Lineality
This full, extra length, album was created by Truus de Groot featuring analog synthesizers only. Many of these are her very own synths, co-designed by Bosko Hrnjak and built by Dr. Moonstien. The album features 6 songs of 11 minutes each, clocking a total of 66 minutes. This brain stimulating music is from another dimension, it is ideal to create art by, cook, write, meditate, go about your business or excellent driving music to make the world just a little more interesting.
This full, extra length, album was created by Truus de Groot featuring analog synthesizers only. Many of these are her very own synths, co-designed by Bosko Hrnjak and built by Dr. Moonstien. The album features 6 songs of 11 minutes each, clocking a total of 66 minutes. This brain stimulating music is from another dimension, it is ideal to create art by, cook, write, meditate, go about your business or excellent driving music to make the world just a little more interesting.
REVIEWS
Ioan for Louder than war
Either as a solo performer, or under the Plus Instruments moniker, Truus de Groot has been at the forefront of experimental music-making for the last three decades. Established in 1978 in the Netherlands, amidst the explosion of punk rock and new wave, de Groot became active in the resulting detritus of the scenes. However, the more experimental aspects of tinkering with toy instruments, mangled improvised sounds, and in particular, analog synthesizers gradually took over and moved de Groot’s sound beyond post-punk, and thus Plus Instruments was born.
Releasing their first EP single in 1979, most of Plus Instruments’ live performances were improvised, and after hundreds of performances all through Europe, Truus struck up a friendship with Rhys Chatham’s drummer, David Linton after seeing them play live in her hometown of Eindhoven. This friendship with Linton involved an invitation for a NYC visit in 1981, where de Groot was suddenly thrown into the burgeoning and incredibly fertile No wave scene. There, Plus Instruments would soon include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) on guitar and David Linton on drums, while Truus played bass and sang lead vocals. They quickly recorded and released an album, February – April 1981, on the Dutch Kremlin label. With this line-up, they hit the New York club scene, and went on to a European Tour. Over the coming years, Plus Instruments would include musicians such as Jonathan Schneider, Craig Kafton, Annene Kay, Marula Verbeek and James Sclavanos (Sonic Youth, Bad Seeds), yet de Groot remained the constant in this fluid, experimental outfit.
December 2017 saw the latest release from de Groot, in the form of the six-track LP, Lineality. Each of the six tracks runs to exactly eleven minutes and it is described by de Groot herself as, “my most experimental album to date”. The full-length album was created solely using her own analog synthesizers, co-designed by Bosko Hrnjak and built by Dr. Moonstien. Immediately from Lineality 1 (Primam Aciem), the widescreen scope of the sounds that de Groot is able to makes is unnervingly evident – wonky analog synth drone, with audial cosmic arrays and modulator bends. Halfway through the track, a throbbing synth beat emerges, only to be beaten down by the experimental warped sounds.
Lineality 2 (II Recta) starts off with a more organic feel. At times it sounds like field recordings and not the results of any electrical involvement. As the track progresses, the spacial architecture De Groot is able to make with her sounds becomes especially evident, as you could imagine these are the last sounds a dying spacecraft would make as it plummets into a planet. Lineality 3 (Tertiam) has the spastic modular bends, ramped up as the other-worldly sounds she is able to produce become more and more outrageous and astonishing. A heavy, unnerving march underlies the track and you could well imagine it playing out to the march of a Triffid, or worse. The second half of the track is taken up with a more noisy experimental feel, albeit accompanied with what sounds like a deranged oboe. Nice.
Lineality 4 (Quarta Acie) has quite a harsh, high-pitched noise start and is closely followed by another drone-heavy slog through the gorgeously-twisted frequencies, sinister heavy throbs, spectral ripples and celestial rip tides. Ironically, it is out of this unearthly electronica swamp that comes the first thing that remotely resembles a ‘tune’ in the most conventional terms. Follow-up, Lineality 5 (Linea Quinque), is another track that trudges through a sonic scrap land soundtracking decrepit and outsourced robots, sending out final distress signals as they head to the crusher. It’s pure modular synth hedonism and de Groot sounds like she is having the time of her life making these tracks.
Final track, Lineality 6 (Tandem Lineam) starts off a more gentle affair than the previous tracks and sees de Groot veering into Max Richter-esque territory. That is until the equilibrium is once again upset and the sonic ground you were walking on changes like an Escher painting. Again, the sounds created are unsettling, jarring and disconcerting. But they make perfect sense.
Equal parts musique concrete and The Quatermass Experiment, Lineality is unnerving and creates disquiet, but never discomfort. This sort of territory is left to the ‘harsh noise’ makers. Instead, what de Groot does so perfectly is mine the depths of sonic possibilities with a masterful knowledge of modular synth to create vast amounts of space and time in which to paint her sounds. Experimental and abstract, yet beautifully distracting (and even comforting) in this increasingly weird and hostile world. Gorgeous stuff.
