Plant Syntax Diffusion 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here follows a purely personal impression of the evenings offerings.

As  a primer my perspective is pretty much emotional/historical in 
that if I am moved emotionally and the piece evokes references 
respecfully integrated with the odd new idea I'm likely to enjoy it. 
Technical condsiderations rarely move me other than when they 
are the centrepice of any innovative aspect of the music and are 
completely transparent to the lay listener.. rare, obviously.
Just so you know where Im coming from.

So to dispense with one aspect of the evening at first. It was billed 
as 'Diffusion': dynamic localisation of sound processed through 12 
speakers and 12 channels.' 

Well there were the 12's but the level of dynamism was low as 
there was not really the right gear, esp the mixing desk which was 
a standrad desk. That that was dynamic was merely the volume 
dynamics of various channels assigned to various speakers 
attenuated in real time by the mixer/actualiser and came across as 
a fairly cheap effect to my mind. But you gotta start soemwhere 
and it was an excellent start all round. 

It must be said its not the start. I have attended two other events at 
Plant Syntax, one a multi media event uti.ising various interesting if 
fairly twee effects of computer based  imageprojection and music 
and the Farmers Manual intenets feed event which was dogged by 
tech difficulities but which was still a success in that it was done, it
happened and thats better than nothing. I return to this observation 
beceause until the Plant and a few other spaces... in fact I can 
really only thnk of one.. Hard Listening at the Musicians club... 
there seems no outlet for electronic music as adventurous and 
marginal as what was presented at those previous events and last 
night. End salutations.

To sum up briefly all the music was in essence of an abstract 
nature in that there was a pretty complete absence of any regular 
rhythm underpinning any of it and nothing at all to be called a beat. 
Pulse perhaps in some pieces... but barely that. None of it would 
be generally termed electronica, in my understanding of the basket.
So.... to the product.

In order of apearance:

Terry McDermott
sQ^iN.cH
Normandeau
netochka
Dugal McKinnon
AntiOrp
Delire

Plant Syntax exists it seems as the result of the vision of Julian 
and Jordan who it appears endure some considerable penury in  
order to maintain the space in the CBD. Send money.

372-378 Lt Bourke st, Melb, 3001.
isomer_stream@hotmail.com

there are many web references on the programme that I cannot be 
bothered transcribing. Contact the Plant and perhaps they can be 
sent to you.

You won't ask again, will you Shannon?

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Contributed to the Undesirable Propagation Unit by agent AlanBamford