User:Darvek/Epoch Collapse

÷= EPOCH COLLAPSE =
Epoch Collapse is a dark ambient, industrial ambient, experimental electronic and audiovisual/multimedia project formed by composer Dariusz Roberte. The name of the project or band is a wordplay on Apocalypse, and also acts as a double meaning, referring to the collapse of the present epoch, and so-called civilization as we know it. The project also aims to create music that is cinematographic and soundscape-oriented in nature.

Epoch Collapse's main musical influences and inspirations are: György Ligeti, Giacinto Scelsi, Krzysztof Penderecki, Iannis Xenakis, Edgard Varèse, Béla Bartók, Terry Riley, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Jimi Hendrix, Ludwig van Beethoven, Lustmord, Nurse With Wound, Raison d'être, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Berlin School - notably Tangerine Dream from the years 1970 to 1977; and more recently, Spectral music (or spectralism) - especially the music of Iancu Dumitrescu. A large majority of Epoch Collapse compositions are inspired by Surrealism, Dadaism, Cosmology, Philosophy, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Film Theory and related visual media.

The earliest works were tape experiments made on a reel-to-reel dating back to when Epoch Collapse was still in high school, however, they have been lost. The earliest surviving recording was made in 1976, it involved the use of various implements used to strike piano strings - and at the same time a flute and other instruments or objects were played or struck. This piece, originally titled Distortions was expanded into a more ambient work that eventually was used for a video Epoch Collapse made in Paris whilst riding in the Eiffel Tower lift. This video (and music composition) were given the name of Eiffel Into the Sky (a word play on "I Fell Into the Sky") as the video was deliberately filmed upside down to give the impression to the viewer of leaving the Earth.

The following year, 1977, Epoch Collapse experimented with putting microphones and various objects inside acoustic guitars. Some of these recordings were manipulated with a tape recorder, and the result was what the composer described as "fractionated guitar" - fractions of sounds were recorded in a stop-start fashion, which completely altered the attack, tone, resonance and duration of notes and sounds. Years later these recordings were processed electronically, and two compositions were the result of these sessions, Metempsychosis (subtitled, Fractionated Guitar) and Metamorphosis - which made use of unusual guitar tunings.

In 1980, Epoch Collapse made his first recording of one of his piano improvisations, the result was Orientextensions aka Birchgrove Bombardments. In 1984, another piano improvisation was used in a soundscape score for a production, Thoughtforms at the 1984 Adelaide Festival, the score was broadcast on ABC-FM and presented by Jaroslav Kovaricek on his program, Musica Nova. In the following years, many recordings were made that involved piano and electronic processing - one notable example is Mounting Rivers of Collision (from 1988) - recorded and processed whilst visiting Lismore and the electronic music studio at the Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education (now part of Southern Cross University).

The years 1991 through 1992, saw Unprepared Piano, a series of 10 piano improvisations. In total, it is over seven hours in duration. In subsequent years (2008-2015) these works were remixed with electronic processing and computer-generated sounds - to various degrees. The composer has stated on various websites that this project will be released on CD (and/or other formats) over the next few years.

Throughout the 1990's, Epoch Collapse concentrated mainly on synthesizer and computer-generated compositions, with several collaborations throughout the decade.

2000 was the year that Epoch Collapse was founded as a band and project - in the years up to the composer's postgraduate research work, some of which involved bioelectrics, and composition for film and media. Around this time Epoch Collapse performed live (as Dariusz Roberte) at the REV (Real Electronic Virtual) Festival, a Queensland University of Technology event held at the Brisbane Powerhouse - it was organised through Australia Adlib. In 2003 Epoch Collapse organised a screening of Yakov Protazanov's "Aelita: Queen of Mars" (1924); Epoch Collapse performed live to the silent film using tape collages. The live mixing and remixing of sounds and samples were performed via an original graphic score, whereby the sound material was controlled through multiple speakers. The following year, one of Epoch Collapse's works, "Dark Ascension", was included on the Singing Bridges CD "Vibrations: Variations". During 2008-2015 Epoch Collapse experimented with voice samples - electro-voice compositions. With these electro-voice pieces the voice of a reader is sonically manipulated and filtered through computer-generated sound, creating a soundscape where the words (if included) are combined as another layer.

Epoch Collapse's works - both music and multimedia - have been made available for listening (and in a few cases, downloading) on Mixcloud, Facebook pages and groups, Wordpress, SoundCloud, YouTube, Bandcamp, Last FM, Myspace, Blogger, personal blogs, to name a few.

List of works in chronological order (as per original recording date)
Early works - 1976 to 1993 * Unprepared Piano, 1a: Views From Valhalla, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012) * Unprepared Piano, 1b: Swamp Psychotronics, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012) * Unprepared Piano, 2a: Alarm Now and Then, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012-14) * Unprepared Piano, 2b: Continental Drift, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012-14) * Unprepared Piano, 3a/3b: Mediaeval Experiments, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2011-14) * Unprepared Piano, 4: Inversions and Symmetries, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012-13) * Unprepared Piano, 5a: The Turbulent Land of Hallucination, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012-14) * Unprepared Piano, 5b: Lunatic Horror Blues, for piano (1991) (edited/remixed with electronics 2010-14) * Unprepared Piano, 6a: Remnants and Abandoned Ruins, for piano (1992) (edited/remixed with electronics 2007-12) * Unprepared Piano, 6b: Black Vortex, for piano (1992) (edited/remixed with electronics 2008-11)
 * Distortions, for piano strings, flutes, applied objects (1976) (edited/remixed 2011-12)
 * Metempsychosis (Fractionated Guitar), for guitar, applied objects and tape processing (1977) (edited/remixed 2009-12)
 * Metamorphosis, for tuned-down guitar, applied objects and tape processing (1977) (edited/remixed 2009-11)
 * The Short Wave Ramifications, for shortwave radio and tape processing (1977) (edited/remixed 2004-06)
 * Orientextensions (Birchgrove Bombardments), for piano (1980) (edited/remixed with electronics 1986)
 * Telephonics in D Minor (Improvisation on J.S. Bach's 'Aria in D minor), for piano and background noises (1983) (edited/remixed with electronics 2009)
 * Lost Article, for synthesizers, electric guitar and tape processing (1982-86) (edited/remixed 2009)
 * Thoughtforms, for piano. 1984 Adelaide Festival Production for the multi-media event, Thoughtforms.
 * Exiles, Earth, for piano, voices, applied objects, guitar, window, extraneous sounds, tape processing (1987) Made up of various parts, one of which features Klaus Kinski reciting poetry and other writings. Some sounds are derived from a collection of recordings (now lost), the titles being: Rhythm Vices, The Thing, Mother Tape (edited/remixed with electronics 2002)
 * Mounting Rivers of Collision, for piano and electronics (1988) Recorded at what was the Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education electronics studio (now a campus of Southern Cross University). (edited/remixed 2002) (further edited/remixed 2015)
 * Brocken Spectre, for piano (1989) A work in two parts. (edited/remixed with electronics 2009)
 * Unprepared Piano, for piano (1991 - 1992) A series of piano improvisations later processed through electronics and computer-generated sound. -
 * The Macabre Night, for computer-generated sound (volume, Early Computer) (1993) (edited/remixed 2007-14)
 * Daedalus, for computer-generated sound (volume, Early Computer) (1993) (edited/remixed 2006-13)
 * Consciousness Shift, for computer-generated sound (volume, Early Computer) (1993) (edited/remixed 2006-11) (incomplete)
 * Journey to the Spiral Galaxy, for computer-generated sound (volume, Early Computer) (1993) (edited/remixed 2007)
 * Journey to the Spiral Galaxy (Extended Version), for computer-generated sound (volume, Early Computer) (1993) (edited/remixed 2009)