Frans de Waard for VITAL WEEKLY Number 1114
TRUUS DE GROOT - LINEALITY (CDR by Dewclaw Ditties)
Following her collaborative work with Intigue Taluure (see Vital Weekly 1111), here is something new by Truus de Groot. I believe she divides her work between her own name and Plus Instruments when it comes to doing something more ‘pop’ like (for the lack of a better word) and something more ’sound scape’ like (again for the lack of a better word). For the latter she uses her own name, and Plus Instruments when employing sequencers, drum machines and synthesizers. I quite enjoy the work of
the latter, and of the first I think I simply didn’t hear a lot. The thing that springs to mind is the work she did with Bosko Hrnjak, ’Salton Sink Vol.1: Salton Sea’ (see Vital Weekly 814), which was more field recordings, voice and making up a fine radio play and her ’Surrealist Ball’ (see Vital Weekly), which for all I know could have been as Plus Instruments, but which was a bit gentler, I guess. On ‘Lineality’ she placed all her electronic gear as listed on the cover (Sonus Injecto, Triomne, Boka Box, Drone Box, Crackle Synthesizer, EMS VCS Putney, Moog Opus 3 and Korg MS 20 mini) on a table and started to fiddle around with. Some of these machines you know, and some you don’t, as they “co-designed by Bosko Hrnjak and built by Dr. Moonstien”. She recorded six pieces, which, give or take a few seconds, last eleven minutes. On her website Truus describes what her intention is with this: “This brain stimulating music is from another dimension, it is ideal to create art by, cook, write, meditate, go about your business or excellent driving music to make the world just a little more interesting.” Of course the reviewer has to cook and write but perhaps also concentrate a bit on the music, but sometimes I decide to sit back and continue to read today’s newspaper. De Groot chooses her title well, I think. Her pieces move in a strict linear fashion. She works with a bunch of sounds, at the same time and they keep playing, while she changes very minimally some parameters and volume of some while others continue, before it’s their time to change. Sometimes a bit drone like, obviously I would think, but it also has more bubbling, oscillations, sine and square forms, and above all a bit more noise and grittiness than you would have on an average drone record. De Groot isn’t too careful with the volume and with the ears of the listener, which made me think that playing this in the kitchen with some volume is perhaps not something that would go with everybody helping you out. It seems to me something that is enjoyed in solitude, so that you as a listener could decide on the volume for optimum pleasure, be it very loud or moderate and you’ll find it out it works wonderfully well and is engaging to do some other activity without paying very close attention. This is an excellent release and good to hear De Groot diversifying from her usual music. (FdW)
Either as a solo performer, or under the Plus Instruments moniker, Truus de Groot has been at the forefront of experimental music-making for the last three decades. Established in 1978 in the Netherlands, amidst the explosion of punk rock and new wave, de Groot became active in the resulting detritus of the scenes. However, the more experimental aspects of tinkering with toy instruments, mangled improvised sounds, and in particular, analog synthesizers gradually took over and moved de Groot’s sound beyond post-punk, and thus Plus Instruments was born.
Releasing their first EP single in 1979, most of Plus Instruments’ live performances were improvised, and after hundreds of performances all through Europe, Truus struck up a friendship with Rhys Chatham’s drummer, David Linton after seeing them play live in her hometown of Eindhoven. This friendship with Linton involved an invitation for a NYC visit in 1981, where de Groot was suddenly thrown into the burgeoning and incredibly fertile No wave scene. There, Plus Instruments would soon include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) on guitar and David Linton on drums, while Truus played bass and sang lead vocals. They quickly recorded and released an album, February – April 1981, on the Dutch Kremlin label. With this line-up, they hit the New York club scene, and went on to a European Tour. Over the coming years, Plus Instruments would include musicians such as Jonathan Schneider, Craig Kafton, Annene Kay, Marula Verbeek and James Sclavanos (Sonic Youth, Bad Seeds), yet de Groot remained the constant in this fluid, experimental outfit.
December 2017 saw the latest release from de Groot, in the form of the six-track LP, Lineality. Each of the six tracks runs to exactly eleven minutes and it is described by de Groot herself as, “my most experimental album to date”. The full-length album was created solely using her own analog synthesizers, co-designed by Bosko Hrnjak and built by Dr. Moonstien. Immediately from Lineality 1 (Primam Aciem), the widescreen scope of the sounds that de Groot is able to makes is unnervingly evident – wonky analog synth drone, with audial cosmic arrays and modulator bends. Halfway through the track, a throbbing synth beat emerges, only to be beaten down by the experimental warped sounds.
