Pauline Oliveros

Primordial Lift was originally released in 2000 and is a recording of a performance Oliveros made with David Grubbs on Harmonium and Tony Conrad on electric violin among others. Of course, the result is transcendent and throws your mind across the room – thick waves of sound and dense drones surround you as you listen and the instruments become one wall of pulsating sound. Some of you might know Oliveros from her minimalist work with the Deep Listening Band, which she founded – this material however is far more aggressive and dare I say it less minimal. I’ll leave you with a quote from Oliveros on the making of these pieces… it’s quite intruiging really - The guiding metaphor of Primordial Lift structures the musicians' performances, mirroring the resonate frequency of the earth and its acceleration from 7.8 to 13hz and beyond. In 1994 the frequency was already at 8.6 and 13hz will be achieved by 2010, at which point the magnetic fields of the earth will pass through a zero point and a polar shift will occur. The acceleration from 7.8 to 13hz is 'Primordial;' 13hz and beyond is 'Lift.'