Here’s how much Slovak label LOM loves field recordings and strange sounds: they didn’t just stop with releasing a few wild experimental ambient albums. They’ve gotten into the boutique mic business. They’re creating new hardware that lovingly captures electro-magnetic fields. They’re printing t-shirts with custom designs to show their passion in illustrated form.
These are people who are really passionate about recording.
And you can get bit by the same addiction. Let’s have a look at what they’re offering.
Perhaps the most interesting offering from Bratislava’s LOM is the Elektrosluch, the electro-magnetic “instrument” from LOM artist and label brain Jonáš Gruska. Now, you’re familiar with interference from electro-magnetic fields – it’s the reason your bandmates get cross with you if you don’t switch your iPhone into flight mode when you start recording. But what if a device didn’t just capture those sounds: what if it were engineered for maximum precision as if they were desirable?
Well, this is what happens thanks to that mentality:
I got a chance to play with the latest model in Brno at the Bastl Instruments-hosted synth fest, and it’s extraordinary – more so than YouTube can really capture. You really feel privy to an invisible, inaudible world os secret auditory codes. Jonáš’ attention to fidelity – the very opposite of what you’d expect from such an instrument – results in glistening glitches and alien-like transmissions from the gadgets around you.
And sure enough, the Elektrosluch 3 features a lot of improvements.
There’s a full-enclosed form factor, better user experience (operate with a single pot).
And the sound has improved: the makers report that higher gain, audiophile-grade WIMA capacitors, highly increased protection of the sensors, and other tweaks have made the sound quality better.
This is what would happen if Neumann had been focused on recording EM fields instead of conventional sound.
The whole unit is portable and boasts 9V battery power plus minijack headphone/line out and line input.
Find out more about the mic and its preorder; we’ll check in again when it ships:
https://zvukolom.org/product/elektrosluch-3-pre-order/
That’s not all LOM are working on. Their Uši microphones, electret condensers, are calibrated for recording “delicate sounds” – the sounds your ear can easily discern, but that fall below the noise floor of conventional musician-focused microphones.
The 90€ basic model is a pair of twin stereo mics. Connect the minijack to a portable stereo recorder, and you’re ready to go. (Even a DSLR will work.) You get power via the mic jack, so there’s no additional power requirement.
Hurry – the preorder ends tomorrow.
https://zvukolom.org/product/usi-microphones-pre-order/
Alternatively, the Pro model has XLRs and phantom power support:
https://zvukolom.org/product/usi-pro-pre-order/
Take a listen to Jonáš’ creations, exploring these impossibly fragile sounds around his town in binaural format. (Favorite track title: “electricity from an ant’s perspective.”
The hardware is all handmade in the EU.
And yes, I do want that t-shirt, with Martina Paukova‘s charming illustration of a field recording of the “very rare white flamingoose.”
Do check out the whole record label:
LOM itself is easily a topic for another day, but it includes releases like Jonáš’ own, here:
As part of their commitment to music that springs from the edge of human hearing – or beyond it – their latest release comes from seismic captures of the vibrations in a cement factory, by Russian-born Jan Ryhalsky.
This album was recorded in an old, partially abandoned cement factory close to the borders of Russia and China. Its skeletal metal structures are rich in haunting low-frequency (over)tones, Jan’s highly sensitive geophones (devices used for seismic recording) allow us to hear the earth-shaking sonic worlds of these ghostly locations.
Jan Ryhalsky was born and lives in the far east of Russia. He began to record sounds in 2010, and quickly dove deep into recording theory. The main focus of his research is sounds with low intensity, often beyond the threshold of human hearing.
I’ve been listening a lot to this one lately; it’s just sublime.
I really look forward to giving these mics a go myself – seems sonic wonderlands await. More on the microphones (hopefully also including work by some of you, if you get hold of them), and LOM the label and its artists, soon.
I’m not sure how the Elektrosluch differs from one of these, other than form factor? ( http://hydrophones.blogspot.com/2010/09/induction-coil-pick-up-now-available.html ) I’ve got one of those and it’s pretty fantastically neat… at least until you’ve sampled everything in your house, from laptop hard drives to light switches. 😀
Hello,
creator of Elektrosluch here. The main difference is that Elektrosluch self contained & stereo. You just plug-in your headphones and listen.
But also it has built-in amplfier (with high quality, low noise parts), which can be used with inductive coils as well – it has external input too.
I’m not sure how the Elektrosluch differs from one of these, other than form factor? ( http://hydrophones.blogspot.com/2010/09/induction-coil-pick-up-now-available.html ) I’ve got one of those and it’s pretty fantastically neat… at least until you’ve sampled everything in your house, from laptop hard drives to light switches. 😀
Hello,
creator of Elektrosluch here. The main difference is that Elektrosluch self contained & stereo. You just plug-in your headphones and listen.