Lineality 2 (II Recta) starts off with a more organic feel. At times it sounds like field recordings and not the results of any electrical involvement. As the track progresses, the spacial architecture De Groot is able to make with her sounds becomes especially evident, as you could imagine these are the last sounds a dying spacecraft would make as it plummets into a planet. Lineality 3 (Tertiam) has the spastic modular bends, ramped up as the other-worldly sounds she is able to produce become more and more outrageous and astonishing. A heavy, unnerving march underlies the track and you could well imagine it playing out to the march of a Triffid, or worse. The second half of the track is taken up with a more noisy experimental feel, albeit accompanied with what sounds like a deranged oboe. Nice.
Lineality 4 (Quarta Acie) has quite a harsh, high-pitched noise start and is closely followed by another drone-heavy slog through the gorgeously-twisted frequencies, sinister heavy throbs, spectral ripples and celestial rip tides. Ironically, it is out of this unearthly electronica swamp that comes the first thing that remotely resembles a ‘tune’ in the most conventional terms. Follow-up, Lineality 5 (Linea Quinque), is another track that trudges through a sonic scrap land soundtracking decrepit and outsourced robots, sending out final distress signals as they head to the crusher. It’s pure modular synth hedonism and de Groot sounds like she is having the time of her life making these tracks.
Final track, Lineality 6 (Tandem Lineam) starts off a more gentle affair than the previous tracks and sees de Groot veering into Max Richter-esque territory. That is until the equilibrium is once again upset and the sonic ground you were walking on changes like an Escher painting. Again, the sounds created are unsettling, jarring and disconcerting. But they make perfect sense.
Equal parts musique concrete and The Quatermass Experiment, Lineality is unnerving and creates disquiet, but never discomfort. This sort of territory is left to the ‘harsh noise’ makers. Instead, what de Groot does so perfectly is mine the depths of sonic possibilities with a masterful knowledge of modular synth to create vast amounts of space and time in which to paint her sounds. Experimental and abstract, yet beautifully distracting (and even comforting) in this increasingly weird and hostile world. Gorgeous stuff.
Frans de Waard for VITAL WEEKLY Number 1114
TRUUS DE GROOT - LINEALITY (CDR by Dewclaw Ditties)
Following her collaborative work with Intigue Taluure (see Vital Weekly 1111), here is something new by Truus de Groot. I believe she divides her work between her own name and Plus Instruments when it comes to doing something more ‘pop’ like (for the lack of a better word) and something more ’sound scape’ like (again for the lack of a better word). For the latter she uses her own name, and Plus Instruments when employing sequencers, drum machines and synthesizers. I quite enjoy the work of
the latter, and of the first I think I simply didn’t hear a lot. The thing that springs to mind is the work she did with Bosko Hrnjak, ’Salton Sink Vol.1: Salton Sea’ (see Vital Weekly 814), which was more field recordings, voice and making up a fine radio play and her ’Surrealist Ball’ (see Vital Weekly), which for all I know could have been as Plus Instruments, but which was a bit gentler, I guess. On ‘Lineality’ she placed all her electronic gear as listed on the cover (Sonus Injecto, Triomne, Boka Box, Drone Box, Crackle Synthesizer, EMS VCS Putney, Moog Opus 3 and Korg MS 20 mini) on a table and started to fiddle around with. Some of these machines you know, and some you don’t, as they “co-designed by Bosko Hrnjak and built by Dr. Moonstien”. She recorded six pieces, which, give or take a few seconds, last eleven minutes. On her website Truus describes what her intention is with this: “This brain stimulating music is from another dimension, it is ideal to create art by, cook, write, meditate, go about your business or excellent driving music to make the world just a little more interesting.” Of course the reviewer has to cook and write but perhaps also concentrate a bit on the music, but sometimes I decide to sit back and continue to read today’s newspaper. De Groot chooses her title well, I think. Her pieces move in a strict linear fashion. She works with a bunch of sounds, at the same time and they keep playing, while she changes very minimally some parameters and volume of some while others continue, before it’s their time to change. Sometimes a bit drone like, obviously I would think, but it also has more bubbling, oscillations, sine and square forms, and above all a bit more noise and grittiness than you would have on an average drone record. De Groot isn’t too careful with the volume and with the ears of the listener, which made me think that playing this in the kitchen with some volume is perhaps not something that would go with everybody helping you out. It seems to me something that is enjoyed in solitude, so that you as a listener could decide on the volume for optimum pleasure, be it very loud or moderate and you’ll find it out it works wonderfully well and is engaging to do some other activity without paying very close attention. This is an excellent release and good to hear De Groot diversifying from her usual music. (FdW)
Interview
Excellent Truus retrospective interview by the brilliant Richard Foster for Louder than war
Excellent Truus retrospective interview by the brilliant Richard Foster for Louder than war
Interview
Interview on RAN$OME NOTE - all about Plus Instruments "Past & Present - Truus de Groot Talks" by Alasdair King
Interview on RAN$OME NOTE - all about Plus Instruments "Past & Present - Truus de Groot Talks" by Alasdair King
