MARS II, the vinyl contains the music composed for MARS II, the performance. In MARS II Karl Van Welden explores the impact of volcanic ash on the performance of pianist Frederik Croene and the sound he produces, playing on an automated piano. Mars II examines a moment of catastrophe and the pianist’s reactions to drastic changes in his environment. At the outset, volcanic ash particles fall gently and harmlessly. After a while, the amount of dark volcanic ash raining down on the musician and his instrument increases exponentially, slowly but surely transforming the sound and the image. An exploration of the contrasting effects between a moment of bliss, the strike of disaster, and its aftermath.
MARS II, the vinyl is an edition of 300 copies, numbered and signed. The first 10 are accompanied by The Volcano Prints, a limited, numbered and signed series of 3 prints.
On Friday, March 16th 2018 the LP with the music of MARS II, the performance’ has been released at Gouvernement in Ghent. Metaphon, the record label, mainly focuses on releasing archival and previously unreleased sound work by Belgian electronic music composers and remarkable sound artists. Metaphon endeavours to uncover these hidden treasures. For more info, click here.
