Hiss Tracts is a Canadian

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

al duo consisting of guitarist and sound engineer David Bryant and guitarist Kevin Doria. The pair have released one album, ''Shortwave Nights'', by recording and combining instrumental and ambient sounds.

History

Bryant, of the bands

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Godspeed You! Black Emperor (sometimes abbreviated to GY!BE or Godspeed) is a Canadian post-rock band which originated in Montreal, Quebec in 1994. The group releases recordings through Constellation, an independent record label also located i ...

and

Set Fire to Flames Set Fire to Flames was a Canadian instrumental music ensemble consisting of thirteen musicians from Montreal, Quebec.

, and Doria, of Growing and Total Life, first met and began working together in 2004; Bryant was the

recording engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...

for three Growing albums released between 2006 and 2008. In 2008, Bryant and Doria worked together to create and record music for the

Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival The Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival (LUFF) is a film festival and music festival devoted to underground film and music. It is held each year in Lausanne, Switzerland. The festival is organized by a non-profit organization (APCI ...

. To identify music and experimental sounds recorded at this time and over the next several years, the duo began calling themselves Hiss Tracts. Because both men were busy with other bands and projects, the arranging, mixing and layering of the Hiss Tracts recordings took place over a number of years. The first release under that name did not materialize until early 2014, when the group released a track, "Halo Getters", to promote the release of the full-length album ''Shortwave Nights''. ''Shortwave Nights'' was released by Constellation Records in May 2014. The album incorporated an eclectic mix of

sound collage In music, montage (literally "putting together") or sound collage ("gluing together") is a technique where newly branded sound objects or compositions, including songs, are created from collage, also known as montage. This is often done throug ...

ambient music Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. It may lack net composition, beat, or structured melody.The Ambient Century by Mark Prendergast, Bloomsbury, London, 2003. It u ...

, and

noise music Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...

. The title track, "...shortwave nights" was eight minutes long and included post-rock guitar work as well as cello and electronic keyboard sounds."Instant Playlist"
''Georgia Straight'', May 7, 2014.

Discography

*''Shortwave Nights'' (Constellation, 2014)

References

{{Authority control Canadian instrumental musical groups Canadian experimental musical groups