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JAN JELINEK "loop-finding-jazz-records”— scape 007/007cd

Specific ideas require specific labels. Jan Jelinek releases a new album on ~scape and we welcome a new concept: "loop-finding-jazz-records". Jan Jelinek? You know, the production link no 1 between snd and Blaze, the human sound poetry generator any computer, be it Amiga or the Mac Cube, would be honoured to work with. Since 98 four eps have appeared on Klang Elektronik (as Farben) while Source Records released a Gramm album. As introduced by his contribution to the "staedtizism" sampler and the Jan Jelinek ep on ~scape, "loop-finding-jazz-records" explores all possible variants of the unique Jelinek/~scape production concept. With the aid of his sampler Jelinek has developed an exclusive music discovery approach, building on three central themes: jazz,the loop finding modulation wheel and Moiré. Jazz sequences from the 60s and 70s

are cut up into second-long loops, shifted by the wheel of the sampler and combined into spacial arrangements with maximum depth of field, re-creating the notorious Moiré-effect, this ground-breaking painting technique of creating three dimensional space in a plane without the classic tools of perspective. When Vasarély slightly tilted a few lines in a square grid it seems to flicker three-dimensionally. Similarily, when Jelinek uses his modulation wheel to twist linear loops, sounds

dance into zero gravity. It’s just a little twist for Jelinek’s index finger and a large step for the grammar of crackle poetry. Should anyone enquire after the lyrical scope of clicks and cuts and glitches, "loop-finding-jazz-records" will overwhelm them like Jerichos trumpets. The more gentle, the more insistent. And the initial concept will be forgotten amongst excited listening surprise.

Jan Jelinek BIO

Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg. A little studio flat in a student area, not far from the new Berlin Mitte. Bed, records and studio share a whitewashed room. At the window Jan Jelinek, surrounded by assorted sound media that have just passed through his sampler at the quest for the perfect loop. The sampler as a dissecting tool. With a hairtooth comb Jelinek searches

through his endless archives. The result might be called gramm or farben. It smells of music, no, it smells of vinyl as records are the fundamental ingredient of Jelinek’s work. Machines and instruments remain bit-players, the sampling source takes prime position. The production approach of the 28-year-old is not based on classic musicianship but the collaging of tiny sound fragments. Split seconds, grabbed from the depth of vinyl. Creeping out of the sampler are the sound equivalents of favourite appartments, up there on the 20th floor, spaceous and furnished in a quiet shade of white. Clicks and cuts, cut and paste: antiquated operating system functions take their pride of place in the process. In 1995 Darmstadt-born Jelinek moved to Berlin. At roughly the same time he started to experiment with a variety of sampling media. But the move was not a result of his passion for electronic music but his university degree in philosophy and sociology. In 1998 his first output appeared under the monicker farben on Frankfurt-based label Klang Elektronik, supported by highly-rated production team Jörn Wuttke and Roman Flügel (aka Sensorama / Acid Jesus). The fourth and latest farben-ep, raw macro, appeared in April 2000. At the same time, Source (David Moufangs of Move D’s label) released the debut album personal rock of his alter ego gramm. Here what was already hinted at with farben received extension and refinement at album length: sound design with melancholic gravity and

rhythmic finesse, far beyond moribund genres like techno or ambient Forget about pidgeon-holing or categories ­ gramm is the direct link between dance and listening music. Already known for his contribution to the Staedtizism sampler, Jelinek

will soon present a new production concept under the banner of loop-finding-jazz-records. In conjunction with his sampler he developed an exclusive music discovery art based on three central premises: jazz, the loop-finding-modulation wheel and Moiré. Jazz sequences from the 60s and 70s are cut into linear second loops and shifted by the modulation wheel function, resulting in spacious arrangements with maximum depth of field, nevertheless still operating within the known gramm and farben framework. This time released on the Stefan Betke/Pole label ~scape. Live appearances, too, benefit from the sampler. No matter if it’s as gramm or farben, Jelinek bolsters the line-ups of international festivals such as the Austrian Ars Electronica or the Berlin-based Z 2000. This doesn’t preclude various club appearances, and here the strength of gramm/farben becomes apparent: unassuming, gentle grooves, danceable but not necessarily dance music ­ the actual mixing is central to the sound,

further arrangements and tension are created by the live approach, dubbing it like King Tubby used to. And last, but not least, let’s mention Jelinek’s contribution to the Hanover-based EXPO 2000: together with design collective 3 de luxe Jelinek developed multimedia land- and soundscapes for visitors of the youth media pavillion to walk through and explore at length.

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