Mpls.St.Paul Magazine
Star Tribune

March 01, 2012
Radio Boredcast

Curated by artist Vicki Bennett (People Like Us), the online radio project was part of AV Festival 12: As Slow As Possible, in the UK. Four episodes of Some Assembly Required were programmed, including the SAR interviews with DJ Food, John Oswald, RX Music and Christian Marclay (March 1-31, 2012).
Thursday, June 24, 2011
Collective Jukebox v4.04

The Collective JukeBox is part of "Le Temps de l'Ecoute" (Listening Time) at the Contemporary Art Center Villa Arson in Nice (France), from June 24 to October 30, 2011. Escape Mechanism has been a part of The Collective Jukebox since 2000 (Collage Jukebox v2.1). Version 4.04 features 1487 audio works by 557 artists and composers.

Find out more at the Collective Jukebox website or visit the Centre National d'Art Contemporain, Villa Arson, in France.


Saturday, October 31, 2009
House Of The Haunted Ink Bottle

The House Of The Haunted Ink Bottle is a sound collage I've been working on for more than a couple of years, intended for collaboration with Louisiana Painter and Printmaker, Heather Ryan Kelley (read her description of the project below).

The five minute and forty-seven second piece consists of hundreds and hundreds of vocal fragments, collected specifically for this project (from the media, as always), and juxtaposed to create the impression of a few pages from James Joyce's final work of fiction, Finnegans Wake.

Most of the (very nearly five hundred) words, which make up the bulk of this piece, were sought out one at a time, from film, television, radio and more than just a few books on tape, and sometimes even syllable by syllable, to approximate as closely as possible, the spirit of Joyce's experimental novel. It was an awful lot of work, more than I've ever devoted to a single track before, and I'm really very happy with how it turned out. Thanks to Heather Ryan Kelley for the inspiration!

Heather Ryan Kelley's Artist Statement:

In Finnegans Wake James Joyce uses the image of a midden heap as a metaphor for artistic creation. The character Shem, an "alshemist," transforms his rubbish into art. The Wake itself may be seen as a massive recycling machine containing fragments of everything. It is a cultural midden filled with layer upon layer of reference to myth, history, literature, popular songs, children's games, the author's biography, and a multitude of other sources.

The passage referenced in the House of the Haunted Ink Bottle describes Shem's lair and enumerates the objects littering the interior. The House of the Haunted Ink Bottle is a collaboration of Escape Mechanism and The Midden Heap Press.

Taking a cue from the Portable Museums of Marcel Duchamp, The Midden Heap (Inside the Black Cube) is planned as a portable exhibition of collaborative works by artists and scholars, "a middenhide horde of objects" (FW, 019.08) contained in a box.

Check out the artist's website HERE.


Friday, February 06, 2009
Good Vibes from an iTunes Listener...

Not a mash-up... a veritable sound dreamscape *****
by Freebert - Feb 6, 2009

I love and revere experimental electronic music, and 'Emphasis Added' is the cream of the crop. Jon Nelson (aka Escape Mechanism) doesn't just make music, he creates collages of sound - from old movies, advertisements, TV shows, music, sound effects, and loops. This allows him to create moods and ambient, atmospheric electronic music unlike anything I have ever heard. Try something new, pick this album up. It will make you listen.


...and check out Escape Mechanism in this iTunes iMix:
1 Sample Short Of A Lawsuit

I LOVE THE ART OF SAMPLING. THIS IS A SHORT SET OF 40 OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITES...
- mursinnamix


Thursday, February 05, 2009
Jon Nelson interviewed on National Public Radio's On Point with Tom Ashbrook.

Here's just a segment from the call-in segment of the show:
Tom Ashbrook: Let's go to Isabelle in Rochester, Massachusetts. Isabelle, you're on the air.
Isabelle: Hello. Wonderful show. I just wanted to say that I'm a 45 year old stay at home mom, in a little town in Massachusetts, with absolutely no talent or creativity, and I LOVE music...
Tom: ...You love THIS music? The Mashup music?
Isabelle: I love it. Love it. And the reason I love it is because I also think it represents society, like that young man from Boston who called. But I think it represents the best of society. It's the melange that we are in this country. Different people, different music, different expressions, different thinking. And it all comes together in one piece of music. It's so exciting for me. It IS the melting pot. So to me it really represents America...


