Aube

Aube (born Akifumi Nakajima), a daring Japanese experimental composer, focused on works consisting of meticulous manipulations of �natural� sound sources, ranging from water to light bulbs, stones to brain waves. Each release starts from one of these sounds, which is then deformed, multiplied, amplified, and vivisected.

It took the cassettes Hydrophobia (Vanilla Records, 1991), Spindrift (G.R.O.S.S., 1992), Drip (G.R.O.S.S., 1992), Submerged Tension (Steeple, using water as an instrument), Luminous (G.R.O.S.S., 1993), which uses fluorescent lamps, and, credited to Club Skull, The Origins Of... (G.R.O.S.S., 1993), before Aube was able to release his first CD, Flood-Gate (Vanilla, 1993), again using water.

After the cassettes Flash-Point (G.R.O.S.S., 1993), for lamps, Frequency For Collapse (G.R.O.S.S., 1994), for building sounds, the single Aquatremble (Stomach Ache, 1994), for water, Double Mind String (G.R.O.S.S., 1994), credited to Sian, The Three Temples (G.R.O.S.S., 1994), a triple cassette credited to Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, and Gokurakuji, two cassettes for power oscillator, E-Power (G.R.O.S.S., 1994) and Emotional Oscillation (Old Europa Cafe, 1994), Recycled Music (RRRecords, 1994), again for water, Sound on Sound (G.R.O.S.S., 1994), credited to Loop Circuit, G-Radiation (Fever Pitch, 1995), again for lamps, Can-Zone (Soya Sause Bolognese, 1995), for cans, he recorded in Germany with Die Form Ukiyo (Hypnobeat, 1995).

The American CD Purification To Numbness (Pure, 1995), for power oscillators, did not interrupt the cassette sequence, which became even more sophisticated in packaging and were recorded around the world: Huile Sur L'eau (G.R.O.S.S., 1995), for water, Liquid Passion (Sounds For Consciousness Rape, 1995), for water, in France, Squash (Chocolate Monk, 1995), for cans, in Scotland, Voltanic Valley (Perverse Serie, 1995), for power oscillator, in Greece, Reflux (Bawler Tape Productions, 1995), for power oscillator, in Germany, Metalustration (Bloodlust, 1995), for power oscillator, in the USA.

Wired Trap (Self Abuse Records, 1995), for steel wire, and Magnetostriction (God*Factory, 1995), three suites for magnetic resonance spectroscope, in the Netherlands were the CDs of the year.

Aube�s prolific and international activity continued with the cassette Entangle Spirant (Drahtfunk Products, 1996), for steel wire, in Germany; Floating Memory (Napalmed, 1995), for power oscillator, in Czechoslovakia; the four cassettes of The Four Shrines (G.R.O.S.S., 1996), credited to Meiji Jingu, Ise Jingu, Heian Jingu, Atsuta Jingu; Stratodive (Bandaged Hand Produce, 1996), for power oscillator, in the UK; Somnambulism (Kadef, 1996), for synthesizer, in Germany; Artifact (Bawler Productions, 1996), for electroencephalogram, in Germany.

On disc, the four suites of Maschinenwerk (Charnel House, 1996), in collaboration with Cock E.S.P., were released, and finally Infinitely Orbit (Alchemy, 1996), containing a reduced version of Purification To Numbness, along with a quantity of singles and EPs. Infinitely Orbit is a good example of his art at the border between serene psychedelia and austere ambient music, with a direction influenced by Stockhausen and Cage. Electronic music is used intensely to build noise-saturated harmonies (with a sadistic predilection for ultra-high frequencies), but far from the traumas of industrial music.

The following year opens with the quadruple single Quadrotation (Self Abuse, 1997) for metal, heartbeat, lamps, and water. Along with the albums Synapse (Korm Plastics, 1997), credited to Sian, Cardiac Strain (Alien8, 1997), for heartbeat, Aqua Syndrome (Manifold, 1997 � Silentes, 2008), for water, Metal de Metal (Manifold, 1997 � Silentes, 2008), his main work for metal, Stared Gleam (Iris Light, 1997), for lamp, Throb In Manic Red (Praxis Dr. Bearmann, 1997), for heartbeat, and Dazzle Reflexion (Releasing Eskimo, 1997), for fluorescent lamp, numerous cassettes recorded around the world were released in a flood: Feed The Fishes (Betley Welcomes Careful Drivers Crash, 1997), for water, in the UK; Plangent Recoil (Less Than Zero, 1997), for metal, in Italy; Moment In Fragrance (Cling Film, 1997), for synthesizer, in Belgium.

In 1998 almost all of his works were released on disc: Mort Aux Vaches/Still Contemplation (Staalplaat, 1998), for metal (broadcast live in the Netherlands); the anthology Substructural Penetration 91-95 (Iris Light, 1998) of tracks released on various compilations; Evocation (Auf Abwegen, 1998) for electroencephalogram; Pages from The Book (E+J Recordings, 1998), for Bible pages being flipped; Sigh In Depressive Blue (Praxis Dr. Bearmann, 1998), for lungs; Vas In Euthymic Violet (Praxis Dr. Bearmann, 1998), for blood arteries; Sink/Assign (Manifold, 1998), credited to Sian; Deglaze (Old Europa Cafe, 1998), for glass; Howling Obsession (Newsonic, 1998), for speakers; Flush (reLIGHT, 1998), for water; Flare (reLIGHT, 1998), a reissue of Luminous.

To celebrate the end of the millennium, Aube plans to release one album a month for the entire year 2000. The project debuts with Triad Thread (Armonika, 2000), three suites for metallic noise.

Cerebral Disturbance and Blood-Brain Barrier (Ytterblum, 2000) employ brainwaves. Ricochetentrance (Lunar, 2000) returns to his favorite element, water.

Stone is the material used for the fresco of Set On (Manifold, 2001). The second half is unusual in that Aube generates a subtle techno locomotive out of the electronic processing.

Timemind (Alchemy, 2001) is a tribute to Klaus Schulze and, in general, to synth-based music of the past.

Rewriting The Book (Elsie and Jack, 2002) is a two-disc set of remixes of Pages From The Book.

Later albums include: Chain [RE] Action (2005), Mectpyo Saisei (2005), Comet (2006), Imagery Resonance (2007).