But also it has built-in amplfier (with high quality, low noise parts), which can be used with inductive coils as well – it has external input too.
I’m not sure how the Elektrosluch differs from one of these, other than form factor? ( http://hydrophones.blogspot.com/2010/09/induction-coil-pick-up-now-available.html ) I’ve got one of those and it’s pretty fantastically neat… at least until you’ve sampled everything in your house, from laptop hard drives to light switches. 😀
Hello,
creator of Elektrosluch here. The main difference is that Elektrosluch self contained & stereo. You just plug-in your headphones and listen.
But also it has built-in amplfier (with high quality, low noise parts), which can be used with inductive coils as well – it has external input too.
Thanks for the heads-up on this pre-order; I just picked up their Uši Pro and I look forward to recording some delicate sounds.
Thanks for the heads-up on this pre-order; I just picked up their Uši Pro and I look forward to recording some delicate sounds.
Thanks for the heads-up on this pre-order; I just picked up their Uši Pro and I look forward to recording some delicate sounds.
Thanks for the advice! That´s exactly what I need!
Thanks for the advice! That´s exactly what I need!
Thanks for the advice! That´s exactly what I need!
You can buy a mic to hear electromagnetic fields for nothing: http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/36-010?scode=GS401&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=google&catargetid=530004080000291274&cadevice=c&gclid=CKTw4tPihccCFUeRHwod4s8IHA
Hello, see my reply to Foosnark’s comment. There is a difference.
You can buy a mic to hear electromagnetic fields for nothing: http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/36-010?scode=GS401&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=google&catargetid=530004080000291274&cadevice=c&gclid=CKTw4tPihccCFUeRHwod4s8IHA
Hello, see my reply to Foosnark’s comment. There is a difference.
You can buy a mic to hear electromagnetic fields for nothing: http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/36-010?scode=GS401&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=google&catargetid=530004080000291274&cadevice=c&gclid=CKTw4tPihccCFUeRHwod4s8IHA
Hello, see my reply to Foosnark’s comment. There is a difference.
Great find! I ordered a set of the Uši Pro! Looking forward to hear what I can get out of these by cranking up my Sound Devices Mixpre-D!
Great find! I ordered a set of the Uši Pro! Looking forward to hear what I can get out of these by cranking up my Sound Devices Mixpre-D!
Great find! I ordered a set of the Uši Pro! Looking forward to hear what I can get out of these by cranking up my Sound Devices Mixpre-D!
was kinda curious what uši meant and how the word/name is pronounced so I looked it up on forvo
of the the two products the regular 3.5mm uši is perfect for my needs…elektrosluch looks interesting but somewhat fragile in that enclosure
loving the sound quality of both!
was kinda curious what uši meant and how the word/name is pronounced so I looked it up on forvo
of the the two products the regular 3.5mm uši is perfect for my needs…elektrosluch looks interesting but somewhat fragile in that enclosure
loving the sound quality of both!
was kinda curious what uši meant and how the word/name is pronounced so I looked it up on forvo
of the the two products the regular 3.5mm uši is perfect for my needs…elektrosluch looks interesting but somewhat fragile in that enclosure
loving the sound quality of both!
I have no wish to start an argument here but it is problematic when products, approaches or techniques are referred to as ‘unique’ or new or that’s the implication when in fact they aren’t or a part of a well established, well explored history. There are lots of recordists who have been exploring electromagnetic sounds for years & years – as there are microphones that are designed to capture ‘delicate sounds’. As a mic builder myself one often doesn’t have control over what is written about ones mics but with my other hat on I have to say that there are plenty of other brands of small omni mics (for example MM Audio, Naiant & of course the best – DPA) & there are other mics & devices for recording / listening to electromagnetics. It’s a very well explored area (both by creative field recordists, sound artists & improvising musicians). With the increasing interest in creative field recording any coverage is good – but there is a growing issue of the pre-existing work / history not being understood or taken into account.
You raise a worthy topic but I didn’t think the article made any claims about these guys being revolutionaries.
I would be really interested in your recommendations for other artists and projects in this area deserving attention. That’s the best part of these comment sections, when the community expands on the article.
