Ostracon Debut Excerpt: Photon Coercion

Posted on May 8, 2011 by John C.S. Keston

Here’s an excerpt of the second track from the upcoming Ostracon debut album, Unauthorized Modifications. This track is titled Photon Coercion. The album consists of drumming by Graham O’Brien and electronic sound that I produced using GMS, or Gestural Music Sequencer. GMS is Open Source software I developed that converts video signals into musical phrases. A video signal is analysed in real-time and then MIDI notes are produced based on brightness tracking and adjustable probability distribution algorithms.

This excerpt, in addition to looped phrases from GMS, includes a lead melodic voice that I played on the touch based synthesizer, Bebot. I fell in love with the expressive way you can bend notes independently on up to five voices (an impossibility on most conventional keyboards – unless you have one of these) using Bebot.

Photon Coercion (excerpt)

An Exclusive Holiday Gift from Ostraka

Posted on December 25, 2010 by John C.S. Keston

Here’s a set I recorded live to Ableton during a performance at Nick and Eddie Thursday Funhouse hosted by Jon Davis, December 16, 2010. This is all new material that I’ve been working on, except for the last track, which is a remix of Illuminator Console from Precambrian Resonance (Unearthed Music 2009). Here’s the download link for the 37:28 minute set hosted on Unearthed Music. Expect to hear lots of Grain Machine, as well as synth sounds from the Casio CZ-1000, the Korg MS2000, the Roland D-50, my Sequential Circuits Pro-One, some old Hammond rhythm programs, and even a little bit of Rhodes electric piano.

Download Live Ostraka Set at Nick and Eddie Thursday Funhouse (89.9 MB)

Keston and Westdal with Graham O’Brien at Galactic Soul Lounge

Posted on November 24, 2010 by John C.S. Keston

Hosted by Toki Wright, Galactic Soul Lounge is happening tonight. Artists include St. Paul Slim who is celebrating the re-release of his album “Baldheaded Samsun” on Soul Tools Records, Keston and Westdal with Graham O’Brien on drums, VOC Women’s Division performing African Dance, and Radio Pocho (Miguel Vargas & Steven Renderos) DJ’ing a dedication mix to Janet Jackson.

Galactic Soul Lounge is a monthly night of Funk, Hip Hop, Reggae, R&B, Soul, Latin, Dance, and much more. The event is 21+ and a bargain at $5 cover. Please join us at 10pm tonight, November 24, 2010, at Cause (formerly Sauce) Spirit and Sound Bar, 3001 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bicycle Family by Ten72

Posted on October 29, 2010 by John C.S. Keston

Nils Westdal has been quietly toiling on his third ten72 effort, Bicycle Family, for four long years. And finally it has reached his meticulous standards for release. The compositions produced in this collection glisten with polish yet grate with a filthy grit in all the right places. As with all Unearthed Music releases, every single track is playable in full on the releases page. So, listen for free, or support independent music by purchasing the album either directly from UEM, iTunes, or your e-distributor of choice. Here’s one of my favorite downtempo masterpieces from the album, Water Color Dream.

Green Plasma 3D by Ralph Hauwert

Posted on October 4, 2010 by John C.S. Keston

Ralph Hauwert created this Pixelbender 3D Distance Field Raymarcher, rendered out in After Effects at HD resolution, and used my track Rhodes Pedal Noise from Precambrian Resonance for the music. Check out the HD video below.