Les Frères Bobine - Benjamin Thigpen and Stefano Bassanese - are two Paris-based electroacoustic composers working regularly at GRM and fascinated by electromagnetism and gesturality. They collaborate on sonic research experiments and perform instant collective compositions based on newly invented instruments. They often perform with other experimental musicians such as clarinetist Massimo Carrozzo or guitarist Carlo Barbagallo.

 

 

 

 

Their instruments are gesturally-controlled “electromagnetic oscillators” built from inductors, coils, small metallic objects, amplifiers, exciters and digital signal processing. These oscillators generate silent magnetic feedback, made audible by transduction. Like untamed animals or natural processes, they can only be influenced, not fully mastered or controlled. The response of an instrument to a given input can be predicted but never really known in advance; the music that results from this interaction is necessarily spontaneous, fresh and imbued with a deep organic coherence.