Automatisme

Automatisme is the electronic music project of Quebec-based producer William Jourdain. Since 2011, he has self-released a brilliant series of albums and tracks under this moniker, exploring various intersections of drone, glitch, dub techno, ambient, electro-acoustic and noise. With a background in art history from UQAM (Universté du Québec à Montréal), Jourdain combines his passion for digital visual art with abstract landscape and op art aesthetics.

Starting with site-specific field recordings, Automatisme samples, processes, signal bends and transforms this source material into soundscapes charting a broad spectrum spanning minimalist pulse to methodically additive beat. His compositions also feature stacked-tone maximalism, spatial drone and arrhythmic ambient/noise elements. Influenced by pioneers such as Pan Sonic/Mika Vainio, Stefan Betke (Pole), and Carsten Nicolai (Alva Noto), Jourdain's work pays homage to the early works of these electronic music progenitors.

Jourdain has been busy since 2011 with over 30 releases on labels like Constellation Records (home for Godspeed you! Black Emperor), Force Inc./Mille Plateaux, Neologist Productions, Liberation Through Hearing, Outlines and Dream Disk Lab. He has performed at renowned festivals including Mutek (CA), ELEKTRA (CA), Suoni Per Il Popolo (CA), Pop Montreal