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You might not be familiar with Tim Perkis, but he's active in the thriving San Francisco electronica scene, and with a list of collaborators that includes Kaffe Mathews and John Zorn, his name would seem to be one worth noting. Motive, originally released as an MP3 album on Artifact Recordings, gets a second chance in proper CD format and proves to be fine listening -- within the realm of experimental electronics.
Complex and fluid, Motive follows Perkis's historic tendency to mimic organic properties, where the stuff of life is broken down into amphibious, plasmic microcosms. Tracks like "Lude" and "Prick" put a stethoscope to vein, unearthing a subtly rhythmic pulse within dark, aquatic environments. Loosely connected by percussive elements and static, the mood is not unlike a microchip traveling through the bloodstream, recording everything it passes. "Roil" continues, adding a percolating assault of air-filled bubbles that ride the fence of chaos and order. Here, Perkis is at his most compelling, tickling the ears with a nuanced rhythm while creating urgency within the biological drift.
Elsewhere, Motive shifts to more traditional electronic undercurrents. "Farb"'s intense soundtrack is driven by an industrial-strength rock loop, half-buried by a dubby howl -- it's the album's most aggressive track, possessed by the angry ghost of Muslimgauze. "Zig" and "Code", the album's double-barreled finale, kick off with machine-shop shuffle, melting into passages of dark, Scorn-like hip hop and molested drones.
An improviser at heart, Perkis infuses Motive with an aleatory feel that will be familiar to fans of No Type and A-Musik. The tracks tend to be lengthy, but Perkis reaches a certain benchmark that separates him -- a guy who consistently fills the air with attention-demanding ear candy -- from those who expect the listener to endure slow minutes of indulgent, "avant garde" wankery. Motive is challenging, to be sure, but there's enough to latch onto here, even for those whose toes need a groove to follow.
-- Walt Miller 6/22/04
www.splendidzine.com
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Tim Perkis
Motive
Praemedia
Previously available only as an MP3 album, 1999’s Motive finds its first proper CD issue through San Francisco’s fledgling Praemedia imprint. Luckily, the music on this mysteriously generic-looking disc has withstood the passage of time, maintaining much of its technical relevancy. The album starts strong with the algorithmic “Wrack,” a loop-based lumbering demon on a knife’s edge, chugging forward viciously and unrelentingly through patches and processors and protocols; this is definitely “computer music,” reminiscent of EP7-era Autechre. The secong track, “Frab,” presents a similar looping structure eith a subtly shifting dub-wise attitude toward effects processing, as live drums are battered by wave after crashing wave of delay and resonance filters. Move on now to track three, where a lone 808 cowbell provides sparse accompaniment to a series of squishy, drip-drip, watery sounds produced by some ingenious plug-in; halfway through the song, the script os flipped and asynchronous layers of chromatic percussion create the feeling of an extended outro. Ans so continues the album, infecting a new type of source material with each track, molding and sculpting the digital code in discreet parcels. There is a good balance of intense, subtle and goofy tracks (i.e., “Wound,” which sounds like a cerebral 22nd-century interpretation of a haunted mansion). While not necessarily “fun” to listen to on a repeated basis, Motive hosts a conceptually intact set of pieces that, while heavy on the DSP throughout, has enough variety to warrant successive listens.
- John H. Degroot
from e/i magazine, issue 3, spring 2004
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PERKIS, TIM Motive (Praemedia) cd
One of the three new and not so new titles just in from the electronic music label Praemedia (Stars Like Fleas and the Praeface compilation are the other two)! On each of the eight monosyllabically titled tracks of Tim Perkis' 1999 album Motive, he assembles trance-y pools of beats and textures. The fourth one simply named "Prick" is perhaps the most airy and atmospheric of the bunch with its static-y crackles and pops. Nice!
