
Ben Carey
Release date: July 3, 2024
Some of you know that I’m building a 2-panel paperface (73-75) Serge system. For those of you who read that and say “WHAT?!”, we’ll get into it in future bloggy stuff.
Anyway, with my recent foray into the 4U world, I’m stumbling into human beings like Ben Carey. If you'd like a quick education -start here with his website.
Among many things that we’ll get into, Dr Benjamin Carey is currently Senior Lecturer in Composition and Music Technology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney. His videos of some of his classes there will go down in infamy on YouTube in the topic of education of Serge paperface systems.

I like Ben. We’ve had a few emails, and he’s a gentleman, and he's a good teacher. You can hear this in the many videos he’s published from his exhaustive workshops playing with the Serge Kameruka system and more, at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. His candor and dialog with the students is worth the price of admission.
Here's a quick bio: "Ben Carey is a Sydney/Eora-based composer and improviser. He makes music using the modular synthesizer, develops interactive music software, and creates audio-visual works. Ben’s works with interactivity, generativity, and the delicate dance between human and machine agencies in composition and performance. Alongside Sonya Holowell, he is one half of the voice/modular synth duo Sumn Conduit." As I mentioned above, on YouTube, he’s sharing these 1hr courses from the conservatory on working with the Serge systems with a lucky small group of students in attendance. I’ve learned more than I can possibly say from these videos. You can find them here, on his YouTube channel. It’s an invaluable resource.
Ok--on to the release. The thing to remember here is that it’s not an album. This is a collection of 5 live performances; 3 from 2023 and 2 from 2024. It should be said that the differentiation means something to Ben.
If the stereotype of bleeps and bloops from Serge and most 4U systems has you reticent even to check this out, rest assured that you’ll get a lot more. The sheer soundscapes and delicate compositions are on display in a way that you’re aware you’re listening to a real master. These compositions are just lovely. Some are more meditative, some are noisier. You can handle it. This is deep listening.
I was on the edge of my seat for many of these tracks. Because they’re live performances, they aren’t short. They range from 24min to as long as 42min. These are studies. Maybe just take one at a time.
In album order, the performances are:
- Alchemic Nothing: SCULPTSOUND @ Verge Gallery. August 2023
- Piloting Chaos: Jetsets @ Tempe Jets. September 2023
- Voluminous: Volume Festival - Tones @ AGNSW, September 2023
- 1.07:02:01: 107 Projects, February 2024
- Pensée Parasseuse: Lazy Thinking Late @ Lazy Thinking, May 2024

From the artist:
“Integrating Contingencies is a comprehensive snapshot of my recent live performance practice, and is decidedly not an album. Grouping together five full-length recordings, this release documents solo performances made on various instruments, and in front of a variety of audiences over the past year. To be listened to individually, or together.”
I would agree that you really can choose any track and have a wonderful experience.
Or, of course, you can listen to the nearly 3hrs in one sitting if you’d like.
Instruments used for this unique offering are:
Eurorack Modular Synthesiser
Serge 'Kameruka' System
Buchla 200e
Mini Eurorack System
Landscape Stereofield and HC-TT
Meris LVX
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