3xLP – Art Kill Art
Four turntablist djs improvise without a prearranged theme and record the performance separately on the same number of tracks. The arrangement is then presented using a special vinyl technique that keeps the different scratches separate and allows them to intersect continuously over the surface of the disc. The final result is a continuum that is at the mercy of the stylus – its path over the record is not linearly prescribed. Also, the sound the listener perceives depends on the model of the record player, the quality and the wear of the needle and finally the different settings chosen (cons-weight, anti-skating, etc.) – all these factors influence the listening experience. We are not talking about conventional turntablism sound materials here: the sounds involved are closer to electroacoustic and free improvisation. This unfamiliar process questions the ability of dj-manipulators to follow the stream of events, to rule the unpredictable, to empathize with the experience of listening. These features, which are innate to the creative process, are often employed in traditional free improvisation, allowing the musicians to develop the musical guidelines they want to support in an extemporary way. The vinyl were chosen by the artists themselves and it would have been interesting to know more details about the construction of the record, because, beyond being inherently interesting, the process is more complex than a simple constitution of the materials employed. Still, the concept of a “dj-set” in a totally experimental key is very thought-provoking; a concept strengthened in the final product by additional elements generated by casual editing.