Biography
YATE is a sound and video collective based in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. Working in the tradition of experimental electronic media, YATE combines aural structures, bizarre dreamlike imagery and synthesized narratives to create psychedelic artifacts of texture and tone. Their use of the grand narrative device “The RAETHIER Corporation” (a time traveling company that produces the machines that create perception) unites much of their larger efforts, informing such projects as their eight part series The CenterPoint Episodes (2004) and their multimedia installation Corposition (2006). Other works include Propaganda (2004), SciFi (2005) and 3E (2007). (info from the3rd2nd netlabel website)
Formation and History
Around 1999 in Lubbock, TX, Jason Landers began working with John Pekowski, a fellow Texas Tech University ex-student and protege of Dr. Steven Paxton, along with Graduate student Tim Seversen and a rotating group of musicians, which had all been performing live improvised sets at various bars and underground venues. Jason had attended a performance at a local Jazz coffee/martini bar by mere coincidence and happened to catch a performance of this electro-acoustic experimental group and recognized John. Immediately that night after the performance, they began planning to work together and start doing experimental studio recordings of these live improvised sets. This project soon became YATE, which over time involved up to 8+ musicians during some performances and had a rotating line up over time and many guest musicians as part of the "experiment".
Jason moved to the Phoenix, Arizona area in 2000 and continued doing solo work in his home studio to release as Deserts of Sound. He was also still working with Tim and John as a part of YATE and traveled back to Lubbock for some performances and recordings, including Tim's Master's Thesis project. This project consisted of doing a set of live performance experiments involving music, audience participation, visuals and different acoustic spaces (a choral chamber, studio, and Omnimax dome theater). During this time, Jason was going through the mass amounts of recorded material (at this time probably 20-30 hrs of recorded improv) and working on editing and remixing YATE material to release. John and Tim were doing the same and all 3 were communicating and sending material back and forth. John and Tim later moved to the Phoenix area and the project continued. As a 3 piece the sound of YATE was not too affected by not having the additional musicians. In the earlier performances and recordings, the amount of people, their skill and instruments helped progress the waves of chaos, improv and wall of sound music they wanted to create and the controlled order came through Pekowski's mixerboard wizardry, plus the addition of some more effects from there to either mold and guide or send the sound into the infinite loop and feedback/delay zone of beautiful noise. The 3 members continued to create this sound and feel by adding and mastering more instruments, devices, and effects each would play. In addition to this, each would have a mixer to set and/or operate and these three would go to one where more levels of effects, balancing, levels etc could be controlled or allowed to go out of control. Playing together so much, they began to move and operate as one or playing off each other as if they knew the thoughts or felt the others.
Jason later meet Robert Kilman in 2002/2003 through their mentor and professor Dr. Steven Paxton. Paxton knew Jason was involved in a program at Arizona State University West called the IAP (Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance) working with sound and tech guru Richard Lerman and had suggested the program to Robert. Robert moved to the Phoenix area and they meet for the first time over the phone. Not much later, Robert joined Jason, John and Tim as a member of YATE. They all performed together live and in the studio for a time, along with sometime guest musicians, until John moved back to Lubbock to pursue a masters and PhD in composition. And then there were 3…
Through the mid 2000s YATE progressed into a multi-media performance group, creating visuals and installation environments along with their performances. They also did an 8 part film series called CenterPoint, in which they would conceive, shoot video, edit and then perform a live improvised set with each episode in a month's time. Using this same concept of having a video piece as the catalyst and composition for the improv sets, they did several performances in the Phoenix area over several years. In addition to this, YATE produced several video/art and sound installations and self released performance/studio CDs and DVDs of their video pieces and short films. Though Jason's connection with The3rd2nd label, YATE was able to release several albums to the world through the wires (the internet). Around 2005, Tim left the Phoenix area to move back to Texas and then there were 2. YATE is currently a duo consisting of the remaining founding member Jason Landers and multi-instrumentalist/composer Robert Kilman. . Plans are brewing regarding the return of John Pekowski to the YATE fold and Landers is working with Pekowski on a side project called the LPC Device. This project will experiment with circuit bent instrument/device sessions, drum machine, and various other mixtures and samples of sound. The compositions will consist of improvised jam sessions (separately done by Landers and Pekowski), samples of that material, other various electronics, and sound experiments during the recording and editing/mixing phases.
New YATE releases and re-issues of older self-released material are planned for The3rd2nd netlabel, Jason Landers' new label (TBA), and various other outlets. YATE will also soon be performing again live and creating new video material for these performances.
YATE member Robert Kilman has several side projects and runs an online label through Bandcamp called Greenspan Records, where some of the side projects have releases. Member Jason Landers is also in the group The Third Second and performs solo work under the name Deserts of Sound. He is also a co-founder of The3rd2nd net label and he is currently working towards starting a new label (online and physical media).
Yaroslove & Technique aka YATE is also a Ukrainian electro duo.
Real name /Ya Te, Aliases /Technique & Yaroslove, Country /Ukraine
Yate's sound represents deep and exciting journey through the rich palette of techno music. (info from residentadvisor website)
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