Arp

Arp, the solo project of former Tussle member Alex Georgopolous, could have been named in reference to the Dadaist abstract sculptor Jean Hans Arp, the "peculiar galaxies" astronomer Halton Arp, or the pioneering 1970s electronic instrument manufacturer ARP. The latter may seem the most likely, given that Arp's music consists almost entirely of vintage synthesizers and was directly inspired by German electronica of the early '70s, but considering the distinctly cosmic and organically sculptural qualities of his expansive, improvisatory compositions, all three associations are equally apt. The first-generation American child of French and Greek parents, who was brought up in all three countries, Georgopolous is based in San Francisco, where he co-founded the instrumental dance-rock quartet Tussle in the early 2000s, primarily as a bassist, drummer, and percussionist. After the recording of Telescope Mind, the band's second album and first for Norwegian label Smalltown Supersound, Georgopolous departed the group to focus on a new project based on his exploration of synthesized electronic textures. His first endeavor under the Arp moniker, in 2006, was a gallery installation piece, created in collaboration with an architect, consisting of an enclosed modular space with a feather bed just large enough for two people to lay and listen to his minimalist synthesizer compositions on endless repeat. Several of these pieces were later included on In Light, his 2007 debut album for Smalltown Supersound, which was recorded almost completely live using an array of analog synths, with occasional touches of flute and piano, and overtly influenced by the early-'70s work of Cluster and Kraftwerk. Georgopolous is also a member of exploratory instrumental psych-folk trio the Alps. ~ K. Ross Hoffman, Rovi