Listen HERE.


Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Interview with Escape Mechanism on Decider Twin Cities, The Onion's local arts and entertainment website...

It makes sense that Jon Nelson's art is inspired by dreams, since it's created using the same building blocks: fragments of memory, broken and reorganized in a new, strange way that makes them unfamiliar even as you might recognize their source...

See it HERE.
Read just the text HERE.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
"(Emphasis Added)" in the January, 2009 issue of WIRED Magazine.




See it HERE.
Read just the text HERE.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Electronic Musician includes "(Emphasis Added)" in it's feature, "This Month's Soundtrack, January 2009"...

ESCAPE MECHANISM: (EMPHASIS ADDED) (RECOMBINATIONS) Sound and visual artist Jonathan Nelson recycles postconsumer audio into a set of fascinating social and political statements.

See it HERE.
Read just the text HERE.
Check out emusician.com HERE.

Sunday, December 21, 2008
"(Emphasis Added)" included on "Best Of 2008" lists, on both sides of the globe...

What To Wear During An Orange Alert's Holiday Guide (Chicago):
http://wearduringorangealert.blogspot.com/2008/12/holiday-guide.html

Tiit Kusnet's Top 15, in Postimees (Estonia):
http://www.postimees.ee/?id=60821

Thanks also to Brendan Phillips at Tiny Mix Tapes (New York):
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/2008-Individual-Lists

and Domenic Maltempi at Perfect Sound Forever (New York):
http://www.furious.com/perfect/2008writerspoll.html
Monday, December 01, 2008
Fall, 2008

Michaelangelo Matos included Escape Mechanism in an article ("THE eMUSIC DOZEN: Twin Cities") for eMusic. The piece lists twelve Minneapolis/St. Paul recording artists he remembers fondly (having since moved to Seattle). Not exactly sure when this was posted, but my guess is around December (2008), as the new album is mentioned...

Jonathan Nelson hosts the syndicated college-radio program Some Assembly Required, a showcase for cut-and-paste artists--such as Nelson himself, when he records as Escape Mechanism. That isn't something he does often: 2008 sees a new album under the name, his first studio work since this 1998 debut. But even then Nelson's work was noticeably assured...

Check it out HERE.
Monday, November 10, 2008
James Allenspach reviews (Emphasis Added) at empty-handed.com...

"Jon Nelson's audio collages released under the studio name Escape Mechanism are not your average cut-n-paste offerings. He has a knack for introducing a thoughtful, philosophical angle..."

Read the full review HERE.
Friday, November 07, 2008
An interview with Jonathan Nelson featured in the Marquee section of the Friday, November 7 issue of The American Press, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The feature ran a week before the closing of Nelson's solo exhibition, Amendments, at McNeese State University's Abercrombie Gallery.



Read the full text HERE.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Bill Adams reviews (Emphasis Added) at groundcontrolmag.com...

"In order to understand what one is listening to when attempting to decode the megalithic assembly that is Jonathan Nelson's newest effort under the Escape Mechanism moniker, one has to understand what the difference is between a musician and an artist of music. It sounds like it should be the height of differentiating the most miniscule of minutiae, but really the difference is enormous..."

Read the full review HERE.



Thursday, October 16, 2008
AMENDMENTS

New Sound Collage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson featured in a Solo Exhibition at Abercrombie Gallery (Oct. 16-Nov. 14, 2008). The show, titled "Amendments," will feature five new Escape Mechanism compositions, along with visual collage and assemblage by Jonathan Nelson. The Abercrombie Gallery is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at McNeese State University.

More info HERE.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
"(Emphasis Added)" debuts on CMJ's RPM Charts.

It continues to chart for over a month, thanks to stations such as KAOS, KCSU, KFAI, KRFP, KRUA, KUMD, KUPS, KVMR, KXZY, WCNI, WEGL, WERU, WFDU, WFMU, WNRN, WRIU, WRPI, WRRG, WRSU, WSCA, WTTC, WUSB and WXOU, just to name a few... Thanks!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Wired's Blog Network features (Emphasis Added) in their Music section...

Check it out HERE.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Escape Mechanism is the Band of the Week at What To Wear During An Orange Alert...

