Last September, ambient artist Geir Jennsen holed up in a small church in Den Haag, Netherlands, for a solo show. Better known as Biosphere, the name under which he has recorded and performed since the early 1990s, Jennsen filled the church with thick, slow-moving layers of synthesized moans. And given the context of the church, one cannot help but associate those moans with that of an organ.
Jennsen’s performance was recorded and made available by Touch Radio as part of its excellent podcast series. As heard in the high-quality MP3, the synthetic organ is a deeply felt, glacial device, holding notes for what feels like minutes on end, to the extent that minor disruptions in the sound suggest dramatic changes.
The set is almost 40 minutes long, and it rotates through a variety of levels of density, a times intimate in its aural detail, at times absolutely enormous in its scope. There are instances, as well, when recordings of piano are altered as part of the sonic palette.
More on the release at at touchradio.org.uk. More on Biosphere at biosphere.no. More on the festival at todaysart.nl — including details on the next event, this coming September.
I like the dark and minimalistic soundscapes if Biosphere, and this mix seems interesting at a first glimpse. Looking forward to having a chance to listen through the whole thing. By the way, you may want to correct the last name, it’s Jenssen.
Thanks on that. I’ll make the correction. Glad you enjoyed the material.