www.aquariusrecords.org
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“Praeface” CD Praemedia - 74:31
Tim Perkis “Motive” CD Praemedia - 49:11
Giro a tutto tondo nella scena post-digitale americana (ma non mancano gli stranieri, come i nostri Mou, Lips! e la nipponica Haco), la compilation "Praeface" inaugura con buoni esiti il catalogo della Praemedia di San Francisco. Eterogeneo il ventaglio di autori attivissimi in circuiti ultra-underground e di proposte acustiche, dal post-rock cameristico di Stars Like Fleas (un supergruppo con elementi di No Neck Blues Band, Papa M, At The Drive-In, Other Dimensions in Music etc. del quale dovrebbe essere gią uscito intanto l'album d'esordio) a quello discreto, ma drasticamente revisionato dal multistrumentista Shannon Fields, della Gold Sparkle Band, passando per le scorrazzate in lungo e in largo, profluvio di laptop music, field recordings e quant'altro, del padrone di casa Lance Grabmiller e del gią citato Fields, il plagiarismo di Wobbly e le affilate sciabolate impro-elettroniche di Tim Perkis.
E' proprio il veterano Perkis (in carriera collaborazioni con John Zorn, Fred Frith, Kaffe Mathews, Rova tra gli altri) a firmare il secondo CD dell'etichetta. Computer music aggiornata ai dettami dell'odierno lessico elettronico, asperitą, granuli e accidenti diluiti all'interno di una cifra stilistica dal timbro ceramico e tagliente.
-Nicola Catalano
Blow-Up Magazine #68, January 2004
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Von TIM PERKIS' Aktivitäten als Computer-Musiker und Live-Elektroniker in der Bay Area zeugen seit Ende der 80er eine Reihe von Veröffentlichungen, überwiegend auf dem Artefact-Label: "The Hub: Live Computer Network Music" (1989), "Artificial Horizon: Music for New Software Instruments" (Solo & collaborations w/ J. Bischoff, 1989), "Rotodoti" (Live improvisation w/ D. Carroll, R. Heglin, T. Nunn, 1990). "Perkolator", eine Solo-Einspielung, erschien 1999 auf Limited Sedition, "Diatoms" (w/ L. Gianetto) 2000 auf dem sizilianischen Label Curva Minore, "Fuzzybunny" (w/ Brown & Gresham-Lancaster) 2001 bei Sonore. Außerdem wirkte Perkis mit an "Luminous Axis" (Tzadik, 2002) von Wadada Leo Smith und mit dem Natto Quartet (w/ C. Brown, P. Gelb, S. Hikage) entstand schließlich noch "Headlands" (482 Music, 2002). Auch Motive (Praecd002) ist kein neuer Stoff, sondern lediglich die haptische Warenform für bisher schon als Artefact-mp3-Download zugängliche Soloarbeiten von 1999/2000. Im Mittelpunkt der Bemühungen dieses Forschers, Ingenieurs, Designers und auch schreibenden Sonic-Fiction-Experten, digitale Musik zu verlebendigen, stehen Parameter wie Komplexität, Unvorhersehbarkeit und Überraschung. Als Resultat oder Außenwirkung der ewigen Flitterwochen, die die computerfaszinierte Junggesellenmaschine mit sich selber feiert, erklingen 8 Tracks mit einsilbigen Titeln wie 'Wrack', 'Farb', 'Prick' oder 'Code'. Bei soviel Theorieverdacht überrascht der organische, rhythmische Klangfluss tatsächlich. Perkis zaubert ein Equilibrium aus programmierter Aleatorik und harmonischen Mustern, geräuschhaftem Wildwuchs und popiger Repetition. 'Organisch' ist das insofern, dass ein Echo 'natürlicher' Rhythmik wie Atem, Puls, Regen oder ein faunisch-biotisches Huschen und Knispeln im vielschichtigen Klingklang und digitalen Noisedickicht der elektronischen Pinballwizardry widerhallt. Aber gerade dass Perkis die virtuelle Simulation so spielerisch und virtuos gelingt, gibt einen Vorgeschmack von 'Soylent Green'.