"((Emphasis Added) is)...an intricately assembled sound collage that calls for change, not just a change in listening habits, but a genuine cultural change. The samples and audio that Jonathan Nelson selects paint a series of pictures about the state of society, but at the same time can make you move your feet. (Emphasis Added), which was released on Sept. 29th, is the ultimate journey into sound, and every time you listen you find something new."

Check out their interview with Escape Mechanism HERE.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Escape Mechanism's new studio release, "(Emphasis Added)," available on CD HERE and at select retailers, is now also available at eMusic.com and a variety of other online digital download services, including iTunes and Amazon.com.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Estonia's Klassikaraadio dedicates an episode of its NYYD-muusika program to Recombinations artists, including Escape Mechanism. The program is titled "Korduvkasutatud kultuur" (Recycled culture), and is archived at Klassikaraadio's website HERE.
07.10.2008 "Korduvkasutatud kultuur"

Thanks to Tiit Kusnets and Klassikaraadio!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Transmission, the Music Section at gapersblock.com, has weighed in on the new release by Escape Mechanism....

"...(Emphasis Added) was released yesterday, and carries a message that is unmistakably a product of the current state of our government, economy, and our attitude in general as consumers. I've thought for a while now that more can be said in a well placed sample then in a well-written song lyric, and Nelson proves that idea to be correct. Taking chunks of audio from what sounds like motivational tapes and various movies, Nelson is able to tackle consumerism and politics, but also adds a great deal of humor and wit. With a line like, 'People are worshiping sunglasses and orgasms', you realize quickly 'What's Happening'..."

Read the full review HERE.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
The Rake had this to say about Escape Mechanism's new Studio Album...

"One half DJ mixtape, one half found object, (Emphasis Added) is a consistently engaging assemblage of noise... (Re)Cycling through snippets of music, movie quotes, laugh tracks, and various ambient sounds, Escape Mechanism concocts melodies that are entirely foot-tap-able. Yeah - it's Girl Talk for intellectuals." (originally posted online, September 16, 2008)

Read the full review HERE.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Escape Mechanism's new studio album, "(Emphasis Added)" is released.

Escape Mechanism is back with its first studio album in nearly ten years... 1998's self-titled debut was composed of sounds 100% recycled from the media environment and "(Emphasis Added)" continues proudly in that same tradition...

Available September 29, 2008. All of the tracks on (Emphasis Added) are 100% recycled from the media environment. More information HERE.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Foreign C. in NYC

kInDeRdEuTsCh pRoJeKtS premiered FOREIGN C., in New York City. The new play, by Abi Basch, was produced in association with the Ontological-Hysteric Incubator and featured three sound collages by Escape Mechanism, in conjunction with sound design by Paula Matthusen. The production ran July 23, 24, 25, and 26 at The Ontological Theater at St. Mark's Church, in NYC.


Text by Abi Basch
Performed by Thorsten Bihegue, Stefanie Fiedler and Molly Shaiken
Music and Sound Design by Paula Matthusen and Jonathan Nelson (Escape Mechanism)

For more information, visit: http://www.kinderdeutsch.org/
Friday, April 04, 2008
Re-purpose, Re-use, Re-cycle
Visual Assemblage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson featured in a Group Show at AZ Gallery, titled "Re-purpose, Re-use, Re-cycle" (April 4 - April 20, 2008). All artwork in the exhibition contains 75% or more re-used materials. The Gallery is located in the Northern Warehouse Building at 308 Prince Street (#130), in St. Paul, MN.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Marquee #3, by Jonathan Nelson (Escape Mechanism) is pictured, along with the work of many other artists, in a feature on (Fox 9 newscaster) Robyne Robinson's art collection, in the February, 2008 edition of Midwest Home magazine.



Read the article HERE.
See the photo HERE.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
To celebrate Some Assembly Required's Ninth Anniversary, The Evolution Control Committee imposes the SAR Q&A on Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson...

Check out the SAR Q&A with Escape Mechanism HERE.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Ultimate Landscapes
Audio and Visual Assemblage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson featured along with work by over 50 Minneapolis artists in a Group Show at Gallery 13 (November 17, 2007 - January 12, 2008), titled "Ultimate Landscapes." The Gallery is located in Minneapolis, at 302 13th Ave. NE.

