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Kolin Zein

@kolinzein

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Miami-based guitarist/composer blending elements of #Drone, #ambientguitar, #Experimental, #Improv with outbursts of his trademark Sonic Expressionism

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In 2025 AI became pretty good at creating convincing pseudo-music and that’s when I realized - AI is going after conventional “perfection”. And Conventional Perfection is actually the worst enemy of art. Perfection is great for Consumable Product, not for Art. Product also requires repetition, one-fits-all recipe, and multiplication - much like a virus. So I decided to make the most imperfect and spontaneous Art in a form of Music that is humanly possible. Perfection starts with tuning. So I got rid of conventional A=440Hz tuning. Then I got rid of all the smart tuners in the studio. Everything needed to be tuned up by ear after my “lead” guitar which was in turn tuned by one specific tuning fork and every other guitarist tuned their guitar themselves relying solely on their hearing. That allowed for a lot of ghost notes and unusual and unexpected vibrations to happen. Then I got rid of all guitar pedals. Pedals affect your sound, conventualize it to the point where you are losing or voluntarily giving up your full control of it. It can be a good and even inspiring thing, but not for this particular project. So the only pedals that were allowed in the studio were clean boosts to allow for controlled feedback at certain parts. In the end, each guitarist had one guitar of their choice, one clean boost pedal, one amplifier and two guitar cords. Guitar picks were allowed. No excessive computer editing. Only analog tapes and analog compressors and analog equalization. Feedback Symphony for 20 Electric Guitars in 3 movements can be performed on any number of stringed electric instruments in any tuning. As imperfect and as spontaneous as composition can be, free of as many limitations as possible. taken in Miami, Florida by @kolinzein

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a year ago

A haunting recording of the Dark Rituals (or Rituals In The Dark?) performed between 2 and 4AM in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee in October, 2022 (side A) and October, 2023 (Bandcamp - exclusive side B) for- and with a Local Mountain Night Insect Ensembles. No composition, no direction - just reaction. No notes - but a feedback. No playing - but improvisation. As distant as it is in your face. Abstract but direct. Listen and you shall hear. taken in Miami, Florida by @kolinzein

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a year ago

My first release as Kolin Zein: Exempt from the Drone Suite “Relativity In D (Movements I - VII)”. Written on March, 7th 2019. This version performed and recorded live in June, 2020. Yes, it can be performed by only one musician with electric guitar. Yes, the drone throughout the piece is a nod to LaMonte Young. Yes, the antipode of Silence that starts on 4’33” is a nod to John Cage (actually rather a pun, from Glenn Branca’s POV). Bandcamp exclusive B-Side “Lunary” recorded live in 2019. Mixed, mastered and released in 2022. taken in Miami, Florida by @kolinzein

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a year ago

Thank you @zerkalo_sonartspace for hosting a great event yesterday. I’m certain - in a year or two it’s going to be a huge cornerstone of all things avant-garde in Thessaloniki. There’s no other way. taken in 3ερκαλο - Sonart Space by @kolinzein

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11 days ago

Tonight, 8:30PM @zerkalo_sonartspace going to make some magic - @gregorydargent + @kolinzein. taken in 3ερκαλο - Sonart Space by @kolinzein

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12 days ago

KOLIN ZEIN

Russian-born American composer and guitarist Kolin Zein brings his singular approach to experimental music to Thessaloniki.
Rooted in traditions of New York Downtown Music Scene of avant-garde composition, free improvisation, drone, ambient and experimental jazz, Zein has developed a distinctive language for the electric guitar - an immersive one, built from frequency resonance, feedback, sustained tones and the unpredictable space between composition and improvisation.

KOLIN ZEIN

Ο γεννημένος στη Ρωσία Αμερικανός συνθέτης και κιθαρίστας Kolin Zein φέρνει στη Θεσσαλονίκη τη μοναδική του προσέγγιση στην πειραματική μουσική.
Με αφετηρία τις παραδόσεις της μουσικής σκηνής της avant-garde σύνθεσης, του ελεύθερου αυτοσχεδιασμού, του drone, της ambient και της πειραματικής τζαζ στη Νέα Υόρκη, ο Zein έχει αναπτύξει μια ξεχωριστή γλώσσα για την ηλεκτρική κιθάρα: μια καθηλωτική γλώσσα, που διαμορφώνεται μέσα από τον συντονισμό των συχνοτήτων, το feedback, τους παρατεταμένους ήχους και τον απρόβλεπτο χώρο ανάμεσα στη σύνθεση και τον αυτοσχεδιασμό. by @kolinzein

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19 days ago

Kolin Zein & Grégory Dargent live at 3ερκαλο

Wednesday 07 October
Doors open 20:30
Zerkalo, Kassandrou 104 str.
Suggested contribution: 7€

Τετάρτη 07 Οκτωβρίου
Πόρτες: 20:30
3ερκαλο, Κασσάνδρου 104. Προτεινόμενη συνεισφορά: 7€ taken in 3ερκαλο - Sonart Space by @kolinzein

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19 days ago

Great independent Italian Doom Jazz label Signora Ward Records just released another free compilation - this time dedicated to Enfant Terrible of Literature, Cut-Paste maestro William S. Burroughs called “The Naked Lunch: a Doom Jazz Soundtrack (Hassan’s Rumpus Room)”.

This time I decided to step back a bit from classic Doom Jazz (that’s why this track isn’t attributed to @neonnoone) but bring in Maestro himself (even if just in a form of his recorded voice), use drum tracks @dahm_majuri_cipolla (of Japanese post-rock supergroup MONO) recorded for me at @martinbisibc BC Studio few years ago, and draw some inspiration from that obscure noise single @kurtcobain recorded with Burroughs (yes, I mean “The Priest They Called Him”). Voilá, here it is now in the flesh, called “The Wild Fruits”.

“My God! What’s that stink?”
“It’s the stink of death, citizens...”
“Alright! Roll in it. Get the stink of death into your chaps and your boots and your guns and your hair...”

So go ahead, roll in it here - signorawardrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-naked-lunch-a-doom-jazz-soundtrack-hassans-rumpus-room

It’s “pay what you want” so you won’t need a code for this one.

#williamburroughs #books #literature #avantgarde #noise by @kolinzein

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4 months ago

Such a brilliant move, and I couldn’t be happier - @daddarioandco now allows for fully customized set. You can mix and match everything they have and create something truly unique. If you’re about to change the world through music - start with changing your strings. by @kolinzein

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5 months ago

What started as a @kieselguitars Father’s Day Headless Delos guitar kit is now a fully functional rock machine. It took me about a week of sanding, staining, oiling and waxing and just a few hours of assembling, soldering and fine tuning. Can’t wait for the next kit to drop! by @kolinzein

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6 months ago

Christian Noise anyone? Portugal has just the guitar for all your needs. taken in MAC / CCB - Museu de Arte Contemporânea e Centro de Arquitetura by @kolinzein

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7 months ago

Can’t argue with that, Lisboa! Hey Portugal 🙌🏻 taken in Lisboa Portugal by @kolinzein

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7 months ago