Frequencies and on first listen I already prefer it to Polar Sequences! Absolutely excellent stuff... love it. Not to take away from Polar, just that I prefer the happier tone to this one.

Setun

Yep it's definitely a more open sound - less brooding and dark. That rhythmic loop that comes in half way through the first track is genius.

Now put on your headphones and go out for a walk

/EDIT this may be of interest to anybody who's enjoying Polar Sequences at the moment. It's a site showing some of the photos taken at the gig and the surroundings. Really wish I was there after looking at them

John

First impressions: both are good but I too am erring towards Brum Freqs. More thoughts as they appear.

John

OK, I've been listening to this a bit more and I have to say, I'm glad you guys introduced me to it. What I like about it is that on one hand, the beats are really clichéd and in the hands of someone else they would have been very boring. Yet here they've made them work really well with the more alleatoric sounds and field recordings. Sounds a lot like the kind of stuff you'd expect on Touch (which is why Biosphere ended up on that label I presume!).