More info: http://www.gallery13.com/
Friday, November 02, 2007
November 2-30, 2007

The 2007 Festival of Appropriation curated by Escape Mechanism's Jon Nelson, at The Soap Factory and Walker Art Center, in Minneapolis.

Check out the FOA website, and FOA News updates at the Some Assembly Required News Page, HERE.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
NEW Sound Installation at the Rochester Art Center


Jonathan Nelson
That's The News (And I Am Out Of Here)
Special sound installation, top of stairs, 3rd Floor
May 19 - August 27, 2007





Rochester Art Center, 40 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, MN 55904
(Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10-5 / Thursday, 10-9 / Sunday, Noon-5)

www.rochesterartcenter.org
Friday, May 04, 2007
ART FOR OTHER SENSES
New Sound Collage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson featured in a Group Show at Altered Esthetics (May 4-24, 2007), titled "Art For Other Senses." The Gallery is located in Minneapolis, at 1224 Quincy Street, NE.

(Gallery Hours: Tu & Th 1-7, Sat 1-5)

Monday, April 16, 2007
The Spring/Summer 2007 issue of l'etoile magazine includes a short feature on Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson... l'etoile magazine celebrates both emerging and established talent in Art, Fashion, Music and Design.


Check it out HERE
Read just the text HERE

www.letoilemagazine.com
Friday, April 13, 2007
Jonathan Nelson presented four audio/video collages, at Patrick's Cabaret in Minneapolis, as part of the April 13 and 14 live show. The videos were for sound collages by Escape Mechanism, made in collaboration with artists from Toronto and Minneapolis. On display were "Why does the light fall" (Coleman Miller), "Cycles" (John Richardson), "Paranoid" (Chuck Olsen) and "Let's Talk (Q&A)" (Carrie Shanahan, Sarah Petersen).

Patrick's Cabaret presents six eclectic and talented artists from the Twin Cities, twice monthly. For more information, visit Patrick's Cabaret online at patrickscabaret.org
Friday, April 13, 2007
NEW photos: What will you SEE... at a SOUND ART show?
Fragment Nation, April 6-22, @ Rosalux Gallery
1011 Washington Ave. S. Minneapolis
Tuesday-Thursday 12-8 / Friday-Sunday 12-5
www.rosaluxgallery.com
Saturday, April 07, 2007
NEW VIDEO

Chuck Olsen has uploaded his video for "Paranoid" (Sound Collage by Escape Mechanism) to the web, at his Minnesota Stories website...


Check out the video HERE
Check out Minnesota Stories at: mnstories.com
Friday, April 06, 2007
New Sound Collage by Jonathan Nelson (Escape Mechanism) debuted at Rosalux Gallery, with an opening reception Friday, April 6th. The exhibition, titled Fragment Nation, featured new works of sound collage by Nelson, and photography by Robert Roscoe.

Fragment Nation was Nelson's third major show at Rosalux Gallery, and his first all-sound exhibition. Many of the works debuted in this show are from an upcoming release by Escape Mechanism (2008's "(Emphasis Added)"), only his 2nd studio album of appropriation-based sound collage, since 1998.

FRAGMENT NATION opened April 6, 2007 and remained on display at Rosalux Gallery through April 22.
Friday, April 06, 2007





Fragment Nation previewed by Mary Abbe in The Star Tribune.
Read the preview HERE.
Friday, April 06, 2007
ART REINCARNATED
Collage, Assemblage and Video Collage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson featured along with work by 60 artists in a Group Show at Altered Esthetics (April 6-26, 2007), titled "Art Reincarnated." The Gallery is located in Minneapolis, at 1224 Quincy Street, NE.

Read Vita.MN's preview HERE
Read The Rake's preview HERE
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Check out the NEW VIDEO for "Let's Talk (Q&A)," by Escape Mechanism.

Watch it HERE.

The sound collage featured in this 2006 video was recorded live at the Oak Street Cinema, in 2001. It was our last performance as Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism. Video Collage by Fantastic Five (Carrie Shanahan, Sarah Petersen). Sound Collage by Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen and Jonathan Nelson.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Rosalux Gallery presents CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT featuring new work by Jonathan Nelson (Escape Mechanism) and Ruben Nusz.

