Press Summary
Defying an easy description, synnack is perhaps best described as "experimental electronic music"; fusing elements of ambient, noise, industrial, and IDM musical styles with new media performance mediums.
Live, synnack uses a combination of custom computer environments and live instruments to remix and manipulate audio at fundamental levels. Though mostly computer generated, synnack is said to sound strangely organic and no two synnack performances are the same. Visit synnack.com for more information and free synnack release downloads.
More Info
synnack fuses elements of ambient, noise, industrial, and IDM* musical styles with new media** performance mediums.
In a review of the v2 release, Side-Line magazine writes:
Defining the sound of Synnack as experimental would be just a bit too easy. The experimental side of Synnack is for sure one of their main parts, but they're definitely digging deeper in the electronic sound universe. Adding industrial elements and other drum-n-bass elements they also enter ambient fields. The result is quite complex, but exciting. (full review)
synnack is Clint M. Sand (of 0xf8 Studios, and formerly of cut.rate.box and Mono Chrome) and features additional contributions by other artists such as Jeff Ito, Tony Young of Autoclav1.1, and Dave Jones of AttackSustain.
History
Originally, synnack (then syn-nack.org) was launched in 2001 as a web site for online music collaboration community with the goal of applying open source software development processes to music creation; a place for people to exchange music that they compose; download and remix each other's music, and 'release' them at no charge. A dynamic exchange of creativity and expression. Anyone would be allowed to post their music, with the only requirement, that they also post the source material used in its creation. (samples, sequences, etc...).
Since those early expeirments, synnack as a "band" began to take shape and founding members have since taken their musical ideas out of the context of this initial project and formalized them into a cohesive project.
Live
synnack generally performs 2 types of shows, depending on the setting.
- Ambient/Noise/Experimental-a combination custom computer environments and live instruments to manipulate audio at fundamental levels.
- IDM/Industrial-custom computer environments are used to remix the material with beats and rhythms to create a danceable experience.
Live performances also often include additial collaborations with other musicians such as Andy Grant of The Vomit Arsonist, Torrent Vaccine (check out synnack-vaccine) and DJ 523 so that no 2 performances are the same.
Video
In 2007, synnack founder Clint Sand teamed up with Jennifer McClain to create the video division of 0xf8 Studios. Their initial collaboration led to the current synnack live video backdrop, where McClain uses custom VJ software written in MaxMSP/Jitter to remix and manipulate custom, narrative footage in real-time along with the synnack show; creating more of an 'environmental happening' which covers the audience in sensory love splunk. (Live Review*** - Infest 2007)
Examples can be seen on the video page and the synnack YouTube channel. A full-length DVD of the video work will be released in 2010.
Release Methodology
synnack uses a very distinct nomenclature to organize and represent their releases. Releases are titled numerically starting with v1. Phonetically this would be "version 1". Each new incremental release is numbered according to the style and intent.
- Releases named as full, whole-numbers (such as 'v2') usually represent full 1 hour+ releases aimed for CD distribution and/or digital online sales.
- Releases named as fractions of a whole (such as 'v1.5', v2.5') feature the more experimental side of synnack and are usually more ambient/experimental in nature. These releases may sold as CD or downloads and will be made available for free to registered supporters.
A full discography and release download section is available on our audio page.
Futures
synnack's 'v2' is out now. Listen to preview clips of the full release on the Discography page and purchase the CD or MP3 release using the synnack.com shop
Work is currently underway for the next synnack release, v2.5. While v2 took years to make and was the result of intense editing and tinkering, v2.5 will feature mostly improvised sound design and recordings of live studio performances. v2.5 features mostly dark ambient/experimental tracks made exclusively with synths, including custom-built modular, hardware synthesizers in partnership with Dave Jones of attacksustain.com.
FAQ
What software/hardware does synnack use?
synnack uses a combination of field recordings, hardware synths, and software effects and samplers. Primary software includes custom patches created in NI Reaktor/Max/MSP and live sequenceing/mixing techniques using Ableton Live. This of course just scratches the surface but represents what we spend the majority of our time with.
With the help of Dave Jones, we've also been using quite a bit of custom hardware as well. Primary hardware includes a Zoom H4, Nord Modular,nd Rack 2x, various custom circuit bent noise boxes, many rack spaces of Doepfer modules, Vostok modular, and various guitars and basses.
What does the name synnack mean?
Originally the name was inspired by computer networking terms for initiating connections (syn) and acknowledgment (ack) and chosen as a metaphor of the goals of the syn-nack.org collaborative project. It just stuck.
*IDM, short for intelligent dance music or intellectual dance music, is an electronic music genre which began as a style of techno in the early 1990s and moved on to include the textures and sound manipulation methods of Musique concrete and early,"true" industrial bands such as Coil (band) and Nurse With Wound, albeit with software replacing tape loops and vacuum tubes. As compared to the driving, pounding sound of techno aimed at the dancefloor, IDM aims for the head, usually being quite a bit slower, more melodic, less aggressive, and more artistic, quirky and improvisational.
**new media | All emerging communications media that combine text, graphics, sound, and video, using computer technology. Cable and satellite TV, fax, e-mail, and the Internet --- the consequences of the technological advances of the past few decades. All electronic communications that have appeared or will appear since the original text-and-static picture forms of online communication..
From a composite of multiple sources. Contact synnack for references.
***In review of the Infest 2007 performance: ... Created by former cut.rate.box main man Clint Sand, Synnack lived up to the promising and accurate description in the programme ("A live experimental electronic band... blending IDM, ambient, industrial and noise") whose noise was liberal but not oppressive just for the sake of it. Punishing but not fatal. Sand was joined on stage by Autoclav1.1's Tony Young and between them they produced a one-time-only VJ display of audiovisual material completely remixed live on stage using Ableton Live. The resultant dance-like techno rhythms and beats suffused with an alternative outlook developed into a well-constructed dark soundtrack. At its best this had an epic quality that would work wonders in a huge open-air location where the visuals could be given prominence over the performance - with Synnack simply providing the score. If they can come up with (or find) a suitable narrative film idea this could be realised without any major reworking and could be seriously rewarding. Penultimate track Underneath Outside residing mainly in the dark ambient soundtrack territory was an unforced high point..
From Rob Dyer, DSO.co.uk
