Esem

For the ESEM (microscope), see environmental scanning electron microscope.
Esem
Birth name Georgi Hristov Marinov
Also known as Esem, Eesn
Born February 10, 1979
Origin Varna, Bulgaria
Genres IDM, Ambient, Downtempo, Tracker-music
Occupation(s) Music, Field Recording, Sound Design
Instruments Computer, Laptop, Synthesizer, Tracker, Sequencer
Years active 1997—present
Labels deFocus, Merck Records
Website

Esem (born 10 February 1979) is the stage name of Georgi Hristov Marinov, a Bulgarian electronic music artist. Esem is formerly known as the tracker musician StereoMan,[1] a member of the demoscene group NOiSE.

Musical career

Marinov first got involved in composing electronic music and the demoscene in the late 1990s, through the work of Brothomstates and Lackluster among others. After a 5-year netlabel membership in NOiSE ("New Objectives in Sound Exploration) Marinov was signed up to deFocus records for his first vinyl single - "Ikae", and debut album "Enveloped", thus becoming the first contemporary Bulgarian electronic music artist to have released a music record on vinyl.

After releasing his second album "Serial Human" commercially on Merck Records, Esem moved to London where he produced the material for "Scateren" - his third album. "Scateren" was released as a free[2] Creative Commons[3]-licensed download on Kahvi, and quickly became one of the label's most downloaded titles. In 2007 parts of "Scateren" were licensed and subsequently released by Nintendo as background music to the Nintendo DS game "Theta",[4] and as downloadable ringtones (complementary to the game title). The original album remains available under Creative Commons.

Esem was a regular guest on the Lithuanian label Sutemos's "Intelligent Toys" series, featured alongside Vladislav Delay, Digitonal, Maps and Diagrams, Ulrich Schnauss, and others.

His music has been featured on Austrian national radio FM4 (ORF),[5][6] and on the John Peel show on UK BBC Radio 1.[7][8] In 2006 Marinov edited a Sofia-based soundscape for the Radia network,[9] later broadcast on a number of European radio stations. In July 2013 Marinov authored a one-hour-long programme for London community radio station Resonance FM - “Clearspot", featuring a documentary recording of the 2013-14 protests against the Oresharski cabinet in Bulgaria.[10]

Methods

Esem employs both trackers and Digital Audio Workstation software for his work. Most of his recent music was produced using software synthesizers and Apple Inc.'s Logic Pro sequencer. Field recordings can be heard in his work both unmodified and used as source material for signal processing.

Much of his work outside of music involves Sound design, as well as Software development.[11] He is the author of an Adium soundset, called "Minus Bells".

Live performances

Although Marinov does not often play live, he has since 2000 played a small number of gigs in Europe including venues in the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, and Russia, as well as club gigs and festivals in Bulgaria, using Ableton Live and various MIDI controllers.[12]

Discography

Name

Esem is a distorted abbreviation of S, M - the capital letters of his past demoscene alias - StereoMan.[13]

References

  1. ↑ StereoMan at Amiga Music Preservation
  2. ↑ Survival Strategies For Emerging Artists at Esem's official website
  3. ↑ Official release page of "Scateren"
  4. ↑ Nintendo Theta Video Game
  5. ↑ La Boum de Luxe Osteuropa Spezial - Bulgarien
  6. ↑ Im Osten - neue Musik-Territorien in Europa
  7. ↑ Keeping it Peel - Tracklisting 20/8/2002
  8. ↑ Keeping it Peel - Tracklisting Thursday 13th June 2002
  9. ↑ Radia Show 069: FieldRec-Sofia
  10. ↑ Clear Spot – Bulgarian Summer
  11. ↑ Easterndaze, Interview with Esem
  12. ↑ Music section of Esem's official website
  13. ↑ Stereoman»Esem at Esem's official site

External links