f r e e e l e c t r o n s : f r e e m u s i c

"Midnight" at the Meeting Place: Saturdays

It was nice to see that the DC goth-industrial scene is quite dynamic ,at least based on the 80-or-so attendees at "Midnight" last night. I have been away from DC for quite a long time and have been on a sort of a "communion" flashback since my return. To briefly explain, communion was an "improvindustribalcyberambient" band (producers of otherwise dark experimental sights and sounds) based in the DC area from 1993--1999 (based on first and last shows, as technically communion is simply hibernating). I was fortunate enough to have been part of this extremely creative group of "freaks", especially the co-founder 0110 but that's for another story...

Anyway, last night's gathering at Midnight put a smile on my face and a tinkle-on-my-winkle (whatever good thing it means) with the seemingly familiar freaks about (some of 'em at least), the attire, the music, the fascinating dancing and especially the friendly atmosphere. Such a diverse group of people, reflected in dress and dance at the least, all gathered in reverie of this dark music (or however you wanna call it). I particularly enjoyed hearing in a large social setting Siousxie and the Banshees, NItzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy and even the retro-synthpops/new wave diddlydoos of New Order, Psychedelic Furs, and I forget whoever did "I Go Crazy" ;) Thanks to DJs Phae and Liebchen. The guest veteran DJ Cheetahdave played faster EBM/darkcore (forgive me if I am no longer well-versed in the lingo) materials that I must admit I am not familiar with, but still enjoyed.

The organizers are quite friendly, the atmosphere unpretentious, and it seems that they've established Midnight as the place to go for freaks alike on Saturdays. As the flier proudly heralds, "By the freaks. For the freaks!" A couple of things I noticed: (1) there may be no room there for live acts as the place is rather small like a basement, and (2) the music from the speaker tend to get muddy when the volume gets louder. Perhaps the acoustics are a little to echo-y (or too much "early reflection" for you sound techies). I was there for 3 hours and had to hit home before the alcohol-effect hits me home.

Check it out for you newcomers like me: "Midnight" at The Meeting Place, 1707 L St. NW, Washington D.C. (Farragut North Metro Station). http://www.dcmidnight.com

Welcome to the Free Electrons Experimental Music Collective

Welcome "free electrons"! And welcome to the Free Electrons Collective of experimental electronic soundshapers, comprised of the “flagship” project freelectrons, communion, sss, TransmeTa, and the FOAM crew. And what binds these groups?  They are all generated in some mutated formation or another by members of communion, fused herein by Six.

Communion captures and builds upon the underlying elements in each of the individual projects—the arcane orchestral nocturne of sss, the apocalyptic trance-dance of FOAM, and the raw, impatient minimalism of TransmeTa—all woven together by organic and electronic experimentation.  Communion however lulled itself into indefinite sleep.  And when it woke, freelectrons (the flagship) emerged in 2001 as the brain-stepchild of Six Mar (Boston) and Wendell “DJ III” Adkins (Washington, DC). 

While true to the improvisational and experimental spirit of communion, freelectrons propelled the sound into the new century, embracing beats-based electronica and attempting to conceal much of its shadowy history while becoming increasingly and refreshingly playful.  With the production of freelectrons’ full-length, self-titled album, the duo recruited the freestylin’ diva, Elizabeth Taylor Crews (Washington, DC), to grace the album with her deceptively sweet and sexy voice, said to be reminiscent of Billy Holiday.

Work on new recordings have begun and initial sessions indicate a more instrumental and aggressive direction, perhaps like the sound of electrons, energized through ionospheic intercourse. . . But who will lead this exhibition in experimentation--freeelectrons or communion--is a question that is yet to be explored.

Yet while we wait we shall also explore how this nanospace in virtual reality can be used to serve the experimental music "scene" in the Washington DC area and elsewhere... This is where YOU come in! Are you free electrons?

So there you have it—a brief history in the evolution of the Free Electrons Collective, where music is. . . what else?. . .“free”.

Sleep naked,

Art T. Leary, Curtea D'Arges

Welcome "free electrons"! And welcome to the Free Electrons Collective of experimental electronic soundshapers, comprised of the “flagship” project freelectrons, communion, sss, TransmeTa, and the FOAM crew. And what binds these groups?  They are all generated in some mutated formation or another by members of communion, fused herein by Six.

Communion captures and builds upon the underlying elements in each of the individual projects—the arcane orchestral nocturne of sss, the apocalyptic trance-dance of FOAM, and the raw, impatient minimalism of TransmeTa—all woven together by organic and electronic experimentation.  Communion however lulled itself into indefinite sleep.  And when it woke, freelectrons (the flagship) emerged in 2001 as the brain-stepchild of Six Mar (Boston) and Wendell “DJ III” Adkins (Washington, DC). 

While true to the improvisational and experimental spirit of communion, freelectrons propelled the sound into the new century, embracing beats-based electronica and attempting to conceal much of its shadowy history while becoming increasingly and refreshingly playful.  With the production of freelectrons’ full-length, self-titled album, the duo recruited the freestylin’ diva, Elizabeth Taylor Crews (Washington, DC), to grace the album with her deceptively sweet and sexy voice, said to be reminiscent of Billy Holiday.

Work on new recordings have begun and initial sessions indicate a more instrumental and aggressive direction, perhaps like the sound of electrons, energized through ionospheic intercourse. . . But who will lead this exhibition in experimentation--freeelectrons or communion--is a question that is yet to be explored.

Yet while we wait we shall also explore how this nanospace in virtual reality can be used to serve the experimental music "scene" in the Washington DC area and elsewhere... This is where YOU come in! Are you free electrons?

So there you have it—a brief history in the evolution of the Free Electrons Collective, where music is. . . what else?. . .“free”.

Sleep naked,

Art T. Leary, Curtea D'Arges