Bad Alchemy Number 43
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peewee, acid fake / fakezine, skopje, Macedonia
A War and Peace of a Chart from Toni of Macedonia...
best 2003 albums
01. Luomo - The Present Lover (Force Tracks)
02. Data 80 - Data 80 (Force Tracks)
03. Alex Cortex - Inward CTRL (Ann Aimee)
04. Sophie Rimheden - Hi-Fi (Mitek)
05. Geoff White & Stewart Walker - Discord (Force Inc.)
06. Monolake - Momentum (ICM)
07. Billy Dalessandro - Midievalization (Resopla Schalware)
08. Pole - Pole (Mute)
09. Nooncat - Under The Moon/Under The Sun (Triebstoff)
10. Dub Taylor - Experience (Force Tracks)
11. T.Raumschmiere - Radio Blackout (Novamute)
12. Rip-Off Artists - Pet Sounds (Vertical Form)
13. Jirku/Judge - Plusism (Onitor)
14. V/A - Mitek: Process (Mitek)
15. V/A - Staedtism 4 (~scape)
16. Rechenzentrum - Director's Cut (Mille Plateaux)
17. Tujiko Noriko - From Tokyo To Niagara (Tom Lab)
18. Jan Jelinek avec The Exposures - La Nouvelle Pauvrete (~scape)
19. Tomas Jirku - 1999 (No Type)
20. Ricardo Villalobos - Alcachofa (Playhouse)
21. V/A - What Was It Like Before I Got Into Electricity (Sud)
22. Alexander Kowalski - |response| (Kanzleramt)
23. AGF - Westernisation Complete (Ortlong Musork)
24. V/A - Futuristic Experiments #006 [BG035] (Background)
25. Soul-Junk - 1958 (Sounds Are Active)
26. HDJ Tom - Taste (Inflatabl Label)
27. Cordell Klier - Winter (Ad Noiseam)
28. Si-Cut.Db - Find Some Shade (Highpoint Lowlife)
29. Desormais - Iambrokenandremadeiambroken... (Intr_Version)
30. Hinterlandt/Karri O. - Sitting, Going Places/Departures and Arrivals (Abflug)
31. Anders Ilar - Everdom (Shitkatapult)
32. Matmos - Civil War (Matador)
33. Radio 4 - Gotham (City Slang)
34. Looproad - Acidfaketrax (Acid Fake)
35. Tim Hecker - Radio Amor (Mille Plateaux)
36. Blamstrain - Ensi (Merck)
37. Star Like Fleas - Sun Light Down on the Fence (Praemedia)
38. Decades - The First (Poeta Negra)
39. Apparat - Duplex (Shitkatapult)
40. Andrew Duke - Take Nothing For Granted (Acid Fake)
41. V/A - Praeface (Praemedia)
42. Tim Perkis - Motive (Praemedia)
43. Merzbow - Ikebana: Merzbow's Amlux Rebuilt, Reused and Recycled (Immortal)
44. Andrey Kiritchenko - Kniga Skazok (Ad Noiseam)
45. Formatt/Samuli Alapuranen - Connections/Apinavideo (Abflug)
46. Corker / Conboy - In Light of That Learnt Later (Vertical Form)
47. V/A - Geologists and Professional Tourists Volume 2 (N&B Research Digest)
48. Andrey Kiritchenko - Bees and Honey (Zeromoon)
49. Anthony Rother - Elixir of Life (Fax +49-69/450464)
50. Decomposed Subsonic - Gradients (Ware)
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Motive
Artist: Tim Perkis
Album: Title Motive
Date of Release: Nov 2003
AMG Rating: 2.5 stars
Genre: Avntg
AMG REVIEW: Tim Perkis recorded Motive in 1999 and left it on the shelf (conscious decision or circumstances, the story doesn't say). It came out as an MP3 album on Artifact in 2002, and a year later got its proper CD release from the young label Praemedia. Motive touches many bases, from beat-thumping techno to early computer music and more ambient approaches, but it steers relatively clear of anything associated with the microsound esthetic. That is to say: the album weights more toward the loud than the quiet, the beat than the glitch. Perkis builds his pieces in a relentless manner; his constructions are meticulous, but they don't stay in place. A single track can go through as many as ten or 12 major changes in sound design, preventing the listener from finding a comfort zone (which is a good or a bad thing, depending on your tastes) and the music from settling in any particular niche. Most tracks stick to "pure" electronic sounds, which give the album a slightly "vintage" patina. Drum loops and samples are rare and mostly reserved for the last third of the album (drums are at the core of "Zig," while "Code" is a messy amalgam of scratch sampling). The opening "Wrack," also full of backward samples, provides a frantic highlight, while "Lude," and the aforementioned "Zig" represent the better of the longer, more complex and pensive tracks.
