Xanopticon
Encyclopedia
Ryan Friedrich better known by his moniker Xanopticon, is an electronic music
ian. One of breakcore
's most prominent producers, he has toured internationally and released music with several electronic labels including Hymen Records
, Mirex
, Cock Rock Disco
, Entity
and Tigerbeat6
. His live shows are often noted for their intensity and his sound for its attention to detail, having been described by one journalist as "waves of breaks
". Xanopticon's output features dramatic dynamics
that alternate between frantic IDM
/"post-drill & bass" and more subtle, melodic ambient music
, and his sonic heaviness has been compared to labelmates Venetian Snares
and Fanny
, as well as Belgian flashcore artist Atomhead.
Not much information is available about what software Friedrich uses for music production. However, he has been stated recording the album Liminal Space in FL Studio 4. To what extent that is true there is no real evidence for right now, but in a video he is actually seen using FL Studio while doing a live performance, proving that he uses it to at least some extent.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
ian. One of breakcore
Breakcore
Breakcore is a style of electronic music largely influenced by hardcore techno, drum and bass and Intelligent dance music. Its sound is largely characterized by a high-tempo, well-timed mingling of distorted kick drums , break beats arranged from samples of the Amen break, and audio samples from a...
's most prominent producers, he has toured internationally and released music with several electronic labels including Hymen Records
Hymen Records
Hymen Records is an imprint of the Ant-Zen record label, founded in 1997 by Stefan Alt . Hymen mainly releases material of a technoid, power noise/rhythmic noise, dark ambient, IDM, breakcore or similar experimental electronic nature....
, Mirex
Ant-Zen
Ant-Zen Audio and Visual Arts is a German independent record label founded in 1994 by Stefan Alt , who serves as the art director. Visual arts from Ant-Zen are typically bleak but astonishing landscapes, or microscopic studies of what is often overlooked...
, Cock Rock Disco
Cock Rock Disco
Cock Rock Disco is an independent record label started in 2001 by Jason Forrest. The label features breakcore and experimental artists including Forrest himself....
, Entity
Entity (netlabel)
Entity is a netlabel specialising in experimental electronic music. The label was established in 2003 by Belgian musicians Jan Robbe and Nico de Gols, working under the monikers UndaCova and Kaebin Yield, respectively...
and Tigerbeat6
Tigerbeat6
Tigerbeat6 is a San Francisco and Berlin based independent and electronic record label run by Kid606. The name reflects Kid606's obsession with cats, which also comes to light in the catalogue numbers, all of which start with MEOW, and is also a loose reference to the top-selling teen magazine,...
. His live shows are often noted for their intensity and his sound for its attention to detail, having been described by one journalist as "waves of breaks
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
". Xanopticon's output features dramatic dynamics
Dynamics (music)
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...
that alternate between frantic IDM
Intelligent dance music
Intelligent dance music is a term that describes an electronic music genre that emerged in the early 1990s. The genre is influenced by a wide range of musical styles particularly electronic dance music such as Detroit Techno...
/"post-drill & bass" and more subtle, melodic ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, and his sonic heaviness has been compared to labelmates Venetian Snares
Venetian Snares
Venetian Snares is the main performing alias of Canadian electronic musician Aaron Funk .From Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Funk is known for making electronic music often in odd numbered time signatures...
and Fanny
Fanny (artist)
Fanny is a musical alias of Winnipeg, Manitoba breakcore producer and Scottish expatriate, Fraser Runciman . He was signed to Winnipeg's Sublight Records in 2004, and founded his own record label, Girlcum Records, in 2006...
, as well as Belgian flashcore artist Atomhead.
Not much information is available about what software Friedrich uses for music production. However, he has been stated recording the album Liminal Space in FL Studio 4. To what extent that is true there is no real evidence for right now, but in a video he is actually seen using FL Studio while doing a live performance, proving that he uses it to at least some extent.
Albums
- 2001: Novus Ordo Seculorum with EiterherdEiterherdEiterherd is an Austrian breakcore artist.He first got into experimental music in 1994, when he started DJ'ing hardcore and gabber around Graz, Austria and Maribor, Slovenia. In 1995 he started making music on a computer, using various trackers. In 1996 together with Gwal he founded the record...
(Peace Off) - 2003: Liminal Space (Hymen RecordsHymen RecordsHymen Records is an imprint of the Ant-Zen record label, founded in 1997 by Stefan Alt . Hymen mainly releases material of a technoid, power noise/rhythmic noise, dark ambient, IDM, breakcore or similar experimental electronic nature....
)
EPs
- 2002: Azif (MirexAnt-ZenAnt-Zen Audio and Visual Arts is a German independent record label founded in 1994 by Stefan Alt , who serves as the art director. Visual arts from Ant-Zen are typically bleak but astonishing landscapes, or microscopic studies of what is often overlooked...
) - 2003: Même Mage (Mutant Sniper)
- 2006: Psicicite (Hymen RecordsHymen RecordsHymen Records is an imprint of the Ant-Zen record label, founded in 1997 by Stefan Alt . Hymen mainly releases material of a technoid, power noise/rhythmic noise, dark ambient, IDM, breakcore or similar experimental electronic nature....
) - 2007: Alembic (Thac0 Records)
- 2007: The Silver Key EP (Zhark International)