Nelson presented two new additions to his Marquee Series, along with a brand new series of visual collage and a series of video collages made in collaboration with Coleman Miller, Fantastic Five (Carrie Shanahan and Sarah Petersen) and John Richardson (R Room). All five of the Music Box series (featuring tracks by Escape Mechanism) were also presented here, for the first time at Rosalux Gallery.

CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT opened December 1st, 2006 and remained on display at Rosalux Gallery through December 17th. More information at www.rosaluxgallery.com

Friday, December 01, 2006
CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT previewed by Mary Abbe in The Star Tribune.
Read the preview HERE.
Friday, December 01, 2006
CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT previewed in the December issue of Minnesota Monthly.
Read their preview HERE.
Friday, December 01, 2006
CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT previewed in the December issue of Metro Magazine.

See their preview HERE.
Read just the text HERE.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT previewed in the Star Tribune's new weekly paper,
Vita.MN
Read the preview HERE.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT makes The City Pages "A-List."
See it HERE.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
mnartists.org and mnstories.com are collaborating on a new series of videos profiling Minnesota artists. The first artist to be featured was Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson. Check it out HERE.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
CREATE, DESTROY, REPEAT previewed in The City Pages Fall Arts Preview.

The exhibition is scheduled to open at Rosalux Gallery on December 1st, 2006 and will feature new collage, assemblage and video collage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson, along with new paintings and photography by Ruben Nusz.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Assemblage by Escape Mechanism's Jonathan Nelson featured along with work by fellow Rosalux members in a Group Show at Rosalux Gallery (September 12-October 15, 2006, Minneapolis, MN).
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Rosalux Group Show -- Rosalux Gallery held a special satellite exhibition in Northeast Minneapolis' Northrup King Building during "First Thursdays in the Arts District." The Show featured work by many Rosalux artists, and included four of Jonathan Nelson's Music Box Series (featuring tracks by Escape Mechanism).

Jonathan Nelson at mnartists.org
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Check out the NEW VIDEO for "Cycles," by Escape Mechanism.

Video Collage by R Room. Sound Collage by Escape Mechanism.

Watch it HERE.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Escape Mechanism featured in issue 6.1 of access + ENGAGE.

The e-journal debuted a brand new collaboration between Escape Mechanism and Canadian video artist, John Richardson, of R Room. The music video is for an as-yet-unreleased track by Escape Mechanism, titled "Cycles." The file will be added to the VIDEO section of the Escape Mechanism website on Sunday, June 18. Or watch it here: Jonathan Nelson at mnartists.org

access+ENGAGE is published by mnartists.org on a bi-monthly basis. The online publication offers coverage of the arts in Minnesota and beyond.

Click HERE to read issue 6.1 of access + ENGAGE
Monday, June 12, 2006
New Escape Mechanism website launched. A big THANK YOU to stAllio! for his web skills and generosity. Stay tuned for more regular updates, and be sure to visit the Some Assembly Required website for regular updates as well.

The radio program now has a BLOG, with a new sound collage artist featured each and every week. Some Assembly Required is also podcasting. Tune in online, every week, for a new archived episode!

Friday, April 21, 2006
St. Paul Art Crawl: Jonathan Nelson and Kurt Schulz. The Group Show featured new paintings by Kurt Schulz and visual collage by Jonathan Nelson (including five of the "Music Box" Series - featuring tracks by Escape Mechanism), in St. Paul, Minnesota (April 21-23).

Jonathan Nelson at mnartists.org
Kurt Schulz at mnartists.org
Friday, January 06, 2006
Fear of a Fuhrer makes The Austin Chronicle's Top 10 Theatrical Treasures & Pleasures of 2005...

Playwright Abi Basch's enigmatic exploration of enemies and betrayal in wartime generated more questions than answers, and yet its mysteries in suitcases, strangely beautiful dances, and haunting score by Adam Sultan and Jon Nelson, performed in the catacombs beneath the Brockett Theatre, made for one of the year's most mesmerizing hours.

See the full Top 10 list online, HERE

Sunday, January 01, 2006
Rod Smith includes Escape Mechanism's Live CD, Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism in his Best Albums of 2005, in The Star Tribune.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Three of the "Music Box" Series by Jonathan Nelson (featuring tracks by Escape Mechanism) featured as part of the group show, "Heteroclite," at Density Studios (Minneapolis, MN). The exhibition ran November 19-December 17, 2005.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Escape Mechanism's collaboration with playwright Abi Basch ("Fear of a Fuhrer") resulted in an Austin Critics Table Award for "Outstanding Original Score." Escape Mechanism shares the honor with musician Adam Sultan, and would like to thank the Austin Critics Table Awards!

