Benjamin Perkins is an innovative surbahar and rudra veena player. These rare instruments, essentially a bass sitar and a tube zither with two large resonators, were traditionally used in North Indian mystical traditions and have a history of modification to push them to reach the range and subtleties of the human voice. Ben moves forward with the tradition of modification by consistently altering both instruments to suit the needs of his ability to explore communion and communication—utilizing these instruments in new contexts and in ways that are nontraditional in their departures from tonal centers and even the deeply acoustic nature of their wood, gourd and pumpkin resonators. Ben explores the use of acoustic and digital feedback as an instrument in itself as well as building and shattering sonic environments through looping and extended bowing and picking techniques.
Brian Murray brings percussion and electronic sound manipulation to The Exponential. He uses the Darbuka and Dohla (Goblet Drums) to ground the sounds in an earthy rhythmic cradle and to speak out from that cradle. Brian's d.i.y. drum kit is a pitched assemblage of drums tuned and played to suggest the cadences of spoken language--his long phrases and rhythmic surprises might function to catalyze psycho-spiritual state changes and transformations. Brian incorporates circuit-bending, digital field recordings, turntable, and various digital mixing effects to bring gritty and playful urban textures to the music. He stirs and cycles elements to establish time, add tension and structure, echo melodic elements, and to deconstruct dynamics. Brian's mixing efforts create real-time channeling of influences that tap into the immediacy of his collaborators' sounds.