Tag: Valence

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Review – Valence (LINE) – 2012 – Boomkat.com

Valence on LINE  054 – 2012

*Limited edition of 500* Montreal’s I8U, known for releases on Room40 and Atak, presents her first recordings as France Jobin. This switch to her own name signifies a purification of aesthetic on ‘Valence’, offering three beautifully deep and meditative compositions swimming in the same infinitely tranquil waters as Eliane Radigue, Franca Sacchi or Celer. The work overall takes it’s inspiration from her interests in quantum physics and digital composition, and finds parallels between the “wacky world of subatomic dimensions” and the elusive emotions she encounters within experimental electronic music. We’d love to delve deeper into this, but our quantum physics diplomas were actually bought in the Arndale market. Instead we can tell you this is a beautiful piece of work to behold, defined by incredibly subtle microtonal shifts and pure, tactile frequency isolations which are thrilling to experience (if you’re thrilled by that kind of thing), all delicately strung between icily crisp digital highs and lushly resonant harmonic coloration.

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Valence on LINE

France Jobin
Valence
LINE_054
CD + Digital
Edition of 500
February  14th 2012

LINE is proud to present a new work by Montreal sound artist France Jobin. Having released under her moniker i8u, Valence is her first release under her own name. Created entirely from transformed field recordings, this collection of three compositions has an elegant flowing simplicity. Slow harmonic modulations of a similar essence to the works of Eliane Radigue and Celer.
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Valence is inspired by both the valence bond (VB) and molecular orbital (MO) theories.

An atomic orbital is a mathematical function that describes the wave-like behavior of either one electron or a pair of electrons in an atom. This function can be used to calculate the probability of finding any electron of an atom in any specific region around the atom’s nucleus. The term may also refer to the physical region defined by the function where the electron is likely to be.

Often, my compositions start with a feeling or emotional state. There is a likelihood of finding a certain emotion in a piece, but it is not guaranteed, nor do I know exactly when or where I will find it. The act of looking for that emotion in of itself will distort it. Although one would think experimental music grants complete freedom, when composing, I feel constrained by both my mental state and the way in which I build the piece.

I find an unlikely parallel in quantum theory and composing. The electron that can exist on a different orbital plain can never have it’s velocity measured or even its exact location known, due to the intimate connection between particles and waves in the wacky world of subatomic dimensions.
All sounds recorded at various locations in North America and Europe.
Special thanks to Richard Chartier and Mark Hogben.
Cover image by Mark Hogben.

S orbital   27:41
P orbital   22:12
D orbital   18:21

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