Perhaps one of the more truly different and cutting edge DVD’s in recent times comes from Melbourne sound artist and laptop performer Robin Fox. Whilst Fox, a former percussionist, is known for aviator sunglasses and fractured synthetic manipulations of sound, often performing as a duo with local composer Anthony Pateras (Coagulate), his debut release takes his approach to a whole new level. Sending audio data as an electrical current into a Cathode Ray Oscilloscope (CRO), he creates real time visual representations of his sounds, with the images and sounds fed in together at the same time. Beginning with a luminous green dot in the center of the screen, Fox’s strange digital squeaks, rumbling and glitches trigger all manner of peculiar and mesmerizing geometric shapes, squiggles and blotches, which can appear and change shape quite frenetically. The result is quite overwhelming, and also quite challenging, with no images of Fox himself, or context provided. In fact over the course of 10 pieces the CRO manages to take on a hypnotic quality, the images and patterns on screen almost feeling like they are attached to a greater significance or higher purpose. It also serves to demonstrate the diversity in Fox’s approach to sound and structure, in that the terrain always feels like it’s changing. Whilst Fox has been performing around town for years, a debut this bold and self assured can’t be experienced as anything but a bolt out of the blue. It’s eccentric, and probably not all that commercial (though you’d think stoners would go nuts over this), yet it’s also genius and to my knowledge completely unlike anything else you’re ever likely to encounter.
Bob Baker Fish |