Middle period works - 1994 to 1999 * Stormy Stories, Improvisation I (2010 version), for synthesizer, electronics and alto sax (1994) (edited/remixed with electronics 2010) * Stormy Stories, Improvisation I (2012 version), for synthesizer, electronics and alto sax (1994) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012) * Stormy Stories, Improvisation II (2010 version), for synthesizer, electronics and alto sax (1994) (edited/remixed with electronics 2010) * Stormy Stories, Improvisation II (2012 version), for synthesizer, electronics and alto sax (1994) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012) * Stormy Stories, Improvisation III (2010 version), for synthesizer, electronics and alto sax (1994) (edited/remixed with electronics 2010) * Stormy Stories, Improvisation III (2012 version), for synthesizer, electronics and alto sax (1994) (edited/remixed with electronics 2012) Late works - 2000 onward
 * Stormy Stories, A series of works for synthesizer, electronics and alto saxophone. Dariusz Roberte (Epoch Collapse) - Keyboards and Electronics; Robert Nobilia - Alto Saxophone. All tracks edited/remixed by Epoch Collapse. (1994) -
 * Side Order of Hostess, (aka Visitations), (2 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (edited/remixed with electronics (1994) 2011-12)
 * Presence of Minds, Volume 1, (6 parts), for vocal harmonics, voices, percussion, temple bowls, found objects, occasional laughter, and electronics (1996) (edited/remixed with electronics 2011-12)
 * Presence of Minds, Volume 2, (6 parts), for vocal harmonics, voices, percussion, temple bowls, found objects, occasional laughter, and electronics (1996) (edited/remixed with electronics 2011)
 * Return of Ulysses to the Fog of Death Island, for vocal harmonics, voices, percussion, temple bowls, found objects, sound effects, electronics, and indecipherable readings from James Joyce's "Ulysses" (1996) (edited/remixed with electronics 2009-14)
 * Sketches of Pain, for synthesizer and electronics (1996) (edited/remixed 2009-10)
 * Fractured, (8 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2013-14)
 * Constellations, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2009-15)
 * Eye of the Nebula, Volume 1, (4 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2009-13)
 * Eye of the Nebula, Volume 2, (6 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Shadows of a Forgotten Kraken, (10 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * The Resonant Bodies, for synthesizer and electronics (Part 1 of The Resonance) (1997) (edited/remixed 2012)
 * The Resonant Illusion, for synthesizer and electronics (Part 2 of The Resonance) (1997) (edited/remixed 2011)
 * A Cloud of Refracted Psychotropic Simulacra, for synthesizer and electronics (Part 3 of The Resonance) (1997) (edited/remixed 2010)
 * Life and Death, Volume 1, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Life and Death, Volume 2, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Anonymous Debris, Volume 1, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Anonymous Debris, Volume 2, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * The Stones of Venus, (3 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Cartography of Dream, (9 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-15)
 * Glimpses of Eternity, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2005-07)
 * The Disaster Area, First Edition, (6 parts), for synthesizer, percussion, electric guitar and electronics (edit/remix 2011)
 * The Disaster Area, Second Edition, (5 parts), for synthesizer, percussion, electric guitar and electronics (edit/remix 2014)
 * The Morphing of the Night After, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2011-12)
 * After Mistress of Air, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2010)
 * Four Ancient Shamans, (5 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2014)
 * The Nagual's Tale, for synthesizer and electronics (1997) (edited/remixed 2014) (incomplete)
 * Bibliotecha I, for electric piano, electric harpsichord and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2014) (incomplete)
 * Internal Combustion Legion, for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2014)
 * Eternal Cosmic Dereliction, for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2014)
 * OKH, (8 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2009-14)
 * Through A Portal Darkly, (4 continuous parts), for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2010)
 * Trails of the Unexpected, for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2011-13)
 * Intangibles Incorporated, for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2011-13)
 * Invisible Cities, for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2001)
 * Invisible Cities (Special 2010 Edition), for synthesizer and electronics (1998) (edited/remixed 2010)
 * Towards an Abandoned Vortex, for synthesizer and electronics (1999) (edited/remixed 2011)
 * Night in the Clockwork Labyrinth, for synthesizer and electronics (1999) (edited/remixed 2005-12)
 * Doors on Distant Things, for synthesizer and electronics (1999) (edited/remixed 2013-16)
 * Knight Madness, for synthesizer, voice, sound effects, samples, and electronics. Adapted from an original work, A Knight in Time. (2000) (edited/remixed 2001-10)
 * Filmic Glances, for piano (improvisation) (2000) (remastered 2006)
 * Filmic Glances (2009 Remix), for piano (improvisation) (2000) (edited/remixed 2009)
 * Hidden Passages (Version No.1), for synthesizer and electronics (2000) (edited/remixed 2004-13) (incomplete)
 * Hidden Passages (Version No.2), for synthesizer and electronics (2000) (edited/remixed 2004-13) (incomplete)
 * Bibliotecha II, (8 parts), for electric piano, electric harpsichord and electronics (2000) (edited/remixed 2011-13)
 * A Clockwork Laboratory, (remix-loop of sections from 'Night in the Clockwork Labyrinth') (2000) (edited/remixed 2000)
 * Sierra Hypnotica - Deserts of Industry, for synthesizer, sound effects, samples, and electronics. Adapted from an original work, Sierra Hypnotica, (2001) (edited/remixed 2001-07)
 * Iron Stampede, for samples and electronics (2001) (edited/remixed 2001-10)
 * Bach's Front Ear, for samples and electronics (edited/remixed 2001-10)
 * Fearless Creatures, for synthesizer and electronics (2002) (remastered 2002)
 * Fearless Creatures Dead or Alive, Extended version of Fearless Creatures. (edited/remixed 2005-12)
 * Maestoso, for samples and electronics (2002) (edited/remixed 2001-10)
 * Exo Maestoso, Extended version of Maestoso. (2002) (edited/remixed 2002-12)
 * Orient Occident, for synthesizer and electronics (2002) (edited/remixed 2002-12)
 * Battles and Skirmishes, for samples and electronics (2002) (edited/remixed 2002-12)
 * Shipwrecks Passing in the Night, (3 parts), for synthesizer, sound effects, samples, and electronics (2003) (edited/remixed 2012-14)
 * The Aramchek Satellites, for synthesizer and electronics (2003) (edited/remixed 2009-13)
 * Mysterious Barricades of the Haunted Gloom, for synthesizer and electronics (2003) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Ouroboros Distance, (5 parts), for synthesizer and electronics (2003) (edited/remixed 2011-14)
 * Asteroid Belt Drive, for synthesizer and electronics (2003) (edited/remixed 2011)
 * Dark Ascension (Erasmus), for samples and electronics (2004) (Singing Bridges CD)
 * Water Witches, for samples and electronics (2004) (edited/remixed 2004-09)
 * Aelita, Queen of Mars - Soundtrack, for samples and electronics (2004) (edited/remixed 2004)
 * Autumn in New Quark, for samples and electronics (2005)
 * Whiskey and Women, for synthesizer, sound effects, samples, and electronics (2006) (edited/remixed 2015) (incomplete)
 * Multiple Cities, Combination of original works. (2006) (edited/remixed 2006) (incomplete)
 * The Hangar Project, (individual tracks titled, Collapsing New Hangars), (2 volumes, 7 parts each), A series of works for synthesizers, sitar, accordion, electric guitars, percussion, live electronic processing, voices, and electronics, (Epoch Collapse and members of United States of Consciousness) - Dariusz Roberte (Epoch Collapse) - Keyboards, Guitar, Sitar, Accordion and final editing/remixing, and composing of final works; Joss Rigby - Keyboards; Kaspar Schnyder - Guitar; Scott Duncan - Ableton Live mixing; Sean Walles - Voice (most of which is not in the final mix) (2007) (edited/remixed 2007-15)
 * Ghosts Out of Machines, for synthesizer and electronics (2008) (edited/remixed 2015) (incomplete)
 * The Fortifications of Morpheus, for synthesizer and electronics (2008) (edited/remixed 2012-14)
 * Wie oft stellst du dir die Frage über deinen Geisteszustand, for computer-generated sounds and voice sample. Epoch Collapse - electronics; Robert Lort - Voice, reading his poem (as per title) (2009) (edited/remixed 2009)
 * Wie oft stellst du dir die Frage über deinen Geisteszustand, Non-Vox Version, (2009) (edited/remixed 2011)
 * The Climb, for sitar, computer-generated sounds and electronics, (2010) (edited/remixed 2010-12)
 * The Non-Cochlear, for voice sample, field recordings, computer-generated sounds and electronics, (2010) (edited/remixed 2010)
 * Trains of Thought, for samples and computer-generated sounds (Samples of Steve Reich's 2 x 5) (2010) (edited/remixed 2010)
 * Dawn, (2 parts), for woman's voice sample, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2011) (edited/remixed 2013)
 * The Forest, (Non-vox version of Dawn), for woman's voice sample, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2011) (edited/remixed 2013)
 * The Dead, for woman's voice sample, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2013) (edited/remixed 2013-16)
 * The Dead (2nd Version), for woman's voice sample, computer-generated sounds and electronics (edited/remixed 2013-16)
 * Astronomy Turbine, for piano, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2013) (edited/remixed 2013-14)
 * Building Peaks, for synthesizer and electronics (Based on sounds from Whiskey and Women, 2006) (edited/remixed 2015)
 * Piano Industry, for piano, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2015) (edited/remixed 2015)
 * Urban Geometry Explosions, for woman's voice sample, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2015) (edited/remixed 2013-16)
 * Urban Geometry Explosions (2nd Version), for woman's voice sample, computer-generated sounds and electronics (2015) (edited/remixed 2013-16)

