Artist
John Bartles
John Bartles, an American experimental composer from 1932-1992, crafts unique Lo-Fi soundscapes on magnetic tape.
About
In the shadowy corridors of American experimental music, John Bartles etched a self-released legacy on magnetic tape, a medium as liminal as his soundscapes. From 1932 to 1992, Bartles conjured a fractal world of sound, where Lo-Fi aesthetics embraced the imperfections of reality. His releases, like the enigmatic "Banal Fixation" (1992) and the vivid "Orange Album" (1989), remain cryptic missives — sonic postcards from a universe where avant-garde film scores collide with raw, unfiltered expression. Bartles preferred the intimate, tactile format of cassette tapes, a choice reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. Each tape captures not just music but a process-driven exploration, a sculptural resonance that challenges the listener to engage with the very fabric of sound. His collaborations with kindred spirits like Howie Nave further extend his auditory inquiries, creating dialogues that transcend the constraints of conventional music-making. With titles like "Go Fuck Yourself!" and "Snot for Everybody," Bartles’ catalog does not shy away from the visceral, the unpolished. His work is a testament to the outsider's perspective, rejecting mainstream allure in favor of a unique sonic identity. It's a body of work that whispers in the ear of the curious, inviting them to wander through the unpredictable landscapes of his mind.
