#no-tech

Ciarra Black is an electronic music producer and DJ based in Brooklyn, New York. I’m pretty sure I met Ciarra for the first time at a Nothing Changes night at subterranean LES dive Home Sweet Home, but became a true fan after witnessing a raw and rugged performance at Berserktown II from her group Appetite, A duo with photographer and performance artist Jane Chardiet. An off-balance blender loaded to the brim with rugged electronics and machine rhythm, the Appetite EP is one of my favorite releases on Ascetic House to date. It’s woefully out of print (I had to beg for a copy and swear it would never end up on Discogs), but you can hear it all on Youtube - my fave track Anxiety is embedded below. (There’s an excellent Remix of this track by 2MR’s DUST as well.)

Ciarra is the co-founder of No-Tech with JR Nelson, a record label and events series, the latter formerly based at recently shuttered Williamsburg bar Over The Eight - but don't worry, it will be back soon. The label released two excellent titles in 2016, one of which is Threads by Speaking Parts, Alias of Philadelphia producer Dan Shields. Opening track Kaputt is anything but, a peppy acid workout with claps reverberating down from the stratosphere. Thin Air begins with a throb of bass, bulldozing through jungles of delicate modular sounds, setting the mood for the high-energy acid bath of Uninvited Guest. 

Speaking Parts - Threads by No-Tech

The other No-Tech release in 2016 was the album Pendulum, Ciarra Black’s debut album. I covered this release in Issue #19 of Love Injection, and will reprint some of my commentary here - “Contained is a solid opening track - waves of noise functioning as an aural palate cleanser while teasing what’s to come. Chemical Burn builds up (and knocks down) a series of loops that nicely compliment each other - snappy snares, waves of distorted bass, and breakdown heralded by a twinkly digital cowbell riff. The Door is also a sonic treat - analog rumbling with hazy, distorted riffs - there’s a noise in here that reminds me of classic OMD as well. Translation None starts off deceptively low-key with square waves but quickly layers on hissing steam and vamping industrial sounds, occasionally receding for crisp snare drum breaks. Axi Flux is the definite centerpiece - the entire album builds to these noisy synth lines and drum workouts highlit between walls of throbbing kick. Sudden Movement functions as a dubby comedown, showcasing the producer’s skills at restraint and minimalism.”

Ciarra Black - Pendulum by Ciarra Black

In 2017, Ciarra will see her first appearance on 12″ vinyl and more expertly selected releases on No-Tech.  You can see her at The Long Count Cycle’s Closed Circuit X on January 21, and as a part of the Duo Appetite, with Nick Klein and Samuel Kerridge at Sunnyvale, February 10th.

Series Of is now streaming on the Lives Through Magic Bandcamp.

Photo credit: Chelsea Marks

Podcast number five is a brain-burner of a mix riveted together by Brooklyn industrial rhythm queens Appetite. Appetite is the current iteration of a best friend collaboration between Jane Chardiet (ex-Foreplay) and Ciarra Black (No-Tech) making confrontational “pop” music. Jane also writes and produces beautiful and challenging photographic work (http://janepain.wordpress.com/). Ciarra also DJs and co-ran the ultrafucked No-Tech club night from 2013-2015; it’s now the No-Tech record label (http://no-tech.bandcamp.com/releases).

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ST: How did you find your way to your particular sound? What, if anything, is appealing to you about "abrasiveness" as a tonal quality?

APP: Our sound was initially stumbled upon by doing the best we could with what we had. When we first started we had junk gear and just had to make it work. Some of our soundscapes became really informed by using equipment the wrong way to get the right sound, and that attitude has carried over as we have expanded our musicianship. Our abrasiveness comes naturally because of where we are coming from emotionally with this project. We've been best friends for ten years and started this project five years ago. We try to be open and honest when working with each other, and sometimes our honesty has a rawness that shines through in our music and performances.

ST: Jane, you document and contribute to tons of music communities, and you did a photograph series last year that explored what it's like to inhabit a body; How does Appetite fit in with your other more visually-based projects?

JANE: Appetite is certainly an extension of the ideas that I explore visually. I think it is a very necessary vehicle for catharsis that I can not find while practicing photography. While I can express certain ideas through images, it lacks a sense of release. Even when a picture is executed, hanging on a gallery wall and I am interacting with people who are interacting with the image, the energy of a photograph feels finite while music, especially when performed live, is more malleable and alive.

ST: Ciarra, recently ended your No-Tech night in Brooklyn last year to focus more on solo producing, a No-Tech label, and DJing; how does this collaboration connect to all of that?

CIARRA: Appetite has always been a facet of No-Tech. When we started the monthlies two and a half years ago Jane would set up a "photo booth" with props and take photos of some of our friends and guests. You can see some of the images here https://janepain.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/photos-from-no-tech/. As far as Jane's involvement with No-Tech going forward, Appetite is doing  a tape release for the label coming out sometime this summer. We spent some time learning to record ourselves and have been doing everything from my bedroom which seems to be the best set up for us. Jane will most likely do the art and photography for the release, so basically we are doing the whole thing ourselves. We are pretty excited!

ST: What do you like the crowd to be doing or experiencing when you perform?

APP: Dang, hopefully fucking freaking and being wild while also respecting each other.

ST: Tell us about this mix.

APP: We'd like to think that it is reflective of our musical backgrounds and influences while also being representative of the scene we are operating in here in Brooklyn and have included a bunch of our talented friends. It's a mix of what we like and where we come from, techno, minimal synth, punk, industrial and noise.

ST: What parts of the nightlife in your city— or maybe further afield— do you care about right now?

APP: We are most into the DIY warehouse parties that are held by super committed promoters. Nothing Changes at Home Sweet Home. Bossa Nova Civic Club. Crazy after parties at Over the Eight. The Acheron. Palisades. Joe's Pizza on Bedford avenue.

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Appetite play Surface Tension with Cienfuegos and The Creatrix on June 17 at 1192 Folsom in San Francisco.