The Speed of Light
"The new series is subtitled (299,792,458 m / s), which corresponds to the speed of light. I have been on a big science fiction trip for two or three years. All my new projects, including the two pieces from this album, revolve around the subject. The installation created this summer, Parallèle (299,792,458 m / s), is the first in the series to have been made public, even if the two pieces on this album were designed before."
- Nicolas Bernier
Transfert
"For me, the term “transfer” is related to science-fiction. It’s related to travel, the transfer from one space-time zone to another. There’s a futuristic ring to it. But the piece is mainly called transfert because I transferred the MIDI sequences from frequencies (a) (live piece with tuning forks created in 2012) and applied them to a ton of synths. Of course, the transfer from one piece to another wasn’t simple. In the end, I had to rewrite everything."
A Classic Sound World
Transfert is truly a marvel to the producer of electronic music.
The piece spans eighteen minutes without a single identical repetition, and contains some of the most ferocious sound design in history.
The piece is based on two fundamental elements; i.e. the stacking of classic 'kitsch' sonic textures in aleotory & microrhythm.
This sound world consists of tonal harmonic dissonance, and plenty of minor seconds.
Rhythm Disjointed
Bernier is a master at creating ambiguous phrase structures, by intentionally unevenly spacing phrases, micro-rhythmically adjusting elements against constants, and creating long, oscillating and repeating patterns underneath the overall sound palette.
Hyperactive Speeds
The piece contains such quick oscillating and repeating figures at times that it is almost impossible to believe.
Around eight minutes into the work, these fast aleatoric structures culminate into a frenzy of sound in transfert's first climax.
Bernier described the work as difficult to mix down given the sheer number of layers - highlighting a specific layer would result in a complete change to the listener's experience.
Press Pause
Around nine minutes into the work, the piece grinds to a sudden halt, as if it has ended, only to give way to a new section, which further deludes the realms of rhythmic reality.
Phrases are further obfuscated before the introduction of new material.
This new material finds itself stuck in a loop around thirteen minutes which builds into the first introduction of techno-like beats with a flurry of textures surrounding.
Second Climax
The second climax is soon reached, where more layers of sounds are introduced.
It is as if every sound in the work is happening at once over the semi-consistent beat.
This massive climax dissolves into a more minimal object, before looping and speeding up once more.
Tastefully Kitsch Satire
The piece grinds to a halt once more before introducing a bashful rendition of what could be an old techno track, before building into its final section.
This section holds repeating saw-like synths in the foreground with a mass of quickly moving waves and textures in the background.
The piece ends in a minimal layering of a four to the floor kick pattern with quickly repeated kick drums over it, and an uninvolved theme above it.
Listen to Transfert by Nicolas Bernier
Synthèse
"The idea behind the project – a work on the fundamental waveforms of synthesis – was in line with frequencies, but my state of mind and the aesthetic were much less about minimalism. I’m much more into kitsch right now, something rhythmic and inspired by pop culture."
Switch On
'synthèse' by Nicolas Bernier begins with what sounds like a machine switching on.
Its sound world is similar to that of transfert's although with less standard synth textures.
White Noise
Noise is prominently featured throughout the work, being unpredictably filtered and gated over many repeating textures and familiar signals.
Retro Video Game Sounds
Around three minutes, the piece introduces a section that sounds like an old Tetris soundtrack on a cut up record.
This section speeds up and introduces new layers before dissipating into a rhythmically and harmonically ambigious one.
Phrases are obscured, and there is no sure tonal center.
Your Call Has Been Placed on Hold
Sounds are introduced hereafter which resemble a receiver attempting to connect to a network.
Each new section builds before either breaking down or disappearing completely.
After each halt, new or developed material is introduced.
The occasional startling texture creates temporary humorous relief.
Expanding Spaces
In both transfert and synthèse, Bernier creates sections which expand in space, by adding large levels of reverb to certain signals.
This is in stark contrast to the dry state of most of their tracks.
Truly Unique
Nine minutes in; enter an arpeggiation of truly bizarre formant signals, stacked with gated noise, and quickly built into multiple layers of similarly strange and pitchless textures.
Switch Off
This all builds up before suddenly releasing the pressure into what sounds like this strange machine finally shutting down;