I have to say that since I posted that the article has been edited with words like ‘unique’ even removed from the title of the article. Having said that I think there is still perhaps a tone to the article that comes across as if the equipment & work is less common place than it is (that isn’t a critical opinion of any of the work but rather a comment on where it sits in a wide and extensive field). As for other artists / projects – in terms of equipment there are tons of other mics with the same characteristics & various ways of listening to / recording electromagnetic fields. I’m a mic builder myself (unconventional mics – contact mics, hydrophones, coils etc) & there are lots of others. In fact there’s an increasing issue around patents & intellectual property. Other artists ? where to start ! I can literally think of 100’s off the top of my head & to mention a few seems unfair on the others but here are a few. Some of the techniques have been key to my own work for a number of years (I work extensively with structural resonances, hydrophones, contact mics, ultrasonics, geophones & infrasonics, electromagnetics, revealing sounds beyond our range of hearing, very very quiet sounds & locations etc) so: Jez riley French, Chris Watson, Bethan Parkes, Signe Liden, Sawako, Jacob Kirkegaard, Lee Patterson, Christina Kubisch, Mark Peter Wright, Jana Winderen, Jay-Dea Lopez, Yannick Dauby, Lasse-Marc Riek, Eisuke Yanagisawa, Toshiya Tsunoda, Simon Scott, Jiyeon Kim, Dawn Scarfe, John Grzinich, Kiyoshi Mizutani, Anne Guthrie, Anne Wellmer, Els Viaene, Hiroki Sasajima etc etc.
Some of the artists jrf mentions discussing their work here;
http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/in-conversation/the-wire-salon_environmental-agents_the-art-of-field-recording
Some great discussion and Lee Patterson’s work opened my eyes to different perspectives and techniques when it comes to capturing some of the hidden sounds of our world, and this was just one artists methods and techniques who I’d stumbled upon, the ‘field’ is very wide.
These two as well – http://www.haineshinterding.net/
I have no wish to start an argument here but it is problematic when products, approaches or techniques are referred to as ‘unique’ or new or that’s the implication when in fact they aren’t or a part of a well established, well explored history. There are lots of recordists who have been exploring electromagnetic sounds for years & years – as there are microphones that are designed to capture ‘delicate sounds’. As a mic builder myself one often doesn’t have control over what is written about ones mics but with my other hat on I have to say that there are plenty of other brands of small omni mics (for example MM Audio, Naiant & of course Sanken & DPA) & there are other mics & devices for recording / listening to electromagnetics. It’s a very well explored area (both by creative field recordists, sound artists & improvising musicians). With the increasing interest in creative field recording any coverage is good – but there is a growing issue of the pre-existing work / history not being understood or taken into account.
You raise a worthy topic but I didn’t think the article made any claims about these guys being revolutionaries.
I would be really interested in your recommendations for other artists and projects in this area deserving attention. That’s the best part of these comment sections, when the community expands on the article.
I have to say that since I posted that the article has been edited with words like ‘unique’ even removed from the title of the article. Having said that I think there is still perhaps a tone to the article that comes across as if the equipment & work is less common place than it is (that isn’t a critical opinion of any of the work but rather a comment on where it sits in a wide and extensive field). As for other artists / projects – in terms of equipment there are tons of other mics with the same characteristics & various ways of listening to / recording electromagnetic fields. I’m a mic builder myself (unconventional mics – contact mics, hydrophones, coils etc) & there are lots of others. In fact there’s an increasing issue around patents & intellectual property. Other artists ? where to start ! I can literally think of 100’s off the top of my head & to mention a few seems unfair on the others but here are a few. Some of the techniques have been key to my own work for a number of years (I work extensively with structural resonances, hydrophones, contact mics, ultrasonics, geophones & infrasonics, electromagnetics, revealing sounds beyond our range of hearing, very very quiet sounds & locations etc) so: Jez riley French, Chris Watson, Bethan Parkes, Signe Liden, Sawako, Jacob Kirkegaard, Lee Patterson, Christina Kubisch, Mark Peter Wright, Jana Winderen, Jay-Dea Lopez, Yannick Dauby, Lasse-Marc Riek, Eisuke Yanagisawa, Toshiya Tsunoda, Simon Scott, Jiyeon Kim, Dawn Scarfe, John Grzinich, Kiyoshi Mizutani, Anne Guthrie, Anne Wellmer, Els Viaene, Hiroki Sasajima etc etc.
One of the artists jrf mentions discussing their work here along with others;
http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/in-conversation/the-wire-salon_environmental-agents_the-art-of-field-recording
Some great discussion and Lee Patterson’s work opened my eyes to different perspectives and techniques when it comes to capturing some of the hidden sounds of our world, and this was just one artists methods and techniques who I’d stumbled upon, the ‘field’ is very wide.
