Flux Information Sciences
Encyclopedia
Flux Information Sciences were a three-piece noise rock
band based in Brooklyn
, New York City
. The band was formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Tristan Bechet (born in Portugal, raised in Brazil) and keyboardist Sebastian Brault (born in Madagascar, raised in France) who met in art school in Marseilles. A revolving drummer policy saw Derek Ethridge replace Phil Hernandez in 1999, who was in turn replaced by Shiobhan Duffy. Eventually the band settled on the line-up of Bechet and Brault, with Christopher Pravdica on electronics.
Flux Information Sciences were influenced by the 1980s New York No Wave
scene and by bands such as The Contortions
, James White & the Blacks
, Suicide
and Foetus
. In 2004, Flux were featured on S.A. Crary
's documentary on No Wave Kill Your Idols. According to a Young God press release, Private/Public was recorded before a live audience who were required to stand before the band naked and blindfolded.
The band's debut album A Dedication to Volt was released in 1997 and follow by Services in 1999. Third album, Summer was released in 2000, and was described by Joe Silva of All Music
as seeing Flux "retain...[their] ability to playfully challenge listeners to find entry points to their material, while maintaining their levels of chaos and invention". In 2001, Flux signed to Young God Records
and released "Private/Public"; described by Thom Jure as "some badass punk rock music of outrageously high caliber. FIS is pure art terrorism in the form of a rock & roll band. There is nothing here but decay, fun, racket, energy." Young God label boss Michael Gira
described the band as "Life-threatening and entertaining".
The New York Times
described their sound as "a clattering, dissonant, choppy, propulsive racket, punctuated every so often by a vocal chant; it's ominous and mockingly jubilant, somewhere between the Gang of Four
and Ministry
." In "Kill Your Idols", Bechet provides insight to the band's approach to rhythm when he described living across the road to "a metal stamping factory, and the rhythms and sounds that they make, are truly fucking phenomenal, just fucking...pff...amazing and groovy as shit; those are the kind of rhythms I enjoy, its almost as if New York City is the script and we interpret that.
Since Flux broke up, Bechet formed his own label, Pinksock Records, and has worked with artists such as F. M. Einheit
of Einstürzende Neubauten
and Khan
. Bechet has released albums by several experimental projects including his heavy metal mash up vinyl "Please Forgive Me" and "Waiting For The Sun" CD by "Sauna KIngs". After the Label faded, Bechet founded "SERVICES" with Christopher Pravdica; a former member of Flux.
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
band based in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The band was formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Tristan Bechet (born in Portugal, raised in Brazil) and keyboardist Sebastian Brault (born in Madagascar, raised in France) who met in art school in Marseilles. A revolving drummer policy saw Derek Ethridge replace Phil Hernandez in 1999, who was in turn replaced by Shiobhan Duffy. Eventually the band settled on the line-up of Bechet and Brault, with Christopher Pravdica on electronics.
Flux Information Sciences were influenced by the 1980s New York No Wave
No Wave
No Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
scene and by bands such as The Contortions
James Chance and the Contortions
James Chance and the Contortions, led by saxophonist and vocalist James Chance, were one of the original punk jazz groups of the New York No Wave music scene. Their first recording, credited solely as Contortions, was on the 1978 compilation, No New York, produced by Brain Eno...
, James White & the Blacks
James Chance
James Chance, also known as James White , is an American saxophonist, songwriter and singer....
, Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
and Foetus
Foetus (band)
Foetus is the primary musical outlet of industrial music pioneer J. G. Thirlwell. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word foetus. Monikers adopted at different times include Foetus Under Glass, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel...
. In 2004, Flux were featured on S.A. Crary
Scott Crary
Scott Crary is a film director, producer and writer based in New York City.Crary filmed, produced, edited, and directed the film Kill Your Idols, a documentary examining three decades of New York art punk bands....
's documentary on No Wave Kill Your Idols. According to a Young God press release, Private/Public was recorded before a live audience who were required to stand before the band naked and blindfolded.
The band's debut album A Dedication to Volt was released in 1997 and follow by Services in 1999. Third album, Summer was released in 2000, and was described by Joe Silva of All Music
All Music
All Music was an Italian free-to-air television station which mainly broadcast music videos and music programs. Originally called Rete A, the name was changed to Rete A - All Music , and for a brief period was affiliated before with MTV Italy and after with VIVA.-History:In late 2004 the former...
as seeing Flux "retain...[their] ability to playfully challenge listeners to find entry points to their material, while maintaining their levels of chaos and invention". In 2001, Flux signed to Young God Records
Young God Records
Young God Records is an independent record label formed by Michael Gira in 1990 that specializes in experimental, avant-garde and often non genre-specific releases...
and released "Private/Public"; described by Thom Jure as "some badass punk rock music of outrageously high caliber. FIS is pure art terrorism in the form of a rock & roll band. There is nothing here but decay, fun, racket, energy." Young God label boss Michael Gira
Michael Gira
Michael Rolfe Gira is an American musician, author, and artist. He is the main force behind the recently reformed New York City musical group Swans and fronts the Angels of Light...
described the band as "Life-threatening and entertaining".
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described their sound as "a clattering, dissonant, choppy, propulsive racket, punctuated every so often by a vocal chant; it's ominous and mockingly jubilant, somewhere between the Gang of Four
Gang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
and Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
." In "Kill Your Idols", Bechet provides insight to the band's approach to rhythm when he described living across the road to "a metal stamping factory, and the rhythms and sounds that they make, are truly fucking phenomenal, just fucking...pff...amazing and groovy as shit; those are the kind of rhythms I enjoy, its almost as if New York City is the script and we interpret that.
Since Flux broke up, Bechet formed his own label, Pinksock Records, and has worked with artists such as F. M. Einheit
F. M. Einheit
Frank-Martin Strauß, better known as F.M. Einheit and also known as Mufti, is an industrial and electronic musician from Germany....
of Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten is a German post-industrial band, originally from West Berlin, formed in 1980. The group currently comprises Blixa Bargeld , Alexander Hacke , N.U...
and Khan
Khan (band)
Khan were an English progressive rock band of the Canterbury Scene during 1971-1972.Formed by Steve Hillage from Uriel, the initial line-up was Steve Hillage , Nick Greenwood , Dick Heninghem and Pip Pyle...
. Bechet has released albums by several experimental projects including his heavy metal mash up vinyl "Please Forgive Me" and "Waiting For The Sun" CD by "Sauna KIngs". After the Label faded, Bechet founded "SERVICES" with Christopher Pravdica; a former member of Flux.
Discography
- A Dedication to Volt (1997)
- Services (1999)
- Summer (2000)
- Private/Public (2001)