FERALCATSCAN

{ about }

Feralcatscan is science fiction, a romantic walk through a dystopian wonderland, that strange array of lights hovering in the twilight, the mad scientist caressing peculiar mechanical finery, the sound of countless worlds falling into oblivion.

Using mostly obsolete and reverse engineered technology, this mercurial music ensemble connects seemingly different disciplines of art, science, and spirituality, with a delicate application the absurd. The result is that of chaos surrendering, regrouping, and then revolting.

{ instrumentation }

Subspace Modem
The first feralcatscan circuit-bending experiment, blending a computer modem with a homegrown dual oscillator circuit and a fried voice synthesis circuit. This unholy amalgam, housed in a piece of defunct video test equipment, produces rhythmic ticks, pitch-swelling drones, and streams of data, that range from barely audible to completely inaubible.

The role of this device has evolved over time, from a tone generator, to a voltage controlled oscillator, and when connected to other circuit-bent devices, via cables in the back, a complex logic filter-- used to compose real-time cascading rhythms.

Base Six
This promotional item offered by Psoraisis Connections was found at a thrift store in Newport News for $2. It produces 6 different environments, including a pier scene, rain forest, bird song, sea wave, stream, and wind chimes.

A pitch bend and shaping distortion were added to expand its functionality. If that weren't enough, when the distortion is at its maximum setting, the device transforms into a versatile sweeping square wave oscillator-- this must be reset by turning the unit off.

Exterminator
Originally a Texas Instruments Magic Wand Speak & Learn, this toy was found at thrift store in Syracuse for $1. Its intended purpose is to read books with special barcodes that trigger phonemes to generate words. Since there were no compatible books at the thrift store and the toy failed to respond to all number of barcodes, the functionality was intentionally altered to spit out phoneme sequences.

The design of the piece was inspired by the Daleks, an alien menance from Doctor Who. The brass balls were put in place to give it the look of Dalek technology and to access various points on the board, causing different glitches and easily accomodating alligator clips, used to connect the toy to other devices.

Señor Robot
Formerly a Playskool Talking Alphabet Soup, found at a thrift store in San Francisco-- the board was removed and now resides in a timer switch from a massage chair. The knob forces the unit to glitch in a variety of ways. It also seems to generate enough RF noise to interfere with other circuit-bent devices. Señor Robot is, indeed, a world class nonsense generator.

{ recordings }

Æther Firma
Æther Firma imagines the romantic piano works of Alexander Scriabin, through radiative transfer equations that describe planetary atmospheres. Listen to track six, Ghost Sun. Only $7.57 USD, Postage Paid.

Dream Syntax
Dream Syntax parses the elusive langauge of the subconcious through 1980s speech synthesis technology. Listen to the first track, Divine Opcode. Only $7.61 USD, Postage Paid.

Prehistoric Birdcage
Prehistoric Birdcage commands an armada of circuit-bent instruments to physically represent the transcendental, variables in an equation, which are fed strings of alien data. Some feeding on the environment and some on themselves, but all evolving into something new. Listen to the first track from Prehistoric Birdcage, Unfolding. Only $7.69 USD, Postage Paid.

{ performances }

18 August 2006	Williamsburg Library Theatre Williamsburg VA	The Peninsula Experimental Arts Society presents Khate, Controlled Dissonance, Projexorcism, Consumption Experiment, Barkona Rova, Hindu Pez, Damion Champ, and feralcatscan
26 May 2006	Over the Edge Berkeley CA	Negativland's infamous radio show, featuring Ninah, Das, Khate, Univac, and feralcatscan Hosted by Izzy Isn't
22 May 2006	Downtown Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA	A guerrilla performance, on Pacific Avenue, in lovely downtown Santa Cruz, featuring Synthia, Khate, and feralcatscan.
16 October 2005	Art Works Richmond VA	3^rd Annual 804 Noise Fest
19 August 2005	Nanci Raygun Richmond VA	Get Bent 2005 A circuit-bent music showcase featuring Khate, Projexorcism, Controlled Dissonance, The Silence Bureau, and feralcatscan.
29 April 2005	Williamsburg Library Theatre Williamsburg VA	Another collaborative effort involving Khate, Projexorcism, and feralcatscan, but this time we recorded it, sort of. Available here.
19 March 2005	The Wizard Lounge Hickory NC	A collaborative effort involving Khate, Projexorcism, and feralcatscan.
17 March 2005	The Milestone Club Charlotte NC	With Khate, Projexorcism, and Clang Quartet.
2-3 October 2004	Art Works Richmond VA	2^nd Annual 804 Noise Fest
6 August 2004	~~Ratward~~ Phoebus VA	It's sort of a blur.
6 July 2004	Art Works Richmond VA	With Birds in the Meadow, and Incite from Hamburg, Germany.
27 May 2004	Bickett Gallery Raliegh NC	919 Noise Show With Subscape Annex, Clang Quartet, and Khate.
22 May 2004	Nanci Raygun Richmond VA	Ambient Live 2K4
14 September 2003	~~Polkadot Arts Gallery~~ Richmond VA	1^st Annual 804 Noise Fest feralcatscan meets Khate.
28 November 2001	~~Hole in the Wall~~ Richmond VA	The 1^st feralcatscan performance.

{ contact }

wayne@feralcatscan.com