Tag Archives: Music

Video: Bad News by Camp Dark

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Here’s another video from the new Camp Dark album Nightmare in a Day. This video, created by Chris LeBlanc, is for the song Bad News.

New Camp Dark video by Chris LeBlanc.: Part bizarro media archivist and part analog glitch butcher, he takes the obscure movies that were left behind in the VHS era and uses their clips as source material for otherworldly visions. He uses old modified color processors and 90s video enhancers to bleed feedback loops and low rent special effects into unnerving video tape sequences where nightmares have tracking problems. Chris described his process a bit more here: “some effects in this video were achieved by taking apart a color processor and I detuned the hell out of it and made it a feedback loop. Then I chroma keyed in the feedback using a cheap video mixer so it looks super low rent and cool. There are a couple other analog processors in there for the neon colors too.”

For this track my pimary role was synth bass using my Roland Juno-106. I will be performing with Camp Dark (Graham O’Brien and Adam Svec), bassist Casey O’Brien, keyboardist Matt Leavitt, and guitarist Chris Salter at the Icehouse on May 15, 2015 to celebrate the release.

Richard Devine Presentation and Performances

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Left to right John Keston, Jon Davis, James Patrick, and Richard Devine (not shown Graham O'Brien) Photo by Dave Eckblad

Last weekend I performed with and attended a workshop from the extraordinary electronic musician and sound designer Richard Devine. His presentation was at Slam Academy (a Minneapolis based school for electronic music and arts where I am also on the faculty roster). Later that same evening Jon Davis, Richard Devine, Graham O’Brien, James Patrick, and I performed a couple of sets at the Dakota Jazz Club (photo by Dave Eckblad). This was quite different from previous performances. Richard brought in eerie ambient textures while I played Rhodes and Moog Sub 37 along with Patrick’s deep house rhythms, O’Briens acoustic drum-n-bass fills, and a solid foundation of bass grooves from Jon Davis. Finally Richard played a solo set at an afterparty back at the Slam Academy.

Richard Devine at the Slam Factory. Photo by John Keston.

It was a pleasure performing with Richard and his presentation beforehand shed light on his detailed knowledge of the history of electronic music. He brought up electronic music pioneers like Morton Subotnick, Tod Dockstader, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. He discussed equipment from the legendary ARP 2500 (only one hundred ever made) to the EMS Synthi, and followed it up with modern softsynths of note like the Madrona Labs AALTO. After all that he graciously exposed the contents of his “Current Live Setup” Eurorack in great detail. Thanks to the Slam Academy, the Dakota, James Patrick, Jade Patrick, Richard Devine, Jon Davis, Graham O’Brien, Gregory Taylor, and everyone else involved for a memorable day of learning, playing, and performances.

Debut Album from DKO Absinthe Referent

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DKO Absinthe Referent

On Tuesday, May 19 DKO is releasing Absinthe Referent, available on cassette (limited edition of 100) and digital download. Although Jon Davis, Graham O’Brien, and I have been performing as DKO since 2011 this is our debut album. We recorded it at Bellows Studio during a live, in-studio concert with an intimate audience of friends and family members.

Graham and I edited the album down to six tracks that we handed off to Adam Krinsky for mixing. Finally we had it mastered by Huntley Miller. Please listen to a preview track from the album titled S33LUgRUN. We will be performing to celebrate the release on May 20 at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota with Dosh and A Love Electric.

More about DKO:
dkomusic.tumblr.com
soundcloud.com/davis-keston-obrien
DKO on AudioCookbook.org

Video: Are You Hiding by Camp Dark

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A couple of months ago I spent about 18 hours over two days recording synthesizers for the upcoming Camp Dark album Nightmare in a Day. It was a blast and the music is gorgeous. I wrote in more detail about the project here. The latest video, edited by Adam Svec, is for the song Are You Hiding. This one ends with a long passage of Moog Sub 37 running through the Minifooger Delay as I twisted the Time and Feedback knobs.

Are You Hiding” is the second video in a series to promote the release of Camp Dark’s new album, Nightmare In A Day (Icehouse MPLS on Friday 5/15). The story was inspired by holiday trips back to South Dakota. The song navigates the trajectory of playing roles of earlier versions of you. This veneer eventually falls apart when the years become visible. A person can only hide in plain sight for so long before they are spotted. It’s an anthem of empathy for those who experience this distance between former and current selves. “Are You Hiding” features performances by Graham O’Brien, Adam Svec, Dan Choma, Matt Leavitt, Matt Friesen, and John Keston.

Erik Thompson included the video in his “Top 10 Must-See Minnesota Music Videos This Week” series at the City Pages. Oh yeah, and we’ll be performing at the Icehouse in Minneapolis on May 15, 2015 to celebrate the release.

Video: Charlie by Camp Dark

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About six weeks ago I had a couple of sessions at Bellows Studio in St. Paul, Minnesota recording synthesizers for an upcoming record by Camp Dark. The project is headed up by producer Graham O’Brien and singer-songwriter Adam Svec. Graham and I have worked together on a variety of projects since 2007. One of those projects is Coloring Time, of which Adam is also a member.

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It was a pleasure working on the record. Graham and Adam’s ideas are modern, distinct, and organic without ever being forced or unnatural. Their approach gave me the opportunity to use some of my favorites instruments, like the Moog Sub 37, alongside a few gems that rarely leave my studio. These included the Roland MKS-80, Yamaha FS1r, and (as featured on Charlie) the Roland Juno-106. Here’s a few words from the video’s description:

Charlie was written as an epilogue to a ‘Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis’ by Tom Waits. It’s a continuation of a story about the wanderlust of youth leading to dangerous things, and the associated regrets, coupled with an overwhelming homesickness for what’s been left behind … Video edited by local filmmaker / editor John Burgess. Footage used c/o Prelinger Archives: “Radiotherapy: High Dosage Treatment” & “Is This Love?” Written by Adam Svec & Graham O’Brien. Lyrics by Adam Svec. Produced by Graham O’Brien. Samplers & Drums by Graham O’Brien, Synths by John Keston, Bass Guitar by Casey O’Brien, Guitar by Matt Leavitt, Omnichord and Guitar Solo by Chris Salter.

Charlie is the first single from the Camp Dark album, Nightmare In A Day, which will be released on May 12, 2015 and is available for pre-order immediately at campdark.bandcamp.com. I’ll be joining Adam, Graham, and a few other musicians to perform renditions of tracks from the album at the Icehouse, in Minneapolis on May 15, 2015. For more credits, information, and details about the release show, please visit campdark.bandcamp.com.