Discography
ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC MUSIC by Dariusz Roberte (2002) (Limited Edition) Independent CD release. Produced by Dariusz Roberte (Epoch Collapse)

SINGING BRIDGES - Vibrations: Variations (2004) Compilation CD. Produced by Jodi Rose/Sonic ArtStar. Includes one work by Dariusz Roberte - Dark Ascension

Online releases
SMOOTH SPACE (2009) Compilation sound art project. Produced by Vague Terrain/Microsound. Includes one work by Dariusz Roberte (Epoch Collapse) Return of Ulysses to the Fog of Death Island, Part 1

STRIATED SPACE (2009) Compilation sound art project. Produced by Vague Terrain/Microsound Includes one work by Dariusz Roberte (Epoch Collapse) Water Witches

Videos

 * Eiffel Into the Sky (Paris, France, 2013)
 * Eiffel Into the Sky II (Paris, France, 2013) (project still in progress)
 * In the Footsteps of Blowup (Maryon Park, London, UK, 2013) (project still in progress)
 * The Turbulent Land of Hallucination (2015)
 * The Turbulent Land of Hallucination Revisited (2015)

Writings, articles, essays
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - A critical analysis of the film score. An article by Dariusz Roberte focussing on the use of music in Kubrick's film - giving detailed analysis of music cues, the effects of music and silence, and the significance of the use of sound and music with narrative structure, and how music impacts on film in general. The Kubrick Site - http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/amk/