12X22: December by Sven Rånlund
Twelfth and final in a 2022 project of monthly releases. December – wasn't it January just now??
"12X22" has been my musical year with twelve moons. A yearlong project that started as a half-witted idea to have something fun and productive to look forward to every month. Also, as a deadline junkey, I wanted (needed) time limits. An album before the end of each month. That was the plan.
The format, long one-track-albums of electronic music composed on modular synth, was more of a gut feeling. Listening music, lay-down-mental-music. That's my kind of music. Eagerly, but humbly, I wanted to explore the depths of the same water where the electronic legends and pioneers used to come up with their long form classics: Pauline Oliveros, Ákos Rózmann, Roland Kayn, Eliane Radigue..... And Jim O'Rourke, for me a true inspiration with his daring, long electronic pieces released on his Steamroom. I longed for open landscapes where sounds and music have time to tell a story, grow, evolve, dissolve, mate, play, evaporate.
The idea for the album "December" came from a concert-installation I did in December 2019 at the music store Ödmans Musik in Gothenburg. I had been invited by sound artist Dan Fröberg and his label Outerdisk to interpret some Christmas songs on modular synth. A generous invitation. I brought my Buchla Music Easel, eurorack modulars, contact microphones and – as a central character – a hydrophone in a large glass filled with the much loved Swedish "julmust" (Christmas root beer). An adventurous afternoon, I recall, improvising on modules, objects, ice cubes, julmust. And on the Easel, playing snippets of loads of Christmas carols and other evergreens of the season.
Naturally, the hydrophone-in-julmust-on-ice-instrument had to be brought alive for this piece. Also the Christmas carols, now on eurorack modules only. The juxtaposition of Christian and profane songs had no significant value, more than it's fascinating how sounding memories can evoke from only two or three tones. Not particularly looking for nostalgia or romanticism, but I'm fine with that, too.
And so, this "December" is the final of my monthly musical reports. Full circle, "12X22" is completed. Wow! It's been an adventure, a joy, a crazy burden. Foolish and stressful. Also an opportunity, for me, to explore sound and what music can be and be made of. Freedom, I suppose. Ideas. Really, what a gift.
Thanks, hope you enjoy.
Sven Rånlund, Gothenburg, December 30, 2022.
Musician from Gothenburg, Sweden. Playing modular synths as solo artist, in the noise orchestra GGR Betong and bands like Dahlmans Kapell (w Thomas Hulenvik), SMS (with Mike Lloyd and Sverker Pettersson), LAMM (w Henrik Olsson and Anders Dahl) and RedRån (w Johan Redin). Also guitarist in the noise punk band Plötslig Måndag.