SHUTTLE358
URB (US)
FRAME
Dan Abrams' minimalist techno video presents a collision of
austere sound
and untouched public architecture
by Heath K. Hignight
minimal.techno.clean.crisp.concrete.
these are the primary things you need to keep in mind regarding
dan abrams' first video project, a short for his second shuttle358
album, frame. released on taylor deupree's minimal/experimental
art house label 12k records, this quicktime video is a first
for both abrams and 12k, where each is focusing on trying to
develop a second dimension to the characteristic clicks, pops,
drones and murmurs that make up this barren form of techno.
"simply put, i wanted to express my music visually," says abrams.
"album packaging and artwork is one way, and i thought i'd give
it a go to shoot some photography and see what i can come up
with."
stark. that's another thing to keep in mind. the lines that
crisscross through frame are reminiscent of a hitchkockian
visual "maguffin," the thing the director would use to distract
his audiences from the true themes in his films. in frame, the
maguffin is the concept of motion in a large city.
"the images focused on graphic signage and structures that fit
into the same visual vocabulary as my music - to me anyway.
i even made sure to hunt down the "newest" built freeways, train
terminals, etc, to give the most synthetic and untouched feel.
i am fascinated to watch the transition new public architecture
goes through as it degrades and blends in with the rest of the
city. to me, it loses its character, which is the opposite of
how most people feel."
for abrams, showing the city in this way reveals the aesthetic
underpinnings of the minimal techno he creates that are akin
to his vision of metropolitain life.
"a lot of times," he explains, "artists are able to take the
overall aesthetic or potential in something and present it in
such a way that it leaves room for the audience to play with
it. i made this video at about that level, nothing more. it
shouldn't be telling you anything! i guess my music is
like that, too."
catharsis. that's the last thing you need to know about shuttle358,
and frame.