Read The Austin American Statesman's announcement HERE.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Sound Collage by Escape Mechanism in a new play by Abi Basch: "A Glossary of War Words." Presented May 12-15 by Austin Script Works, as part of their Out Of Ink Festival, at the Blue Theater in Austin, Texas. "A Glossary of War Words" is directed by Sharon Sparlin, with film by Adam Sekuler and sound collage by Jon Nelson (Escape Mechanism).
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
"Now Showing" reviewed in The Pulse.
Read the review HERE.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
"Fear of a Fuhrer" debuts at the Blue Theater in Austin, Texas.

Six original audio works by Escape Mechanism are featured as part of this original play, written and directed by Abi Basch. For more information about the production, visit the Refraction Arts Project website.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Two sound installation pieces by Escape Mechanism featured as part of "Now Showing: New Works by Jonathan Nelson and Amy Rice," at Rosalux Gallery (Minneapolis, MN).

The exhibition ran April 5-29, with an artist's reception on Friday, April 15 (2005).

Jonathan Nelson at mnartists.org
Amy Rice at mnartists.org
Sunday, April 03, 2005
"Now Showing" makes The City Pages "A-List."
Friday, April 01, 2005
Escape Mechanism's sound installation piece "Listserv" exhibited as part of The Fuse Box Festival, at the Blue Theater, in Austin, Texas.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
A track from the live Escape Mechanism CD was featured on the February 23rd edition of NPR's online radio program All Songs Considered "Open Mic". All Songs Considered is NPR's multimedia online music program; hosted by Bob Boilen (Director of All Things Considered) and produced by Robin Hilton.

Listen HERE.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Eesti Radio's Klassikaraadio (Estonia) did a scattered focus on Recombinations artists, including Escape Mechanism, on its Fantaasia radio program.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Resonance FM (London's "first radio art station") programmed a short feature on Recombinations on their Big Ears radio show, playing tracks by Splatt and Escape Mechanism.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Rift Magazine reviews the live Escape Mechanism CD.
Read the review HERE.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Escape Mechanism nominated for another Minnesota Music Award.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
The live Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by Rod Smith for City Pages.
Read the review HERE.
Friday, July 02, 2004
Recombinations releases available at Illegal Art's Webshop.
Thursday, July 01, 2004
The live Escape Mechanism CD receiving airplay on many college radio stations, including KUOM, WMUH, WREK and WXDU.
Sunday, June 27, 2004
CD release party for Recombinations recording artists Splatt, Escape Mechanism and the Coherent Encoherence at the Kitty Cat Klub. The event is sponsored by Chemical Theater, Cumulus and Some Assembly Required.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Article about Recombinations appears in The Minnesota Daily.
Read the article HERE.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Recombinations officially launches with 3 new CD releases.

"Will a Computer Give you Kids?" by The Coherent Encoherence, "World of Splatt" by Splatt and the self-titled "Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism" join the re-release of the self-titled debut CD by Escape Mechanism, as the first four titles available from Recombinations.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
The LIVE CD by Escape Mechanism, "Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism" is released on Recombinations, along with the re-release of the self-titled debut CD by Escape Mechanism.

The CD features the talents of Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hansen, Jon Nelson (Escape Mechanism), Andy Levi and Danny Sigelman, recorded live at venues such as The First Avenue Mainroom, The Soap Factory and The Walker Art Center.

Read More about the Cast of Thousands HERE.
Saturday, February 01, 2003
"Minneapolis Summit" reviewed by Sentire Ascoltare Online Magazine.
Read the review HERE.
Friday, January 24, 2003
"Hooked on phonics: Audio artist celebrates 4 years on the 'Assembly' line" appears in the Star Tribune.

Read the story HERE.
Wednesday, January 01, 2003
VideoCD document of live collaboration with Escape Mechanism, Steev Hise, the Tape-beatles and Wobbly released as a mini VideoCD, produced and released by the Tape-beatles. More information at the Minneapolis Summit website.
Wednesday, January 01, 2003
Escape Mechanism is featured on the 2003 Art-A-Whirl CD compilation.
Sunday, September 01, 2002
Live collaboration between Escape Mechanism, Steev Hise, the Tape-beatles and Wobbly released as a mini-CD by Dutch label, Staalplaat.