— Franēois Couture, All-Music Guide
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tim perkis - motive (praemedia)
one of the artists that appears on praemedia's first compilation edition this time with full length. motive, originally finished in 2000, primarily released as an exclusive mp3 edition of artifact recordings, is now released as praemedia's second cd edition. perkins has been working with electronic music for many years, has been playing and recording all over the world. his tracks are released for many labels such as: tzadik, 482 music, sonore… and his interests are creating spatial sonic environments, but also constructing electronic instruments based on the gene's behavior in the biological systems. different electronica, glitchy parts, dark ambient falls and sinewaves… all this can be found in motive's tracks. even in one song. longer pieces which consist of the interests of this artist towards the experimental sound. although motive doesn't offer anything revolutionary, it is an album that is fresh in production and offers an interesting perspectives in the experimental music. in any case, after three editions, praemedia treats quality musicians and is directed towards an interesting sound direction that presents praemedia as a serious label.
www.fakezine.tk
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Tim Perkis: Motive CD
This CD was originally released as an exclusive MP3 album in 2002 on Artifact Recordings. Perkis works mainly in the live electronic arena performing with the likes of Chris Brown, Fred Frith, John Zorn and Kaffe Matthews among others. His work has been largely concerned with exploring the emergence of life-like properties in complex systems of interactions.
The impressive opening track Wrack is a beat driven build up of sound, flexing in and out of the loudspeakers in a pulsating manner with stunning dynamic control. This leads into a less hectic and more ambient soundscape with a delayed type drum beat slowly building up with each entry into something more expansive. One notices the waves of sound control that Perkis has used in his tracks that make them stand out in an invigorating way.
His style is diverse ranging from straight-forward hardcore driven beats to unusual collections of sounds such as in track 03 Lude where various samples are structured into beat material and delicately progress through different themes. Subtle water-drop type sounds gently break an otherwise silent background half way through. This then develops again into squelch sounding beats (also with a hint of water to them).
What was interesting about this CD was that by listening to the first track one would expect quite a fast beat driven CD but this intensity rarely appears again. Instead he heads in more subtle directions ranging from almost pure ambient tracks to the bizarre soundscape of track 06 Wound, which sounds like an interesting cross between a car starting up and a vicious dog fighting with it.
Each track has something new and interesting to offer and so takes you on a passage through the unknown. The last track Code having a stunningly pure bass beat, which is somehow very hard to turn off. It gets ingrained into your very being. It is in no way predictable from track to track, which makes it a highly enjoyable listening experience.
