from SOUNDS FRAME SILENCE cassette (41-003) 1989
K.S. Eden: instruments, sounds and treatments
During the five year gap between Open Heart and Earth Murmurs, the cassette tape format had risen to prominence. After the costly process of producing his previous album, Eden took a DIY approach and dubbed tapes himself using his own artwork. A handful of copies were distributed to friends with a few sent out in hope of radio play or press reviews, although much like it’s predecessor; Earth Murmurs flew below the radar.
The lack of industry attention did not falter Eden’s momentum since the aim of his work was never to build a profile or carve out a musical career, he simply enjoyed the process of making music.
“I had no illusions that I was an artist, or a musician or.. anybody. I was just scratching a creative itch”
Towards the end of the Earth Murmurs sessions a few pieces emerged which laid the foundation for his next album Sounds Frame Silence. Completed in 1989 and taking its name from an Erik Satie quote, the tracks explore a concept Eden called ‘found & invented rhythm’ - found being sampled from existing recordings, and invented as played by Eden himself.
Field recordings and fragments of ethnographic material were recontextualised through swaths of effects, with hints of programmed drums, treated guitars and whaling synthesizers merging against a backdrop of pre-Rave sounding pads. The album was also produced and distributed on tape by Eden himself although this time even fewer copies were made.
Not long after the completion of Sounds Frame Silence he relocated to London to study Fine Art. During this period he produced a collection of long form ambient pieces to soundtrack audio-visual installations created for his degree. These captivating works titled Residuum would remain otherwise unheard until the release of this compilation.