More information at the Minneapolis Summit website.
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
New Escape Mechanism website launched.
Friday, May 24, 2002
Escape Mechanism featured on the Art-A-Whirl CD compilation.
Friday, May 17, 2002
May 17, 18 and 19 - Sound installation piece by Escape Mechanism, titled 'Listserv,' installed in a new arrangement at the Northrup King Building, in Minneapolis, as part of the 2002 Art-A-Whirl.
Wednesday, October 03, 2001
Debut of a new sound installation piece by Escape Mechanism, titled "Listserv," at the Soap Factory, as part of the new series, 'Shafted Sound.'

For this exhibition, "Listserv" was installed in stereo, with the left speaker at the bottom of the Soap Factory's elevator shaft, and the right positioned near the top. The piece was experienced from within the elevator car, where the split-stereo effect was perfectly focused.
Sunday, September 30, 2001
Escape Mechanism featured on the 2001 Sound Unseen CD compilation, along with Steev Hise, John Oswald, The Tape-beatles, Wet Gate and Wobbly.
Sunday, September 30, 2001
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) perform live at the The Oak Street Cinema, opening for The Tape-beatles, as part of The 2001 Sound Unseen Underground Film and Music Festival. The first of four evenings of media collage (also featuring John Oswald, Wet Gate, Wobbly and Steev Hise), sponsored by Some Assembly Required.

Check out some photos taken at the Sound Unseen film festival.

[See postcard.] [See City Pages article.] [See show poster.] [See announcement.]
Monday, July 23, 2001
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) perform live at the First Avenue Main Room, as part of the 'Future Perfect' showcase.

[See announcement.]
Sunday, May 06, 2001
Music video for 'Today' by Escape Mechanism airs on Radio K's video showcase, Video K.
Friday, March 09, 2001
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) perform at the Walker Art Center, at the art opening for Yoko Ono's exhibition, 'Yes Yoko Ono.'

[See postcard.]
Friday, October 13, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) perform at the Walker Art Center's 'DeFacto(ry) Films' showcase at the Soap Factory. The event was curated by film collage artist Craig Baldwin, to conclude his artist's residency at The Walker Art Center. The Iconagogo Collective provided another stunning film and video collage performance in collaboration with our live, improvised media collage.

[See blurb.] [See announcement.]
Sunday, August 20, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) host KFAI's community radio program, The Waves Project, playing favorite recorded moments from our live performances.
Sunday, August 13, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) perform, along with film and video projections by the Iconagogo Collective, at the Loring Bar. Invited to play two separate events happening that same night at the Loring, the first set was for 'The Polar Bear Club.' The second set was a part of a release party for Rain Taxi Review of Books.
Tuesday, August 01, 2000
The Collage Jukebox incorporates the Escape Mechanism CD into their international, collaborative 'investigation in the field of... sound... music, visual arts and... other disciplines.'
Tuesday, July 04, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson), in conjunction with the film projections of local arts organization Red Eye Cinema, perform at the 4th of July exhibition, "Multiplex V," at the Soap Factory.

[Corey Hanssen's poster.]
Sunday, July 02, 2000
The Droplift Project CD is released. Escape Mechanism is one of many collage artists featured on this unusually distributed compilation CD. Adbusters, Entertainment Weekly and many others review the The Droplift Project as performance/CD release.

[See announcement postcard.] [See Bizarre article.]
Saturday, June 24, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) play "The New Atlantis" showcase at the Soap Factory.

