DVD-ROM, Kvitnu, 2013, Ukraine

Binmatu is a project by Slovak sound artist Jonáš Gruska, musician, visual performer, founder of the LOM label and developer of open source computer instruments and artistic software. So it’s understandable why this dvd has been released as a dvd-rom including music tracks encoded in three different ways (raw, high quality wav files and mp3) plus all the videos in hd. It may seem like like a ‘geeky’ choice, but it could be better considered as an multi-layered aesthetic concern. The videos, for example, are in hd, despite the use of low-res graphics often relying on moiré patterns, which seems to be an artistic statement. And the graphic design of the release package by fellow artist/musician Zavoloka perfectly reflects the content. The key seems to be in the different concept of audio-visual relationship that Binmatu fosters. This work is an expression of geometric simplicity that evolves continuously with clear hypnotic intentions (or as he calls it “psychedelic auralism”). In the notes he switches frequently between attributes of audio with video and vice versa, like in “fine tune your eyes and open your ears”. In his own words: “sound is an intimate power happening in our eardrums… a few millimetres from our brain, dwelling of the soul.” In fact he insists on giving transcendental qualities to the effects of his work, he defines them as a “direct touch at a distance” and “connecting etheric and physical.” Adhering or not to his spiritual theory, this carefully conceived release, properly experienced will definitely impact your senses.

 

BINMATU @ NEXT festival 2012