Phosphor Magazine
c/o Paul Bijlsma
Bänschstrasse 71
10274 Berlin
tel: 0049-30-44356459
http://www.xs4all.nl/~phosphor
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Tim Perkis, "Motive"
Praemedia
Frenetic electronic music just makes me want to get in the car, step on the gas, and push my poor American-made contrivance to its limit. Damn the pedestrians in my town, damn them to hell, as I slam the right pedal to the floor and turn on the windshield wipers like some crazed Kurgen-like beast with a cackling laugh and no remorse. Then, as I am rudely awakened from my fantasy by my alarm clock, I realize it was just the music that put my brain in this state. It's Tim Perkis' Motive, and it is villain music of the finest caliber. Originally released as an MP3 album in 2002, it now gets a more proper release via Praemedia, and it deserves a dedicated airing from any fan of experimental electronic music. Perkis' work has always been cogent and influential, and his ventures into sonic landscapes and braver instrumentation are especially noteworthy. On Motive, it would appear the purpose is to place the listener into various modes, where they are willing subjects capable of producing work of the master. The computer skips and epileptic beats meet with scratches and blurbs that coagulate and split almost simultaneously. And that's just the first track. Elsewhere the pulses are subdued, with car alarm-like whistles and hums augmenting the somewhat odd progression of noise. It's like the work of some genius mad scientist in the realm of mind control or neural implants, and what you're hearing is the signals that are sent to the drones. It may make your foot twitch, it may make your head jerk, but it will certainly cause your ears to perk up at attention. This is the work of a true artist, and it is bound to be both adored and misunderstood. - Rob Devlin
from the Brainwashed Brain vol. 6 issue 45 - http://www.brainwashed.com/brain/brainv06i45.html
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PRAEFACE (CD compilation by Praemedia)
TIM PERKIS - MOTIVE (CD by Praemedia)
STARS LIKE FLEAS - SUN LIGHTS DOWN ON THE FENCE (CD by Praemedia)
Praemedia is a new label who kick off with three CD releases at once. Like many labels do, they kick off with a compilation CD, to show what they are standing for, which they claim to be from improvisational jazz to plunderphonics and field recordings. And for once (?) that is no lie. It's an hotch-potch of music, a high pressure cooker of all sorts of musics. This is shown in the first tracks already: the jazzy opening lines of 'Twovers' by Hsoa, the micro-beats from Mou, Lips! against the samples of Lance Grabmiller (many of the pieces are duo, collaborative pieces) and the more microsoundings of Nanqui. And so continues this CD, with tracks by Tim Perkis, Stars Like Fleas, Quiet American, Wobbly (plunderphonics at work here of course), Martin Nieznanski and Ernesto Diaz-Infante.Quite a nice collection, which made me curious about the other CDs.
The second CD is by Tim Perkis, an US electronic musician whose music was released on Tzadik, Artifact, Sonore and Meniscus and who has played with Fred Frith, Kaffe Mathews and John Zorn, to name but a few. The eight pieces on 'Motive' were released as MP3s in 2002, although the work was recorded in 2000 and now as a real CD by Praemedia. Perkis uses rhythmical sounds, stretches them a little bit and they all play in loop mode. Occasionally one could think that the input are drum & bass samples, but maybe it's just lifted drum samples from records. In either case, I found it very hard to find a good spot here. None of the eight tracks really could grab me and made a spark.Rather ok sort of electronic music, but once it's over you don't have the faintest idea what you heard.
Stars Like Fleas is the result of a collaboration Montgomery Knott of Austin and multi-instrumentalist and producer Shannon Fields. The press blubr cite as influences people like Gastr Del Sol, Talk Talk, Microstoria, Charles Mingus and Nobukazu Takemura, of which I think the first is most valid, other then it seems to me that Stars Like Fleas love to sample their music, rather then play it themselves (although one never knows whith a multi-instrumentalist). The music is quite swollen, a bit romantic, a bit jazzy, loungy but I must admit the vocals, by Montgomery, are not so much to my liking. He's neither David Grubbs nor Mark Hollis. He sings a bit held back, like he doesn't want to sing for real. In each song the vocals remain the same thing throughout the entire CD. Also musicwise, it stays very much on the same level, so that the whole lot of eleven songs is a bit hard to swallow at once. Maybe an extended cdep of six songs would have been enough (I know it would for me). Rated from one to ten I'd give a solid six.
- Frans de Waard from Vital Weekly number 398 - http://staalplaat.com/vital_archive/398.txt
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