[See poster.]
Monday, May 22, 2000
After a successful legal battle with California-based toy company Etoys, the online art collective, etoy, released the CD compilation "Toywar." The CD features work by a variety of artists including Escape Mechanism, The The Evolution Control Committee, Steev Hise, The The Jet Black Hair People, Negativland, People Like Us and Wobbly.
Saturday, May 20, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) perform live at the Rogue Buddha Art Gallery, as part of the 2000 "Art-A-Whirl."
Wednesday, April 12, 2000
After obtaining permission from the artist, at the opening for the Walker Art Center's "Let's Entertain," the debut Escape Mechanism CD is surreptitiously added to Piotr Uklanski's installation piece, "Dance Floor." The piece, which was a part of "Let's Entertain," was a functional disco dance-floor, installed in the museum's coat room, where it blinked away in time to the music, with coat racks and coin-operated lockers where the dancers would have been. The CD played on repeat for over a week.
Saturday, April 08, 2000
Escape Mechanism nominated for a Minnesota Music Award.
Friday, April 07, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) interviewed by Dan Haugen on his live radio program, The Local Sound Department, on KFAI.
Saturday, April 01, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) performed for over three hours at the Rogue Buddha Art Gallery, as part of the Spunk Art Collective's spring art show.

[See announcement.]
Sunday, January 02, 2000
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Gregg Boullosa, Corey Hanssen, with Jon Nelson) play "The Polar Bear Club" at the Loring Bar, in Loring Park.
Thursday, October 28, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by John Sekerka, as a Pop Culture Press Web Exclusive.
Sunday, July 04, 1999

Escape Mechanism collaborates with National Project's Kevin Karpinksi for the fourth annual 'Multiplex' at the Soap Factory.
Monday, May 17, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by John Gore, for Sonic Detours Independent & Underground Music Writers & Publishers Network.
Tuesday, April 06, 1999
Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism (Danny Sigelman, Jon Nelson) play as part of Radio K's 'Gigawatt Showcase' at the Weisman Art Museum. Actually, we just played between the headlining acts, but it does mark the first occasion where I creatively mixed multiple elements with another performer (DJ Sandpeople) in a live context. Thanks to Danny Sigelman for the invitation and encouragement!
Friday, April 02, 1999
Michaelangelo Matos reviews three of Minneapolis' 'electronic' music artists, including Escape Mechanism, in the April issue of London's 'The Wire.'
Friday, April 02, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by Anton Warner in Ink 19.
Thursday, April 01, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by DJ Kristo for Orbit.
Thursday, April 01, 1999
Escape Mechanism is #16 on the City Pages "Picked to Click IX" list.

[See listing.]
Thursday, April 01, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by John Bartlett for Exclaim.
Monday, March 08, 1999
Escape Mechanism is listed as #179 on the CMJ Top 200 for the week of March 1, 1999 - thanks to KBGA (Missoula, MT), KRNU (Lincoln, NE), KRUI (Iowa City, IA), KUCR (Riverside, CA), KUNM (Albuquerque, NM), KUOM (Minneapolis, MN), KUWS (Superior, WI), WDBK (Blackwood, NJ), WLUW (Chicago, IL), WMBR (Cambridge, MA), WNCW (Spindale, NC), WPRB (Princeton, NJ), WUNH (Durham, NH) and WUOG (Athens, GA).
Monday, March 01, 1999
Escape Mechanism is listed as #177 on the CMJ Top 200 for the week of March 1, 1999 - thanks to KBGA (Missoula, MT), KRNU (Lincoln, NE), KRUI (Iowa City, IA), KUCR (Riverside, CA), KUNM (Albuquerque, NM), KUOM (Minneapolis, MN), KUWS (Superior, WI), WDBK (Blackwood, NJ), WLUW (Chicago, IL), WMBR (Cambridge, MA), WNCW (Spindale, NC), WPRB (Princeton, NJ), WUNH (Durham, NH) and WUOG (Athens, GA).
Wednesday, February 24, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by Chris Morris for Flagpole Magazine Online.
Wednesday, February 10, 1999
Escape Mechanism is one of two artists focused on in an arts feature in the Twin Cities weekly newspaper, City Pages.
Thursday, January 28, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by Henry Horman in The Pulse.
Tuesday, January 26, 1999
Escape Mechanism CD reviewed by the Michigan Daily.
Sunday, December 06, 1998
Released debut full-length CD by Escape Mechanism.
Tuesday, October 28, 1997
"Box of Blue Paperclips" reviewed by Lloyd Dunn, in Photostatic Retrofuturist (Psrf) no. 48.
Sunday, October 19, 1997
"Box of Blue Paperclips" reviewed by Conrad Teves in Toast.
Monday, October 06, 1997
Escape Mechanism EP, 'Box of Blue Paperclips,' released (cassette only).