Nothing Satisfies | Olivier Nijs | Listening session
GrDl 097 | DTS Digital
This mix was made as a 45 minute compilation for an event called Listening Session 1. Using recordings from the Nothing Satisfies Project. This session took place in the De NWE Vorst Theatre in Tilburg, The Netherlands on may 6 2008. Where it was presented as an ambisonic surround installation. In order of appearance you can listen to:
Waalwijk 19-6-2007,
Roovertseweg 14-4-2008,
Alphen1 30-7-2007,
Biesbosch2 22-1-2008,
Visstek2 9-2-2008.
About the project
Nothing Satisfies is a project of sound artist Olivier Nijs in search of emptiness in sound and location. A reaction to the overkill of sensorial information in a digital era. Seeking for tension in minimal recordings which are made mainly in natural environments where human intervention is pushed to the background so the whole spectrum of big and small sounds are available to the listener. One goal is to create a situation or opportunity in which these big and small sounds seem to interact with each other. Another important aspect of the recordings is that there will be almost no editing. The right time and place under the right weather conditions.
There was never a pre-organised plan of the sound sources present to interfere as they do during the recording process. By recording this situation these sources will melt together as a whole and become the composition in which the audience will try to find some sort of structure or aesthetic value. The chance that a bird will react to a car passing by or a farmer harvesting crops is very low. Or the other way around. This car will hardly ever react to a swarm of insects. None of the sounds present in the recordings are meant by their producers to take part in an artistic composition. They become this composition by being recorded and played back in a situation where there is a listener who sits down and listens to it. While he’s not being distracted by the visual/physical context of the origin of the sounds.
The duration and emptiness in the recordings make it possible for the listener to wander off in his or her own thoughts. Most of the time the concentration for the work seems to have some sort of waveform like cadence. The work comes and goes. A moment for reflection.
Each separate recording in the project lasts approximately two hours. This duration is derived from the authors own experience in listening. They are not meant to be listened to as a whole. When you’re ready you’re ready. They are presented to the audience as an opportunity to spend your precious time in a meaningful way, in a context where time is against you and nobody frees up time to do nothing.
Audio DVD:
Format: Nothing Satisfies.iso
All audio material for this project are intended to be listened to in a surround sound setup. The stereo version is provided for compatibility reasons.
In order to playback the ISO file you need to burn this file to a DVD. Most DVD burn software is able to burn image files. If not, check out the freeware application Imgburn (www.imgburn.com). This DTS encoded DVD does not contain any visual information and will start to play automatically.
Artwork:
Format: Nothing Satisfies.pdf
1. Cut out printed area
2. Fold the two small rectangles so the print is on the outside
3. Fold the resulting large rectangle in the centre. The print should be on the outside
4. Put glue on the small rectangles
5. Glue small rectangles to folded half of the large rectangle to receive a cd sleeve
Field Recording Series by Gruenrekorder
Gruenrekorder / Germany / 2008 / GrDl 097 / LC 09488
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence