Libythth (aka Seth Cooper) gave me a rough
outline of his past 8 years of musical activity and I found it
quite insightful so his unedited discography is below.
Libythth History
1993
St. Joseph, Michigan - A cassette tape entitled "Libythth"
recorded in my parent’s basement on a Roland "mall keyboard."
You know the kind that brags "anyone can play." Pre-programmed
beats representing various music styles including Rock 2,
Samba, Swing and 16 Beat. These were set to high tempos and
accompanied by me bashing away percussively on a folk-flute or
bari sax or orch hit sound. Saved up money from my summer job
at my Dad’s tombstone shop and bought a Roland R8 drum
machine. Moved to Providence, Rhode Island for art school.
1994
There is a lively weirdo rock scene in Providence. Also a
lot of raves. Rock shows cost $5. Raves cost $20. Deep hatred
for ravers and dance music in general sets in. I am constantly
recording synthesizer music - sort of resembles punk rock with
vocals. Borrowing distortion pedals and microphones from
rockers I live with. One day I come home and my apartment has
been robbed. They took my keyboard, my drum machine and all my
CDs. Libythth comes to a grinding halt.
1995
Evidently as a college student I was covered by renters’
insurance. I took my sizable claim and bought an Ensoniq TS12
sequencing MIDI keyboard which became the signature sound of
Libythth to this day. Made dozens of new songs each week and
started getting gigs in the Providence college circuit. I
stood there and shouted lyrics into a mic while the TS12
played the sequences. Audience just stared. Recorded first
full-length cassette of songs called Eternal Pain in Hell
with Satan. Mostly off-kilter synth-rock about writing
music itself. Sort of embarrassing now.
1996
Moved to Phoenix, Arizona for no good reason. Unemployed
and writing lots of songs. Played at gigs at various
"industrial nights", art galleries and skateboard shops to
audiences of less than 10. Heard Aphex Twin for the first
time. Someone else is making electronic music you’re not
supposed to dance to!
1997
Moved to San Francisco and attended the California
Recording Institute while working in a tombstone shop. A very
small sound engineering school where I managed to produce 2
full length CDs on ADAT using my new professional engineering
skills. These were called In God’s Loving Car, Pressed Up
Against and Save As: Moot. They sound amazing and
very few people give a crap. Also recorded a 20-minute collage
of noise and found-sound called "Sack Blabbath."
1998
Got a sampler and moved to Brooklyn. Made an important
decision not to bother with writing lyrics ever again.
Electronic sounds are a language and there’s no point muddying
them up with clumsy vocal crap that will just make the music
sound dated within a year. Bought a DrumKat, which is a MIDI
drum pad trigger module. I can now play the percussion parts
with sticks like a real cave-man.
1999
Began doing production for WordSound records. Making beats
and not being told what they were for. New York is a fucked-up
city. Did a brief internship at a hip hop recording studio
where I was basically an unpaid janitor. Thrilled to discover
there is such a thing as hardcore techno. Recorded two
breakthrough Libythth CDs without lyrics called Dizzolve a
Diamond and Almost a Trillion Dollars. Emphasis on
ultra-busy rhythms and odd unrecognizable samples and
carefully avoiding reference to DJ culture. Started doing live
shows where I played the DrumKat as a lead instrument and
people went NUTS! Sold tons of CDs at a show in Providence
opening for the Centimeters. This is what I have to do from
now on.
2000
Moved to Los Angeles. Got hooked up with Phthalo Records
which is releasing Dizzolve a Diamond and Almost a
Trillion Dollars and a new one called Typey 1 Tapey
which is an hour long load of improvised freakout, recorded in
two days time on a Yamaha "mall keyboard" and resembles
Libythth of 1994. Meeting other people who produce electronic
music, mostly those who have releases on Phthalo. Got a
Macintosh G4.
2001: Recorded new Libythth CD Plastic Dome Over Impact
Crater. Currently working on ultra-violent speedcore
project called Borbid Torpor.
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For more information please contact Lynn Hasty at (323) 466-5141 or
lynn@greengalactic.com.