New cassette release on PBKsound: "Chain Letter Exhortation Series #4 (Allan Zane Mix)" -
Allan Zane, a composer hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee (originally from Asheville, North Carolina), has been immersed in the world of music since the late 1990s, initially delving into solo audio projects and participating in a duo endeavor called WYRM. Throughout his career, Zane has explored various artistic personas, including Solumenata and Le Scrambled Debutante--as well as collaborating with the likes of GX Jupitter-Larsen, Rapoon, Nocturnal Emissions, The New Blockaders, Mixed Band Philanthropist and so on.
His musical output traverses a broad spectrum, ranging from perverse, psychoactive, and chaotic compositions to ethereal, atmospheric soundscapes. Zane produces highly limited physical releases, some of which are so scarce that only a handful of copies exist. In recent times, the artist has ventured away from the public eye and now publishes exclusive editions through platforms like Bandcamp.
One recent notable entry in his catalogue is the Chain Letter Exhortation Series, curated by Phillip B. Klingler (PBK) and comprised of collaborative works, each involving four artists. The concept underlying the series revolves around an interesting process. The audio material provided by the first artist undergoes remixing, manipulation, and augmentation by the subsequent participant, who then passes it along to another artist for further reimagining. This baton of creativity is passed on one final time, resulting in a chain of mixes, each possessing a unique character that often differs significantly from its predecessors.
"Chain Letter Exhortation Series #4" showcases the combined efforts of four experimental sound artists: Big City Orchestra, PBK, Allan Zane himself, and Shaun Robert. This was released in late 2022, with a final mix by Shaun Robert, whose brilliant rendition of "anything-might-happen" audio takes listeners on a tangled psychedelic journey.
Allan Zane's mix stands in stark contrast to Shaun Robert's final rendition, unveiling a meticulously woven filmic soundtrack, where threads of ethereal beauty permeate the sonic landscape. Abstract melodies gracefully unfold and undergo subtle transformations, occasionally giving way to impulsive surges of synthetic sound or electrifying textures. The mix even adopts a touch of ethnographic allure, transporting the listener into an evocative realm of sound that invites deep contemplation and exploration.