Bassist | Composer | Producer
Ross Anderson is an emerging artist from Naarm (Melbourne)
Photograph: Rachel Brown 2022
Cubism
This project was part of my honours year at the Victorian College of the Arts. Upon considering what I wanted to do for a creative project, I recalled my trip around Europe in 2019. I was visiting a gallery in France and came across and exhibition that contained some of the history, reasoning, and preparatory sketches behind Picasso’s 1937 masterpiece Guernica. Seeing Picasso’s creative process laid out in this way was a unique experience. The way that he meticulously crafted each element of the mural so it fit together like a jigsaw inspired me deeply. Upon further research of Picasso’s art, I discovered his cubist artworks and I was enthralled by the way that Picasso and the other cubist artists were able to play with perspective in the paintings.
I had always been interested in music which managed to subvert expectations, that played with perspective that used effects and post production as a way off deepening the auditory experience of the music. I wanted to undertake a project in which I would be able to explore these desires and interests in music, but I felt like I needed some kind of conceptual anchor from which I could build these ideas on. After a lot of thinking and discussions with friends, I finally figured out what that anchor was going to be: Cubism.
It took me a while to figure out exactly how I was going to achieve this, but under the guidance of my mentors Barney McAll and Dylan Van der Schyff at the Victorian College of Arts, I managed to craft a framework in which it was possible to translate the visual techniques and devices used in cubist paintings into music.
Seated Woman
This track is based off a painting by Gino Severini.
I was really captured by simplistic use of contrast in the painting, the way they mesh together to form the subject of the painting was really inspiring to me. The contrast between the horns and the guitar parts represents this contrast and patchwork way of composing. The track features the amazing trombone playing of Callum Mintzis.
Track by Track
Flowers
This track is based off a painting by Natalia Goncharova of the same name. This piece also shows off the bands versatility in style particularly Maddison Carter. Maddison has to be one of the most versatile drummers I know, and he also has an extremely expressive and dynamic tonal pallet. His playing has a special way of moulding to any musical situation, while still sounding like himself and putting his own stamp on the music. The in-your-face and explosive loud sections represent the overall bright and powerful style and colours of the painting.
The Bridge
This piece is based off a painting by Lyonel Feininger of the same name. Feininger has such a unique way of capturing feelings and moods by using overlapping shapes and grainy paint texture, which is something I really wanted to capture in my composition. I think this piece really shows off the sophistication of the listening of the musicians in the band, I gave them minimal written musical material to work with and yet they managed to sculpt this amazing sound scape from it.
The Artist’s Mother
Based on a painting by Juan Gris, this piece uses the reflective possibilities of melodic intervals as well as the expressive power of juxtaposing tonalities. During the post production phase, I muffled and filtered out a lot of the drums and bass from the guitar solo. I was initially worried that this would leave the guitar overly exposed, but it resulted in the masterful guitar work of Robbie Belchamber to really shine through. Robbies articulations and motivic development really take the track to the next level and expand the guitar sounds throughout the track.
The City of Paris
This track is based off a painting by Robert Delaunay.
This track is another amazing display of the bands creativity with regard to patience and restraint. The member of the ensemble has a masterful way of making the sound of their instruments appear to come from nowhere and then fade back again. The variety of tonal characteristics each musician has really helps to a beautiful bath of sound which represents the patchwork like collage of colours and moods within the painting.
Bottle and Fishes
Bottle and Fishes is based off a painting of the same name by French artist George Braque. Despite the relatively ordinary subjects in the painting, I felt that the painting had a very ominous and dark character. It reminded me of how much mood can affect the way we perceive our surroundings; if you’re feeling down or depressed, the everyday objects and things around you can seem oppressive and hostile. We had a lot of fun in the studio creating this one, we had the drums and Zax O’Connell’s alto saxophone miced up using contact microphones, which gave the gritting and dark colour to a lot of the instrument sounds. Zac also played part of his solo with a metal gong on the bell of his sax, when combined abrasive sound of the contact mics resulted in one of my favourite moments of the album.
Acknowledgements
There are many people who, without their help and support, I would have never been able to complete this project. I would like to thank them sincerely for everything they’ve done including:
My mentors at VCA, Barney McAll and Dylan Van der Schyff. My band members: Callum Mintzis, Madison Carter, Zac O’Connell and Robbie Belchamber. Everyone who helped with the design and artwork: Finn Rees and Rachel Brown. The wonderful mixing and recording skills of Pat Telfer and the mastering skills of Lachlan Carrick. My housemates Hector Harley, Alex Rindfliesh, Ryan Lynch and Hannah Coulsel. And last but not least my family: Mum, Dad and Bonnie.