Atomism by Mark Tamea

"See you. Me back. Begin again. That's one unique point in the hologram." - Kakkab Nammax

Mark Tamea is a rare species who is at the curious cross road of modern composition, electronic music and plunderphonics. For starters: I have never a clue what he does - if he actually plays something himself on his releases, like the string instruments we sometimes encounter here.

What he set out on his previous releases he explores again here. Six pieces on this album, and everything I knew about him returns. The modern classical approach in ‘Oikony Noyod’, microtonal synthesis in ‘The Lake’, and the elements of plunderphonics? They might be everywhere, hidden in every track.

The radiophonic aspect of his work is again never far away, and it evokes perhaps rather abstractly at things – although a title such as ‘Objet Trouve’ is something to think about – maybe he found some classical music? Tamea splices his music in a digital way, but puts it back together in a new form, very tonal at times, but also very abstract.

Like with his previous release, ‘Metonymy’, I can’t say I am as surprised as I was with ‘Tessellation’, but that doesn’t mean I am not impressed. I think ‘Atomism’ harks back to ‘Tessellation’ more than to ‘Metonymy’, in the way that it uses a lot of acoustic instruments as well as some fine electronic charges. Great (traditional!) musique concrete. Excellent release, all around.

- Vital Weekly 886


These are not 'drones' but fragmented pieces of sound, electronic as well as (semi) acoustic. Post-classical sounds, avant-garde-like composition techniques, musique concrete mixed with environmental field recordings and short melodic fragments - but always recognisable as 'genuine Tamea' because of that bright sound that is different from what most contemporaries do. This is not 'easy music' - it requires dedicated listening because it's as abstract as the web site liner notes . But if you dive into it it really pays off!

- Peter Van Cooten, Ambientblog.net

Bookings: info@tamea.net

Mark/a Tamea is an English/Dutch composer, whose music draws on the infinite potential of electroacoustic experiments, synthesis and field recordings.

The work clashes the commonplace and the imaginary, the discernible and the esoteric, fusing this juxtaposition with delicate harmony.

tamea.net