These two as well – http://www.haineshinterding.net/
I have no wish to start an argument here but it is problematic when products, approaches or techniques are referred to as ‘unique’ or new or that’s the implication when in fact they aren’t or a part of a well established, well explored history. There are lots of recordists who have been exploring electromagnetic sounds for years & years – as there are microphones that are designed to capture ‘delicate sounds’. As a mic builder myself one often doesn’t have control over what is written about ones mics but with my other hat on I have to say that there are plenty of other brands of small omni mics (for example MM Audio, Naiant & of course Sanken & DPA) & there are other mics & devices for recording / listening to electromagnetics. It’s a very well explored area (both by creative field recordists, sound artists & improvising musicians). With the increasing interest in creative field recording any coverage is good – but there is a growing issue of the pre-existing work / history not being understood or taken into account.
You raise a worthy topic but I didn’t think the article made any claims about these guys being revolutionaries.
I would be really interested in your recommendations for other artists and projects in this area deserving attention. That’s the best part of these comment sections, when the community expands on the article.
I have to say that since I posted that the article has been edited with words like ‘unique’ even removed from the title of the article. Having said that I think there is still perhaps a tone to the article that comes across as if the equipment & work is less common place than it is (that isn’t a critical opinion of any of the work but rather a comment on where it sits in a wide and extensive field). As for other artists / projects – in terms of equipment there are tons of other mics with the same characteristics & various ways of listening to / recording electromagnetic fields. I’m a mic builder myself (unconventional mics – contact mics, hydrophones, coils etc) & there are lots of others. In fact there’s an increasing issue around patents & intellectual property. Other artists ? where to start ! I can literally think of 100’s off the top of my head & to mention a few seems unfair on the others but here are a few. Some of the techniques have been key to my own work for a number of years (I work extensively with structural resonances, hydrophones, contact mics, ultrasonics, geophones & infrasonics, electromagnetics, revealing sounds beyond our range of hearing, very very quiet sounds & locations etc) so: Jez riley French, Chris Watson, Bethan Parkes, Signe Liden, Sawako, Jacob Kirkegaard, Lee Patterson, Christina Kubisch, Mark Peter Wright, Jana Winderen, Jay-Dea Lopez, Yannick Dauby, Lasse-Marc Riek, Eisuke Yanagisawa, Toshiya Tsunoda, Simon Scott, Jiyeon Kim, Dawn Scarfe, John Grzinich, Kiyoshi Mizutani, Anne Guthrie, Anne Wellmer, Els Viaene, Hiroki Sasajima etc etc.
One of the artists jrf mentions discussing their work here along with others;
http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/in-conversation/the-wire-salon_environmental-agents_the-art-of-field-recording
Some great discussion and Lee Patterson’s work opened my eyes to different perspectives and techniques when it comes to capturing some of the hidden sounds of our world, and this was just one artists methods and techniques who I’d stumbled upon, the ‘field’ is very wide.
These two as well – http://www.haineshinterding.net/
How’s the noise on the Uši Pro? Wonder if the makers could chime in, any comparisons to the DPA’s?
How’s the noise on the Uši Pro? Wonder if the makers could chime in, any comparisons to the DPA’s?
How’s the noise on the Uši Pro? Wonder if the makers could chime in, any comparisons to the DPA’s?
the other ‘outside of human hearing project’ that’s worth checking if you ever get a chance is Christina Kubisch’s Electrical walks (http://www.christinakubisch.de/en/works/electrical_walks ). A pair of headphones that pick up EMF and make it audible. I always liked the fact that she creates a route so there is a kind of structured composition to the sounds you hearm there’s some youtube videos out there I think but of course they don’t really capture the physical experience or exploration. ( Peter she’s in Berlin too I think? interview candidate? she’s quite the seminal sound artist IMHO 🙂 )
the other ‘outside of human hearing project’ that’s worth checking if you ever get a chance is Christina Kubisch’s Electrical walks (http://www.christinakubisch.de/en/works/electrical_walks ). A pair of headphones that pick up EMF and make it audible. I always liked the fact that she creates a route so there is a kind of structured composition to the sounds you hearm there’s some youtube videos out there I think but of course they don’t really capture the physical experience or exploration. ( Peter she’s in Berlin too I think? interview candidate? she’s quite the seminal sound artist IMHO 🙂 )
the other ‘outside of human hearing project’ that’s worth checking if you ever get a chance is Christina Kubisch’s Electrical walks (http://www.christinakubisch.de/en/works/electrical_walks ). A pair of headphones that pick up EMF and make it audible. I always liked the fact that she creates a route so there is a kind of structured composition to the sounds you hearm there’s some youtube videos out there I think but of course they don’t really capture the physical experience or exploration. ( Peter she’s in Berlin too I think? interview candidate? she’s quite the seminal sound artist IMHO 🙂 )
have you seen these? http://www.luhd-mics.com just ordered some